As a nurse practitioner, I work in the Division of Allergy and Immunology and specialize in penicillin allergy. I believe families know their child best, and I'm honored by the trust they place in me as we work collaboratively to optimize their child's health.
I began my nursing career in pediatrics, first caring for children with technology-dependent healthcare needs and then in the pediatric Emergency Department. Seeing children of all ages and working with a wide range of diagnoses led to my nurse practitioner career. I wanted to have a more integral role in developing relationships with families to help improve their child's health by empowering them to be their child's best advocate.
As a nurse practitioner, I have worked in Primary Care and Allergy. My role with the Penicillin Allergy Testing Service gives me an opportunity to improve a child's health throughout their lifetime by evaluating unverified penicillin allergy labels.
If your child has a penicillin allergy label, one of the most important things you can do to improve your child's health into adulthood is to have them tested for this presumed allergy. We know that 95% of children previously labeled allergic to penicillin are not truly allergic. This unverified allergy label has lifelong consequences to their health.
I was honored to be a finalist in the March of Dimes Ohio Nurse of the Year award in 2016. I was also presented with the NAPNAP School-Based Health Center SIG Award in 2018.
In my free time, my family and I love exploring national parks. We are so fortunate to have these treasures! Our favorites are Grand Canyon, Arches, Grand Teton, Yellowstone, Glacier National Parks in the United States and Yoho, Jasper and Banff National Parks in Canada.