My research focuses on identifying metabolic biomarkers of chronic distress and evaluating the role distress plays in long-term ovarian cancer survivorship outcomes. I’m also interested in the complex relationship between distress and lifestyle factors such as diet, physical activity, and supplement usage. The goal of my work is to uncover the molecular underpinnings of distress (e.g. anxiety, depression, fatigue, and perceived stress) and lifestyle factors to understand their association with prognosis. The results of this work could inform actionable interventions and therapies aimed at reducing distress and potentially improve ovarian cancer outcomes like disease progression, recurrence, and survival.

I also oversee recruitment and data collection efforts for the Ovarian Health and Lifestyle Study, which is the primary data source employed to investigate the novels questions in my research. Through OHLS, we translate patient-centered experiences into quantitative data to identify population-level factors that impact ovarian cancer survivorship.
 

Education:

PhD Student in Population Health Sciences, Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Track, University of Utah (Expected 2028)
Master of Public Health in Global Health Epidemiology, University of Michigan, 2022; Certificate in Social Epidemiology 
Bachelor of Science in Human Biology, Utah State University, 2020; Minor in Chemistry

Personal Interests:

Exploring the outdoors, horseback riding, animals, thrifting, coffee, and spending quality time with family & friends.