Education Information

1976              Blackfoot High School

                       graduate in general studies

1977              Certified Nurses Aide

                               Grand Oak's Nursing home

                               Boise, Idaho

1981             Certificate of completion in Surgical technology 

                       Boise State University

                               National certification through NBSTSA

1996             Associate Degree Nursing

                      The College of Southern Idaho

                              Licensed in the State of Idaho

1997-2024    Idaho Teacher Certification

                             Postsecondary Advanced Occupational Specialist

                      Idaho Department of Education

2006            Bachelor of Science

                     Education:  Professional -Technical and Technical Education

                     University of Idaho

2012            Masters Degree in Education 

                           Education in Curriculum and Instructional Design

                    University of Idaho

Background/Personal Information

I am a Registered Nurse and Surgical Technologist.  I have worked my entire adult life in the Operating room as either a Surgical technologist, as an RN Circulator, and now as an educator.  I am a Certified PeriOperative Nurse (CNOR-E) 

In the fall of 1998 I was offered a position at the College of Southern Idaho as the program director and instructor for the surgical technology program (The program was started in 1997).  In my first year of employment the program underwent an extensive self study and accreditation.  The program has been continuously accredided since that time. 

I have worked at CSI since 1998 at a job that I am quite well suited for. 

The CSI program (and I) have earned several awards including:

• 2001 Our CSI program won the Idaho State PTE Program of the Year

• 2001 Our CSI program the National status of Promising Postsecondary Career and Technical Program. (A program status is only shared by the top 3% of Vocational programs in our nation) 

• 2003 my class of students nominated me for the CSI Teacher of the Year (which I was proud to accept because the nomination came from my own class of students)

• 2014 Our CSI programs (all three surgical programs) won the Idaho State PTE program of the year(for the second time in my career at CSI) 

• 2014 I earned the Idaho State PTE Educator of the year (Which I was pleased to accept because I was nominated by my peers)
  2016 ACTE Region V Finalist for Postsecondary Teacher of the year

Teaching Philosophy

Educational Philosophy:

I knew right away that I wanted to introduce and excite my surgical technology students in the career that I have always loved, and I wanted them to learn in a good humored and non-intimidating climate.  

I love teaching in a Career and Technical Education (CTE) program because I get to facilitate as my college students grow from novice to expert and then leave CSI for a new and exciting career in surgery.    

Links of Interest

1. Association of Surgical Technology
2. Association of Operating Room Nurses