Founded by and led by local pediatricians

BestStart Washington was founded in 2003 by Washington pediatricians Danette Glassy, MD, FAAP, Ed Marcuse, MD, MPH, FAAP and Kyle Yasuda, MD, FAAP, who remain on the Board of Directors today.

Julian Ayer, MD, FAAP, is on staff at Pediatrics Northwest in his hometown of Tacoma. He joined the Board of Directors of BestStart Washington in 2012. An active member of the Board of the Washington Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Ayer earned his bachelor’s degree at Gonzaga University in Spokane and his MD at Rush Medical College in Chicago. He completed his pediatric residency at the University of Wisconsin. His community service includes volunteering at the Trinity Neighborhood Health Clinic serving underserved residents of Tacoma, and he has participated on an advisory committee to support Bridges, a family grief support center for local children. Dr. Ayer also co-founded the University of Wisconsin Chapter of PRIDE (Pediatricians Recognizing Individuals Demonstrating Excellence) to recognize outstanding youth in area schools. Read Dr. Ayer’s CV.

Danette Swanson Glassy, MD, FAAP, is a co-founder and Board member of BestStart Washington. A primary care physician at Mercer Island Pediatrics since 1989, she earned her MD from the University of Washington and completed her pediatric residency at Seattle Children’s. Dr. Glassy is a clinical professor in pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine, past president of the Washington Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and chair of the American Academy’s Section on Early Education and Child Care. She served for two years on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Head Start Research and Evaluation Committee. In 2012, U.S. News & World Report named her as a Top Doctor. Dr. Glassy also has earned the Susan Aronson Early Education and Child Care Advocacy Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Read Dr. Glassy’s CV.

Beth E. Harvey, MD, FAAP, joined the Board of BestStart Washington in 2012 and is a pediatrician with South Sound Pediatric Associates in her hometown of Olympia. She earned her bachelor’s and medical degrees from the University of Missouri in Kansas City and completed her residency at Primary Children’s at the University of Utah, where she ran an Americorps project focusing on healthcare access for the Hispanic community. After serving as Chief Resident at Primary Children’s, she returned home in 1997 to join the practice that cared for her as a child. A former President of the Washington Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Harvey serves on the Board of the Washington Vaccine Association. Her interests are in developmental screening and quality care measures for children with complex medical needs. Read Dr. Harvey’s CV.

Edgar K. Marcuse, MD, MPH, FAAP, is a co-founder and Board member of BestStart Washington. He is Professor of Pediatrics and Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Washington and Associate Medical Director-Quality Improvement at Seattle Children’s. Dr. Marcuse received his BA from Oberlin, his MD from Stanford, his MPH from the University of Washington, and did his pediatric residency at Boston Children’s and Seattle Children’s.  He has served on the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases, as founding co-editor of AAP Grand Rounds, and on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Vaccine Advisory Committee, Advisory Committee on Immunizations Practices, and Vaccine and Related Biologic Products Advisory Committee. His special interests are in immunization policy, practice, ethics, economics and vaccinology and quality improvement. Read Dr. Marcuse’s CV.

Kyle E. Yasuda, MD, FAAP, is a co-founder and president of BestStart Washington. He is a Clinical Professor in General Pediatrics at the University of Washington and has been a primary care pediatrician in Seattle since 1983. He previously served as Medical Director for the Pediatric Clinics at Harborview and as head of the Pediatrics Section and Director of the Newborn Nursery at Virginia Mason. Dr. Yasuda earned his MD and completed his residency at UW. He serves on the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Pediatrics and on the Washington State Title XIX (Medicaid) Advisory Committee.  In 2012, U.S. News and World Report named him as a Top Doctor. His research interests center on alleviating parental concerns about vaccinations, and on health and safety in child care. Read Dr. Yasuda’s CV.