OB/GYN - Key Persons
A new pain here, some urinary leakage there. Part of a woman's life, right? Wrong. When it comes to pelvic pain or incontinence, Dr. Andrew Croak knows this discomfort is often more troublesome than a woman wants to admit and knows how to effectively help problems like persistent pelvic pain, bladder and bowel control, and prolapse (descent of pelvic organs).
Dr. Croak is the director of the Center and is a Urogynecologist. This term describes an Obstetrician/Gynecologist who completes additional training to care for women with complex problems related to pelvic health. There are few of these specialists in the country. To become one, Dr. Croak studied long and hard at the Mayo Clinic, one of the top clinics in the world. At Mayo, he gained world-class, state-of-the-art technical skills.
Dr. Croak's most important medical skill is one he already had - how to listen. When you visit him for your urogynecology service, you can trust that we will listen to your concerns and provide you with answers to every question.
Cherith started working with us July 2013. She had relocated back to her hometown in Northwest Ohio from Holland, Michigan and was looking to continue her career in medical support. Her previous experience was obtained while working for a private practice with 16 family medicine doctors and nurse practitioners. Her job included working in the medical records, prior authorizations, and scheduling departments. Cherith currently works full time in our office and helps with the front desk at both check-in, check-out, authorizations, and also surgery scheduling. Her part time job is caring for a quadriplegic patient in his home and has been helping him for over 15 years.
Courtney is one of our freshed faced receptionists who will warmly welcome you into the office. She is a family-oriented person who cherishes the time spent with loved ones. She has a nurturing personality that also extends to her love for her pets, and caring for them is one of her favorite activities. She enjoys spending her free time by the water on a nice summer day.
We mourn the recent loss in 2023 of Dr. James Croak and what he meant to the community at large. Dr. James was a passionate proponent for women's health and practiced was an incredible zeal in helping 1000's of women achieve motherhood and relief from gynecologic pain. He was a pioneer in minimally invasive laparoscopy, a humanistic caring obstetrician, and a devoted husband and father. He will be missed.
Founding the practice in 1973, Dr. James Croak believed repetition was the mother of all skill. In his 30 years of experience in gynecologic care, Dr. Croak has performed many operations more than 1,000 times. During this 30 year span, he has gained the trust of countless women. In fact, many families have chosen him to provide care for three generations.
With his retirement in 2006, he passed on this knowledge and experience to his son, Dr. Andrew Croak.
Education
Undergraduate Education: University of Toledo, 1960-1964
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine: Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, 1968
One-Year Internship: Doctor's Hospital, Columbus, 1969
Residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology: Medical College of Ohio, 1973
Erin joined our team in Winter of 2023. She has been a LPN for 4 years. She specialized in geriatrics prior to women's health. She spends her free time with her husband and son, as well as her dog Pongo. She enjoys finding new hiking trails, playing video games, and taking rides on matching motorcycles. She looks forward to continuing her education to eventually become a women's health nurse practitioner.
Julie has been with the practice since 2009 as Office Manager and Surgery Scheduler. She has over 30 years' experience in the medical field in the administrative world. She was born and raised, and continues to live in Toledo area. She loves time with her family and grown children. Julie says she loves all parts of her job, but mostly the patient interaction. Over the course of her time with us, she has gotten to know patients and enjoys when they stop in just to say "hi." When not at work, she enjoys travel, outside activities, and having an occasional glass of wine.
Karen Liberi is one of only 300 physical therapists in the United States with the designation of Women's Health Clinical Specialist. She is committed to educating health care providers and community members alike about the importance of addressing the often neglected area of the body between the belly button and the upper thighs.
An education: That's what you will get when you step into Karen's office for the first time and wonder why in the world you are being sent to a physical therapist to address your bladder concerns, bowel concerns, pelvic pain, abdominal pain, or sexual dysfunction. Karen creates a safe environment for her patients and is very easy to talk to about any of these personal and delicate subjects. She has the time during your initial evaluation and individual follow up treatment sessions to listen to your full history, figure out what cascade of factors led you to the symptoms you have now, and will thoughtfully determine a treatment plan for your body to restore its normal function again.
Kristen joined our staff as front desk receptionist in 2019. She has been in the medical field in various capacities for over 20 years. She enjoys helping patients and being part of the team. When she is not at work, she can be found spending time with her family, reading or frequenting the local coffee shops with her husband and daughter.
Kristie joined the practice in 2019 after relocating from Florida. She started as a CAN in 1993, completing her LPN degree in 2005. She has experience in internal medicine, infectious disease and urology. She enjoys assisting patients with their medical care and she has developed a passion for Women's Health. Since joining the practice, she has trained to complete Urodynamics testing and Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation therapy. She enjoys spending time with her husband & 3 adult children, going on adventures, candle making and camping.
Tammy has been an LPN for 11 years as well as a caretaker for years prior. She has worked as an LPN in our office since 2020. She started her experience in women's health as a nurse at a large OB/GYN practice. She also has experience as a school nurse aid, which gave her freedom to enjoy summers with her family. Tammy thoroughly enjoys educating and caring for patients so that they feel comfortable and understand they are not alone in their medical situation. Tammy enjoys spending time outside, traveling, and riding with her husband on their Harley.
Twila came to us in 2013 from Monroe, Michigan where she also did bone density testing and worked in OB/GYN. She obtained her GXMO license with the State of Ohio in 2013, and continues to perform bone density testing here in our office. Twila is the person patients see when they are leaving the office. She is Grammie to her sweet granddaughter and grandson, and cherishes every moment with them. She loves the outdoors and likes to hike, especially in the Great Smoky Mountains. She and her husband, Keith, travel the US & Canada on the back of his Harley Ultra. They are also coordinators for Operation Christmas Child at their church and enjoy volunteering at the processing centers.