Get to know me!

I first pursued a career in psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara where I obtained my first bachelor’s degree. I worked in respite care for families with mental and developmental disabilities, as a behavior technician using applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy, in the fashion industry, and in a private medical practice as a medical assistant. After several years, I realized my heart wasn't fully in my work so I took a year off to travel and teach English in Thailand.
I am currently a fourth-year nursing student at Texas Lutheran University. My parents both immigrated to the United States to escape the aftermath of the Vietnam War and to build a meaningful life together. My father would tell us stories of the gruesome hardships he faced as a refugee fleeing Vietnam. During his escape, he was shot twice—once through the shoulder and once through his chest, missing his heart by millimeters. He was left to die in prison, but a nurse urged the Viet Cong to let her treat him in the local hospital. That nurse went on to save his life.
I often reflect about how a stranger was able to show unprejudiced compassion and relentless care to the “enemy” and saving his life. That nurse has inspired me to pursue a career in nursing.