I was born and raised in Battle Creek, Michigan by my parents who are now retired educators. I also have a twin brother who resides in Michigan. I attended Kentucky State University and Prairie View A&M University, where I received dual bachelor’s degrees with Summa Cum Laude honors in English and Psychology, and a master’s degree in Juvenile Forensic Psychology. I am currently completing my PhD in Clinical Psychology with my dissertation focusing on the need for standardization in psychological testing for individuals undergoing bariatric procedures. I went to school on athletic and academic scholarships where I ran cross country and track and field; specializing in the long jump, triple jump, and hurdles. I have worked as a high school English teacher, a collegiate psychology instructor, and as a mental health clinician in juvenile probation, the public school system, and most recently in a community mental health setting. I am currently an instructor of psychology, sociology, and philosophy and am working on completing my dissertation.
I relocated to Bakersfield, California in July 2007 to complete a year-long doctoral internship with Kern County Mental Health’s psychology internship program. It was during this time that my interest in health psychology; specifically psychological assessment and bariatric procedures; increased due to the number of people I met who had undergone the procedure with poor psychological screening and significant post-operative psychological difficulties. This has motivated me to examine the need for psychological testing standardization for persons desiring the procedure. I assert that it is possible to be healthy, work full-time and go to school full-time. I hope to inspire others who feel burdened by life’s time constraints and teach them that just like you make a conscious effort to be unhealthy; you can make the same conscious effort to be healthy. It just requires educating yourself. I abide by the “pay now or pay later” philosophy of health. You can pay now by investing time to readjust your lifestyle or you can pay later in health related medical costs and insurance premiums. The choice is yours, but either way you have to pay. I hope to encourage students, athletes, and people of all ages that a healthy lifestyle can be fun, once you learn what you enjoy.
In addition to going to school and working, I started competing in 2004, the same year I began working on my doctoral degree. After joining a gym in Houston, TX and seeing the physiques shaped by trainer Jolene Carter (www.jolenecarter.com). In the seven years I have competed, I have participated in 36 figure competitions both nationally and internationally. I have competed in almost every organization and have won 12 of my 36 shows. My proudest athletic accomplishment is being a life-long drug free athlete. My proudest personal accomplishment is waking up daily and striving to live a Christ-like life. (It is tough, but more than worth it!) My interests include spending time with family and friends, shopping, scrapbooking, reading, writing, indoor rock climbing, dancing, photography, traveling, and attending weekly Bible study classes. I aspire to continue teaching at the collegiate level, and work with individuals dealing with eating disorders, body image issues, and other psychological disorders. Additionally, I hope to inspire others by dispelling the myth that a healthy lifestyle is only attainable if you have an abundance of time. I firmly believe “in life, you make time for what you want. Have faith and trust that God will give you peace and contentment in all situations to accept the life He has created for you.” I live by my life philosophy: “You’ve been blessed with the gift of life. Rejoice in the good, learn from the bad, and love every moment of it because you only have one.”
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