Pediatric Staff

All professionals at Skagit Pediatrics maintain the highest levels of accreditation and pursue ongoing education to stay abreast of the latest trends in the medical field. Read on to learn more about our staff's experience and training.

Pediatricians

  • Richard S. Levine,
    M.D.

    I was born in Denver, Colorado. I am the fourth of five children. When I was two years old, my family moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where I spent my childhood and high school years. I spent my college years at Stanford University and attended medical school at UCLA. I did my internship and residency in pediatrics at Children’s Hospital and Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, where I completed a year as the Chief Resident in Pediatrics. My wife, Tracey, and I have two children, Jeffrey and Hannah. We’ve lived in Mount Vernon since 1995. My interests include spending time with my family, peanut butter and chocolate.

  • Andrea B. Lowe,
    M.D., Ph.D

    I was born in Hope, British Columbia where my father was doing research at the time. We moved a lot when I was very young. I basically grew up in Manhattan, Kansas (1st – 12th grade). My family returned to the Cascades every summer until I was eight, thus instilling in me a love for this area. I went to undergraduate school at UC Davis and spent my junior year abroad in Marseille, France. After college I joined the Peace Corps. I worked in inland agriculture in Liberia, West Africa for 2 years. It was there I became interested in medicine. I worked in Liberia an additional year as a lab technician doing medical research. I then transferred to the New York office where I worked another 2 years and applied to medical school. I got my MD PhD at the University of Alabama in Birmingham and then did my residency in pediatrics in Seattle, Washington. My interests include hiking, biking, running, ultimate Frisbee, painting, assemblage sculpturing and gardening.

  • Sarah Strandjord,
    MD, MS

    I was born and raised near Seattle, WA along with my twin sister and our family pets. I attended University of Puget Sound for my undergraduate studies with a focus in Biochemistry and Singing. After finishing my degree, I worked as a chemist in the Section of Nutritional Neurosciences at the National Institutes of Health in Washington, DC. I then made my way inland and attended Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine for medical school. In addition to my medical degree, I also obtained a Master of Science in Nutrition at Case Western Reserve University. I then eagerly returned to the Pacific Northwest to complete my residency in Pediatrics at Seattle Children’s Hospital. My interests outside of medicine and nutrition predominantly involve the outdoors, including mountaineering, rock climbing, skiing, and swimming. I currently live on a sailboat with my partner who works as a helicopter pilot. I cannot wait to explore Skagit Valley and support the health and wellbeing of the children and families who live in this beautiful area.

  • Ariel Garcia,
    MD

    I grew up in northern Indiana next to a wetland which inspired and fostered my love for nature, science, and the outdoors. Following my interests, I studied Biology with a concentration in Health and Disease at Purdue University. I then attended Indiana University School of Medicine where I discovered my passion for Pediatrics and fell in love with my now husband. We then moved west to the University of Arizona in Tucson where I completed my residency in Pediatrics.

    After closing our chapter in the Southwest, we were drawn to the Pacific Northwest where we feel inspired by the Cascade Mountains, ocean, islands, and nearby cities. We look forward to settling down in this beautiful area. My interests outside of medicine include hiking, mountain biking, reading, cooking, sustainable living, and loving on our two fur babies.

    I am excited to join the community and care for the children and families of Skagit Valley!

ARNP's

  • Holly J. Henson,
    ARNP

    I grew up on a horse ranch in Sultan, WA. After high school, I felt like I needed to experience the other side of the US, so I headed off to Vassar College in New York for my first bachelors degree in Biopsychology. It was clear I belonged back in Washington. I came back and worked in the Vascular Biology department at UW doing research for 7 years before I decided to become a nurse. I received a bachelors degree in Nursing from UW in 1999. Shortly thereafter my daughter was born, and we decided to move up to Mount Vernon to get out of the city. I quickly found Skagit Pediatrics and knew right away I was where I was supposed to be. While working as an RN at Skagit Peds, I went back to the UW and earned my Masters in Nursing to become a Board Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in 2008. I love working with children and their families, and look forward to a long and fulfilling career at Skagit Pediatrics.

