Can a healthcare professional improve the health of a county?

April 7, 2026

On this World Health Day, I’m reflecting on the similarities between my past, present, and future: my past as a Peace Corps nurse, my present as a nurse educator, and my future as a county commissioner. From an outside perspective, it may seem like a dramatic career shift, but the way I see it, this is a lateral career move. Can a healthcare professional improve the health of a county?

Nurses thrive in service roles. Nurses serve anyone and everyone, bound by noble principles like those of the Nightingale Pledge (modeled after the Hippocratic Oath). To the best of our ability, we protect our patients, do no harm to them, and ensure that they get the care that they need. Unless we are talking to someone during a routine check-up, we are interacting with people in times of pain, uncertainty, and maybe even loss. It isn’t enough to have the physical, textbook know-how of nursing; we have to have real heart and grit to serve people of any background. For instance, while working as a bedside nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), I never knew which family I would be assigned to take care of until I arrived for my shift. I distinctly remember one shift during which I was assigned to care for a premature baby who was having problems breathing on his own and his family, and I was assigned to care for a baby who was experiencing withdrawals due to the mother’s drug use during pregnancy and her family. No matter what the situation was or why those babies needed to be taken care of, I showed up and took care of them and their families and provided them with exceptional, compassionate care. I didn’t pass judgement and I checked my biases at the door. 

Similarly, nurse educators serve all kinds of populations. The added challenge of this field is that it isn’t enough to be a good nurse – the ideal nurse educator needs to have that special talent for fostering community and for stimulating the intellectual growth of their students. 

In both fields, nursing and education, your clientele is a medley of young and old folks from any ethnic and racial background, any socioeconomic status, any religious belief, any political alignment. You walk into your place of employment and dive right in, rising to the occasion and providing the best possible service. When a patient is facing a life-threatening emergency, there is no time or room for prejudice, there is no such thing as moving on to the next easiest thing to do. When a student reaches out for tutoring after a difficult exam, turning away from them is unthinkable. 

District 11 is my next patient, my next student, containing its own set of problems to assess and treat. In the same way that I don’t get to pick and choose which patients I take care of and which students I educate, I don’t get to pick and choose my constituents. Not everyone sees eye to eye on all topics, and that’s okay. I don’t get lost in details like that; I focus on lifting everyone up, elevating us all to better standards of health and education, and providing us all with better access to resources. For the health of the county, my attention will go towards change that benefits everyone, regardless of personal background. We all stand to gain when traffic moves smoothly and efficiently, we all feel the impact of improved school systems, we all will breathe a sigh of relief when the unchecked growth finally slows down. 

So, what makes me qualified to serve as a County Commissioner?

March 26, 2026

Now that my petition has been filed and I am officially on the ballot, I know I will get asked several questions on the campaign trail. One question has me in deep thought, and, over the next few weeks, my posts will answer this question: so, what makes me qualified to serve as a County Commissioner? According to the Qualifications for Elected Offices in Tennessee, to be qualified to run for County Commission, you must be a resident of the county for one (1) year prior to the date of the qualifying deadline (TCA 5-5-102); and you must reside within and be a qualified voter of the district represented (TCA 5-5-102). 

Did you catch what I asked?

The question is, what makes me qualified to serve as a County Commissioner, not what makes me qualified to run for County Commissioner.

I truly believe a County Commissioner should serve the people she/he represents. When I reflect over my life, I see a life of service, rooted in gratitude and appreciation for the women in my life who instilled this important value in me. You see, my mom served this country for 21 years in the United States Navy, starting out as a hospital corpsman, tending to wounded soldiers on the battlefield, and working her way up to Chief Petty Officer. My grandmother served kids and their families as a daycare worker and served patients as a private duty caretaker. My great-grandmother served as a midwife to her community and often, my mother accompanied her on her deliveries, witnessing service firsthand. This lineage of service inspires me daily and I emulate the care and compassion of the women who came before me. As a nurse, a nurse educator, and a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV), it has brought me great pleasure to serve others. I look forward to continue serving the residents of District 11 in Wilson County as the next County Commissioner.