Sarah Ayala, D.O. Pronouns: (She, Her, Hers)
Sarah was born and raised in Sacramento, California. She received her degree in Physiology and Neuroscience at UC San Diego, where she discovered her passion for medicine while working on research in memory and cognitive disorders at the Salk Institute. During her time at Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine, she was exposed to the challenges faced by low-income communities through volunteer work at the free clinic and became involved in Medical Students for Choice, which solidified her interest in gender-inclusive reproductive health care and rights. She was fortunate enough to complete her residency at a rural training site in Ellensburg, Washington and plans to return to a rural community in the Pacific Northwest to provide full-spectrum family medicine with obstetrics with an emphasis on teaching, advocacy, and public policy.
She is beyond excited and honored for the opportunity to complete her OB fellowship at Swedish, where she hopes to continue making a positive impact in the lives of patients and communities, especially those in rural and underserved areas.
Erin Fredrickson, D.O., M.P.H. Pronouns: (She, Her, Hers)
Erin grew up in San Francisco before moving to a small town in Sonoma County where she met her family physician. She attended Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, CA before moving to North Carolina for medical school. Thinking she would become a sports medicine doctor, she attended Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine where she was exposed to how social determinants of health affect rural communities. This prompted her to obtain a Masters in Public Health at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill through an interdisciplinary fellowship focusing on structural and political forces like racism, environmental injustice, and education. She completed family medicine residency at Harborview through the University of Washington. She is very excited to work with the stellar residents, faculty, and fellows at Swedish while training in advanced obstetrics using a reproductive justice lens. She hopes to continue to find active ways to get to work – please wave if you see her run-commuting! Outside of work, she loves to explore the outdoors and eat snacks with her dog, Charlie and partner, Connor.
Laura Harris, M.D., M.S., M.P.H. Pronouns: (She, Her, Hers)
Laura grew up in New York and attended the University of Virginia for undergraduate studies, majoring in Social and Political Thought and Biology. After college, she worked at Columbia University in maternal mortality prevention, and moved to out west for a Masters in Public Health at UC Berkeley. Deciding to plunge into clinical medicine, she attended medical school at the UC Berkeley/UCSF Joint Medical Program, and residency at the Contra Costa Family Medicine Residency Program. After residency, she has been providing primary care at LifeLong Medical Center, a Bay Area safety net clinic, and working on the Labor and Delivery unit at Contra Costa. As an east coaster who loves the west coast’s incredible nature and climate, Laura is excited to explore the amazing nature around Seattle, to solidify her skills in high risk obstetrics, and to get to know the incredible Swedish and Fellowship community.
Michelle Xu, M.D. Pronouns: (She, Her, Hers)
Michelle (she/her) was born and raised in New York City. She completed her undergraduate studies at The Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education at CUNY City College of New York and medical training at the Northeast Ohio Medical University where she developed a passion for full-spectrum primary care and underserved care. She chose to complete her residency at AHN St Vincent's Hospital in Erie, Pennsylvania which provided extensive training opportunities in inpatient medicine, obstetrics, rural medicine, and refugee care. She is thrilled to be moving to the west coast to expand her pregnancy care skills to encompass high-risk and surgical obstetrics. Post fellowship, she plans on working in rural community health and academic medicine to train the next generation of FM/OB physicians. Outside of work, she loves live music, The NYTimes Modern Love column, indoor plants, and cooking plant-based recipes with her friends and family.