I grew up in Virginia and spent much of my early life moving up and down the East Coast,
eventually earning my bachelor's degree in Percussive Arts at Coastal Carolina University in
South Carolina. While in school, I found balance and stress relief through CrossFit and
mixed martial arts (MMA), developing a deep passion for MMA. After college, I moved to
Florida, where I worked as a personal trainer while actively pursuing professional MMA. An
injury during this time brought me to physical therapy - and it was that experience, working
with a physical therapist (PT) who helped me get back on track, that inspired me to change
course and pursue a career in physical therapy myself.
After earning my Doctorate of Physical Therapy, I built a career across a variety of settings. I
worked in home health, outpatient clinics, and pediatric and adult group homes. I had the
privilege of working to grow and manage a rehabilitation team. I also ran my own practice,
Rainbow Embrace Physical Therapy, a virtual clinic providing pelvic and orthopedic care to
LGBTQIA+ clients. These experiences have given me a broad perspective on patient care,
interdisciplinary collaboration, and how to make healthcare more inclusive and accessible.
I'm also deeply committed to advocacy and education within the profession. As a member
of the LGBTQIA+ community, I've spoken on panels for students about my experiences as a
queer healthcare professional. I've trained colleagues on inclusive practices and
contributed to national initiatives through the American Physical Therapy Association
(APTA) taskforce PT Proud. I've also helped create and implement diversity, equity, and
inclusion (DEI) programs within the workforce to support more equitable, welcoming
clinical environments.
Outside of work, I love being outside with my partner and our dog, hiking whenever we can.
I'm a longtime fan of tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons and classic arcade games
like Ms. Pac-Man. I still enjoy casually practicing MMA and watching the pros when I get the
opportunity. I'm passionate about travel and actually spent part of my career as a travel
physical therapist. I traveled across the country and spent a good amount of time in
Arizona and Colorado before coming to Washington and falling in love with the Pacific
Northwest (PNW). I have only had the opportunity to travel outside of the country a few
times, and Ireland is by far my favorite place in the world that I have been to thus far. I love
animals and have had many pet rats as well as my dog and the many dogs and cats that I
have fostered in the past. I try to live my life being true to myself and I embrace individuality
and "weirdness" in all aspects of life. I bring that same curiosity and openness to my work
every day.