About me.

I have been working in healthcare for 30 years. I started my journey in the public health sector working for the health department in the WIC program. After becoming a Registered Dietitian, I worked in the clinical setting. These clinical skills have grown over the years of working with a variety of patients in an ever-growing complex healthcare system.

To advance my clinical skills, I became Nutrition Support Certified in 2015 and maintain that certification. I pride myself on thorough nutrition assessments, with attention to detail and comprehensive documentation. Over the years, I have honed my communication skills with both interdisciplinary staff, patients, and families.

After my father’s death in 2021, I became interested in end-of-life education, care, and support. At this time I became acutely aware of the many patients in my hospital who were over-medicalized and over-hospitalized. They had limited conversation about quality of life.

I am especially interested in talking to people about advanced care planning, quality of life, and death planning. I completed an End of Life Certification in June of 2024, and continue to educate myself on the subjects of health care for seniors, advanced care directives, and end of life. I read books, listen to podcasts, attend workshops, and complete online courses.

With my experience caring for my father in his last year of life, and the years of experience in patient care, I believe strongly that patients should be the center of their health care. Many patients need an advocate to help them navigate the complex healthcare system; someone to translate the medical language into plain language for optimal understanding for accurate decision making; and someone who can put the management of their health in context to their lives as a whole person, not just a diagnosis. Patients need empathetic listeners and honest answers to tough questions when it comes to management of their health.

Also, witnessing the beautiful death of my father, at home, with Hospice support, surrounded by the love of family and friends, inspired me to want to help people and patients understand how they can be in charge of their own deaths by planning and communicating their wishes in advance, and hiring a death doula to help them implement their wishes. This experience inspired me to volunteer with VIA (hospice and palliative care) where I spend time with people who are dying by offering support, empathetic listening, caregiver respite, and companionship.