Stephen obtained his EMT certification shortly after finishing his undergraduate education at the University of California at Santa Cruz. He went on to work in a hospital setting for several years, while simultaneously continuing his education in the legal profession at the University of San Diego. He worked in the legal field as a medical-legal researcher/paralegal for a number of years before completing a post–graduate certificate program at the University of California at Berkeley with a focus on cellular/molecular biology and biochemistry. While at Berkeley, Stephen helped run several research studies in clinical settings, taught and tutored classes in molecular biology and organic chemistry, and worked to develop outpatient volunteer treatment clinics for high-risk populations.
Stephen studied nursing at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, and obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing in 2014, and a Master of Science Degree in Nursing in 2016. After graduation, he moved back to California and began working as a family nurse practitioner in rural clinics in the Central Valley before moving to Oregon. Throughout his education and career, Stephen’s philanthropic nature has motivated him to take part in numerous volunteer causes, including Johns Hopkins Student Outreach Resource Center (SOURCE), in which he made monthly visits to patient homes to implement treatment plans and other interventions. He also served as a Leadership Committee member for the FIT for Health Childhood Obesity Program in San Francisco, CA, a program targeting at-risk children for diabetes and obesity.
“I would like to tell patients to take a proactive approach to their healthcare needs and ask lots of questions. Optimizing your health is a two-way street.” When not caring for his patients, Stephen enjoys camping, hiking, reading, playing sports with his son, and walking his dogs.
