About

Why I Became a Health Psychologist
Following completion of my undergraduate studies, I worked in the personal fitness industry and subsequently in the field of public health research. A primary objective of these professions is to motivate health behavior change in individuals and communities. Yet I witnessed many barriers—structural, psychological, social—that perpetuated behaviors that are deleterious to health and wellness. A desire to understand and promote healthy behaviors led me to the field of Health Psychology.
 

Education and Training
I studied English Literature and Mathematics as an undergraduate at Whitman College; received my PhD in clinical psychology from Ohio University, with specializations in Health Psychology, Neuropsychology, and Quantitative Methods; completed a master’s degree in public health through the Consortium of Eastern Ohio Master of Public Health program; and received post-doctoral training in Health Psychology at the VA Portland Health Care System.
 

Current Position
I am a Clinical and Health Services Research Investigator and Lead of the Implementation Science Core at the VA Portland Health Care System’s (VAPORHCS) Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care, and Assistant Professor at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), with dual appointments in the Department of Psychiatry and School of Public Health. I provide direct patient care and supervise psychology trainees in the VAPORHCS outpatient substance use disorder treatment program. My funded programs of research focus on the design, rigorous testing, and implementation of interventions that improve chronic pain functioning and promote mental and behavioral health for persons living with HIV.
 

Personal Interests
I am an outdoor enthusiast and take full advantage of living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest—skiing, hiking in the Columbia Gorge and surrounding wilderness, cycling, camping, rafting, paddle boarding, and rock climbing. I support our local farmers and believe in the power of a local food economy to create and enrich community. When not in the office or on an outdoor excursion, I find solace working our small family farm on Sauvie Island

*The materials posted here do not represent the views of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government.