Carpinteria Children’s Project Welcomes Peggy Dodds, MD to Board of Directors

Carpinteria Children’s Project newest board member is Margaret “Peggy” Dodds, MD. Dr. Dodds has worked as a pediatrician at the Carpinteria Health Care Center for 8 years. She joined the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department in 2005 and has worked at the Lompoc, Santa Maria and Carpinteria Health Care Centers. She has also worked at the Santa Barbara County Juvenile Hall.

Dr. Dodds joins board members C. Michael Cooney, Michelle Perry, Jon Clark, Marisol Alarcon, Nancy Swanson, Dave Durflinger, Marybeth Carty, and Diana Rigby.

Dr. Dodds completed medical school at the University of Colorado and completed her residency at the University of Utah School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics. Seeking to fill the need for mental health services for her patients, she began flying to Carpinteria once a month to get a Masters in Counseling Psychology. Two years after a successful blind date, she married local resident Marty Walker and moved permanently to Carpinteria. When she isn’t working with children and families, she can be found outdoors enjoying her adopted home.

Dr. Dodds has a special interest in parent education and behavior issues and is passionate about connecting with families. She has been a critical partner in the recently launched Carpinteria Adverse Childhood Experiences and Resilience Project (CARP). The partnership works to identify and support parents and children who have experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). ACES can affect immediate and long-term health outcomes. Visiting nurses from Maternal Child Adolescent Health of the Public Health Department and pediatricians including Dr. Dodds at the Carpinteria Health Care Clinic screen parents and children up to 24 months old. If screening reveals risk factors, the parent will be given the opportunity to engage in interventions, family coaching, and referrals for additional services at Carpinteria Children’s Project Family Resource Center.