
Having brought our four children to Southwest Pediatrics since moving to the area in 2018, I am thrilled to be joining this excellent team of providers and staff!
My career began as I graduated Valparaiso University with my bachelor’s in nursing in 2010. During my time at Valpo, I spent a semester in Mexico where I studied at a university there and gained valuable language and cultural skills. It is a goal of mine to be able to practice medicine with true cultural humility. I worked as a pharmacy technician during nursing school and took my first job as a registered nurse at West Suburban Hospital, working primarily in the Progressive Care Unit. Working with the acutely ill helped me to learn that my passion truly lies in keeping families well and to prevent serious illness. I graduated with honors with my Masters in Nursing from the University of Illinois at Chicago in2017 and began my career as a family nurse practitioner at PCC Community Wellness, a federally qualified healthcare organization serving the west side of Chicago and near west suburbs. At PCC I worked with prenatal and newborn patients all the way up to geriatric. I worked doing well and acute visits as well as diabetes group visits, addiction medicine, and worked with our COVID team. I enjoyed my time at PCC and look forward to continuing to be a primary care provider for children – a population dear to my heart.
I have a special interest in integrating complementary and alternative treatments into traditional, comprehensive plans of care. Other areas of passion for me are weight management, promoting health and wellness through lifestyle, addiction medicine, and atopic illnesses including asthma, eczema, food allergies, and allergic rhinitis.
In my free time I enjoy hosting foreign exchange students, going on exhilarating hikes with my family, leading my daughters’ Girl Scout Troop, and going to the beach any time of year.
Education
Masters of Science in Nursing
University of Illinois at Chicago, graduated with honors
2017
Family Nurse Practitioner Intern
PCC Community Wellness Center
2016 – 2017
Study Abroad Program and also served as 6 th grade English teacher
Universidad de las Américas, Puebla, México
2010
Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Minor in Spanish
Valparaiso University, graduated with honors
2008
Certifications
- Board-certified FNP
- Controlled substance license and DEA number
- Suboxone waivered
- Completed training for Hepatitis C treatment
Professional Experience
Nurse Practitioner – PCC Community Wellness
- Worked in multiple outpatient settings including family medicine, addiction medicine, diabetes group visits, walk-in wellness, and COVID-19 hotline and drive-thru testing.
- Performed history and physical, assessment and plan, and E&M coding for populations including prenatal, newborn, pediatric, women’s health, adult, and geriatric.
- Conducted health screenings as well as managed acute and chronic illnesses.
October 2017 – November 2021
Registered Nurse – West Suburban Medical Center
- 3.5 years – Progressive Care Unit, 2 years – Medical-Oncology-Telemetry
- Performed physical assessment, medication administration, interdisciplinary rounds, patient education, discharge planning, and preparation for procedures and tests.
- Participated in end-of-life care, bedside procedures (i.e. thoracentesis), ventilator care, code blue rotation, wound/ostomy care, and precepting new nurses and students
- Professional Development Committee – 2012-2016 (chair 2013-2015), Infection Control Committee 2011, Patient Safety Champion 2011
September 2010 – March 2016