As a spiritual director certified by Sacred Ground Center for Spirituality, I have honed my listening skills allowing seekers the opportunity to tell their stories in a safe, sacred space and strengthen their spiritual health.

For the past 8 years, I’ve been proud to contribute to the success of MHIF’s award-winning population health demonstration project, Hearts Beat Back: The Heart of New Ulm Project (HONU) in rural New Ulm, MN, which has been helping people improve their risk factors for heart disease.As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) health coach I have worked for the health care arm of HONU. I reached out by phone to those who were at highest risk for heart disease and provided support and encouragement as they made lifestyle choices to improve their health and wellness. With a team, I developed, implemented, and evaluated the ENHANCED randomized control trial. This study showed that RDNs can provide diabetes care using an approved medication-protocol with outcomes as good (or better) as usual care. Patients enjoyed the convenience of receiving care via telephone at home or work. Plus, there was considerable time savings for primary care providers.With the goal of sharing what’s been learned during the 10-year HONU population health demonstration project, I’ve collaborated with other researchers to collect and analyze data and disseminate findings in professional publications.