I have been understanding how we live in relationship to others through and beyond serious illness academically, spiritually, and in the everyday for most of my life.

I am a doctorally trained medical anthropologist with more than 20 years of experience designing and leading health research studies. In my work I have partnered with a wide range of communities, with a particular focus on how to honor the identities and hopes of people living with cancer, dementia, and addiction.

Drawn to  ways to elicit and honor values at times of medical distress, I have pursued several intensive trainings. I am trained in using the Serious Illness Conversation Guide, a conversation guide developed by of Ariadne Labs at Harvard University to support clinicians to better talk to patients about their goals and values. I have also trained in Dignity Therapy, a therapeutic intervention to preserve the dignity and legacy of people nearing the end of their lives.

Wanting to be at the bedside with families dealing wish serious illness, I have trained as a Spiritual Care provider, or hospital chaplain, at Harborview Medical Center. Working at a level 1 trauma center has enabled me to understand, sit with, and support spiritual pain and existential distress.

My work understanding the importance of meaning and story during serious illness allows me to bring  special care to eliciting your story.