From survivor to leader: My journey as a nursing-centered advocate

Trigger warning: Sexual trauma, poverty, domestic violence

I became a nurse in 2005, but my journey into the profession was anything but conventional. I grew up in poverty, raised primarily by a single mother, and envisioned a future that looked vastly different from the one I have today. I initially dreamed of serving in military intelligence, with aspirations to join the FBI. Determined, I went to Army boot camp at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina, ready to carve out my path. However, life had other plans. During my time in the service, I experienced military sexual trauma (MST). This event changed the course of my life. What was once a future filled with military service and law enforcement quickly became a struggle with severe anxiety, especially around uniformed men. Waiting for my honorable discharge, I worked as a receptionist in a medical unit.

It was there, in the presence of compassionate, highly skilled nurses, that I found a new purpose. Their warmth, expertise, and unwavering dedication inspired me to pursue nursing, despite the immense personal challenges I was facing. At the time, I was also navigating postpartum depression and escaping a domestic violence situation, making my entry into the nursing profession even more challenging.

Yet, nursing became my sanctuary and my salvation. It was more than a career—it was my calling.

Turning pain into purpose
From bedside nursing to academia and leadership, I have spent nearly two decades building a career rooted in service and transformation. I have cared for patients in primary care, psychiatry, and integrated healthcare. I developed a medication-assisted treatment program for individuals battling opioid use disorders in El Paso, Texas.

Now, as the CEO and owner of Samsara Healthcare, PLLC, I lead a practice dedicated to accessible, community-driven mental healthcare. I also serve as an assistant professor and preceptor, shaping the next generation of nurse practitioners. Every student I teach, every patient I serve, and every provider I mentor is a testament to the power of resilience and reinvention.

Empowered to lead, inspired to give back
Leadership, for me, was never about ambition. It has always been about survival, truly about turning pain into purpose. I didn’t step into this role because it was easy; I stepped into it because I knew what it felt like to be lost, afraid, and searching for someone to believe in me. As a practice owner, I built more than a practice; I built a place where people feel seen, heard, and cared for, no matter their circumstances. As a professor and preceptor, I don’t just teach students clinical skills; I teach them resilience, compassion, and the courage to lead even when they feel unprepared.

To new nurses, I know what it’s like to question your worth. I know what it’s like to wonder if you belong. I know what it’s like to feel like your past defines your future. But it doesn’t. I stand here today as living proof that the deepest wounds can lead to the most powerful healing, not just for ourselves, but for everyone we meet. This is why I lead. This is why I choose to give back. Because someone once did the same for me.

Nursing gave me a second chance at life, one where I get to empower others, advocate for mental health, and mentor future nurses. I hope that sharing my journey will inspire other nurses, students, and aspiring leaders to realize that no matter what their past, they have the power to create a future of impact.

We are more than our struggles. We are the ones who transform global healthcare, one life at a time.