" /> Associate Professor,
Associate Program Director of Regional Affairs, Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
I was raised in the piney hills of Haynesville, Louisiana. I received my BS in biology from Louisiana Tech University, BS in Physician Assistant (PA) and Master of PA Studies from LSU Health – Shreveport, and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in health studies (community health promotion and health education) with a focal area in higher education from Texas Woman’s University, where I also completed a post-master’s certificate in health informatics. I have practiced in several medical disciplines including primary care, internal medicine, orthopedic surgery, and rheumatology. However, my passion lies in providing care to the whole family. Beside my PA certification, I also hold certifications as a Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES®) and a Certified Associate in Healthcare Information and Management Systems (CAHIMS). I am active in the PA Education Association, where I serve as the chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Mission Advancement Commission, as a Faculty Jumpstart Workshop facilitator, and as the Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (JEDI) feature editor for the Journal of PA Education. I am also a member of the Constituent Relations Workgroup for the American Academy of Physician Assistants.
I am excited to be a part of the MEDEX team and the Department of Family Medicine as an assistant professor, associate program director, JEDI committee co-chair, and faculty senator. I am honored to contribute to such a dynamic program and strive to continue the legacy of MEDEX founder, Dr. Richard Smith by “multiplying my hands” through educating and deploying culturally-sensitive, high-functioning PAs throughout the WWAMI region and beyond.
My academic and research interests include the intersection of medicine and social justice, the impostor phenomenon in underrepresented minorities in medicine, burnout in underrepresented minority medical faculty, health promotion and education, serving medically underserved populations, and the role of social determinants of health in clinical decision-making. Outside of work, I am active in the community most notably through my fraternal organization, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. I view medicine as a ministry and consider it an intrinsic duty to promote and deliver high-quality healthcare.
“When you learn, teach. When you get, give.” – Dr. Maya Angelou