Born and raised in Gillette, Wyoming, I am proud to call this community home. After graduating from high school in Gillette, I pursued my passion for helping others and earned my Associate Degree in Nursing in 2011. Over the course of a 16-year nursing career, I worked primarily in Emergency Room and Trauma nursing, serving in trauma centers across the country. Those experiences allowed me to care for individuals and families during some of the most difficult and vulnerable moments of their lives, strengthening my skills in crisis response, advocacy, problem-solving, and compassionate care.

In January of this year, I made the meaningful decision to step away from bedside nursing and join GARF as their Transitional Housing Case Manager. While this may seem like a significant career shift, the transition is a natural extension of the work I have always been passionate about. Throughout my years in emergency and trauma care, I frequently cared for individuals affected by violence, crisis, and trauma. I witnessed firsthand that healing often requires much more than immediate medical treatment. Safe housing, emotional support, advocacy, resources, and long-term stability play equally important roles in helping individuals rebuild their lives.

Moving from the bedside into domestic violence services has provided an opportunity to support people beyond a moment of crisis. Rather than focusing solely on immediate medical needs, I now have the privilege of walking alongside survivors as they work toward safety, independence, and healing. My nursing background has equipped me with a trauma-informed approach, crisis management skills, the ability to build trust quickly, and a deep understanding of the physical and emotional impacts trauma can have on individuals and families. Those skills continue to guide my work every day.

Outside of my professional life, I am a proud mother of three children. My two sons are currently serving our country in the Air Force, a role that fills me with tremendous pride, and my daughter is currently in junior high and keeps life exciting and rewarding. I am also an avid reader and enjoy reading more than 300 books each year, something that allows me to continue learning, exploring new perspectives, and finding balance outside of work.

My journey from nursing to domestic violence advocacy has reinforced a belief I have carried throughout my career: helping people heal goes beyond treating physical injuries—it means supporting the whole person and empowering them with the resources and opportunities needed to move forward with strength and hope.