Those early losses, along with the deaths of other family members, planted a question I couldn't answer as a child and never let go of: Why does disease happen, and what determines who it happens to?
I followed that question through college and into medical school, where I commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy. That decision offered a way to serve, to be useful, and to learn medicine in a culture that took preparation seriously.
From there I matched at Georgetown University Hospital, where I completed my neurology residency. I spent years at the bedside, caring for people through the hardest moments of their lives—strokes, dementia, the slow ravages of neurologic disease—witnessing the quiet erasure of who someone had been.
The Gap I Couldn’t Stop Seeing
Learning clinical neurology is a privilege. It has taught me the architecture of the brain and the consequences of losing it. But after years of practice, I kept arriving at the same uncomfortable observation: we are very good at reacting to disease once it appears, but far less equipped to help people protect their health before they lose it.
Most of what I treat as a neurologist has been developing for decades. The seeds are planted in someone's 30s and 40s, and by the time they walk into my exam room, the window for the most meaningful prevention has often closed.
So I began asking a different question, not how do we treat disease, but how do we keep it from ever starting in the first place?
Between 2020 and 2022, I endured the hardest stretch of my life. The pandemic broke something in healthcare, and in me. I lived through PTSD, depression, and anxiety—not as concepts in a textbook, but as a real, daily nightmare I was forced to confront.
From the outside, I looked successful. Board-certified doctor. Naval officer. Career on track. Great income. But I learned firsthand what I had been telling my patients for years, that success on paper does not mean everything is healthy underneath.
I had to fight for my own health the way I had been asking patients to fight for theirs. And in doing the work, I learned something that has shaped everything since: performance, leadership, and healing are all connected. You cannot build the life you are meant to build if you are unwilling to face the parts of yourself that are holding you back.
The hard seasons do not disqualify you. In so many ways, they prepare you.
In 2024, I lost my lifelong best friend.
That loss forced me to reexamine everything—how fragile life is, how quickly things can change, and how easy it is to postpone the work we know we are supposed to do.
It was the moment I stopped putting off what I had been thinking about for years.
I wrote The Incredible Brain to put the evidence-based fundamentals of cognitive and physical health into a book anyone could pick up.
I built the Longevity & Legacy Program for anyone serious about their health and need a reliable place to learn more about it.
And I built Transcend Health Medical to deliver the kind of physician-led, longitudinal, preventive medicine I had wanted to practice my entire career—the kind I would want for the people I love.
These aren't three businesses. They're one mission, at three altitudes.
Background & Experience
Board-Certified Neurologist
American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
Residency
Georgetown University Hospital
- Chief Resident
- String of Pearls Resident Teaching Award
- Hugh H. Hussey Teaching Award
Medical School
Florida State University College of Medicine
Undergraduate Studies
University of South Florida Honors College.
- B.S. Biomedical Sciences
- B.A. Philosophy
Military Service
U.S. Navy, Lieutenant Commander (ret.)
Author
The Incredible Brain (Amazon Bestseller)
Founder
Transcend Health Medical & The Longevity & Legacy Program
Why Prevention Is the Most Urgent Work of This Decade
The biggest transition in healthcare will be from reactive, one-size-fits-all medicine toward personalized, predictive, and preventive care.
Our brains are designed for linear thinking, but technology is advancing exponentially. Most people cannot fully grasp just how much medicine will change in the coming decade: advanced imaging, multi-cancer detection, AI-assisted longitudinal modeling, clinically useful whole-genome interpretation—and this is just the beginning.
The people who protect their health now will be positioned to benefit most from what's coming. Those who don't, won't be.
That urgency is what drives Transcend Health, and my vision of a more capable future for everyone.
