- I decided I wanted to be a nurse at five years old when I asked my mom, “Who takes care of babies when they are born?” My mom responded, “Well babies are born in the hospital so, that would be a nurse.” I said, “I want to be a nurse then!”
- I started my career in healthcare at a local hospital as a “candy striper.” I wore the red and white striped apron and volunteered by transporting patients and doing whatever was needed throughout the hospital. I was only 15 years old.
- I was raised in a very small town called Tonawanda. It is between Niagara Falls and Buffalo. My parents still live there along with all my childhood and high school friends. I have an amazing, large family and I have four best friends who all mean the world to me. I visit at least once a month. Buffalo has the best food ever!
- I have three amazing children, all of whom are very different. Lilly is my oldest, she is a junior at the University at Buffalo. David is a senior in high school and plans to attend St. John Fisher or Tampa University. Annabelle is my youngest, a sophomore at Shenendehowa High School.
- Our family dog is Zoey Faith, an English Bulldog. She is very cute, but very demanding!
- I traveled to Haiti as a volunteer to work as a nurse in the health clinic in a place called Christianville in 2000. At the time I was a new nurse and only 24 years old. I traveled alone having never met the leadership of the organization or anyone I would be staying with. It was a life changing experience for me that changed the trajectory of my profession and solidified my interest in Public Health on a global level.
- In 2015 I started my journey into Public Health and graduated with my Ph.D. in Public Health from Walden University in 2021.
- For the last five years I have served my community through the use of a community garden. I currently rent a garden plot each year and work with a local after school program providing children with a variety of activities that promote health and wellness. I love spending time with children growing and harvesting vegetables. I have developed meaningful relationships with the children over the years in hopes to promote healthy eating and build an awareness of growing your own food.
- I currently serve as a board member for an organization called BirthNet. This organization is focused on birth justice and promoting interventions that decrease the maternal mortality rate for birthing people of color. I appreciate the opportunity to serve on this board as it is in alignment with my research and clinical interest in maternal child health.
- I am looking forward to being a guest on a friend's Podcast called Empowerhood soon. I love podcasts and they are the best way to learn as I spend hours traveling back and forth to Buffalo.
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