Dr. Karen Bar-Joseph is originally from Israel but grew up in the Seattle area. She graduated from Brown University with a degree in Biology before coming back to the Northwest to attend medical school and complete OB/GYN residency at the University of Washington. After completing her training in 2012, she served as clinical faculty in the Department of OB/GYN at UW for six years. In 2018 Dr. Bar-Joseph and her family moved to Israel in order to be close to family and friends. There, she had the opportunity to work in a very different healthcare system for two years before deciding to move back home the Pacific Northwest. She is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

She is grateful for the opportunity to care for and support women at all stages of their lives and enjoys building trusting relationships with her patients. Dr. Bar-Joseph practices comprehensive obstetric and gynecologic care including but not limited to normal and complicated pregnancies, contraception, fertility, menopause, management of abnormal bleeding, abnormal Pap smears, and minimally invasive surgery.

Outside of work Dr. Bar-Joseph enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 children, cooking, running, and traveling.

Dr. Tiffany Chen is from Orlando, Florida. She completed her undergraduate degree at Johns Hopkins University, where she studied History of Art and Africana Studies. She attended medical school on a full academic scholarship at the University of Central Florida. She then moved to Seattle to complete OB/GYN residency at the University of Washington. While there, she won an award in resident teaching as well as the prestigious Figge award for excellence in surgery and patient centered care.

Dr. Chen loves working in the field of OB/GYN. She feels it is a privilege to be a part of women’s lives, no matter if they are celebrating successes or facing challenges. She strives to create an open and nonjudgmental environment for her patients, so that they may feel supported and heard.

In her free time, Dr. Chen enjoys traveling, practicing yoga, and spending time with family and friends.

Dr. Jie Jiao initially grew up in Spokane, Washington. She completed her undergraduate degree at Emory University. From there Dr. Jiao obtained her MD/MPH at University of Miami and completed her OBGYN residency at Detroit Medical Center.

Dr. Jiao loves working in the field of women’s health. She finds it a privilege to be able to support women and their families in all stages of life and strives to create a supportive environment to shape personalized health care decisions. Dr Jiao’s clinical interests include the full scope of gynecology and obstetrics along with public health. Dr. Jiao is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology, and is a Fellow of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

In her free time, Dr. Jiao enjoys spending time with her friends and family, traveling, hiking and running. She is excited to be back in Washington after so many years away!

Originally from Wisconsin, Dr. Wendy Lorentz graduated with a degree in Physiology from the University of Minnesota. The beauty of the Pacific Northwest brought her to Seattle after graduation, and she worked at a biotechnology start-up prior to attending medical school at the University of Washington. After completing her OB/GYN residency at the University of Washington, she continued as a faculty member for three years, providing clinical care while training residents in surgical procedures and obstetrical deliveries.

In 2012, she joined the dynamic and cohesive team at NWWHC. Her special interests include obstetrics, including VBAC, contraception, management of abnormal pap smears, and abnormal uterine bleeding. Her scope of practice encompasses both hysteroscopic and laparoscopic surgery. She is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology, and is a Fellow of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Dr. Lorentz enjoys developing relationships with her patients and helping them to make informed decisions so that they feel confident in their care. She loves that OB/GYN allows her be a part of life-changing events and to care for women throughout their lifespan. In her free time she enjoys baking, exploring the Pacific Northwest, and spending time with her husband and two daughters.

Dr. Jennifer Melville is from Pennsylvania and Texas, where she graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with an undergraduate degree in Liberal Arts.

She attended medical school at the University of California, Los Angeles, and then moved to Seattle to complete her OB/GYN residency at the University of Washington. After residency, she remained on faculty at UW for 11 years, where she provided obstetric and gynecologic care for many women, performed extensive patient-centered research, and also trained residents in deliveries and surgical procedures at both the University and Harborview Medical Centers. In 2010, Dr. Melville was excited to bring her experience and expertise to the amazing group of providers at NWWHC.

Dr. Melville provides clinical care for the full range of women’s health, including normal and complicated pregnancies, VBAC, contraception, incontinence, and gynecologic and pelvic floor disorders. Her surgical specialization is in minimally-invasive laparoscopic, robotic, and hysteroscopic procedures for the treatment of fibroids, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, and abnormal uterine bleeding. Dr. Melville is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology, and is a Fellow of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

She loves the unique relationships that she is able to build with women throughout the many changes in their lives and enjoys assisting women in making personalized healthcare decisions. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and two young sons, hiking, traveling, and gardening.

