Biography
I’m a family nurse practitioner with a practice in general pediatrics. I began 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. 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.
I also spent four years as an RN in Pediatric Primary Care at Cincinnati Children’s. 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.
As an RN in a NICU, my experience led me to have a special place in my heart for medically fragile infants and children. I’m a certified lactation counselor and believe in the power of human milk. I am a proponent of breastfeeding to promote optimal health outcomes for children and help eliminate health disparities.
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.
Though I’m a primary care provider for children in my practice, 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.
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.
Clinical Interests
Pediatric rheumatology; motivational interviewing; quality improvement