
Specialties – Her areas of expertise include:
- Addictions
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- and other Psychiatric and co-occurring disorders
Qualifications
- Hawai’i Registered Nurse, Hawai’i Advanced Practice Nurse
- Washington Registered Nurse, Washington Advanced Practice Nurse
- Oregon Registered Nurse, Oregon Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- American Nurses’ Credentialing Center Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Certification
- American Nurses’ Credentialing Center Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist Certification
- International Society of Nurses in Addictions Certified Addictions RN in Advanced Practice
- Certified Substance Abuse Counselor, Hawai’i
- Certified Co-Occurring Disorders Professional-Diplomate (CCDP-D), Hawai’i
- Suboxone DEA waiver
Memberships
- American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, Honorary Member, 2007
- American Psychiatric Nurses’ Association, West Hawaii Director-at-Large 1999-2000
- New Jersey League for Nursing, Honorary Member, 1996
- Raritan Valley Student Nurses’ Association, Vice President, 1995-1996
- International Society of Nurses in Addictions, current
- Society of the Alumni, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, current
- Phi Theta Kappa
- Sigma Theta Tau
Awards and Honors
- Excellence in Advanced Practice Nursing Hillman Award, 2010
- Excellence in Clinical/Direct Service Award, International Society of Nurses in Addictions, 2007
- Recipient, “Hawai’i Moving Forward Compassion Capital Fund” Grant from Center on the Family at University of Hawai’i at Manoa, 2007
- Excellence in Nursing Award Nurse Practitioner Advocate, Hawai’i, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 2007
- Who’s Who of Manchester Professionals and Executives in Nursing, 2005
- University of Pennsylvania
- Award for Highest GPA among Returning RNs at University of Pennsylvania, 1999
- Society of the Alumni of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing Award for Advancement of the Nursing Profession, 1999
- American Holistic Nurses’ Association Scholarship for AHNA Conference, 1998
- Writers’ Award; Society of the Alumni of School of Nursing, at University of Pennsylvania, 1997
- RN Career Mobility Scholarship by the National Student Nurses Association, 1997
- Charlotte W. Newcombe Internship Scholarship by University of Pennsylvania, 1997
- National Dean’s List, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999
- National Dean’s List Scholarship, 1995
Education
- University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA
- B.S.N./M.S.N. with graduate specialization in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing
- B.S.N. Summa Cum Laude, 1998;
- M.S.N. G.P.A.: 4.0, 1999
- Raritan Valley Community College, Somerville, N. J.
- A.A.S. in Nursing, 1992-1996
- Graduated with High Honors
- Pennsylvania School for Muscle Therapy, Wayne, PA.
- National Certification in Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork, 1991-1992
- California Culinary Academy, San Francisco, CA.
- Professional Chef Training 1983-1984
Professional Experience
- Psychiatric & Addictions Advanced Practice Nurse Hawai’i Addiction Recovery & Psychiatric Services, Islands of Hawai’i and Moloka’i October 2003 – Present
- Director/Educator Pacific Academy of the Healing Arts (formerly Hawai’i Academy of the Healing Arts), Kamuela, Hawai’i 2005 – Present
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
- Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurse (PMHNP)
- Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurse (ARNP)
- Psychiatric Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)
- Psychiatric & Addictions Advanced Practice Nurse Clinical Director of Behavioral Health Services Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, Grand Ronde, Oregon September 2013 – January 2014
- Psychiatric & Addictions Advanced Practice Nurse Group Health Cooperative, Bremerton, Washington July 2012 – September 2013
- Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurse/Team Leader APS Healthcare, Hilo, Hawaii January 2012 – July 2012
- Psychiatric & Addictions Advanced Practice Nurse Pacific Islands Department of Veteran’s Affairs, Kona community based outpatient clinic, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii June 2007 – June 2009
- Nursing Instructor University of Hawai’i at Hilo, Hilo, Hawai’i January 2004 – July 2004
- Behavioral Health Services Director/Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurse Hamakua Health Center, Honoka’a, Hawai’i June 2003 – October 2003
- Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurse University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Trenton, New Jersey January 2002 -April 2003
- Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurse Saint Clare’s Health Services, Denville, New Jersey October 2000 – January 2002
- Instructor/Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurse University of Hawai’i at Manoa/West Hawaii Mental Health Service, Honolulu and Kealakekua, Hawai’i July 1999 – June 2000
- Registered Nurse/Advanced Practice Nurse Intern Philadelphia Department of Veterans’ Affairs Outpatient Mental Health Clinic, Philadelphia, PA. September 1998 – June 1999
- Research Assistant/Junior Author University of Pennsylvania Center for Urban Health Research, Philadelphia, PA. February 1997 – June 1999
- Registered Nurse Women’s Health and Counseling Center, Somerville, New Jersey June 1996 – February 1996
Academic Experience
- Pacific Academy of the Healing Arts 2005 – Present
- University of Hawai’i at Hilo January 2004 – July 2004 Nursing Instructor
- University of Hawai’i at Manoa School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene July 1999 – July 2000 APRN/Nursing Instructor
- University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene
1996-1999
- Teaching Assistant for Graduate-level Geropsychiatric Nursing course, University of Pennsylvania
- Teaching Assistant for Graduate-level Cognitive Therapy course, University of Pennsylvania
- University of Pennsylvania Center for Urban Health Research
1992-1996
- Co-authored articles regarding HIV prevention/education among diverse populations
- Assisted in needs assessments to provide public health planning guidelines and HIV prevention strategies for the City of Philadelphia
- Involved in HIV education/prevention research funded by the National Institutes for Mental Health (NIMH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
Community Activities
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- Organize Community Depression and Alcohol Screenings, Health Fairs, and AIDS Awareness Fairs
- Co-founded American Holistic Nurses’ Association Network at University of Pennsylvania
- Tutored low-income college students on a weekly basis for four years
- Provided educational support services to disabled students on monthly basis for one year
- Volunteered at Women’s Health and Counseling Center on weekly basis for one year
- Organized and participated in Holiday toy and book drives, food drives, and blood drives
- Provided HIV education to college freshmen as Red Cross Certified HIV/AIDS educator