PULSE Magazine | August 2019 Issue PE

Where are you from originally and what brought you to Austin? Originally, I am from the Dallas Area and moved to Central Texas in 1994 to attend college at South- west Texas State in San Marcos. After graduating college, I moved to Austin and started working at the Children’s Hospital of Austin. What inspired you to become a medic/ What attracted you to this career choice? Prior to EMS, I worked as an ER Tech in the old Brackenridge Hospital and Children’s ER. At the time, The Children’s Hospital of Austin was attached to Brackenridge. There I learned what emergency medicine is and what medics did. The idea of providing emergency care outside of the hospital environment was very appealing to me .

How long have you been with ATCEMS and what motivated you to work here? I have worked with ATCEMS for 15 years. When I learned what it meant to be a medic, I did research around the country and talked with those involved in the department at the time. I love living in Central Texas and with what I learned, I decided ATCEMS was the place for me. It didn’t take much for me to decide that this is the place where I wanted to build a career . What is your favorite part about working here at ATCEMS? The people and the opportunities. There are truly some great people that work for ATCEMS. Also, working here gives you the opportunity to branch out into different aspects of emergency response. This depart- ment truly allows you to expand your scope as a first responder . If you had guests visiting Austin for the weekend, where is the first place you would take them? Valentinas Tex-Mex BBQ for breakfast followed by a day exploring the Texas Hill Country .

What is your favorite taco joint in town? That is a tough question! There are so many, but you can never go wrong with Veracruz or Torchy’s.

What do you do on your days to relax and unwind? We enjoy time at the pool, watching movies, and boating around the lake.

Who inspires you? My daughter. She is so amazing, smart, inquisitive, honest, and joyful. She keeps me striving to be the best that I know how, to allow her to grow into a caring and successful adult. What is the next place you would like to visit? Why? Iceland. For the culture, waterfalls, glaciers, and food. No matter how long you have done something, there is always something new to learn. Keep yourself educated. Stay humble, treat others how you want to be treated, and don’t forget that the patients you treat are people. They have mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, broth- ers, and loved ones just as you do. And have fun and enjoy life! Word of advice for an aspiring medic?

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