I’m a little ‘quirky,’ a little wild, and maybe a little rough around the edges. I'm quite disorganized and a little chaotic. I don’t always like following rules or going ‘by the book.’  I believe in being kind to others. I consider myself somewhat adventurous. Not a big fan of screens, technology, or social media - I would much rather be outside gardening, scuba diving, or something else. I LOVE the ocean (not sure why I ended up in a landlocked state), and love to travel to new places and experience new cultures. I also enjoy painting, if I ever have the spare time, and love animals. I have two amazing (and a little chaotic) children and a wonderful spouse, a dog, and a cat. Parenting and partnering are incredibly HARD work and sometimes I struggle with all the demands of daily life, but I love life, despite the challenges it can often bring.  I live in Denver, Colorado but think of Minnesota, where I was born, as home. ‘Minnesota Nice,’ 'duck duck, gray duck,' and ‘uff-dah’ are common phrases at home.

 

I have a history of problems with alcohol. Combine genetics, trauma, and a wild soul, and it can lead to trouble. I am currently sober. One day at a time, as they say. I also have mental health issues of my own. I can't say I know what it's like to be exactly in your shoes but if you struggle with addiction or mental health issues, know that I have some comprehension of the difficulties. You are not alone, if you don't want to work with me there are MANY people out there who care and want to help, please find someone. 
 

Growing up I always wanted to help others. You will feel that compassion and empathy when you meet with me.  In college, I thought about other career options such as business, art, and others but decided on nursing to help others, "make a difference," and because I loved science and anatomy.  

 

I worked my way up through the nursing field at various levels while attending school throughout. First, as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) where I worked in nursing homes helping patients with daily activities such as showering, feeding, dressing as I went to classes at the community college in Fergus Falls, MN, to obtain my licensed practical nurse (LPN) certificate. As a LPN I worked in a psychiatric hospital in Fargo, ND, distributing medications while going to school for my associates degree RN. As a RN I worked in a hospital on a cancer floor. When I cared for people going through the dying process, I realized how important it is to enjoy the time we have in this realm as we never know when it could be gone. As I worked as an RN, I obtained my bachelor of science degree (BSN) at Minnesota State University (MSU) Moorhead and then eventually attended North Dakota State University (NDSU) to obtain a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree as a family nurse practitioner (FNP). All throughout, even though sometimes the jobs were stressful, emotionally challenging, and workload heavy, I enjoyed each role I fulfilled as I helped others in various ways.

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After receiving certification as a family nurse practitioner (FNP) I worked at a community health clinic for underserved people with an amazing mentor, Dr. Napolean Espejo (Lucho), in Fargo, ND. One of the best positions I have ever worked in, with supportive and caring staff working with homeless, uninsured, and refugee patients who were all grateful for the care they received.

 

I moved to Denver, CO with my husband in 2012, worked one year with the Veterans Administration (VA), happy to be helping those who had served in the military. But I struggled with the strict rules, and I missed community care so moved to Metro Community Provider Network (MCPN) for several years before it became STRIDE. Working there, I saw many patients with complex mental health issues who had to wait several months before they were able to get into see a mental health prescriber. I decided it was time to return to school yet again, this time to obtain my certification as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP). I transitioned to Jefferson Center where I have worked for the last 10 years helping underserved people in the community with mental health and substance use conditions.