County Public Health Nurse
Colorado

What is your background?

I grew up in rural western Minnesota.  I completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing prior to earning an MPH - both from NDSU. 

What did you specialize in at NDSU?

I specialized in Public Health in Clinical Systems.

How did the NDSU MPH prepare you for the workforce?

The NDSU MPH curriculum was provided in a way that truly guided me through the program and built upon knowledge gained along the way. I always felt prepared for the next semester of courses. I found it helpful that each course required presentations to share our final research and new knowledge which made me more comfortable in front of an audience and more confident in sharing findings. The NDSU MPH program provided strong opportunities for student research assistant roles with faculty within the college. 

What is your current position?

I currently serve as a county Public Health Nurse Colorado. Our work ranges from immunization and communicable disease control & prevention to family planning and harm reduction programming. In addition, I'm pursuing a PhD in Nursing with a focus on biobehavioral sciences from the University of Colorado where I am studying adolescent decision making pertaining to contraceptive options.

How are you impacting the health of the people in your area?

I am serving the public by providing access to affordable, safe, confidential, and evidence based healthcare. We target under-served populations including refugees, immigrants, those experiencing homelessness, youth, stigmatized populations including people to who use intravenous drugs, sex workers, and LGBTQIA. We collaborate with community partnerships and interdisciplinary teams to ensure support for our community residents. Through research, I hope to improve the quality of adolescent health care services by better understanding how to accommodate and promote youth-friendly sexual health care for positive, safe, prepared and healthy relationships.