I’m a family nurse practitioner with a practice in pediatric Rheumatology. After studying at University of Virginia, I began my career as a registered nurse (RN) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), where I was drawn to the relationships created while caring for families of fragile infants over a long period of time. Over time, I have worked in both the ICU setting and in pediatric primary care. I decided to pursue a career as a family nurse practitioner so I could care for the entire family throughout their lifespans and forge relationships that would last a lifetime.
After graduation from Duke University, I worked as a primary care provider at Cincinnati Children’s Fairfield Primary Care caring for newborns to young adults. I found that children are resilient and embody all of our hopes and dreams for the future. I believe caring for this population sets the foundation for a prosperous future.
My nursing experience led me to have a special place in my heart for medically fragile children and children with chronic illnesses. This led me to my current role working in pediatric rheumatology at Cincinnati Children’s. I was drawn to this specialty because of the unique ability to play an integral part in a family’s journey with sometimes life-changing chronic illnesses (as in juvenile idiopathic arthritis, dermatomyositis, lupus, etc) from their initial diagnosis all the way to transition of care to adult providers; all the while promoting self-management and encouraging patient/family confidence and engagement in their medical decisions.
I hold a doctor of nursing practice degree from Duke University, the highest clinical degree for nursing specialties. My doctoral studies focused on healthy habits in children, specifically focused on interventions for families of preschool children to combat overweight and obesity-related problems in adulthood.
I care for the whole family during every encounter to provide true family-centered care. I place a high value on relationships, positivity, prevention, parent education and discussions with families. I believe my focus on relationships and quality conversations makes my approach to care unique. My training as a nurse practitioner places a high priority on prevention and education with anticipatory guidance to optimize the health of families and children.
I have experience in quality improvement in optimizing outcomes for infants affected by substance use disorder and neonatal abstinence syndrome. This includes clinical training in substance use disorder with the Hazelden Betty Ford Center Medical Education Program, in Rancho Mirage, California. Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Division of Rheumatology is a member of several quality improvement organizations and initiatives and is a leader in the pediatric rheumatology field.
In my free time, I enjoy baking, reading and DIY home projects! I also enjoy writing and have been published in the Wall Street Journal, Cincinnati Enquirer and several medical journals. These articles involved my participation in quality improvement projects and research.