  • Emily A. Bianconi,
    ARNP

    I grew up in Alaska and then earned my bachelors in English at UC Davis in California. I continued on to earn my masters in nursing at the University of San Francisco. I worked as a nurse at Children's Hospital in Oakland before moving to Massachusetts where I worked as a triage nurse at a community health center in Boston. Once I became board certified as a nurse practitioner I worked at a pediatric office in the Boston area. After I had my daughter in 2010 I moved to Washington with my family to be closer to my parents. I initially worked at the Pacific Lutheran University Student Health Center until my husband's job has brought us north and we're very happy to be in the Skagit area! I'm also excited to be working in pediatrics again as that's always been my area of interest and joy.

  • Katherine J. Lepere
    ARNP

    After growing up near Seattle, I completed my undergraduate education at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania where I studied political science and biology. Post college I spent several years working in research at Seattle Children’s before deciding to shift my career focus to clinical care. I attended Yale School of Nursing for my Master’s in Nursing and to become a board certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. I am passionate about providing care for children of all ages and enjoy working with families through the challenges and joys that come with each developmental stage. I was drawn to pediatrics because it provides the opportunity to intervene early and help patients and their families establish healthy habits. Some of my medical interests include preventive medicine, infant feeding, and child development. In my free time I enjoy all the wonderful outdoor activities the Pacific Northwest offers including hiking and camping. I also enjoy yoga, baking and spending time with my family. I am thrilled to be in Washington working with the patients and families at Skagit Pediatrics!

PA-C's

  • Elizabeth McCrank,
    PA-C

    I was raised in Toledo, Ohio and I’m the oldest of 4 children. I completed my undergraduate education at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec studying Anatomical Sciences and Cell Biology, where I also met my husband. I obtained my Master’s Degree in Physician Assistant studies from what was then known as the Medical College of Ohio (now the University of Toledo College of Health Sciences). After completing my training, my husband and I were married and I moved to the Pacific Northwest, working for over 15 years in family medicine in Bellingham, Washington. Our family is now complete with three children and we live in White Rock, British Columbia to be close to both of our occupations. We keep very busy with our young family but enjoy being outdoors and appreciating everything that this area has to offer. I love to bake and enjoy creating and decorating unique cakes and cookies for my family and friends to enjoy. I’m very excited to finally specialize in the field of pediatrics and I am looking forward to working with the families and children of the Skagit Valley.

  • Kendra Graham,
    PA-C

    I was born and raised surrounded by the beautiful mountains and lakes of British Columbia. I then spent several years in California where I received my BS in Nutrition and Dietetics from Loma Linda University. I worked as a Registered Dietitian (RD) at Loma Linda University Medical Center for the next three years. My passion for medicine continued to grow so I decided to further my education and become a Physician Assistant. I attended Western University of Health Sciences and graduated with a Masters in Physician Assistant Studies in 2020. I soon began working as a PA at an outpatient pediatric clinic in eastern Washington. There, I realized Pediatric medicine was my true passion. My approach as a provider is to help educate patients and families so they can take ownership of their own care. I also maintain my RD credentials to inspire healthful and practical changes that can prevent chronic diseases. 

    I am so excited to join the team at Skagit Pediatrics and once again be surrounded by mountains and waterways! In my free time I enjoy playing music with my family, exploring the outdoors, and cuddling my cats. I can’t wait to grow with the community and serve the families of Skagit Valley. 


Retired Providers:

Nancy Robblee, MD
Frances Chalmers, MD
Todd Ouellette, ARNP
Mark Barr, MD 
Catherine Staunton, MD

Contact Us

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Hours of Operation

Our Regular Schedule

Monday:

8:30 am-6:30 pm

Tuesday:

8:30 am-6:30 pm

Wednesday:

8:30 am-6:30 pm

Thursday:

8:30 am-6:30 pm

Friday:

8:30 am-6:30 pm

Saturday:

8:30 am-3:30 pm

Sunday:

Closed