Ashlea Semmens, M.D.

Board-certified General Surgeon
Breast Surgical Oncologist
Director of the Breast Center at Monument Health Rapid City

I am most passionate about caring for breast patients and their loved ones throughout all aspects of their diagnosis. I firmly believe in shared decision making and feel it is a privilege to care for women and men as they navigate a new diagnosis of breast cancer.

My role

I serve as the Director of the Breast Center and am a Breast Surgical Oncologist. I am the only general surgeon in the region who has completed a Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship. I oversee the Breast Surgery Department in addition to the NAPBC Breast Center of Excellence and treat patients with benign breast disease, acute breast problems, such as abscess or cellulitis, and patients diagnosed with breast cancer. I also oversee the High-Risk Breast Clinic and see patients who have an elevated risk of developing breast cancer as well.

My professional goals

We are working to grow the breast program at Monument Health in Rapid City. We recently obtained designation as a Breast Center of Excellence by the National Accreditation for Breast Centers (NAPBC), which is awarded to organizations that deliver the highest quality care for patients with breast disease and breast cancer. We hope to continue to provide excellent care in accordance with national guidelines and standards to serve the patients within our community and the region. I have also developed our High-Risk Breast Program and am working to raise awareness within the community about those who may be at an elevated risk of developing breast cancer and what options they have available to them.

My personal goals

I am a mother to two young daughters. My husband, Trent Semmens, is also a Monument Health caregiver in the Physical Therapy Department at the Orthopedic and Specialty Hospital. We couldn’t be happier to raise our children in Rapid City. We are excited to take them on many adventures in the Black Hills. I hope to personally serve as a role model to my daughters as they grow older. We also hope to get more involved in the community through local engagement and volunteering.

My passions at work

I am most passionate about caring for breast patients and their loved ones throughout all aspects of their diagnosis. I firmly believe in shared decision making and feel it is a privilege to care for women and men as they navigate a new diagnosis of breast cancer. I also enjoy the time I spend in the operating room with decision making regarding surgical approach, localization of the lesion within the breast and breast cosmesis including oncoplastic techniques.

My passions at home

I enjoy spending time outdoors with my family. I also enjoy traveling and camping. We spend a lot of time together cooking and baking. I have also gotten back into reading, quilting and am an avid Peloton member.

My team

I frequently tell patients our team is “small but mighty.” The Breast Surgery Department is in the main hospital near General Surgery and Gastroenterology Services. I have a wonderful nurse practitioner, Kendra Storm, DNP, who has been working with breast patients for over 20 years. I feel so fortunate to have her caring, calming demeanor and expertise. My nurse, Joanne, has years of experience within several departments but has been with breast surgery for nearly two years now. She is a strong patient advocate and will do whatever it takes to ensure everyone is cared for. My medical assistant, Kelsee, is extremely friendly and is passionate about the care of surgical patients and genetic testing. My clinical assistant, Laura, is smart and self-motivated, taking care to greet every patient with a smile. I feel extremely lucky to have the team that we do within breast surgery and enjoy working with this group of women every day. We also work very closely with multiple team members within the Cancer Care Institute (CCI). It is an excellent group of individuals who are passionate about the care of breast patients.