I came to Carlisle straight out of residency 32 years ago! I interviewed with 9 different practices and chose this one. I guess I chose well, because I’m still here!

I raised my 2 children here. They are now 22 and 33 and live in Pittsburgh and Enola, respectively. In addition to working at Carlisle Pediatric Associates, I have also been the Diaconal Minister at St Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church since 2010. My church-related job has given me the opportunity to do a lot of outreach: I am Medical Director of Health Ministries at Christ Lutheran Church in Harrisburg, where I provide low-risk prenatal care for uninsured women. A friend and I started a dental clinic, based in Dr. Casey Williams’ office in Boiling Springs, for the migrant worker in Adams and Franklin counties and others who lack adequate access to dental services. I lead teams of volunteers to a mission sire in Kenya every few years and was part of the team who took the Biddle Mission Park Labyrinth from dream to reality.

When it comes to Carlisle, I love the great variety of people and cultures in this area. Where else can you get fresh produce from a farm stand, discuss legal advocacy with law professors, work with undergraduate students in a clinic, see spectacular views of nature, visit a fish hatchery and see quality art, all in one day?

But, like all communities, we are challenged by (and divided by) the issues of our day: immigration, racism, climate change, health and school funding. These issues affect us all. The good part is that we can talk about them reasonably with each other, even when we think we disagree. What we often find is that we all want similar things but just have divergent ideas of how to accomplish those goals. My hope is that Carlisle continues to grow and flourish through the great diversity of people, talent and institutions that we are home to. – Dr. Holly Hoffman