I am a positive person finding joy among life's hardships.  I love being with people; and learning more about them.

​

At 18, I began helping care for my grandmother with dementia. She eventually lived in a nursing home and I married, earned an Associate degree and became a mother of five incredible children. In 2020, I returned to college and received my bachelors and masters degrees by 2023.

 

My career includes health insurance customer service, behavioral health occupations and over 13 years in the airline industry.  Throughout my life, I have loved volunteering at local schools, churches and in the community too.

 

My mother's dementia and my passion for people led me to dementia care. I left my airline job and transitioned into memory care as an activity coordinator. To further my understanding of dementia, I returned to university studies. Over the past several years, I have researched better ways to communicate and care for those living with dementia.  

 

In May 2023, I traveled to Finland for a study abroad program. Finland has the highest rate of dementia-caused deaths in the world. While there, I visited universities and met with a nursing home doctor to learn more about how Finland, a socialist country, addresses dementia.  While at Lapland University, I learned about Finland's focus on  the possible environmental causes of dementia, as well as the role of genetics in Alzheimer's disease. 
​

When I am not studying, I enjoy traveling, being with my family, listening to podcasts and audiobooks, mountain hikes and fishing.  This summer, I was able to fish for five days on the Kenai River in Alaska!   

​