I grew up in North Carolina, and I’m a member of the Lumbee indigenous tribe. Like so many in the veterinary field, I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a veterinarian. My patients of interest, however, weren't so traditional—I wanted to care for every patient imaginable, whether they were furry, scaly, feathered, or hooved!

I focused on zoo medicine in vet school at North Carolina State University and after graduating in 2020, I spent a year in large animal medicine at the University of Tennessee, followed by an exotics specialty internship at Colorado State. Although I learned a lot during these internships, I fell in love with Colorado. I wasn't ready to leave to pursue the zoo residency I had planned for, so I moved from Fort Collins to Denver to work in small animal general practice.

During all of these experiences, I’ve had a strong interest in end-of-life care. I always felt that this was such an incredibly unique and special part of veterinary medicine, a belief that was reinforced by my mother's experiences as a hospice nurse in human medicine.

My interest in end-of-life care was solidified during the loss of my heart dog, Roxy. Roxy was my closest companion through college and my post-graduate experiences. When she began to struggle with cognitive decline, I was able to give her a personalized, peaceful transition. This experience clarified for me that I should be in a line of work that allows me to guide my patients through their transitions with peace, patience, and compassion. Although I miss Roxy greatly, I hope that my own grief journey will help me to support my clients with empathy and gentleness.

Outside of work, my husband and I care for a menagerie of animals, including a Sphynx cat (Zuzu), a rambunctious dog (Juniper), an assortment of lizards, a tarantula, and a pair of guinea pigs (Cookie and Butter). I also have serval dozen tropical plants.

Pronouns: He/Him

Local and emergency resources