Where do you consider your hometown?
I currently live in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, in the heart of Lake Country, but I consider Neenah, Wisconsin, my hometown.
Tell me about your nursing journey.
I’ve always loved science and working with people. My mom, who became a nurse while I was in high school, inspired me. I witnessed firsthand her becoming and then practicing as a nurse. Watching her motivated me to pursue nursing and continue my education.
I graduated from UW–Madison with a zoology degree and decided to transition into nursing. I enrolled in an associate degree program in the Fox Valley right after graduation from UW–Madison.
After I graduated with my associate degree, I started a job in New York City and spent about ten years providing direct patient care in critical care units.
Later, I wanted to leverage my clinical knowledge and experience and try something new. I used my nursing background and worked for a digital health company for another decade before deciding to pursue a DNP so I could move into a leadership role.
Why did you choose the online DNP program at UW–Madison?
I needed the flexibility of an online program due to my travel-heavy work schedule. I was able to be in school and continue to work full time.
I chose UW–Madison because I’m an alum, and I had a great experience connecting with Dr. Pam McGranahan and Dr. Katie Gillespie during information sessions. I stayed in touch with them for a couple of years before I decided to apply.
The online format and the population health concentration were key factors in my decision.
What do you hope to achieve with your DNP?
I want to have a greater impact than I did in direct patient care. As DNP students, we’re prepared to be leaders in health care and in nursing. I want to make a difference in new nurses’ lives. I aim to mentor new nurses and advocate for patients and good health policies. I would love to incorporate teaching into my future career path. You can work a DNP into any aspect of your life.
What do you like about the DNP program?
I love that it’s all online, which allows me to balance work and family. This flexibility has made doing a DNP program possible for me.
The support from faculty and my advisor has been invaluable. I couldn’t do this program without their support and guidance.
Additionally, I love the opportunities and the autonomy in selecting practicum sites. I’ve had a great experience this last year working with Vivent Health, formerly the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin. After that, I worked with Wisconsin Literacy, focusing on developing digital literacy projects and continuing education content.
How does literacy connect to population health?
Health literacy is crucial for access to health care. It’s not just the patient’s responsibility—organizations must support it through translation services, clear signage, and provider awareness of differing literacy levels.
Providers need to ask: Do patients understand what you’re explaining to them? Are you giving them the right tools? Do they know how to care for themselves when they walk out of the room? Literacy is built into everything we do in health care, and it’s often neglected.
My practicum revealed how digital literacy also plays a role, especially when patients struggle with basic tech skills needed to access modern health care. We forget that there are digital determinants of health as well as social determinants of health. Everyone has different levels of comfort using technology.
What advice would you give to someone considering a DNP program?
It’s absolutely possible to integrate a DNP program into your life, but it requires planning. You need a supportive job and a personal support system, like friends or family. Your priorities will be different for a few years, and you must be ready to make sacrifices.
How did you get involved with the Planetary Health Report Card?
I was introduced to it at the American Public Health Association’s annual meeting by a colleague. She was meeting with Dr. Jessica LeClair to discuss the Planetary Health Report Card, and she got me interested in participating. I joined the task force for the School of Nursing and helped evaluate the School’s planetary health efforts.
What did you learn from the Planetary Health Report Card project?
The Planetary Health Report Card is a student-led initiative to evaluate the School of Nursing’s goals for planetary health and how it’s incorporated into the curriculum, research, community outreach, campus sustainability, and student-led activities.
We graded the School’s efforts after assessing each of the report card’s category areas. We identified strengths and areas for improvement, presented our findings to faculty and the dean, and had a poster accepted at the Wisconsin Public Health Association.
Why is planetary health important to you?
Planetary and human health are deeply connected, and prioritizing planetary health is important to keep our patients, communities, and ourselves.
Nurses should consider how environmental conditions affect patients’ health beyond clinical settings. Once they leave the hospital or clinic, they go back to their regular lives, where those environmental conditions can continue to impact their health.
How can nurses or nursing students get involved in planetary health?
Start at home with recycling and sustainability. Get involved in community cleanups or speak at local meetings. Speak at committee or city council meetings to support sustainable efforts in your community.
If you want to go above and beyond, you can also support environmental policy and activism. Contact your representatives and speak on behalf of the planet.
Tell me about your upcoming practicum with Healthy Climate Wisconsin.
It’s a policy-focused practicum I’ll be doing next semester. Healthy Climate Wisconsin is really focused on policy at the community, state, and national levels. I hope to learn about organizing, coalition-building, and climate advocacy.
What does the future of nursing look like, and how does your work contribute?
The future of nursing is bright. Nurses can drive change in health care.
I pursued a DNP to make a greater impact on the nursing profession and health care. I want to uplift the next generation of nurses so they can have greater autonomy and impact on the communities they serve.
Interview transcript edited by Copilot and then edited and reviewed by staff.