Hello

My path into wellness began during my undergraduate years at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, where time spent inside a juvenile detention center revealed how a single moment of empathy can shift an entire environment. That experience set me on the road to mental health work and shaped my belief that care is most powerful when it’s woven into everyday spaces.​ I went on to earn my Master of Social Work from the University of South Carolina–Columbia and built my clinical foundation supporting children, adolescents, and families navigating trauma, abuse, and mental health challenges. My career then led me into federal service, where I spent nearly a decade supporting Veterans and their families within the healthcare system. In leadership roles, I strengthened community partnerships, advanced staff engagement initiatives, and taught graduate and medical students about the role empathy plays in human‑centered care — work that remains deeply meaningful to me.

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As I moved through my own life transitions, I felt called to create platforms that bring mental health awareness into the spaces where people naturally gather, learn, and connect. I believe community wellbeing requires more than individual interventions; it requires systems, institutions, and cultural spaces that support emotional accessibility and belonging.​ This vision led to the creation of Hand Made Dreams®, the Art Wellness Exchange®, and MuseMind®, a museum‑centered wellness framework designed to support trauma‑aware practice, staff wellbeing, and community‑centered engagement within cultural institutions. MuseMind® offers tools such as the Museum Wellness Guide to help museums strengthen internal culture, reduce burnout, and build environments where both staff and visitors feel seen, supported, and valued.

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The Art Wellness Exchange® complements this work by offering an introspective, art‑based experience that sparks conversation, reduces stigma, and strengthens community connections. It provides a gentle, engaging way for participants — including students, faculty, staff, museum professionals, and healthcare teams — to explore mental health in everyday environments.​I am honored to serve on the Delegate Assembly for the National Association of Social Workers–North Carolina, the Content Advisory Committee for the American Alliance of Museums (2024–2025), and the Learning and Community Engagement Committee at the Norton Museum of Art. These roles allow me to help shape conversations around care, equity, and emotional accessibility within the museum field.

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As MuseMind® and the Art Wellness Exchange® continue to grow, I’m grateful for the partnerships and communities that make this work possible. If you’re interested in collaborating or exploring how these initiatives can support your organization, I’d love to connect. Together, we can build environments where mental health awareness is accessible, meaningful, and part of the everyday experience.