Serving as a candy striper in high school taught me that the medical profession was not for me, however my passion for helping others never waned. I consider myself a compulsive volunteer who can’t say “no” to someone in need. Several years ago, a friend invited me to an Auxiliary meeting. I was eager to see what it was all about, but my husband was naturally concerned that I would over-commit. He was right. I couldn’t help myself and I signed up to run a project within the first 5 minutes. I’ve never looked back.

PRESSING QUESTIONS
How I knew this was my passion
After becoming a mother, I couldn't stop thinking about innocent children and their parents. The powerlessness and the pain of watching your child suffer can be unbearable. ACH provides a patient- and family-centric approach to treatment, which I think is amazing.
Best career moment so far
Handing over a $1.5 million check to Arkansas Children's! Despite a global pandemic and having to reschedule two of our major fundraisers, the 500+ hard-working members of our auxiliary still met our goal for the year.
What keeps me coming back to my job every day
Seeing the patients and families come and go at Playaway Gift Shop. It's wonderful to provide a much-needed service to them as well as a friendly respite from their hospital room.
Biggest challenges in my career
I am always looking for like-minded women to join the Auxiliary. It's a challenge because many women have a misconception about the time commitment, but there are no requirements. Whether you have one hour or 200, you can make a difference.
Nonprofit I wish more people knew about
The David M. Clark Center for Safe and Healthy Children at Arkansas Children's. The clinicians at this state-of-the-art facility are setting the standard nationally for treating abuse and neglect.
The first thing I do to course-correct when I hit a wall
Take a deep breath and try to see the situation from another perspective.







