Biography
I am the founder of Ending Well! Patient Advocacy, LLC, https://endingwellpatientadvocacy.com/ and I’m a Board-Certified Patient Advocate (BCPA) focusing on end-of-life planning, counseling, and education, aiming to help people have a “good death.” In 2003, I began practicing as a mediator in my business, Dispute to Resolution. I currently mediate end-of-life and family/elder disputes as a patient advocate. I have in-depth training and experience in all facets of conflict resolution and facilitation, including mediating civil cases at LA County Superior Court, Appellate Court, EEOC, and consumer and family/elder cases at both LA County Department of Consumer Affairs and the LA City Attorney’s office. Since 2015, I have served as a Federal Mediator with the Dept. of Homeland Security, mediating EEOC and other employment grievances within the TSA.
In 2012, I earned an Executive Juris Doctor (EJD) from Concord Law School, a division of Purdue Global, majoring in Health Law. My internship was in Pediatric Hospice, where I spent a year attending Interdisciplinary Team Meetings and writing about my experiences. A bedside hospice volunteer for 16 years, I earned a Thanatology Certification in 2015, which prepares individuals to work with the terminally ill, the bereaved and provide death education and resources. I recently earned Certificates as a Facilitator in Advance Care Planning from Respecting Choices® and now offer classes on advance care planning and surrogacy in community settings. In 2021 I became Final Exit Network’s Surrogate Consultant, where I counsel healthcare surrogates, medical POA’s and hospital staff on thorny advance directive and clinical ethics issues. https://finalexitnetwork.org/surrogate-consultant/