![](data:image/svg+xml,<svg display="block" role="presentation" viewBox="0 0 16 16" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M 2 16 C 0.895 16 0 15.105 0 14 L 0 2 C 0 0.895 0.895 0 2 0 L 14 0 C 15.105 0 16 0.895 16 2 L 16 14 C 16 15.105 15.105 16 14 16 Z" fill="rgb(255, 255, 255)" height="16px" id="ljSx6CLGZ" width="16px"/><g d="M 0 10 L 0 0 L 10 0 L 10 10 Z M 8.636 0 L 1.364 0 C 0.611 0 0 0.611 0 1.364 L 0 8.636 C 0 9.389 0.611 10 1.364 10 L 8.636 10 C 9.389 10 10 9.389 10 8.636 L 10 1.364 C 10 0.611 9.389 0 8.636 0 Z M 3.603 2.727 C 3.603 2.896 3.553 3.061 3.459 3.201 C 3.365 3.341 3.232 3.45 3.076 3.515 C 2.921 3.579 2.749 3.596 2.584 3.563 C 2.419 3.53 2.267 3.449 2.148 3.33 C 2.028 3.211 1.947 3.059 1.914 2.894 C 1.881 2.728 1.898 2.557 1.963 2.401 C 2.027 2.245 2.137 2.112 2.277 2.019 C 2.417 1.925 2.582 1.875 2.75 1.875 C 2.976 1.875 3.193 1.965 3.353 2.125 C 3.513 2.284 3.603 2.501 3.603 2.727 Z M 3.409 4.148 L 3.409 7.913 C 3.409 7.941 3.404 7.968 3.394 7.994 C 3.383 8.02 3.368 8.043 3.348 8.063 C 3.328 8.083 3.305 8.098 3.279 8.109 C 3.254 8.12 3.226 8.125 3.199 8.125 L 2.3 8.125 C 2.272 8.125 2.245 8.12 2.219 8.109 C 2.194 8.098 2.17 8.083 2.151 8.063 C 2.131 8.044 2.115 8.02 2.105 7.995 C 2.094 7.969 2.089 7.941 2.089 7.914 L 2.089 4.148 C 2.089 4.092 2.111 4.038 2.151 3.998 C 2.19 3.959 2.244 3.936 2.3 3.936 L 3.199 3.936 C 3.255 3.937 3.308 3.959 3.348 3.998 C 3.387 4.038 3.409 4.092 3.409 4.148 Z M 8.105 6.108 L 8.105 7.931 C 8.105 7.956 8.1 7.981 8.09 8.005 C 8.08 8.029 8.066 8.05 8.048 8.068 C 8.03 8.086 8.009 8.101 7.985 8.11 C 7.961 8.12 7.936 8.125 7.91 8.125 L 6.945 8.125 C 6.919 8.125 6.894 8.12 6.87 8.11 C 6.847 8.101 6.825 8.086 6.807 8.068 C 6.789 8.05 6.775 8.029 6.765 8.005 C 6.755 7.981 6.75 7.956 6.75 7.931 L 6.75 6.164 C 6.75 5.901 6.828 5.01 6.061 5.01 C 5.467 5.01 5.346 5.619 5.322 5.893 L 5.322 7.931 C 5.322 7.982 5.302 8.031 5.267 8.067 C 5.231 8.103 5.182 8.124 5.131 8.125 L 4.198 8.125 C 4.172 8.125 4.147 8.12 4.124 8.11 C 4.1 8.1 4.079 8.086 4.061 8.068 C 4.043 8.05 4.029 8.029 4.019 8.005 C 4.009 7.981 4.004 7.956 4.004 7.931 L 4.004 4.131 C 4.004 4.106 4.009 4.08 4.019 4.057 C 4.029 4.033 4.043 4.012 4.061 3.994 C 4.079 3.976 4.1 3.961 4.124 3.952 C 4.147 3.942 4.172 3.937 4.198 3.937 L 5.131 3.937 C 5.182 3.937 5.232 3.957 5.268 3.994 C 5.305 4.03 5.325 4.08 5.325 4.131 L 5.325 4.46 C 5.546 4.129 5.872 3.874 6.57 3.874 C 8.114 3.874 8.105 5.316 8.105 6.108 Z" fill="transparent" height="10px" id="jYulCMtGD" transform="translate(3 3)" width="10px"><path d="M 0 10 L 0 0 L 10 0 L 10 10 Z" fill="transparent" height="10px" id="CbVg4QVfe" width="10px"/><path d="M 8.636 0 L 1.364 0 C 0.611 0 0 0.611 0 1.364 L 0 8.636 C 0 9.389 0.611 10 1.364 10 L 8.636 10 C 9.389 10 10 9.389 10 8.636 L 10 1.364 C 10 0.611 9.389 0 8.636 0 Z" fill="rgb(0, 119, 181)" height="10px" id="WvOy0O5Ul" width="10px"/><path d="M 1.705 0.852 C 1.705 1.021 1.655 1.186 1.561 1.326 C 1.467 1.466 1.334 1.575 1.178 1.64 C 1.023 1.704 0.851 1.721 0.686 1.688 C 0.521 1.655 0.369 1.574 0.25 1.455 C 0.13 1.336 0.049 1.184 0.016 1.019 C -0.017 0.853 0 0.682 0.065 0.526 