Shana Drake-Lavelle
Dr. Shana Drake-Lavelle was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. She credits the public schools for her ability to become fluent in Spanish. After attending The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA, she returned to New Mexico and volunteered for several years before being accepted to the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. She currently works as an outpatient family care physician in Albuquerque. She met her husband, Ricardo, at a clinic that served mostly Spanish-speaking patients. Ricardo is also a family-medicine doctor and first-generation Mexican American, who learned English in the public schools of Albuquerque and nearby Los Lunas, New Mexico. Shana and Ricardo have a two-year-old son, Cebrian, whom they are trying to raise bilingual. Shana is also an accomplished harp player, performing with the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Orchestra as well as with the Symphony Orchestra of Albuquerque.