Lea wants patients to feel comfortable coming to her with their questions and concerns.

"Too many times, we aren't comfortable bringing issues to the table," she said. "Then they aren't addressed, and quality of life is affected."

Lea became a nurse in 2001 and believes the experiences early in her career helped determine her path toward becoming a family nurse practitioner.

"I was able to care for patients during some of the most difficult and happiest times in their lives," she said. "It's these experiences that showed me how much I'd love to care for people across their lifespan in family medicine."

Lea is married with three children and two Airedale Terrier fur babies. She enjoys cooking, gardening, traveling and being with friends and family.