Dr. Lauren Pray is originally from the Detroit area, and did her undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan. She attended medical school at Case Western Reserve University and completed her OB/GYN residency at Magee Women’s Hospital at the University of Pittsburgh. After completing her training in 2007 she joined Northwest Women’s Healthcare, and couldn’t imagine a better practice or group of partners. Dr. Pray is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology, and is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Dr. Pray’s clinical interests include the full scope of obstetrics and gynecologic care. This includes, but is not limited to, minimally invasive and robotic surgery, incontinence, contraceptive issues, and obstetric care. She believes listening to patients is vital to providing excellent medical care, and enjoys building trusting and collaborative relationships with her patients. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her husband, family and friends, traveling, skiing, and running.

Dr. Ana Torvie grew up in Arizona before moving to Seattle to attend the University of Washington. She graduated with degrees in Neurobiology, Psychology and Spanish, cultivating a passion for exploration in the process. After living in Spain and Colombia, she returned to the Northwest to complete medical school and her OB/Gyn residency at the University of Washington—a true “Husky.” Dr. Torvie is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology, and is a Fellow of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Dr. Torvie loves the privilege of supporting women and their families in every stage of their lives. She enjoys building collaborative relationships with her patients, and works to create an environment of open communication and education to shape personalized health care decisions. Dr. Torvie provides comprehensive obstetric and gynecological care alongside exceptional colleagues, with particular interests in minimally invasive surgery, VBAC, individualized contraceptive needs, and managing abnormal Pap smears. Outside of medicine, she can be found spending time in the mountains with her husband, sharing a meal with family and friends, or relaxing with yoga and her black lab, Lucy.

Betsey Anderson, ARNP was born and raised in Seattle. She attended Whitman College where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a minor in Studio Art. She has always been interested in healthcare having volunteered at various hospitals around the city since high school. She went on to pursue her Master’s in Nursing from Seattle University and is a certified Family Practice Nurse Practitioner through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Throughout her career she has always had a focus on Women’s Health and is thrilled to be joining the team at Northwest Women’s Healthcare. Betsey enjoys managing all aspects of gynecologic and well woman care from teens to post-menopausal women. Recently she has been working with a special focus on postpartum care of both mom and baby and is a certified IBCLC lactation consultant. Outside of work Betsey enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter and dog, traveling, skiing, and Scuba diving.

Clare Christensen, ARNP was born and raised in London. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in American History and Literature from the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England and received her Master’s degree in Nursing from Seattle University. She is board certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners as a Family Nurse Practitioner. She has served on the Board of Directors for ARNPs United of Washington State and is also a member of Sigma Theta Tau, the international nursing honors society. Outside of work she enjoys hiking around the Pacific Northwest, traveling, and spending time with her husband and baby boy.

Shelley D. Miksis, DNP, ARNP is originally from Atlanta, Georgia and joined NWWHC in 2002.

Shelley received her B.S. in Nursing from Clemson University, and her Master’s in Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice at the University of Washington.

She is dually board certified as an Adult and Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner. Additionally, she is certified by the North American Menopause Society as a Menopause Practitioner.

Shelley is a fellow of the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology and has a special interest in the management of abnormal Pap smears.

She is also a member of Sigma Theta Tau, the international nursing academic honor society. In her free time, Shelley enjoys spending time with her husband, rowing, running, and playing tennis.

Rachel Pelto, ARNP was born in Montana, but was raised in the Seattle area. She has a Bachelor of Arts in History from Gonzaga University in Spokane. She received a Bachelor of Science of Nursing from Seattle University, and then moved to St. Louis where her husband went to medical school. While there, she earned a Master Degree in Nursing from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Rachel has been working at Northwest Women’s Healthcare since 2009. Rachel enjoys her job at Northwest Women’s Healthcare because she has the opportunity to see gynecology patient’s from teenage years through menopause and provide routine as well as problem focused and minor procedural care. Outside of work she loves spending time with family and friends, and enjoying the outdoors and sporting events with her husband and kids.