I was born in Texas and moved to a small mining town outside of Tucson during the awkward years of fanny packs, stirrup pants, and side pony-tails. My obsession with all things cactus and the sweet sounds of Bear Down Arizona has made me a University of Arizona "Lifer"-one of those crazy kids who has done every degree path at one University. As a first generation college student, I received my BS in Physiological Sciences with minors in Psychology and Chemistry. I hung out in Italy for a little while exploring my dirty hippie roots and applied for graduate school (again at the U of A) in public health with a concentration in Maternal and Child Health. I went to medical school (surprise, at the U of A) and ultimately stayed here for another round of magic as a family medicine resident. I'm part of the Students to Service National Health Service Corps program and I enjoy dance parties in my car, baseball, yoga, and all things pop culture. I am passionate about increasing recruitment and retention of first generation, minority, and non-traditional students in medicine! Why Tucson? Take it from someone who can't leave: amazing faculty, sunshine, sunsets in colors you've never seen, city holidays for rodeo, one of the founding hubs of integrative medicine, and my native diet of Mexican food.
