About Me
I originally graduated with a double major in anthropology and psychology from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. From there, I moved to Central Washington to obtain a masters in Primate Behavior, focusing on infectious diseases of neotropical primates in the Peruvian Amazon. I developed an appreciation for the importance of public health through the human-environmental relationship in studying infectious disease transmission. However, during that time I also noticed in my work the role of mental health driven by extreme poverty also had anthropogenic effects in the local environment. I was supposed to work with just the nonhuman primates, but I found myself having discussions with the local population on why they are poisoning their only water source. I wanted to understand their struggle and financial struggle to just get by. They are keenly aware that through putting mercury in the river, they are effectively poisoning themselves and the wildlife, but the structural pressure to survive drove them to sacrifice their physical and mental health.
I went home from Peru with a different understanding of disease ecology and mental illness. It was akin to my experience working at the International Rescue Committee, wherein I taught refugees English and cultural studies, which provided me the opportunity to work with marginalized populations. As a child of refugees, I understand firsthand the difficulties and stigmas related towards receiving healthcare. This experience along with the knowledge obtained from Peru drove me to shifting my career towards mental health counseling. I personally understand the language barriers towards receiving healthcare, and also learned to appreciate and provide culturally sensitive environments which would make healthcare more accessible.
My experiences have culminated towards creating a culturally sensitive, social justice oriented, LGBTQIA+ affirming environment. I want to work towards providing accessible counseling towards vulnerable and marginalized populations.