What Inspired You to Become a Nurse?
My journey into nursing began with my grandmother, Violeta, a public health nurse in Chile. As a teenager, I accompanied her on home visits and witnessed the profound impact of compassionate, relationship-centered care. She treated every patient with dignity and respect, as if they were family. From her, I learned that nursing is more than a profession—it is a calling rooted in service and humanity.
When my family immigrated to the United States, I saw firsthand the challenges many immigrant families face when accessing health care, including language barriers, cultural differences, trust, and navigating complex systems. These experiences strengthened my commitment to nursing—not only to provide care, but to advocate for communities whose voices are often unheard. Nursing allows me to integrate science, compassion, leadership, and social justice into meaningful action.
Areas of Passion in Practice and Scholarship
I am most passionate about community and public health nursing, with a focus on advancing health equity among immigrant, refugee, rural, and agricultural worker populations. My clinical and scholarly work centers on chronic disease prevention and management—particularly Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive health—in underserved communities.
I am deeply committed to developing community-based models of care, including training community health navigators, implementing culturally grounded screening programs, and building partnerships between health systems and community organizations. My research has also explored family-centered approaches to chronic disease management among Latino older adults, emphasizing the roles of culture, familismo, and trust in improving outcomes.
Beyond clinical practice, I am passionate about nursing leadership, health policy, and workforce development—ensuring nurses are prepared and empowered to lead system transformation and address structural determinants of health.
Advice for RN-to-BSN Students
View your degree not simply as an academic milestone, but as a leadership transformation.
You already bring invaluable clinical expertise. The BSN expands your lens—helping you understand population health, health systems, policy, research, and quality improvement. Embrace those competencies.
Stay curious. Ask questions. Connect what you learn in the classroom to what you experience at the bedside and in the community. Nursing needs leaders who think critically, advocate boldly, and design innovative solutions to complex health challenges.
And never underestimate the power of your story. Your lived experiences—cultural, professional, and personal—are assets that shape how you care for others and lead change.
Do you have a favorite quote or guiding philosophy?
One quote that has guided both my nursing and leadership journey is: “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” — Mahatma Gandhi
This philosophy reflects how I approach education, practice, and community engagement. If we want more equitable systems, we must build them. If we want culturally responsive care, we must model it. If we want future nurse leaders, we must mentor and invest in them. At the heart of my educational philosophy is empowerment—empowering patients through knowledge, empowering students through mentorship, and empowering communities through partnership. Nursing is not only about treating illness; it is about building trust, advancing justice, and creating pathways toward healthier futures.
