Specializing in work with older adults and patients living with serious illness, I offer support group facilitation, case management, education, referrals, case management, and clinical supervision in Greater Boston.

The TRIPPS program began as a joint effort of the town of Brookline and the city of Newton, Massachusetts. The Councils on Aging in these two municipalities have worked together to develop an innovative pilot program providing education and support to residents aged 60+ exploring alternatives to driving. TRIPPS stands for "Transportation Resources, Information, Planning, and Partnership for Seniors."TRIPPS takes a novel approach to helping seniors find and use alternatives to driving. We collect, update, and publicize information on transportation options both online and in print. We also recruit, train, and support a number of senior transportation peer mentors. These volunteers help elders decide which transportation options to use and offer personalized support as seniors learn to use these new ways of getting around. For example, trained volunteers might accompany elders on their first few trips on the T, on The RIDE, or with a car sharing service. This kind of support can help seniors successfully transition from being a driver to being a passenger. These peer mentors help address the more complex psychosocial and logistical issues that can unfortunately keep elders from remaining independent, fully engaged members of our community. We are currently documenting our experiences, learning, and best practices and are developing the TRIPPS Toolkit, a model that we hope to offer to other Massachusetts communities with a diverse array of senior transportation resources, demographics, and geographies.The TRIPPS program is funded through a MassDOT Community Transit Grant under the auspices of the federal Department of Transportation’s Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program (§5310).

I worked under the the Director of Counseling Services and in collaboration with an interdisciplinary team (IDT) of physicians, nurses, spiritual care coordinators, and complementary therapies practitioners. I counseled patients and families regarding psychosocial adjustment to life transitions and specifically life-threatening and life-limiting illness. I provided information, referral, and consultative services to patients, families, and staff and advised on appropriate utilization of community and agency resources. I collaborated with other members of my team to provide a continuum of care.

As the Community Liaison and Program Development Specialist, my responsibilities include::: Identification of service gaps in the Greater Boston community related to hospice and end-of-life care. :: Comprehensive assessment of under-served populations.:: Development and implementation of appropriate interventions to address gaps in service, including outreach efforts and new service programs aimed at both groups and individuals. :: Evaluation of programs and services provided. :: Representation of Good Shepherd Community Care to other groups, organizations, and the public. :: Provision of education to both health care professionals and the general public on hospice philosophy, services, and end-of-life issues.

Provided administrative, supervisory, outreach, and home-based clinical casework services, including referrals. Offered assistance with social, medical, legal and financial issues to the senior citizens of Brookline. Used an "aging in place" approach to help seniors who wish to do so to remain in their own homes for as long as possible.

Taught writing/composition, literature, grammar/mechanics, mathematics, and English as a Second Language to grades 7-12, university students, and adults. Taught at schools, universities, and private institutions in the US (South Carolina, Maryland, Arizona, and Massachusetts) and United Kingdom (Oxford, England). Certified as a secondary (grades 7-12) teacher in both English and Math in the US state of Arizona. Privately developed and ran small, intensive academic writing workshops for English language learners aged 16+.