I’m a New Mexico native who grew up in the Albuquerque area and earned my undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of New Mexico (UNM). While at UNM, I became deeply interested in the connection between behavior, physical health, and mental well-being—and how each influences the other.
This interest led me to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Texas Tech University, where I specialized in health psychology. My training focused on applying psychological principles to support physical health, manage chronic illnesses, and enhance quality of life.
As part of my advanced training, I completed a two-year fellowship in cancer prevention research at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, followed by a clinical internship at the VA Western New York Healthcare System in Buffalo. There, I provided behavioral interventions for individuals coping with chronic medical conditions. I then returned to New Mexico to complete a clinical postdoctoral fellowship in health psychology at the New Mexico VA Healthcare System, where I focused on chronic pain treatment and psychological adjustment to medical diagnoses.
Drawing on these experiences, my mission is to increase access to evidence-based psychological care for chronic pain, medical and mental health concerns—improving quality of life for individuals and families across New Mexico.