I grew up in a large family, and I have a brother with complex medical needs. Taking care of my siblings and helping care for my brother my whole life led me in the direction of a career as a pediatric provider.

I am an otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat or ENT) nurse practitioner. In my first job as a new nurse, I cared for patients undergoing complex airway procedures. It was amazing to see patients from all over the world travel to get care at Cincinnati Children’s. I went on to work in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for five years, where I gained experience with higher acuity patients.

Then, I found my way back to otolaryngology as a nurse practitioner. Taking care of airway patients is as rewarding as ever! Many of them are former premature or NICU babies, so it has been great to continue caring for those patients in this capacity.

Children are so resilient. They could be fighting major infection or undergoing extensive surgery and still find joy in the little things like cartoons, endless popsicles and post-surgery ice cream. Children are the toughest fighters I have ever seen, especially during my NICU experience.

I have been able to see former NICU babies that I cared for as a registered nurse (RN), eventually have their tracheostomy tube removed. The long-term relationships of knowing the hardships and working alongside these patients and families has been very rewarding. The smallest premature babies may be the strongest fighters.

My care philosophy is to provide care for my patients in a way that supports their entire well-being. It matters to me to know my patients beyond their medical diagnosis. I enjoy learning about what they like and dislike, and their goals and dreams so that we can work on achieving them.

During my free time, I enjoy exploring the city's public parks. One of my goals is to visit all of the national parks. I graduated from the University of Cincinnati (Go Bearcats!). I love Disney and have twice participated in the Disney Princess Challenge (10K plus a half marathon). If I could take a yearly vacation, it would be to the Hawaiian Islands.