Dr. Joan Leavens grew up on Mercer Island, Washington. She graduated with honors from the University of Virginia with a degree in history, politics, and Spanish. She received a full merit scholarship to attend the University of Michigan Medical School, at which time she was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. She completed her dermatology residency at the University of Southern California and her dermatopathology fellowship at UCLA, and she has worked extensively with underserved patient populations both in the U.S. and internationally. She speaks Spanish and has a special interest in complex medical dermatology, infectious disease, and tropical medicine. She is double board-certified in dermatology and dermatopathology. Since relocating back to the Pacific Northwest, she enjoys hiking, skiing, and traveling with her husband and daughter.