Meet Your COPD Foundation Captains!

Boise, Idaho

My name is Emily. I am an Idaho native and absolutely love where I live. I grew up in a small town and attended college at Boise State University. Living in Idaho, I am lucky that we have so many wonderful opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, and I take full advantage of that. Whether that is paddleboarding on the Snake River, or just taking a walk with my dogs. Fall in Idaho is by far my favorite time of the year as it is absolutely beautiful, but a snowy, white Christmas is a very close second. One quote that has always resonated with me is: "To know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, is to have succeeded." - Ralph Waldo Emerson. I love this quote not only because it ties into my career as an RT but in my own personal beliefs that if we can, we should always try to help others.

I have been a respiratory therapist for 3 years learning to care for many different patient populations from neonates to adult critical care. I got started in my field by chance. As a young adult, I didn't know what I wanted to do but I knew one thing, that I wanted to help people. I happened upon respiratory therapy one day at a career fair and it was the best decision I ever made. Throughout my RT career, one thing I have always stressed is patient education. I truly believe that the best way to set someone up for success, is for them to have all the information. This applies to so many aspects of life whether that is someone's health and treatment or our daily interests where we want to excel. I have gotten so much satisfaction from educating patients in my hospital, that I decided to look for other opportunities to reach others outside of the hospital. With that being said, I am excited to be able to make a difference in my community by joining the COPD Foundation.