DNP Diversity Ambassadors

Greetings!

I'm Jessica Ang, a mother of three amazing children, currently immersing myself in the world of psychiatric nursing. Raised in Washington State by Filipino immigrant parents, my life in Seattle's diverse culture has significantly influenced my approach to mental health.

My academic journey began at the University of Washington with a triple degree in Neurobiology, Environmental Health and Psychology. This diverse educational background laid the foundation for my understanding of health sciences and human behavior. I furthered my education with an MPA from Seattle University, sharpening my leadership and administrative skills, and then completed an MPH from Johns Hopkins University. Most recently, in 2023, I achieved a BSN through the APNI program, further enhancing my health care skills and knowledge.

Before transitioning to nursing, I developed a career in Environment, Health and Safety at Amazon and Boeing, where I led teams to create and implement safety and health programs. The pandemic underscored the critical importance of mental well-being in the health and safety of our employees. These roles were more than just job responsibilities; they offered me the opportunity to positively impact the lives of others and support the well-being of my colleagues.

Currently, at Seattle University, I am blending my management experience with a deep passion for psychiatric nursing. This journey isn't just about earning a degree; it's a commitment to providing empathetic, inclusive care, especially for marginalized communities. My goal is to offer expert care and champion accessible mental health services. When not engaged in my studies or RN work, I value time with my family and friends and enjoy reading and traveling.

I was born to two Filipino immigrants and spent the majority of time living in Los Angeles, CA before eventually relocating to Seattle nearly a decade ago. I spent my early adult years pursuing and attaining a bachelor's degree in biology with the intent of following my dream of having a career in health care. 

Throughout my post-graduate work and experiences, I was fortunate enough to have met many people and encountered an array of experiences that opened my eyes to the state of health care. I recognized the apparent need for diversity, equity and compassion just to name a few. Understanding this, I decided to focus my efforts on nursing for its approach to centering people and communities.

Ultimately, that is how I ended up at Seattle University and in the depths of my current education in the APNI-DNP program, with my track focusing on the adult acute care population. This program has melded together my passion for learning, developing critical skills and working towards a transformed health care system. My hope is to be a part of that positive change and take an active role in bringing forth an increase in cultural humility, educational empowerment and equitable access to my future patients and communities.

After graduating, my vision is to be working as a hospitalist in the field of cardiac critical care while at the same time remaining active in my community organizing work in spaces such as the Filipino Community Health Board and other health focused affinity groups in the community. Overall, I want to embody being a nurse and provider who sees and hears their patients and does everything in their power to advocate and empower them.

I am from the western part of Africa, Nigeria. During my past experiences in health care, I have witnessed how the system has downplayed the BIPOC communities in providing equal health care opportunities. As a registered nurse, I have been able to advocate for patients, provide quality care amongst the underserved communities to the best of my abilities. But I have been faced with barriers to eradicate the disparities faced by these communities, as change must occur at the primary level where decisions are being made. 

I am currently working towards getting a DNP degree from Seattle University which will equip me to become a health care provider who is fair and just in providing equal care for all my patients. Hence, being able to influence changes in health care will help bridge the gap between the less privileged, vulnerable, and underserved communities. Thus, my career goal is to have a non-profit organization and own a birth center that provides care at low or no cost for female identifying patients in underserved communities so that they can attain better health and make informed decisions for their health.

Hello!

My name is Katie, and I am part of the next graduating class of PMHNP-DNP 2024. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, moving to Seattle was not something I knew would be in my future. Tackling moving in the middle of a pandemic, my start to Seattle was a lot tougher than I had expected. Despite the newness of a closed city and the culture shock that came with it, I am so thankful to call Seattle home and now have a community here that supports me. I currently work part-time as an RN who works in a residential eating disorder facility, which I find helps me keep a balance between work/school/life. 

Outside of school, I enjoy playing soccer, cooking and trying new foods/experiences. Now entering my fourth year, the “light at the end of the tunnel” that everyone keeps talking about is finally in sight, and I have so many mixed emotions. This past year, clinicals have been an amazing experience, which makes me more motivated to get to June!