Nikki knows firsthand how difficult it is facing adverse life issues, as she was once part of the vulnerable population she seeks to help. Though she was not addicted to drugs, cigarettes, or alcohol and took care of herself during pregnancy, she still gave birth too early, resulting in four out of her six children spending time in the neonatal intensive care. Her vulnerability was living in an abusive home, where she was a victim of sex trafficking for many years. She was never asked by healthcare providers if she was in danger in her home, nor was she ever offered counseling or assistance.

In 2008, she escaped with nothing more than her six children and what would fit in the back of her sister’s pick-up truck. It was then that she began her journey through nursing school. She graduated with honors from her Associate’s and Bachelor’s programs in nursing. It was not long before an opportunity opened in labor and delivery, and she fell in love with her new job. In 2015, she became the obstetrical nurse navigator, working with women on their first visit to the provider’s office and following them through their pregnancies.

Nikki plans to complete her Master’s as a Certified Nurse-Midwife and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner at Georgetown University in December 2019. She has a passion for helping women overcome their barriers, providing judgment-free care. She is sensitive in providing trauma- informed care as she has lived through trauma and into healing.

Her career goal is to work with the most vulnerable women and their babies, helping them have the healthiest pregnancy possible. She is especially interested in the care of pregnant women struggling with substance use disorders, and seeks to help women overcome adversities leading to lifelong changes, thus optimizing their health and the health of their families.

Nikki plans to implement a substance use treatment program at her local clinic, incorporating three separate locations in outlying communities. She has started negotiations with local obstetric providers, in forming an interdisciplinary team offering much-needed services to this vulnerable population. The proposal incorporates the addition of midwifery services into a team that is currently comprised of two obstetricians and three-family physicians who provided prenatal care part time.