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Faculty and students from the University at Buffalo School of Nursing and members of the Buffalo community are traveling to Belize to complete a mobile medical mission trip. Once there, they will be caring for an extremely underserved and poor population with very limited to no access to health care in a rural area.
MEET OUR TEAM
"Nursing started for me as a junior in high school. Since then, I have moved along the trajectory to finishing my Doctor of Nursing practice in 2014 to be able to teach other individuals with the same love and compassion for people that I have. My global healthcare drive started when I was as a RN student on my first trip to Haiti in 2000. It was then that I fell in love with global health. Since then, I have I returned on global missions both locally and internationally approximately 20 times. It is with great pleasure that I am able to lead a group of UB student professional nurses and licensed healthcare professionals to Belize. This hands on global experience cannot be reproduced in any classroom setting."
"I am a retired Clinical Associate Professor in the School of Nursing at the University at Buffalo, and received my Doctorate of Nursing Practice from UB. I have participated in medical missions both domestically and internationally, and I look forward to working with the team to positively impact both the student experience and the people of Belize."
Caitlyn Tiedemann, AGNP
"My nursing career started in 2018 when I graduated with my BSN from the University at Buffalo. Since then, I have worked as a registered nurse at a local hospital in the intensive care unit, and have volunteered at various community health events in the Buffalo area. This global health experience will be invaluable to my nursing practice, as it will teach me how to provide ethnically sensitive care to the diverse Buffalo community. I am excited to have the opportunity to enhance my nursing skills in Belize while experiencing and learning about their culture. This will be my first global health experience, and through it, I plan to gain a deeper understanding of global health issues so I can apply what I learn to my nursing practice while I pursue my Doctor of Nursing Practice degree."
Skylar Bard, Traditional BS
"During my time as an EMT for my local fire department during COVID, I became inspired by the dedication and compassion the nurses I met in the emergency rooms had during such a difficult time. Now, in my Junior year in UB's undergraduate nursing program, I am embracing the opportunity to turn that inspiration into action. I am very excited to be joining this wonderful nursing team on this trip to continue to develop my skills and broaden my understanding of healthcare on a global scale. Additionally, I am eager to learn about the culture and stories from the individuals we encounter, and plan on applying these experiences toward my future role in caring for patients as a nurse."
Sophia Justo, Traditional BS
"Hi my name is Sophia Justo! I'm a junior in the traditional nursing program here at UB. I hope one day to be a pediatric nurse. During my free time I enjoy walks with my dog, dancing, and baking. I cannot wait to go to Belize to experience the culture and help the community."
Rena Kessel, Family DNP
The University at Buffalo School of Nursing has provided me with a multitude of great opportunities to immerse myself in the medical and nursing community. Upon graduating with my BSN in 2021, I have been working in Buffalo as a registered nurse in the intensive care unit and decided to further my education and nursing career when applying and beginning the Family Doctorate of Nursing Practice graduate program. I have been fortunate enough to be a part of many volunteer experiences within the community and work with undergraduate nursing students as a Graduate Assistant. I have always wanted to broaden my learning experiences to a global level and this will be my first step to do just that. I am thrilled to be able to expand my cultural horizons and develop an even better understanding and awareness of global health and diversity through this trip to Belize and apply newfound skills to my future nursing practice.
Emily Gaghich, FNP
“Since 2018 I have had the opportunity to go on two Mission trips that not only instilled humility within me, but changed my perspective on the world around us for the better. These unique experiences guided me in choosing to pursue the nursing profession and also continue my education in UB’s Doctor of Nursing Practice/Family Nurse Practitioner program in order to advance my skillset and knowledge base to further help others. Currently, I am working as a critical care registered nurse at a local hospital in Buffalo, a very diverse community that I love. Through this global mission trip, I am very excited to travel to Belize in order to gain a greater understanding of their culture and develop a deeper knowledge base of global health issues that I can apply to my current and future nursing career.”
Emily Pandel Traditional BS
