Cardiothoracic Anesthesiologist · Public Speaker · Scholar · Educator
UCLA Health
Los Angeles, CA
Background
I am a cardiothoracic anesthesiologist at UCLA, where I care primarily for adult patients undergoing complex cardiac surgery, teach residents and fellows, and study social behavior in the operating room. My clinical work sits at the intersection of high-stakes decision-making, and interprofessional team performance, and improving outcomes for patients and clinicians.
Before medicine, I studied film and rhetoric and worked in nonprofit, human rights, and community organizing—experiences that continue to shape how I approach communication, leadership and scholarship.
My academic interests focus on perioperative conflict and communication, health equity, and medical education, with a particular focus on how communication patterns influence the triad of team performance, patient safety and clinician wellbeing. Outside the hospital, I enjoy reading, writing, and time with my husband and two children in Los Angeles. I pray at IKAR, which is a Jewish community deeply committed to developing shared futures through intellectual and spiritual curiosity, joy, and justice.
Scholarship
Studying how communication patterns and interprofessional conflict in the OR affect patient safety outcomes and team dynamics, using both quantitative and qualitative methods.
Examining the social dynamics of the operating room environment—how teams interact, how roles and hierarchies shape behavior, and what patterns predict high performance and safety.
Developing a robust workforce of professionals who have the empathy, resiliency and skill to navigate clinical challenges and build workplace cultures steeped in wellbeing.
Developing the tools and educational experiences to train clinicians of the future who can deliver exceptional care and build meaningful careers.
Peer-reviewed work
In her words
Strong relationships are a core element to being effective perioperatively. It’s not about being liked, nor about exerting power—it involves being self-possessed, attuned to disagreement, and willing to put team outcomes ahead of personal ones.
SCA Newsletter, Awesome Women Questionnaire
A long career involves constant renegotiation—with our bosses, colleagues, partners, family, and even ourselves. Building a fulfilling career requires generative, iterative work involving trial and error, reflection, and negotiation.
Advice for mentees in cardiothoracic anesthesiology
Service & roles
Member; speaker, moderator, and workshop coordinator at national meetings of the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists
Graduate medical education leadership overseeing resident training and professional development at UCLA
Industry advisory role contributing clinical expertise to acute care monitoring innovation
Get in touch
For clinical appointments, please visit UCLA Health. For research collaborations, speaking engagements, or professional inquiries, connect via LinkedIn.