What’s your favorite part of your job?
I love my interactions with our patients and getting to know the families.
What’s your favorite thing about the hospital?
So many to choose from! Events for staff, for patients, camps, Junior Volunteer Book Sale, bazaars, pancake breakfast, Halloween costume competition, etc.
Describe a typical day.
Data, data, data, seeing patients, data, data, seeing patients and more data!
How long have you worked here?
I started out in Medical Records for four years and then moved to Research for the last five years.
How did you find out about the hospital?
I first learned about the hospital over 10 years ago when I was a college student looking for a part-time job.
What made you want to work here?
When I finished graduate school, I wanted to be at a place that supports my passion for helping people and academia. This hospital has always held a special place in my mind. When an opportunity arrived, I came back as soon as I could.
What skills do you need for your job?
- Kindness and respect
- An eye for details
- Patience
What was your first job? What path did you take to get here?
My first job was a grocery clerk in my hometown local grocery store in Sioux City, IA. During my time in undergrad and graduate schools, I became interested in research through my work with my professors. I was involved with their research on education, equality in the workplace and women’s health care and policies. I saw the importance of studying the outcomes of processes and policies that guide our lives in the most minute ways.
What is your favorite…
- Hospital event: summer and holiday bazaars
- Food in the cafeteria: sandwich station
- Place in the hospital: the playground
What’s your favorite…
- Place to travel: mountains and deserts
- Type of food: anything fresh with a lot of veggies
- TV show: currently enjoying the Great British Baking Show
If you could have a super power, what would it be?
I’m a mom, that’s got some super power, right?! The power of multiplicity, so I can be at many places at once.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
While growing up, I wanted to be a writer and a photographer.
What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?
Does having a baby count? If not, I’m still waiting.
What’s the last book you read?
I’ve read and reread Robert Frost and Pablo Neruda’s poetry collections on and off for over 20 years now and to this day, I always find something new.
What kind of animal would you be?
Elephants – they live and travel in a herd to protect and care for one another. They are the gentle giants.
How long is your commute? What do you do on the drive?
60 – 90 minutes. 80s/90s music and podcasts keep me entertained. “This American Life”, “Revisionist History”, “Freakonomics Radio”, “Hidden Brain” and “Modern Love” are a few favorites.
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
Any songs by Madonna, the Backstreet Boys and Vietnamese 60s/70s love ballads.
