After working as a clinical nurse in academic teaching hospitals in North Carolina, Tennessee and Boston, she practiced as a clinical nurse specialist for several years in Boston. She transitioned to administration as a nurse manager at Beth Israel Hospital. She continued in senior leadership roles as a manager in Arthur Andersen's Healthcare Business Consulting practice, as a staff specialist/internal consultant and as nursing director in Boston academic teaching hospitals. She retired as Executive Director for Surgical Nursing and Clinical Services at Brigham and Women's Hospital.