Christopher Tolcher, M.D., FAAP

Dr. Tolcher was born in Cleveland, Ohio and came to California at the age of 13. He graduated *summa cum laude* with College Honors from UCLA in 1988, and then graduated from the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine in 1992. UCSF inducted him into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.

Dr. Tolcher completed his residency training in pediatrics at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles in 1995 and was elected Chief Resident in Pediatrics from 1995-96. He joined Agoura-West Valley Pediatrics in July 1996 where he has now worked for over 20 years. He has been actively involved the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), including having served on the Board of Directors of AAP Chapter 2 which includes the seven counties around the greater Los Angeles area. In the past, he has served as the Chair of the Committee on Pediatric Practice as well as serving on the Executive Board of the Chapter.

He is also past Chair of the AAP's Pediatric Council for the state of California, a forum in which representatives of the AAP from around the state worked with insurance companies to improve health care coverage and quality for the children and teens in the state. He has been a media spokesperson for the AAP which has included periodic appearances on TV and in newspaper, magazine, and radio forums, speaking about all aspects of child health and AAP policy. He is currently Chair of the Quality Committee of the CHLA (Childrens Hospital Los Angeles) Health Network.

Dr. Tolcher and his wife, Lori, have three daughters: one is a pediatric nurse (soon to be a pediatric nurse practitioner), another is a child psychologist working with special needs children, and the youngest is currently in college.