I studied for most of my degrees (Doctorates in Nursing Science (PhD, 2002) and Nursing Practice (DNP, 2015) at the University of Washington School of Nursing in Seattle, Washington in the United States where I also earned a Master of Nursing in Care Systems Management (1999). I earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Washington Bothell School of Nursing and Health Studies in 1996.

I have two specialist areas of research: 1) the effects of incarceration on individuals, families, and communities, particularly communities of Colour, and 2) emotion regulation of children in mixed racial families. These topics are interesting in separate ways. For individuals and families dealing with incarceration, we can better understand how power, racism, and intergenerational trauma can affect health and wellbeing of communities. By understanding how parents coach children in learning activities, we can explore ways that children develop their ability to regulate emotions. My clinical practice area is focused on depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, and autism spectrum disorders.

I am a qualified registered mental health nurse in the UK.  I am also a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner and registered nurse in the USA. I serve as an Affiliate Associate Professor at the University of Washington Bothell School of Nursing and Health Studies in Bothell, Washington USA.  I am also a reviewer for the National Institute of Health Research Predoctoral Health and Care Professionals Funding Committee. Finally, I am a member of the American Psychiatric Nursing Association and an Associate Fellow with Advance HE.

I am a content expert on 2 PhD dissertations and supervising numerous undergraduate dissertations.

I am currently collaborating with the Cassidy Centre for Educational Justice at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada on youth mental health.  I am also part of a research team at BNU led by Dr. Arinola Adefila.