Experience
When I turned 26 I really didn't know what kind of a career I wanted but I knew I wanted to do some exploring so I joined AmeriCorps' VISTA Program and got a job as the Volunteer Coordinator at Adoption & Foster Care Mentoring (AFC Mentoring) which is now Silver Lining Mentoring in Boston, MA. The following year I stayed in Boston and got a job with Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay (BBBSMB). Working with children, adolescents, & families in the Foster Care and Mentoring Systems helped solidify for me that I wanted to dedicate my life to working with struggling teens.
The next step was to get my Masters Degree in Social Work at Arizona State University (ASU). During my formal studies at ASU I had many opportunities to learn and grown. Many of experiences during those two years changed my life. During my first year Fall Break I was able to take a 6 week trip to Ghana West Africa, the summer between my first and second year of my Master's Program I was hired to be a Summer Camp Therapist at Point of Pines in San Carlos, AZ on the Apache Native American Reservation, and my first Internship was with Arizona Children's Association, where I hit the ground running as a social worker (adoption case worker).
During my second year at ASU my Internship started at A & A Cottages but after 6 months of working in a group home for girls I advocated to change my direction as a Social Worker into a more a clinical therapy approach and got my third Internship at Chrysalis, a domestic violence shelter, doing therapy for children and women that were victims of domestic abuse.
After graduating from ASU with my MSW in 2010 it was nearly impossible to find a job as a therapist due to the economy so I decided to stay in the field and took a job as a Direct Care Staff at Devereux Arizona. After working a year in Direct Care I was able to get a job as a Shadow (Therapist) at ANASAZI, a Therapeutic Wilderness Program. I absolutely loved the people I met, the power of outdoor therapy, and the belonging place (WE) I felt and continue to feel being part of the ANASAZI Tribe.
After working at ANASAZI for 3+ years it was time for me to move to Utah closer to my family--in particular my nieces and nephew. So I took a job working as a Therapist at the Oakley Therapeutic Boarding School in Oakley, UT. I loved living in Sugarhouse (SLC) and working out in Oakley but after almost 3 years I decided to take a job at a brand new program called Telos U in Orem, UT.
I currently work (7years) at Telos U as the Life Skills and Execution Function Director Telos works with young adults who are struggling with processing issues, on the high end of the autism spectrum, depression, anxiety, gaming, pornography, learning disorders, and more. Together with an entire team of professionals we help these students gain independent living skills so they can successful launch. In my free time I also run a small therapy private practice and co-run a nonprofit INSPIRE: music.service.hope.
