My inspiration to serve on the International Advisory Board for the Columbia-WHO Center for Global Mental Health is closely tied to my professional endeavors. I am the founder of the MUSC Friedman Center for Eating Disorders at the Medical University of South Carolina. I am proud to be an internationally recognized advocate for the needs of victims of eating disorders and frequently speak on the subject in many different forums. I am a member of the Board of the International Academy for Eating Disorders, and the first person in its history to serve as the Patient/Career representative, nominated and elected for this position in 2013. In that capacity, I have also served as the Board liaison for the Patient/Career Committee and the Advisory Board.
For many years, I have dedicated myself to assisting patients to find proper treatment, helping to establish the first Evidence-Based Eating Disorder Treatment program in the State of South Carolina at MUSC in 2016. I hold an MS in Clinical Counseling from Nova Southeastern University and a BA in Political Science from the College of Charleston. Outside of my profession, I am a mother of four, wife, and philanthropist residing in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.