With eight years of critical care experience under my belt, my bedside career came to a crashing halt in August of 2019 when I was diagnosed with HPV-negative oral squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue at age 37. You can read all about my cancer (and life) experiences in my blog or listen to me tell a brief story of my cancer experience on stage at the inaugural Buckeye Nursing Story Slam at The Ohio State University in March 2023. But cancer doesn't define me.

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Cancer and other traumatic events have the ability to act as catalysts for major change, and that's exactly what happened to me. Determined to never be pitied, I went back to school and earned a Master of Healthcare Innovation from The Ohio State University College of Nursing, followed by certification in trauma-informed coaching. Learning about design thinking and systems thinking and then applying my own experience drove me deeper into studying personal change and growth and how that, in turn, can affect systems change. And that is how I got to where I am currently.

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Over the last 6 years I've held multiple positions and titles and contributed to numerous projects while trying to figure out where my niche resides. This website and the stories in my blog offer living proof that continual learning and growth create change. 

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So, what have I learned about myself? Who am I now?

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Most simply, I'm a mother, a nurse, an innovative thinker, a person who strives to be kind to all, a cancer survivor, and an advocate for change. 

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I lean heavily on the palette side of palette vs spreadsheet brains. I'm fantastic at synthesis and big ideas and less great (though still capable) at breaking those down into bite-sized steps. Therefore, I work best on a team with my opposite -- people who think in steps and numbers. 

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I've learned my core values are compassion, integrity, authenticity, curiosity, and joy. I've also learned that if most of my values are out of alignment in a project or relationship, it isn't one that I will excel at. So, I've also learned the value of saying "no" and creating boundaries. 

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I believe clear and kind communication could solve many of the problems in the world, and I've learned that vulnerability is the strongest act of courage. 

 

I've learned that my story is mine to write. I may not get to choose the plot, but I can always choose how I respond to it. 

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All of these insights shape and reflect in my work with others. 

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If you feel called to work with me and want to see my CV, set up a meeting to find out if we're a fit, or propose a project, please contact me here. 

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