I am a first generation college student. Looking back across my undergraduate and graduate careers, I am both grateful for the experiences I had and wish I had had more support and guidance at several steps. I now hope to be part of that support system for students and learners. As a medical anthropologist and health services researcher, I conduct qualitative and mixed methods research to improve care delivery across a variety of contexts. Much of my work is in cancer care, but I also collaborate on work with older adults, home health care, caregiving, and dementia. Across my roles in the Colleges of Medicine and Public Health, as well as the Iowa City VA, I am committed to mentorship, to working with students to foster their interests and support their goals, and working to broaden and diversify the pathways to health-related research careers.