Meet your provider

Hello!

I came to SJI, as many new residents do, I presume, visiting and falling in love with the beauty, simplicity, and most importantly, at least for myself, the ocean. I have since had the good fortune to call this my home for several years.

Originally from Hawaii, Oregon, and California, I was born on the island of Maui in 1970 to young and nomadic parents. When we were little my older brother and I ran free; we rarely wore shoes or clothes. My Australian grandmother would refer to us as her “feral grandchildren”, usually while she was making me drink out of a teacup with pinkies up, of course. We traveled or moved often, changing schools, friends, and homes.

I talk about this because often we ask one another the seemingly simple question, “Where are you from”? And, for me, I am never sure how to answer.

As someone with nomadic DNA I’ve always had an itch to move, to wander, looking for “home”. As I’ve traveled and grown this has evolved and now putting down roots feels more important than ever, and this community feels like home.

I created my practice to give to my new community myself and my family. Becoming more disheartened with the current state of healthcare it was clear I was no longer a good fit with corporate healthcare. I want more for myself and the community I serve.

Starting my practice has been hard and I know I could not have done it anywhere other than the San Juan Islands. None of this would be possible without the support of my friends, family, and the incredible communities of the San Juan Islands. I cannot express the gratitude I feel for the people of the islands as I launch this endeavor, and I look forward to returning that generosity the best way I know how: by providing this community and these islands with the quality of healthcare they deserve.

I look forward to working with you, becoming partners in your health, and making the island my rooted home.

With love and respect,

Aurora

Professional Experience

Professional Experience

  • Attended Linfield School of Nursing in Portland, Oregon 2001 where I earned a Bachelor degree in Science of Nursing.

    Following my bachelors I spent several years in-patient/hospital, community health and home health specializing in direct patient care, care coordination/ case management. I went on to obtain a certification in Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nursing ( WOCN) from Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia about 2009.

    I began specializing as a CWOCN-RN, working at the Emanuel Burn Center in Portland Oregon as a outpatient chronic wound and burn consultant.

    I returned to Atlanta, Georgia and spent 5 years as an in-patient consultant at Grady Hospital, a 1500 bed public healthcare system in downtown Atlanta.

    Following this I attended Georgia State University earning a Masters degree in the Science of Nursing and becoming nationally certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner, 2017.

    Shortly afterward I began work as a primary care FNP-BC at Asa Yancey Family Health Center, another Public facility of Grady Memorial Health working with inner-city, uninsured/underinsured families.

    I returned to Oregon and accepted a faculty position with Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine as part of the Rural Health Residency Program in Klamath Falls Oregon. The rich environment of teaching and learning was very beneficial to building my comfort with complex , chronically ill populations in rural settings, sometimes driving over 50 miles to visit a patient without water or electricity.

    In 2021-2022 I accepted a position at Peace Island Medical as a primary care provider for the community of islanders.

    With these experiences and skills I took the last year to develop my own practice and return to SJI to offer my care , once again, to the island community.