Kimberly Harden, MD

Chair, USAP-Colorado (South)

I was born in Nebraska and grew up on a farm outside of a small town called Byron. My parents, who are still active in farming and ranching, instilled in me a strong work ethic and a deep appreciation for the outdoors. I graduated from high school with 15 other people and then went on to attend undergrad at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa.  I met my future husband (currently of 18 years) there, and we lived in Omaha for 8 years while I attended medical school at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

During my anesthesia residency, I welcomed my first child, a son who is now 13 years old. While interviewing for job opportunities, I fell in love with an exceptional private practice group known as "Pikes Peak Anesthesia Associates" in Colorado Springs. I started with PPAA in 2011 and had my daughter (now 11) a year later.  That same year, the hospital wanted us to form a cardiac-specific team to provide better care for some of our sickest patients. I was an inaugural member of that team, and to this day, I am one of six physicians in our group who continue to provide care for our heart patients. Simultaneously, I also assumed responsibility for the scheduling duties within our practice, which involved creating daily assignments, crafting monthly call schedules, and overseeing the crucial vacation lottery. In 2015, we welcomed our second daughter, and she is now 8 years old. After about four years of handling scheduling duties, I decided to run for an open seat on our board. I was elected and have been on our board ever since.

In 2018, our group joined with a national group, United States Anesthesia Partners (USAP), and I was also named Chief of Anesthesia at Penrose St Francis (a title I still hold). In 2021, I was elected as the chairman of our board, and I continue to hold this position. Additionally, I was named the OR Medical Director at Penrose Hospital. In 2023, I began working with the COC (Clinical Operations Committee) of USAP and took on the role of an advisor for the Women in Leadership program at UCCS.