Biographies

Dr. Luria recieved his undergraduate at the University of Michigan in Zoology, and his medical education from the University of Rochester.  He did his internship in medicine at the University of Kentucky, and then entered the U.S. Public Health Service where he spent a year in Gallup, NM working with Navajo Indians at the regional hospital. He focused on out-patient care.  He spent his 2nd year in Kotzebue, AK (above the Artic Circle in a bush hospital) where he provided full out-patient and in-patient care to Alaska Natives. 

Subsequently Dr. Luria moved to Gig Harbor, initially opening a new clinic in Port Orchard for an HMO.  He and Mrs. Luria opened their private practice in Gig Harbor in 1979, as one of the first new physicians in Gig Harbor in several years. 

Dr. Luria enjoys tennis and biking, sings bass with the Peninsula Community Chorus, and regularly dances contra and English country dance. 

Catherine Luria grew up in upstate New York and received her undergraduate education at Mary Washington College in Chemistry.  She received her masters degree in nursing from the Graduate School of Nursing, New York Medical College.  Initially she worked in public health in Rochester, NY where she was one of the first nurses in the new role of nurse practitioner at an inner city neighborhood health center.

Mrs. Luria was on the faculty of the School of Nursing, University of Kentucky in pediatric nursing and then entered the U.S Public Health Service where she was the nurse practitioner instructor in a physician assistant program, preparing Native Americans who spoke English as their second language and Navajo, Hopi and other native languages as their first language to be family practice physician assistants.  When the Lurias moved to Kotzebue, Alaska Mrs. Luria was on the medical staff of the hospital, providing in-patient, out-patient and obstetrical care to Alaska Natives. 

Mrs. Luria worked with her husband to establish a new sattelite clinic for the Tacoma HMO in Port Orchard.

Maternity leave and "practical pediatric training" was the next educational phase for both the Lurias.  Their daughter was born in 1977 and has been a joy.  We look forward to the next phase as grandparents in 2006!

Mrs. Luria was the first nurse in Washington State to receive authority to write prescriptions.  She was named Pierce County Nurse of the Year in 1983. She has a special interest in learning difficulties and the impact of health on the educational process.

In addition to nursing, Mrs. Luria sings soprano with Peninsula Community Chorus, plays flute with the Gig Harbor Peninsula Civic Orchestra, loves English Country dance along with attending ballet and plays.  She enjoys sharing information about the cultural opportunities of the Gig Harbor area. With her husband she too enjoys biking and traveling.