“Non Sibi”
(Not for Self)
As a third-generation American, from my Montessori preschool through public grade school and on to the prestigious Phillips Exeter Academy for High School, my education was always grounded in science, information, and facts. What Exeter added to this was a profound appreciation for the liberal arts and a broader-based education. What it meant to be human and live a purposeful life, embracing the concept of “Non Sibi” (Not for Self), Exeter’s motto.
Even as a freshman Aeronautical Engineering Student at RPI, a question posed by my high school French teacher “do you want to build military weapons systems?” echoed in my mind. This question led me to seek a broader, more diverse path, highlighting Exeter’s principle of “Goodness with Knowledge.” By my college graduation, I had accumulated Bachelor of Science degrees in biology and psychology along with three minors in chemistry, literature, and sociology, reflecting my multifaceted interests and my dedication to learning for the sake of knowledge.
Having decided on a career in medicine, though recruited to consider much narrower, highly specialized areas of medicine during medical school, Family Medicine, the broadest of the medical specialties, was the obvious choice for me. After completing my residency training in rural Pennsylvania in 1992, I moved to Nampa, Idaho. There I provided both outpatient and inpatient hospital medicine (including some ICU care), delivered over 100 babies, practiced pediatrics, and provided nursing home care despite encountering initial bias and skepticism.
Over my 18 years doing full-scope family medicine I was faced with two corporate takeovers and an increasing emphasis on profit above patients, a vision at odds with my own. So at the end of 2010, I transitioned to hospice where I became the first hospice physician in the region to actually visit the preponderance of my patients and their families.
My commitment to Non Sibi throughout my residency training in rural Pennsylvania and subsequent practice in the Treasure Valley has been recognized garnering me a number of awards for service to my patients and community over the course of my medical career.
My personal life is not without its joys, heartbreaks, and challenges as well. This valley has provided a wonderful local live music scene and ample locations for cycling from ‘road’ to ‘mountain’ which I have relished. Our mountains and waterways have provided me with unparalleled photographic ops. Ada County saw me physically build my strawbale house outside of Melba with my first wife. I have been blessed with two wonderful wives only to lose the first to pancreatic cancer and the second to esophageal cancer. Despite these losses, I have been able to move forward with my new partner, Linnae Grabner.
Having retired from medical practice in 2021, my need to live a purposeful life continues. Witnessing the actions of our Idaho Legislature has dictated my next chapter. Strong, accessible healthcare in general and credible maternity healthcare in particular are at the forefront for me. Education is the foundation on which I built my life which requires me to advocate for a vibrant public education system.
In the coming months, I will be calling, knocking, and working harder than ever to make good on our investment to the people of Idaho. Can I count on you to join me?
