Dr. Andersen grew up in Los Angeles and went east to attend college at Yale University and medical school at Columbia University where she developed her passion for pediatrics with a focus on the neurologic development of children. She returned home to UCLA for her first two years of pediatric residency and spent an additional two years studying pediatric neurology and genetics. Dr. Andersen’s research focused on the genetic underpinnings of autism, and she has published in handbooks, Journal of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgical Review, and Neuron. She finished her residency in the South Bay at Harbor-UCLA, and she feels privileged to work with families and children from birth through adolescence. She believes in a comprehensive approach to treat every aspects of her patients’ health, and enjoys making partnerships with her patients for individualized and companionate care. Dr. Andersen strives to educate her families about normal development and disease processes, so that together they can decide how to optimize their child’s health.