Phone : (904) 828-9697
Email : [email protected]

I serve as the Executive Director and Board, Vice President for Compassionate St Augustine. I’m a long-time resident of Lincolnville, St Augustine, Florida. I attended elementary schools in St Johns County and graduated from St. Augustine High School in 1986. I got accepted into St Johns River Community College and received an AA Degree in 1989. After graduating, I transferred to the University of South Florida to study Rehabilitation Counseling. While in my junior semester, I was injured in a horrible car accident that left me paralyzed from my neck down to my toes. Due to my injuries, I was given a 0% chance of recovering from a damaged spinal cord and three broken bones in my neck. Miraculously, through prayer and many years of extensive physical therapy, I relearned how to stand up and take steps again, using long-leg braces and a walker. However, in a wheelchair, I went back to college and graduated from the University of North Florida with a BA in Psychology.

After graduating from UNF, I began working for The Independent Living Resource Center, as a Nursing Home Transition Coordinator. I advocated for young people with disabilities to transition out of skilled nursing facilities into their own apartments. As a Case Manager, I assisted clients in transitioning back into their community by coordinating community-based support services. As an Educator, I worked for the Duval County Public Schools as a Substitute Teacher. I had the privilege to work in the classrooms with students who had special needs. I was honored to encourage and inspire young people with physical and intellectual disabilities to pursue their educational goals. I’m also a Virtual Lead Instructor for high schoolers. Online, I facilitated Career Camps, teaching students with disabilities Self Advocacy and Job Readiness courses.

I volunteer for The Florida Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injury as a Peer Mentor. I mentor newly injured patients who have experienced traumatic events in their life; to get up and never give up! I encourage my Mentees to get involved with Brooks Rehabilitation Adaptive Sports Program, pursue an education and gain employment. I promote recreational activities by showing photos of disabled people enjoying life; driving, riding horses, ski diving, surfing and water skiing.

After surpassing the predictions placed upon my quality of life, I was compelled to write a book to encourage, inspire and uplift people who had experienced life-changing events. I wrote two books, “The Doctor Said” and “Unbroken Spirit “to highlight my journey to from crash to recovery to reclaim my life. As an Author, I’ve received an ‘Positively Jax Award from News4Jax October 2014, a Mayors Commission on the Status of Women, “Woman of the Year Award”, March 2015. I was featured in UNF’s Nest Notes, as the “Alumni Spotlight,” September 2022 and I was a recent finalist for the Innovator, Jacksonville Image Awards, February 2023.