AAPL Member Spotlight

What led you to pursue a career as a Physician Liaison?

I have always been drawn to the medical sciences and desire to help people, which shaped my career and has kept me in healthcare-related roles for nearly 30 years. I am most energized by work that allows me to connect people, solve problems, and support physicians in delivering high-quality patient care.

How long have you been in this role?

My path to becoming a physician liaison began at UK HealthCare, where I initially joined as a Physician Marketing Project Manager within the Physician Liaison Program. Working closely with physicians across multiple specialties showed me how essential strong relationships, clear communication, and trust are to successful provider engagement. I found real fulfillment in listening to physicians’ needs, removing barriers, and ensuring they felt supported.

Transitioning into a physician liaison role felt like a natural progression of my education, experience, and interests. It allows me to combine my passion for healthcare and the medical sciences with my strengths in relationship building, strategic outreach, and collaboration, while making a meaningful impact on both physicians and the patients they serve.

What do you love most about being a liaison?

What I love most about being a liaison is the opportunity to build trusted relationships and truly make a difference for both physicians and patients. I enjoy being out in the community, listening to referring providers, understanding their challenges, and helping connect them with the right people and resources within the health system. Being seen as a reliable, approachable point of contact is incredibly rewarding.

I also love the problem-solving aspect of the role, identifying barriers, advocating for physicians, and helping improve processes that ultimately enhance patient access and care. Every day is different, and the work is both relationship-driven and strategic, which keeps it engaging and meaningful.

Most importantly, I value being able to serve as a bridge between community providers and an academic medical center, ensuring communication flows both ways. Knowing that my efforts help strengthen partnerships, support physicians, and positively impact patients is what makes being a liaison so fulfilling for me.

How has your AAPL membership supported your growth as a liaison and leader?

Over the past 10 years, my AAPL membership has been instrumental in my growth as both a physician liaison and a leader. Through access to education, best practices, and a strong national network of peers, I have gained valuable insights that have helped refine my approach to provider engagement, outreach strategy, and data-driven decision making.

Serving in multiple leadership roles including Executive Board Member at-Large, Secretary, Co-Chair of the Membership and Program Planning Committees, and currently President-Elect has further strengthened my leadership skills. These experiences have provided opportunities to mentor others, collaborate with liaisons across the country, present at national conferences, and contribute advancing the profession and organization.

Overall, AAPL has helped me grow beyond the day-to-day liaison work and think more intentionally about how the role can best support organizational goals, physician satisfaction, and patient access, making me a more effective advocate and leader within the profession.

What AAPL resource or event has been the most valuable?

The most valuable AAPL resource for me has been the opportunity to connect with peers through national conferences and networking forums, such as the special interest groups. Being able to engage with liaisons from across the country, share real-world challenges, and learn how others approach provider engagement, data utilization, and outreach strategy has been invaluable. Those conversations often lead to practical takeaways that I can immediately apply in my own role. Overall, AAPL events provide a sense of community and shared purpose within the profession, helping me stay engaged, inspired, and continuously evolving as both a liaison and a leader.         

What advice would you give someone new to the Physician Liaison profession?

My advice to someone new to the physician liaison profession is to focus first on building trust and relationships. Take the time to listen more than you talk, learn each practice’s unique needs, and follow through on what you promise. Credibility is everything in this role, and it’s built through consistency, responsiveness, and genuine care.

I would also encourage new liaisons to really learn the health system - how it works, who to call, and how decisions are made. The more knowledgeable you are internally, the more effective you will be externally as an advocate for referring providers. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and seek out mentors.

Finally, be patient and stay curious. Success doesn’t happen overnight, and every interaction is an opportunity to learn. The most successful liaisons are those who remain adaptable, approachable, and always focused on adding value for physicians and, ultimately, for patients.

What is something people might be surprised to learn about you?

People are often surprised to learn that my career actually began as an exercise physiologist. I earned a master’s degree in both Human Performance and Fitness Management and spent many years managing large-scale fitness, wellness and injury prevention programs for large organizations such as Toyota.

That early experience shaped how I approach my role as a physician liaison today. It taught me how to lead teams, think strategically, apply lean principles, communicate with diverse stakeholders, and stay calm and solution-focused in high-pressure situations. While my current work looks very different on the surface, those foundational skills still guide everything I do.