General Info

I have always been interested in physical health and how it affects mental well-being and vice versa. That's why I went into bariatrics. I love helping others on their journey to improved overall health. When I work with patients, my goal is to build trust by meeting them wherever they are. But before I got into this field, I had another career. \n As a child, my family often took in people in crisis and helped them get back on their feet. So, I got to know a wide variety of people from different backgrounds and cultures. I believe this - as well as having an older sister with special needs - played a big role in my decision to pursue social work. \n Prior to joining Novant Health Salem Surgical Weight Loss, I worked for a community mental health agency as a therapist and clinical director. It was my prior work in the literacy program at Alamance Community College that inspired me to pursue clinical social work. \n In 2018, as a graduate assistant at UNC Greensboro, I was honored with a research award for my work on access to healthcare. I worked with Dr. Danielle Swick on a chapter for the book, School-Based Family Counseling. (That chapter is titled, How to Overcome Barriers to SBFC.) I'm also a member of the National Association of Social Workers. \n I've been making art since childhood. In my free time, I still love creating art - mainly abstract watercolors. I also enjoy traveling, gardening, working out and spending time with my three grown daughters and their families.