I am an aging-focused health services researcher with PhD training in social and behavioral determinants of care. My research focuses on improving access to palliative and end-of-life care for rural older adults with cancer and their caregivers. I am currently a Research Affiliate at the Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado Boulder, where I am developing a principal investigator-driven interdisciplinary research program at the intersection of aging, palliative care, health disparities, and behavioral science.

Prior to completing an NIH-supported T32 fellowship in palliative care and aging, I spent eight years as a faculty member at rural academic institutions serving medically underserved communities. During that time, I taught PharmD students in health care systems, policy, and pharmacoepidemiology, and conducted research on geographic barriers to cancer treatment and primary care, as well as team-based models of care delivery in rural settings. This experience continues to inform my interest in integrating clinical pharmacists into interprofessional care teams.

I am now extending this work to examine disparities in palliative care and to develop team-based interventions that improve care delivery in rural, under-resourced communities.