I grew up in Chilton, Wisconsin, a small town where the proverbial “everybody knows your name” holds true. My dad worked as a transportation manager while my mom had an in home daycare to allow her to spend more time with my two younger brothers, Jon and Justin, and myself. Our house was always full of activity, and I felt like I had an extra eight brothers or sister seach day. I learned to share very quickly, or at least hide my most prized possessions for safe keeping! Piano lessons, marching band, volleyball, basketball, and track involvement kept me on the go throughout high school.

My parents always reinforced that I could do anything I set my mind to, and I dreamed of being a doctor. This dream was reinforced with my own experience of several severe ankle and knee injuries during sports activity and my brother Jon’s diagnosis and treatment of brain cancer at the age of 13. (After a hard battle, his story continues with success as he just graduated from college with a double major!)

I attended the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, studying biology and chemistry with a pre-med focus. Balancing the rigors of marching band, a heavy course load, and waitressing left me run down with chronic sinus infections. I had visited a chiropractor once or twice in high school but never thought of the profession as more than “back doctors.” After being under the care of a great chiropractor for two months, I was infection free, sleeping better, and living with more energy! My curiosity surrounding chiropractic was mounting.

Learning more about chiropractic, I discovered the natural and drug free approach that focuses on restoring balance and health to the master controller of our bodies- the nervous system. This philosophy resonated with me, and I decided to become a chiropractor myself. After graduation from UW-L, I attended Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, the Fountainhead of Chiropractic.

I learned from amazing faculty and staff while at Palmer, and my own love of teaching grew. This led me to be a teaching assistant for Physical Diagnosis, Obstetrics and Pediatrics, as well as in the outpatient clinic. I had the opportunity to travel to Vietnam on Clinic Abroad and help provide care for thousands of individuals who otherwise would not have access to care. It was a truly humbling experience to see the poverty of possessions, yet the rich endless spirit of the people! To cap off my Palmer experience, I graduated as a valedictorian as well as earning the Clinic Excellence Award.

Family is extremely important to me, and I was thrilled to find a great place for me to build my practice close to home. I reside in Waukesha, and I am excited to become involved in the community. I recently joined the Waukesha Relay for Life committee and look forward to celebrating life with cancer survivors and care givers this August! My experience at Shepherd Chiropractic has been exciting and rewarding, and I look forward to new challenges each day. I am honored to serve families of the greater Pewaukee area by providing specific thorough chiropractic care along with the knowledge and information they need to make healthy lifestyle choices.