Biography

Dr. Daragan’s journey to becoming a pediatrician began in Kyiv, Ukraine, where she grew up and went to high school. After that, she made her way to the U.S. to earn her undergraduate degree at Ohio State University (Go Buckeyes!) and her medical degree at the University of Minnesota (and Go Gophers!). She fell in love with Oregon during her pediatric residency at OHSU and now happily calls Portland home.

As an immigrant herself who learned English as her third language, Dr. Daragan understands firsthand the challenges of navigating a foreign medical system in a foreign language. This personal experience is why she is so dedicated to supporting immigrant, refugee, and multilingual families in her practice and in the broader community.

For Dr. Daragan, being a pediatrician means getting to experience the world with childlike wonder. Every day, kids remind her of the simple joys in life, like picking a Halloween costume, getting excited for Christmas morning, or just being silly for a minute. Her passion for helping children also extends to health education and advocacy, where she focuses on accident and disease prevention. She is especially dedicated to talking about the importance of vaccines and debunking popular myths, and she is a big advocate for mental health, sex and gender education, and LGBTQIA+ youth and their families.

When she’s not at the clinic, you can find her bouldering, hitting the trail for a hike, or backpacking under the stars—she’s a certified Wilderness First Responder, too! Feel free to ask her for tips on how to stay safe on your next outdoor adventure.