IRIS Consultant Biography

Care Responsibilities

Your TMG IRIS consultant is your partner as you create a plan that meets your needs and stays within your IRIS budget. Your TMG IRIS consultant can connect you to resources in your area, and will be a great source of information for any questions you have about the IRIS program. In a self-directed program like IRIS, you decide who provides your support and services and when they happen. You may have natural support from people in your life, or you may choose to purchase the support you need from an agency or someone that you hire directly. Your TMG IRIS consultant will be there to talk through these decisions with you, and will help you put a plan in place that reflects your choices.

Educational Background

Credentials

Specialties (e.g., working with autism, the elderly, employment for people with disabilities or youth in transition, mental health, experience with assisted technology)

Prior to coming to TMG, I worked for the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. I have extensive experience working with a diverse population, including those with mental health diagnoses, addictions, trauma backgrounds, and those with limited resources and social skills. I worked primarily with those reintegrating into the community, so I have a solid understanding of the resources needed to be a functioning member of the community, as well as how to navigate and obtain those resources. Additionally, I have trained as an integrative nutrition health coach. Despite the title, it goes far beyond nutrition: The coaching focuses on the different areas of an individual's life, how to bring those areas into balance, and how to work with the whole person - not just one or two areas.

County/Region I'm familiar with

Jackson, Monroe

Languages or Communication Skills

English

I'm comfortable with pets in the home

Yes

More about me

How do you Partner with people to 'clear the path ahead'?
For me, partnering with people means respecting the fact that each person is the expert in their own life. Learning about you and your goals is a great start. While I may have access to information and ways to navigate differing systems, ultimately you are the director of your path, and I am here to assist you in clearing it. Together, we can find various resources to utilize - Community, Family and Friends, Medicaid card, Medicare, IRIS budget, etc - and implement them in a way that will help you to realize your goals.

What's your favorite thing about being an IRIS consultant?
Having come from a social work background, I am a firm believer in both self-empowerment and in being “strengths based.” In a nut shell, being strengths based means looking for the positives in any given situation, even when it feels like there are none. This drives me to always look on the bright side. and as a TMG IRIS Consultant, I can share that outlook with others! This, in turn, helps to empower those I partner with to live the best life they desire.

What past experience prepared you to become an IRIS Consultant?
I have worked with a variety of populations, including those in treatment foster care and special needs adoption, the aging population, people with disabilities, and incarcerated adult males. While this is quite an array of individuals, it has certainly equipped me to understand how important it is to work with someone where they are at that point in their lives. On a personal note, I have experience with friends and family who faced mental health challenges and addictions.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
My greatest passion is learning! I love to learn new things through reading, classes, and even television. Some interests include studying different cultures, cooking, foreign languages, social justice issues, holistic health, and alternative health care to name just a few. Additionally, I enjoy yoga, meditation, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family.