I am a Research Services Senior Professional with the Behavioral Health & Wellness Program, and I focus on conducting comprehensive community-based research and evaluation projects to effect behavior change. I received a BS in biology and a minor in anthropology from the University of Iowa. After conducting psychiatric genetic and neuroscience research for over a decade, I received a Master of Public Health in Population Mental Health and Well-being from the Colorado School of Public health. During my graduate studies, I developed skills in program design, implementation, and evaluation and had the privilege to apply them during two internships.

As a member of the Mental Health Center of Denver’s evaluation team, I redesigned an evaluation plan for an early childhood mental health consultation program and created a qualitative interview guide to evaluate telehealth service delivery. While serving as an intern for the Program for Injury, Prevention, Education, & Research, I developed a qualitative interview guide and conducted an evaluation of the implementation of a youth substance use prevention program (Communities that Care) in several regions across Colorado.

My public mental health and substance use exposure during these internships led me to the Behavioral Health & Wellness Program where I research, implement, and evaluate various community-based projects from tobacco cessation to chronic disease prevention. I could not be prouder to work with a diverse team in the behavioral health and substance use field who focus on assessing community-specific needs to facilitate long-term behavior change and improve overall well-being.