Growing up in Clayton, North Carolina, I have been interested in medicine since I was very young and wanted to become a forensic pathologist at the age of 11. When I was 15, I began working as an EMS cadet. I learned that I loved the adrenaline of responding to an emergency and decided at that time I wanted to respond to emergencies. I still do this in my current job, but my responsibilities look very different.

Originally from Dubuque, Iowa, I graduated from Simpson College with a BA in Rhetoric & Speech. I originally planning to be an analyst with the CIA, but, during my senior year in college, I had a life changing moment. My roommate had a grand mal seizure one day in front of me, and I had to do some quick thinking to help her. The feeling was so intense I knew I needed to completely change my path and go into nursing, so I did. I never looked back, and I have no regrets.

I grew up in a country where resources were limited. I had the privilege of attending an institution that draws inspiration from the teachings of St. Ignatius, promoting the member to strive for excellence in every aspect of life; to be there for others. While completing my undergraduate degree, I participated in multiple outreach programs in the underprivileged portion of the Philippine community, allowing me to experience life in another's shoes, a life where the smallest resources were scarce.

I knew I wanted to become a nurse when I was in elementary school. I wanted to make a difference in the quality of care patients receive and felt a career in nursing would afford me the opportunity to help patients through the most challenging moments of their lives. With several family members impacted by cancer, I was drawn specifically to oncology nursing. Oncology patients have inspired me with their courage, hope and determination.

Growing up, my mother would always emphasize the importance of getting an education. Being from a rural population, Cochiti Pueblo, a small Native American pueblo in New Mexico, I know and believe an education is essential to embody independence and hunger for knowledge. I completed my ASN (Associate in Science in Nursing) degree through Santa Fe Community College’s accelerated program in 2016 and obtained my BSN degree at the University of New Mexico in 2018.