Responsible for helping to lead the Oregon Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman, an independent state agency. The Agency has three main programs. The Long-Term Care Ombudsman (LTCO) program serves long-term care facility residents through complaint investigation, resolution and advocacy for improvement in resident care. The mission of the LTCO is to protect individual rights, enhance quality of life, improve care, and promote dignity of approximately 45,000 residents living in Oregon's licensed long-term care facilities. Also administer federal grant programs and are Senior Medicare Patrol partners. LTCO program staff work with a statewide network of over 130 volunteers who work in their own communities in a variety of roles to achieve this vision and mission. The Residential Facilities Ombudsman program (RFO) provides advocacy services with and on behalf of 8,200+ individuals living in more than 2,300 licensed or certified homes for Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities as well as homes for Mental Health Conditions statewide. The Oregon Public Guardian and Conservator Program (OPGC) serves as court appointed, surrogate decision makers for adults incapable of making some or most of the decisions needed to be safe due to significant cognitive impairment. The Oregon Public Guardian only serves in this role as a last resort; where there are no less restrictive alternative to guardianship to resolve the identified safety risk.Responsible to lead the biennial budget build process, oversee operations, affirmative action plan, staff and volunteer development work and create strategic vision for the agency.

Director for the Office of Aging and People with Disabilities (APD). Responsible for the APD biennial budget of approximately $3.4 billion, overseeing 52 offices and approximately 1200 state staff. APD is responsible for administering Medicaid Long Term Services and Supports for the State of Oregon for older adults and people with disabilities. The office is also responsible for Adult Protective Services investigations, licensing of long-term care facilities, administering the Older Americans Act, Senior Medicare Patrol, Medicare Buy-In and Oregon Project Independence programs for Oregonians. Presented at national and state level conferences on aging and disability issues. Testified on before the legislature on budget and policy topics many times during tenure as director. Worked closely with key legislators and the Governor's office on many priority issues. Received a 2019 Directors Excellence in Equity award for APD's statewide accomplishments and progress around service equity. Executed the first-ever agreements with Tribes for Tribal Navigator positions to be established within the Tribes to address equity issues for accessing aging and disability services for Tribal members.

Compassion & Choices is the leading nonprofit organization committed to helping everyone plan for end-of-life care and options. They offer free consulting, planning resources, referrals and guidance, and across the nation work to protect and expand options at the end of life.

Subcommittee on Primary Health & Aging: Jurisdiction included the Administration for Community Living, Administration on Aging and the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act, elder abuse, Federally Qualified Health Centers and oral health care. Held hearings and released reports on the social determinants of health, status of the 55+ population post-recession, the nutrition programs within the Older Americans Act and the oral health care crisis in America. Drafted the reauthorization bill for the Older Americans Act of 2012. Covered Medicare, Medicaid and disability issues for the Senator's personal office.Special Committee on Aging: Portfolio included Social Security, elder abuse, older workers, international aging and women's issues. Worked with Committee staff to plan hearings, reports, meet with constituents and advocacy organizations to further policy and laws relating to older Americans. Gave speeches and conducted educational briefings at national conferences on issues within my portfolio.

OWL is a national non-profit organization focused on the issues that impact women as we age - family caregiving and access to health care and retirement security. Advocated and planned events, including meetings with Members of Congress. Maintained donor relations and secured foundation and corporate funding. Researched, wrote and edited professional reports on aging and women’s issues. Spoke at national conferences and on national television, including MSNBC and Fox News about the issues that impact midlife and older women. Attended and represented the needs of constituents at various coalition meetings, Hill briefings and events.Worked on chapter network development and member recruiting (4,500 members nationwide). Supervised a staff, including a Health Policy Director, Executive Program Assistant and Outreach Interns.

Judicial Extern for the Honorable Tina Nadeau. Conducted legal research and writing for four different Superior Court Judges. Assisted with drafting and editing of court orders with three full-time law clerks. Attended criminal and civil court proceedings including pre-trial in chambers meetings, pleas, suppression hearings, mediation, jury trials, bench trials and views.

Legal research and writing on guardianship reform. Attended the statewide Medicare Advisory Board meeting. Gave a rights of wards presentation to the guardianship legislative reform taskforce. Visited nursing homes/assisted living facilities to meet with social workers and advocate for clients.

Assisted Director of the not-for-profit, volunteer-based, nationally recognized CASA/GAL program; Sworn in before the court in Deschutes County as a CASA/GAL Attended and participated as a legal party to court proceedings for monitored cases in both Circuit and Juvenile Court, drafted court orders and memorandum Attended Family Court Meetings, Citizen Review Board Meetings & Family Decision Meetings

Prepared an explanation of Oregon case law interpreting the Fourth Amendment search and seizure rules pertaining to the Emergency Aid Doctrine and Community Caretaking Exceptions

Assisted Director of HR for not-for-profit continuing care retirement community with 400 employees (including CNAs, LPNs, RNs, food service, maintenance, housekeeping and administrative staff)Maintained confidential employee files and drug testing databaseOrganized benefit meetings, including open enrollment period and the self-insured workers' compensation safety rally