I am a Midwest girl who has lived in many places around the world, including near the equator and just below the Arctic Circle. I enjoy hiking local trails to see the natural beauty of the region and love gardening, canning the harvest, and cooking up new dishes from around the world. I love baking breads and other sweet treats, but use only half the sugar, because I believe most of them are too sweet. Growing up, I was involved in my local 4-H club, learning cooking, home improvement and sewing techniques that I continue to use in my daily life. As such, I like to sew, crochet and embroidery. I enjoyed "upcycling" before it became vogue because I often received hand-me downs from cousins while growing up. I also enjoy reading with my special interest in medical history, biographies and the First Ladies. I enjoy watching murder mysteries, especially British programs, such as Poirot and Miss Marple. I enjoy listening to audiobooks as I walk.

As a Christian, who believes that our actions must match our words to love all people, I have traveled to remote areas of the world to assist with medical relief work after natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina and the 2004 Tsunami in Sri Lanka. I have also assisted with remote medical clinics in India, China, Nepal, the Sudan and Kenya, working with local doctors and pastors to provide much needed health care to the often forgotten.

I spent almost 11 years up in remote Alaska teaching with the Community Health Aide Training program, which assists local persons to perform the medical needs of their communities. While there, I learned to appreciate the subsistence way of life and picked the local berries in season and tried to find modern ways to utilize the wonderful harvest. I have also taught medicine at the University level in England to help the National Health Service (NHS) see how the Physician Associate (the UK version of the PA concept) can be an integral role in alleviating the medical shortages of their program. While there, I learned the importance of appreciating traditions and to confirm understanding when unsure of what is being spoken to me.