Stephanie realized she wanted to go into the healthcare field from an early age. She experienced firsthand the inadequacies in healthcare in her reservation community many times during her teenage years. Without a mother to turn to for support and having never had a female, let alone Native female healthcare provider, Stephanie clearly understands the major gaps in health outcomes for Native peoples, particularly teen-aged girls. There was no one she could turn to who understood her, who had any idea about her life experiences or her needs. And this problem continues today.
When Stephanie first started her college career, opportunities to earn degrees in the medical field were limited. Luckily, with tribal colleges increasing their program offerings every year and with the support of her family, Stephanie was able to enroll in a Bachelor’s of Nursing program right in her neighborhood that will allow her to focus on filling the gaps she experienced in her youth.
With her degree, Stephanie knows she can impact the lives and health of her community – for women and girls most of all. Unlike her experiences as a child and teen, she can provide her patients with the best medical care, weaving together western medicine, traditional tools for healing, and the experience and trust they need and deserve.
Stephanie is going to use her degree and her lived experiences to make sure every patient she sees receives not only the best care, but also the knowledge they need to better care for themselves.