People

I am a Certified Child Life Specialist with a broad range of clinical experience spanning inpatient, outpatient, research, and specialty medical settings. My passion lies in establishing and developing innovative child life programming, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to integrate patient- and family-centered care practices for rare disease and neurodiverse populations, and incorporating therapeutic play experiences to promote resilience across the lifespan.

Currently, I am a Certified Child Life Specialist and Primary Facility Dog Handler at the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain (MIDB). In this role, I have the privilege of establishing and expanding a child life and facility dog program that now serves seven outpatient clinics and supports multiple pediatric research studies focused on brain health and neurodevelopmental disorders.

In academia, I enjoy sharing my clinical background with the next generation of professionals right here at the University of Minnesota. As an instructor for the Institute of Child Development, I have the honor of fostering growth for students at multiple stages of their academic journeys. When working with undergraduate students, my focus is on introducing them to the foundational theories, core values, and diverse clinical applications of child life, helping them build a strong conceptual framework for the field. With my graduate students, we dive much deeper into advanced practice, exploring the intentional design and implementation of therapeutic play interventions to support children and families navigating stressful and traumatic experiences. Ultimately, my goal is to bridge academic theory with real-world clinical insights, empowering students to build impactful, meaningful careers.