Bluebird Neurology is a direct pay neurology practice dedicated to brain health, including prevention, treatment, and research. We treat adults with complex neurological conditions and specialize in dementia prevention and clinical trials, with locations in Basalt and Denver, Colorado.
Brooke Allen, MD Neurologist and Founder
Lara Kroepsch, PA-C, is a Physician Associate who graduated from Yale's Physician Associate program in 2011. Prior to graduate school, she attended the University of Colorado, graduating Summa Cum Laude in Biology. While an undergraduate at CU, she discovered a love of cycling. After becoming a 2-time collegiate champion she moved on to the professional ranks, competing both nationally and internationally for multiple years.
Lara is board certified by the National Commission of Physician Associates, with years of experience in orthopedics, sports medicine, and neurology. She is a leader in the Alzheimer’s space, serving on advisory panels and advocating for patients and their families. She is best known for her compassion and empathy. Lara is also active in the clinical research community, serving as a sub-investigator on dozens of neurology clinical trials in migraine, mild cognitive impairment, dementia, and Parkinson disease.
When not seeing patients, Lara is busy chasing around her two small children, biking, running, skiing, and hiking with her family.
Shana Light, FNP-C, is a Board Certified Nurse Practitioner committed to providing compassionate, evidence-based care.
Shana earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Colorado Mountain College and completed her graduate studies at Walden University, graduating summa cum laude.
With a strong focus on prevention and health promotion, Shana strives to help individuals manage chronic neurological conditions in ways that empower them to return to what matters most. At Bluebird Neurology, Shana provides neurology and wellness visits, including hormone balancing. She also serves as a sub-investigator on neurological clinical trials for mild cognitive impairment and dementia.
When she’s not caring for patients, Shana enjoys spending time with her family and dogs, and trail running, skiing, and mountain biking in our beautiful Colorado mountains, fully embracing an active outdoor lifestyle.
Mary Michelle Silva, RN, is an integral member of the Bluebird Neurology team, offering medical weight loss assistance with GLP-1 medications, blood-based biomarker lab draws, nutrition and exercise support, ketamine sessions, support for patients and families, and general nursing care.
Mary Michelle also leads our amyloid-targeting therapy program and works closely with industry leaders to provide our patients with the latest evidenced-based treatments in the field of dementia. On the clinical research side, Mary Michelle serves as a clinical research assistant for our robust clinical research program.
Mary Michelle earned her nursing degree at North Central Michigan College in her hometown of Petoskey, Michigan, and began her nursing career in Lakeland, Florida. As a Registered Nurse with experience in Labor and Delivery at Aspen Valley Hospital, she developed a deep appreciation for patient-centered, compassionate care.
In her free time, Mary Michelle enjoys spending time with her family and her beloved dog, Mae. She enjoys the beauty and solitude that Colorado offers.
Sam Garcia, Clinical Research Coordinator
Samantha “Sam” Garcia is a Clinical Research Coordinator with almost a decade of experience in healthcare. Originally from Riverside, California, she moved to Colorado during high school and has called it home ever since. She earned her Medical Assistant Diploma from Pima Medical Institute in 2018 and has worked across a variety of specialties, including pediatrics, urgent care, endocrinology, cardiology, neurosurgery, and neurology.
Sam’s interest in helping others began long before her healthcare career. Growing up translating for her Spanish-speaking parents taught her how much clear communication matters when navigating unfamiliar situations. Bilingual in English and Spanish, she brings that understanding and perspective to her work with patients and families.
Sam is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University of Colorado Denver. Her interest in the brain and human behavior continues to guide her education and work in neurological research. She values the opportunity to contribute to research that may improve care for others. Outside of work and school, Sam enjoys spending time with her two daughters and practicing Pilates.
Jessie Burchetta, RN, ……
Lara Kroepsch, PA-C
Shana Light, FNP-C
Mary Michelle Silva, RN
Jessie Burchetta, RN, Clinical Research Assistant
Alison "Brooke" Allen, MD, is a board-certified neurologist with nearly two decades practicing medicine. She earned her medical degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in 2006, and visited Colorado to interview for neurology residency on a “bluebird day,” with fresh snow on the ground and not a cloud in the bright blue sky. She immediately knew that Colorado would become home.
After completing her internal medicine internship and neurology residency at the University of Colorado in 2010, she and her family moved to the Roaring Fork Valley. Dr. Allen founded a private practice, Roaring Fork Neurology, in Basalt, Colorado, providing care for patients with neurological diseases and the families that support them.
In 2012, Dr. Allen introduced a clinical research practice and, for more than a decade, her team has collaborated with industry leaders and patient volunteers in dozens of clinical trials focused on Alzheimer's disease (including its early, pre-symptomatic stage), vascular dementia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and migraine.
Dr. Allen now brings her clinical and research expertise to Denver, Colorado, with a focus on brain health and dementia prevention, understanding through her experience that dementia is very much preventable when risk factors are addressed in midlife. She is Board Certified in Neurology by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and is a member of the American Academy of Neurology.
