What led me here…
My commitment to improving the patient experience is deeply personal.
My journey began with the birth of my second child, Lincoln, on Valentine's Day in 2007. Five days after he was born, he stopped breathing at home. I called 911 and gave him CPR. The EMTs and emergency room doctors at the University of Vermont Medical Center saved his life.
Lincoln's medical team was puzzled by his presentation. After countless tests, they concluded that he was experiencing infantile seizures and an endocrinology issue called hypoketotic hypoglycemia. When Lincoln was 4, he was diagnosed with a heart condition called Shone's complex. When he was 9, he began receiving a daily injection of growth hormone.
At age 14, Lincoln was again hospitalized at the University of Vermont Medical Center. This hospitalization brought a new hematologist and new geneticist onto Lincoln's team. They spent countless hours researching Lincoln's medical history. They asked new questions. They connected with other specialists across the country. I shared with them that I believed the constellation of Lincoln's medical issues were connected, and they believed me. After sequencing his entire genetic code, I learned that Lincoln has an extremely rare genetic condition. My family has witnessed the mutual safety, value, and respect that is born from a strong culture of patient and family-centered care. My commitment to helping healthcare organizations get there is deeply personal.
My Path
I have over 10 years of experience in working with healthcare providers and families across the continuum of care. I’ve helped develop successful and sustainable patient and family-centered care programs that improve the experience of healthcare staff, patients, and families.
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is inextricably linked to patient and family-centered care. I work explicitly-not exclusively- to support healthcare organizations in elevating the experiences of those from communities who experience inequities due to systemic oppression. I create brave spaces for staff to have important conversations about leading with race, and support the cultivation of authentic relationships with individuals with lived experience and community power-building organizations.
Together we can create a more equitable healthcare system through robust patient- and family-centered care programs.