How many years have you been practicing and where did you graduate from?

I have been a nurse practitioner for five years. I started in internal medicine at our Murphy location and then moved into Director of Clinical Services and then Pediatrics at Robbinsville, and I have been there for about a year and a half doing Pediatrics.

I graduated with my master's degree from Walden University in 2019, and before that, Western Carolina University with my bachelor's in nursing in 2004.

What do you enjoy most about serving Appalachian Mountain Health patients here in Western NC?

I particularly love getting to work with whole families in Pediatrics. I'm not just taking care of my patient. It's also getting to know the siblings and the moms and the dads and the grandparents and the aunts and the uncles, and it's a lot of fun.

What is your approach to patient care?

My patient care philosophy is that I'm here to help you make decisions that are best for you. And so I will provide all the information and the education and do the physical exam. But really decisions about healthcare are up to patients or in my case parents.

What is one piece of health advice you find challenging to follow yourself?

Limiting sugar.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

The Phoenix Food Truck in Robbinsville - they have the best tacos.

Do you have any special interests?

I enjoy working with people who are trying to establish better habits—whether it’s improving their nutrition, exercise, or sleep, or working toward a specific health goal. I really enjoy helping them navigate how to build and stack new habits. It’s a lot of fun.

What languages are you fluent in?

English.