2024 is my 5th year at PCC as a faculty member, and I’m loving it!
My work experience over the past 30+ years has included teaching in early childhood classrooms with children and families, managing programs, working as a CPS caseworker, and providing psychotherapy to both children and adults. I’ve enjoyed working on statewide policy development and provided much mentoring, training, and support in our field. I have a Graduate Certificate in Infant/Toddler Mental Health, a Masters in Education, and a Masters in Social Work.
I love getting to support caregivers and children in their attachment, and have been an Inclusion, and Mental Health Specialist for a statewide Head Start organization. I’ve also worked in research and project implementation in our field, studying mitigating the impact of vicarious trauma through radical self care, and the impact of family and caregiver supports on maintaining continuity of care, among other research projects; the second study led to the implementation of Oregon’s early childhood quality rating system (QRIS/SPARK).
When not working at PCC, I’m working as a Psychotherapist (LCSW) with a small private practice Oregon where I enjoy gardening and getting out into nature.
Education
- M.S.W., Masters in Social Work, University of Southern California
- M.S.E.D., Curriculum and Instruction (action research and thesis focused on mitigating vicarious trauma between caregiver/child dyads through radical self-care), Portland State University
- G.C., Infant Toddler Mental Health (Capstone developing and teaching infant toddler mental health content at Clark College, also utilized statewide via project PEPI), Portland State University
- B.S., Human 欧洲杯决赛竞猜app_欧洲杯足球网-投注|官网ment, Washington State University
Self-Care
I maintain a regular meditation practice, paint, sketch, and spend time walking with my amazing doggo Agnes. I also love gardening and learned to forage as a small child; I’m grateful to maintain this practice.