Her academic degrees include a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from The University of Delaware, a Master of Science in Nursing from The University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Columbia University where she received the Macy Foundation Scholarship. She is working as an Associate Professor of Clinical Nursing at UTHealth in Houston for 23 years. She has served as a Clinical Quality Manager for RediClinic and as Director of The University of Texas Health Services.