Shah, Apeksha

About Heather Carroll When Heather Carroll, NP, began college she was studying dental hygiene, but quickly switched to nursing. “I’ve worked in many areas of the medical field, including administration and leadership,” she says. Then, when her employer made some changes, she decided to advance her career. “I knew it was time for me to change also and went back to school for my nurse practitioner certification.” Heather earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Indiana University School of Nursing, South Bend. Her Master of Science in Nursing/Master of Business Administration was completed at Indiana Wesleyan University, Marian, IN. She then earned her Family Nurse Practitioner Certification from Purdue University Global. In her role as a nurse practitioner specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, Heather provides education and care to mothers and babies during pregnancy and postpartum. “I started my nursing career in labor and delivery. I have always worked with moms or babies in some aspect, including high risk, OB, neonatal, intensive care, postpartum, or preventive care,” Heather says. As a provider her goal is to focus on health, promotion, disease prevention to provide optimal health, education, and counseling through evidence-based care. “I develop trusting relationships between myself, the patient and families, and anticipate the type of patient that will be seen,” she says. This allows Heather to follow best practices for diagnosis and help to educate and teach the patient how to be healthy on their own. In her own words… What was your first job growing up? What do you remember about it? My very first job was at the Disney store. The company philosophy is to inspire, inform and entertain people based on creativity, innovation and technology. This still holds true for me today even in medicine. We sometimes need to come up with creative, life-changing situations that help to inspire our patients to make changes. What is your favorite food? Favorite food: popcorn. I could eat it every day. What are your hobbies, interests? Traveling. I love to go new places and make it a priority to see and go somewhere different once a year. Do you have pets? I have a mini zoo at my house. I have a German shepherd, a cat, a bunny, guinea pigs, a turtle, chickens and a duck. What is something most people don’t know about you? Growing up, I took over 18 years of classical ballet, tap, and ballroom dancing classes!

About Daphne The first in her family to enter the medical profession, Daphne Pontius knew in her early teens that she wanted to be a nurse. “I volunteered through Southwestern Michigan College’s Junior Health Corps,” she says. “I helped at the local hospital several days a week.” In addition, her own experience with exceptional nurses and providers during her first pregnancy sparked her love for women’s health. She chose to practice at Beacon Health System, and says she admired them as the premier provider of healthcare in the Michiana area. “I see myself in the mission of delivering outstanding care, inspiring health and connecting with heart.” And that aligns perfectly with Daphne’s overall philosophy of patient care. “My goal is to truly understand and be as helpful as possible when treating my patients,” she explains. “They know their bodies best, and they often have the best intuition and insights. I want them to feel empowered about their health and feel that their concerns have been heard.” Daphne’s message to her patients? “I really want to get to know you and connect with you. This enables me to be as helpful as possible during our time together.” In Her Own Words Who is or was the most influential person/role model in your life? My mother has been the most influential person in my life. What was your first job growing up? What do you remember about it? I bussed tables for the Round Oak Restaurant in Dowagiac, MI. I learned about customer service and the value of observation and patience. What is your favorite food? Movie? My favorite food is my mother’s apple crisp. My favorite movie is You’ve Got Mail. What were your best/worst subjects in school growing up? My best subjects were art, science, English, math and life skills. History was definitely the worst. If you could sit down to dinner with anyone (alive or deceased) who would it be and why? I wish that I could have dinner with my grandmother. She passed in 2019, and I would love to be able to visit with her one last time. In addition to medicine, what are you passionate about? I am passionate about learning more about the world. I love to travel and explore new places. I am always reading books to broaden my horizons of selfimprovement and exploration. What are your hobbies, interests? I enjoy reading, crocheting, sewing, gardening and camping. Do you have any pets? Yes. One dog, Earl and one cat, Milo. What is something most people don’t know about you? I lived in Japan for two years.