Our Story: From Passion to Purpose
The Spark
Our story began not in a boardroom, but on the front lines of community health. While working as a community paramedic, I saw a recurring gap: many members of the Chuukese community, after being transferred from our ER, were struggling with the concept of “follow-up” care.
Critical appointments were being missed, not due to a lack of care, but a gap in cultural and systemic understanding.
I realized that simply booking an appointment wasn’t enough. When I personally scheduled follow up appointments, communicated the the dates, times, and locations to the patients, and taught them how to get to the appointments, patients were able to attend, and their health outcomes dramatically improved. I also discovered that while phone numbers changed, the community was highly connected through Facebook and Messenger, which became a vital lifeline for communication.
This experience was the spark. It became crystal clear that organizations needed a deeper understanding of Chuukese culture to truly serve the community and bridge these critical gaps in care and communication.
Building Expertise
Following my work as a paramedic, my role shifted to a clinic-based position. This new role required completion of the Community Health Worker (CHW) training program. Though I was reluctant to go back to school, it proved to be an invaluable experience. It provided me with a deep, formal understanding of public health and the social determinants of health—the very concepts at the heart of the challenges I had seen.
My journey took its next step when a social worker in Swift County, aware of my work with the Chuukese population, connected me with Swift County Family Services. They were facing similar difficulties. This was the perfect opportunity. As part of my CHW internship, I dove into formal research and developed my first one-hour training presentation.
This process blended all my skills. Before my career in healthcare, I was a technical writer and spent years teaching computer software classes. I found that my natural ability to teach and create clear, understandable materials, combined with my passion for this subject, created a training that was immediately effective. That first presentation became the foundation for the work we do today.
Our Commitment to You
Our story isn’t just our past; it’s our promise.
Because of this journey—from the front lines of healthcare to formal CHW training and a foundation in professional education—we are uniquely positioned to provide practical, insightful, and professional training.
Our commitment is to bridge the gap between your organization and the Chuukese community, building the cultural understanding that leads to better communication, stronger relationships, and improved outcomes. We are here to help you succeed.