Holy Cross Medical Center is expanding services for foot and ankle care with the addition of Dr. Elise Janowak to its clinical team. While Dr. Janowak has been practicing in the region for several years, she is now seeing patients at Holy Cross Medical Center’s Plaza de Colores Clinic, bringing her advanced podiatric expertise under the umbrella of the local medical center’s expanding specialty services.
Dr. Janowak grew up in a small town in southeastern Wisconsin as the youngest of five children in a family deeply connected to healthcare. Her father is an otolaryngologist, her mother worked in pediatric intensive care, and two of her siblings also pursued careers in medicine. After exploring a variety of specialties during her studies, she discovered podiatry as the perfect intersection of her interests in radiology, orthopedics, primary care, and surgery.
Her postdoctoral training took place in Utah, where she was mentored by surgeons involved in the Association for Extremity Nerve Surgery (AENS). That experience shaped a major focus of her practice: addressing complex peripheral nerve issues through modern surgical techniques. Her work includes nerve decompression procedures and advanced approaches to limb salvage—procedures especially beneficial to patients managing diabetes, chronic wounds, or past injuries.
“I see many patients who’ve been told that nerve pain is something they simply have to live with,” Janowak says. “It’s deeply rewarding to offer high-success-rate options that not only improve quality of life, but in many cases prevent complications like ulcers or amputations.”
Though she also treats a broad range of more common conditions—such as fractures, ingrown toenails, arthritis, and sports injuries—her specialty in treating neuropathic pain and saving limbs at risk sets her apart. Nerve decompression, for example, can significantly relieve pain while reducing ulcer risk for up to a decade, especially for diabetic patients.
Dr. Janowak moved to New Mexico in 2020 after working in southwestern Oregon, and for the past five years has served patients in Santa Fe, Los Alamos, and Taos. Taos, she says, feels most like home — a place where the small-town environment and strong sense of community resonate deeply with her.
“Holy Cross reminds me very much of the small, strong, independent community hospital that I grew up with. Patients in rural areas deserve the very best in modern medical care delivered in and from the community that they live in,” she says.
That alignment was echoed by Sue Romansky, Chief of Ancillary and Physician Services at Holy Cross Medical Center. “We’re so pleased to welcome Dr. Janowak to the Holy Cross family,” Romansky said.
“She’s been providing top-tier podiatric care in the region for years, and bringing her onto our team strengthens the services we’re able to offer locally. With such skilled physicians practicing right here in Taos, you can get most of the care you need without leaving town.”
Outside of work, Dr. Janowak stays active with snowboarding, hiking, biking, and cooking elaborate meals. She also has a fondness for animals, especially rabbits and is currently hoping to adopt a bonded pair after recently saying goodbye to her last pet, a Flemish giant.
Dr. Janowak is now accepting new patients at the Holy Cross Medical Center Plaza de Colores Clinic, located at 330 Paseo del Pueblo Sur, Suite H. A referral is needed for an appointment. For more information visit TaosPodiatry.com
