When I came back from overseas after the Gulf War (I am a former active-duty US Marine), my duty station was Camp Lejeune, NC. I was excited to be closer to my dad, who lived in Greenville, NC. When I returned, I was surprised to find that my father's health had declined.

He was sedentary and taking close to 20 medications. The once-vibrant man that I remember was no more. I started taking my dad to his doctor's appointments and asking questions. I soon realized that his primary care doctor was not the same as his heart specialist. He was taking four of the same medications from two different doctors.

I researched and realized that the medications were contributing to his deteriorating health and that they could be reduced to one pill instead of four. I discussed my concerns and went over the prescriptions that could go into one pill. The doctors agreed. My father went from taking close to 20 medications to 6 or 7. He started riding his bike, eating healthy, and getting stronger.

Unfortunately, after 4 months, my dad died of a heart attack in his sleep. He died five days before his 59th birthday. He died way too young, and it could've been avoided. That is how my journey started with healthcare. I knew asking questions and advocating for yourself and others were important.

It is important to educate, equip, and empower people because it could save countless lives. I was drawn to healthcare because it is in my DNA to help and nurture people. I wanted to be in the healthcare arena, so I pursued a BS in Health Care Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Health and Public Administration.

I have over 25 years of experience in healthcare, and I worked in one of the largest military hospitals as a Joint Commission Compliance Officer. It became apparent that I love advocating for others’ health, learning new things, and researching; when there is no solution to problems, there is me. My purpose is to find solutions to health problems and improve the world’s health through innovation, one person at a time.