I hail initially from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia where I attended the University of Virginia receiving a Bachelors in Nursing. I then headed North and worked at Strong Memorial Hospital in the Psychiatric Department. I worked as a psychiatric nurse serving in roles as staff nurse, unit leader, and NP over my 20 year career there. I received my Masters in Nursing and became credentialed as a Nurse Practitioner of Psychiatry(NPP) in 2001. I worked as a Nurse Practitioner on the Child a