I grew up as an only child to a mom who was an AIDS nurse in the 1980s and 90s. Back then outside of New York City where we lived, the majority of her patients died because they were infected with HIV before we understood what it was and how it was transmitted. Since then, I have had an innate passion to protect the public from infectious disease to ensure a better quality of life and health. Working in a career dedicated to public health - specifically occupational health in healthcare - protecting people like my mom, I have worked in as many different sectors as possible including the uniformed services, public, private, and academic sectors.
I received my Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree from the University of Texas School of Public Health and a Master’s in Public Health from The George Washington University. My Bachelor's degree is from Binghamton University in NY and I am Certified in Public Health as a member of the very first CPH cohort offered by the National Board of Public Health Examiners.
I now run the International Safety Center - a nonprofit research and advocacy organization - with a very small, but tirelessly dedicated team that surveys, measures, and prevents occupational exposures to infectious diseases like HIV in healthcare facilities around the world.
I carry on my mom’s legacy and do this in memory of her and others like her that sacrifice their own lives to care for others.