C 0.129 0.37 0.239 0.237 0.379 0.144 C 0.519 0.05 0.684 0 0.852 0 C 1.078 0 1.295 0.09 1.455 0.25 C 1.615 0.409 1.705 0.626 1.705 0.852 Z M 1.511 2.273 L 1.511 6.038 C 1.512 6.066 1.506 6.093 1.496 6.119 C 1.485 6.145 1.47 6.168 1.45 6.188 C 1.43 6.208 1.407 6.223 1.382 6.234 C 1.356 6.245 1.328 6.25 1.301 6.25 L 0.402 6.25 C 0.375 6.25 0.347 6.245 0.321 6.234 C 0.296 6.223 0.272 6.208 0.253 6.188 C 0.233 6.169 0.217 6.145 0.207 6.12 C 0.196 6.094 0.191 6.066 0.191 6.039 L 0.191 2.273 C 0.191 2.217 0.213 2.163 0.253 2.123 C 0.292 2.084 0.346 2.061 0.402 2.061 L 1.301 2.061 C 1.357 2.062 1.41 2.084 1.45 2.123 C 1.489 2.163 1.511 2.217 1.511 2.273 Z M 6.207 4.233 L 6.207 6.056 C 6.207 6.081 6.202 6.106 6.192 6.13 C 6.182 6.154 6.168 6.175 6.15 6.193 C 6.132 6.211 6.111 6.226 6.087 6.235 C 6.063 6.245 6.038 6.25 6.013 6.25 L 5.047 6.25 C 5.021 6.25 4.996 6.245 4.972 6.235 C 4.949 6.226 4.927 6.211 4.909 6.193 C 4.891 6.175 4.877 6.154 4.867 6.13 C 4.857 6.106 4.852 6.081 4.852 6.056 L 4.852 4.289 C 4.852 4.026 4.93 3.135 4.163 3.135 C 3.569 3.135 3.448 3.744 3.424 4.018 L 3.424 6.056 C 3.424 6.107 3.404 6.156 3.369 6.192 C 3.333 6.228 3.284 6.249 3.233 6.25 L 2.3 6.25 C 2.275 6.25 2.249 6.245 2.226 6.235 C 2.202 6.225 2.181 6.211 2.163 6.193 C 2.145 6.175 2.131 6.154 2.121 6.13 C 2.111 6.106 2.106 6.081 2.106 6.056 L 2.106 2.256 C 2.106 2.231 2.111 2.205 2.121 2.182 C 2.131 2.158 2.145 2.137 2.163 2.119 C 2.181 2.101 2.202 2.086 2.226 2.077 C 2.249 2.067 2.275 2.062 2.3 2.062 L 3.233 2.062 C 3.285 2.062 3.334 2.082 3.37 2.119 C 3.407 2.155 3.427 2.205 3.427 2.256 L 3.427 2.585 C 3.648 2.254 3.974 1.999 4.672 1.999 C 6.216 1.999 6.207 3.441 6.207 4.233 Z" fill="rgb(255, 255, 255)" height="6.250001458836962px" id="b9NB18HkA" transform="translate(1.898 1.875)" width="6.206802274358747px"/></g></svg>)
![](data:image/svg+xml,<svg display="block" role="presentation" viewBox="0 0 16 16" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M 2 16 C 0.895 16 0 15.105 0 14 L 0 2 C 0 0.895 0.895 0 2 0 L 14 0 C 15.105 0 16 0.895 16 2 L 16 14 C 16 15.105 15.105 16 14 16 Z" fill="rgb(255, 255, 255)" height="16px" id="smQYxonBi" width="16px"/><path d="M 1.206 4.517 C 1.175 4.517 0.516 4.517 0.212 4.517 C 0.056 4.516 0 4.46 0 4.303 C 0 3.899 0 3.494 0 3.09 C 0 2.935 0.059 2.875 0.214 2.875 C 0.517 2.875 1.173 2.875 1.206 2.875 L 1.206 1.995 C 1.206 1.597 1.277 1.217 1.479 0.869 C 1.686 0.512 1.987 0.268 2.372 0.127 C 2.619 0.036 2.875 0 3.137 0 C 3.465 0 3.793 0 4.121 0.001 C 4.262 0.001 4.324 0.063 4.325 0.205 C 4.325 0.585 4.325 0.966 4.325 1.346 C 4.324 1.489 4.265 1.547 4.12 1.549 C 3.852 1.551 3.583 1.55 3.314 1.56 C 3.043 1.56 2.901 1.693 2.901 1.973 C 2.894 2.27 2.898 2.567 2.898 2.875 C 2.923 2.875 3.695 2.875 4.056 2.875 C 4.219 2.875 4.275 2.931 4.275 3.096 C 4.275 3.498 4.275 3.9 4.275 4.302 C 4.275 4.465 4.222 4.516 4.057 4.517 C 3.697 4.517 2.928 4.517 2.895 4.517 L 2.895 7.771 C 2.895 7.945 2.84 8 2.669 8 L 1.417 8 C 1.265 8 1.206 7.941 1.206 7.79 Z" fill="rgb(61, 106, 214)" height="7.999971704479705px" id="CDmlGnMNI" transform="translate(5.837 4)" width="4.3251375px"/></svg>)