Occupation:
Infection control nurse coordinator for Harborside-Arden House in Hamden, Ct.

APCHSN Area of Study/Subspecialty:
Occupational and Environmental Health

Brief Bio:
Hello and hafa adai! My name is Suzanne. I am Filipino, born and raised on the beautiful island of Guam in the Mariana Islands of Micronesia. In 2001, I graduated with a degree in Biochemistry from the UW. Since then, I returned to Guam for a year to teach general science to 9th graders. Then I returned to Seattle where I worked in retail pharmacy and spent 3 years in the biotech industry as a research scientist/biologist. Although my experiences were all great ones, I desired a much more fulfilling and rewarding career. I believe that no other profession completes this kind of desire more than nursing. I was in the APCHSN program in the 2nd MEPN class, with a sub-specialty in occupational health nursing (OHN).

I was drawn to APCHSN because it prepares nurses to take leadership roles in diverse communities. My family, friends, and community, are what I value most. Thus, I intend to provide community health care to my home and surrounding islands. Micronesia will always be challenged by its remoteness, lack of resources, and limited economic opportunities, but the struggle with island healthcare is concerning to me. Compared to the U.S. mainland, healthcare in Guam and the rest of Micronesia is substandard. For these reasons, I intend to use the advanced skills and knowledge I gain not just for my personal benefit but most especially to benefit everything and everyone around me.

My experiences have strengthened my ambition to pursue a career in nursing. They have taught me about my own interests and how I can use it to best serve society. I know that through the APCHSN program, I will have the opportunity to fulfill both my personal and professional goals.