My career started about 13 years ago working with teens and young adults struggling with substance use and addiction in Baltimore, MD. When I moved back to Rochester to be closer to family, I gained invaluable experience working with young adults and adults of diverse backgrounds and identities with a wide range of mental health concerns in an outpatient mental health clinic. In this setting I solidified a passion for working with individuals healing from past trauma particularly from histories of abuse and harmful family dynamics. Supporting individuals along their own journey brings meaning to my work and is why I love my role as outreach coordinator. It allows me to connect with people and provide information or support when someone may not even know they wanted or needed it. My role at RIT allows me to work with students at all stages of their journey: working toward preventing the development of mental health challenges, providing support and empathy as individuals are in the midst of a struggle, and fostering growth and healing from harm that has already occurred. It also allows me to connect with and educate those who are supporting students who are hurting (staff, faculty, parents, etc.) to help give them the information and resources to better support those who might be struggling. 

I could go on about my passion about my work forever but enough about that…Personally, I am a middle child with two sisters from a lower middle class family. My parents have both worked physically demanding blue collar jobs their whole lives and taught my sisters and I strong work ethic at an early age. I began informally working to help my family and for fun on weekends when I was 8 years old. I am the first and only person in my family to complete college and only person in my extended family with an advanced degree. I grew up in Rochester and lived in Baltimore for 5 years in my mid-twenties. City living was not cup of tea (I really hated street parking). I now live in Farmington with an open field in my backyard-much more my speed. I love taking walks with my Golden Retriever, Cooper (5 years old), and my son who is 1 year old as I write this. I have run 3 half marathons and someday will return to running when my life gets a little less busy. I also learned to sail as a kid so love to be on the water when I can. 

I hope that getting to know me a little will help you to reach out and connect with me or with Counseling and Psychological Services at some point. We would love to meet you and see how we can support you!