Veena Somani, MD

Based in Asheville, Dr. Veena Somani was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and attended medical school at Penn State Hershey, the “sweetest place on earth.” Throughout medical school and residency, she immersed herself in global public health opportunities and integrative medicine electives in India and on a rural Apache reservation in Arizona. After working in acute urgent care settings, she learned that her real passion was focusing on well care instead of sick care, and went on to pursue Integrative, Lifestyle and Functional Medicine certifications, in addition to Wilderness Medicine training. She also became a coach with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and shared her knowledge and passion for healthcare accessibility with cooking demos and educational workshops with local non-profit organizations such as Bounty and Soul in Asheville, North Carolina. She has worked in a variety of medical settings, including direct primary care, telehealth and international emergency settings.

A mom of three active children, Veena has an adventurous spirit, is a sauna and cold plunge addict, loves anything food related, and is fueled by connections with like minded people particularly in the outdoors and wellness spaces. She’s a triathlete with a particular love of hut-to-hut endurance mountain running, and spent much of the past few years with her family in Christchurch, New Zealand working and exploring new terrain. Though well traveled, western North Carolina and the Blue Ridge mountains will always feel like home. Veena is excited to be part of the First Bourn team!