SCHOLAR DIRECTORY

I am a PhD candidate at the Uniformed Services University (USU) – Daniel K. Inouye Graduate School of Nursing studying the effect of ketamine on fear memory and brain-derived neurotrophic factor using a rodent PTSD model. As a Navy nurse anesthetist, I am interested in the impact of anesthetics administered following traumatic physical injury to combat wounded warfighters on subsequent development of stress-related disorders such as PTSD. The tremendous resources and faculty support and expertise at USU has aided me in my program of research. My Navy career began with three years of submarine duty before entering Marquette University, College of Nursing with a NROTC scholarship. Upon graduation, I was commissioned a Navy Nurse Corps officer and worked six years as a critical care nurse in Virginia and Guam. Next, I attended Georgetown University through the Navy Nurse Corps Anesthesia Program. As a Navy CRNA, I have worked at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, VA and overseas as the Department Head of Anesthesia at Naval Hospital Sigonella, Italy. I have completed deployments to Kuwait, USNS Mercy (humanitarian mission), and as the ship’s anesthetist on the USS George H.W. Bush, CVN-77 aircraft carrier. Overall, my military service and nursing education has provided me with many invaluable experiences and the opportunity to meet many wonderful people around the world.