around the world

AIDS (1987)

In the 1980's, I was introduced to the AIDS epidemic early on and volunteered to care for AIDS patients throughout the early years when little was known about the virus and fear dominated the disease. There was so much fear that we spent a lot of time volunteering and educating the patients and the public with patient care, treatment clinics, and AIDS information hotlines in Dallas, Texas.  My time there was invaluable during one of the worst pandemics in modern medicine.

NAVAJO NATION (1999)

One of the most awesome roles I served was as a diabetic nurse for the Dine, or Navajo people, and provided care serving newly diagnosed Type II diabetics within the community.  The grant program was designed to use face-to-face education, exercise, and diet to lower modify HA1C blood.  This is the 1st experience that I had and learned about outcomes and the power of data.  Our team visited  homes of newly diagnosed patients with Type II diabetes,  in 4 wheel drives and with language interpreters,  without whom this grant would not have been possible. 

COVID (2020)

In early 2020 on the heels of COVID-19, our lives changed rapidly.  The world as we knew it came crashing down, and we emerged overnight to a world of zoom, Skype, masks, social distancing, lockdowns, and media sensationalism. 

Once nurses came to the forefront of people’s minds, an interesting phenomenon took place.  Nurses stepped up, as they usually do, but now the public began to shift concern from nurses' physical health to asking, “How are nurses faring mentally?” 

Although most changes during the pandemic were forced upon nurses, they were able to choose to adapt quickly and effortlessly, and innovation was seen as a talent rather than a quirk.  As I began to adapt my work life to remote work, I decided to take bold steps toward my passions.

KENYA (2021)

Many years ago as a young girl, I envisioned myself on the African continent, somewhere, somehow, administering care to other people. Fifteen years ago, “Bless the Children Africa Mission (BTCAM) in Kenya included undergraduate nursing students on mission trips, and before I joined, BTCAM never had realized its learning environment for students warrants clinical credit for “nursing mission immersion." 

Although I had no mastery of the language, my experience taught me both nursing and compassion are understood everywhere, and care with intent is good enough. 

My childhood dream was reality: I volunteered in both Kenya and Tanzania.

CHINA (2023)

It is my great honor to announce that I was invited to the 6th International Conference on Nursing Practice & Science organized by The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University held on May 25th, 2023, in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China. 

The theme “High-quality Development of Nursing for Global Health” aimed to foster the development of global health with international communication and collaboration in Nursing Practice, Education &Research. 

It provided invaluable opportunities to exchanging views and ideas and bringing nursing to the forefront of thinking on global health, continuing education and career development.  The audience appreciated my presentation titled, "Ignite the Dragon".

ADDITIONAL

• Council for Mental Health Advocacy Advisory Panel (2025) American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) Reviewer

• Journal of Pain Management Nursing-Manuscript Reviewer 2016-current

• Journal of Christian Nursing -Manuscript Reviewer-2024-current

• Journal of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing-Journal Manuscript Reviewer 2018-current

• International Journal of Sociology and Anthropology (IJSA)-Manuscript Reviewer-current

• (2020-2022). Medical Missioner: Bless the Children Medical Mission, Kenya & Tanzania Primary care

• (2019). NAMI, Certified Train the Trainer State of Texas Family to Family National Training, Arlington, Virginia. June  

• (2014). NAMI, Caregiver Burden: The Forgotten Patient, Guest Speaker, Dallas.

• (2014). Horse Walker Mane Gait, Volunteer, Therapeutic Horsemanship. 

• (2012). NAMICCO, Family to Family Education Classes Co- Facilitator, Educator 

• (2012). Nurse Leadership Fellowship, “Mentors: Guides by your Side,” Guest Speaker, Baylor Regional Medical Center of Plano. July. 

• (2012). NAMI, National Association of Mental Illness Dallas Chapter, Caregiver Burden: The Forgotten Patient, Guest Speaker Presentation. January 

• (2010). NAMICCO, August Monthly Meeting: Caregiver Burden: The Forgotten Patient, Guest Speaker. August 

• (2010). NAMICCO, Family to Family Education Classes Co- Facilitator, Educator. 

• (2010). NAMI, National Association of Mental Illness Dallas Chapter, Caregiver Burden: The Forgotten Patient, Guest Speaker Presentation. January

• (2009). NAMICCO, November Monthly Meeting: Caregiver Burden: The Forgotten Patient, Guest Speaker. 

SPEAKER

• Animal Assisted Therapy in Mental Illness with Inpatients. National Alliance of Mental Illness, November 9, 2019 Houston, TX.

• International Neuroscience Nursing Annual Research Symposium, August 21 & 22nd, Austin, Texas. Systematic Review: Family Focused Therapies in Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder,

• Keynote Speaker: Building a Nursing Research Infrastructure, Guangdong-Hong Kong Macau 2nd International Nursing Forum Summit, Guangzhou, China May 6th-May 12, 2019.

• International 108th Nurses Day Conference: Keynote Speaker: Building a Nursing Research Infrastructure: Sun Yat Sen University, Guangzhou, China, May 12, 2019.

• Speaker, Texas Women’s University Dallas Campus, April 15, 2019. Sigma Theta Tau, Beta Beta Chapter, A PRISMA Systematic Review Presentation Workshop: Graduate Faculty.

• 2019 World Mental Health Day Blog Post Guest Contributor

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