Erika Giraldo was a RN for about 20 years starting out as an Active Duty officer in the Navy working in ICU, telemetry, medical-surgical wards, outpatient clinics and as a hospital House Supervisor and then transitioned to a civilian nurse and worked in cardiac telemetry and home health.  Erika decided to go back to school for her Master’s and Doctorate degrees at the University of Washington as she wanted to help other families navigate the IEP process for children and recognized a critical need for child psychiatric providers. Since 2010, she has practiced as a Family Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner in an outpatient psychiatric setting seeing patients across the lifespan. For the last 6 years, she has treated patients on Saturdays while starting a new career working as a Clinical Practice Liaison for a neuroscience biopharmaceutical company. Erika is now in a Director role leading a team of clinical practice medical science liaisons. She has had the opportunity to contribute to several strategic internal projects and has an interest in Health Economics and Outcomes Research. She also volunteers on an Advisory Counsil for the HER Foundation, supporting women and their families who suffer with Hyperemesis Gravidarum.

 The greatest advantage of integrative care is allowing more access for patients to receive evidence based psychiatric care. She is thankful for this program allowing nurse practitioners to work collaboratively with physicians in this unique fellowship. This will provide her with additional training, knowledge and skills to lead or provide collaborative care in her community.

 Her greatest achievement of course, is being a mother and grandmother and that she is “happy” with where she is now, personally and professionally. She is very proud of her military service. She has learned so much over the years through her experiences with family, friends, occupations, co-workers and her community and is open to continuing to learn and grow.

 Erika’s favorite family vacation is going to Disneyworld. She never gets tired of pineapple dole whips or riding the Haunted Mansion ride. They especially love going during Halloween and Christmas and immersing themselves in the magical experience.

Robert Mitchell has practiced as a physician assistant for more than 20 years in various areas including family practice, occupational medicine, psychiatry and correctional medicine. His current primary work is in corrections in a county jail providing healthcare needs for residents there. 

He hopes to gain skills and inertia to pull together skills and formula for collaboration that works best in correctional setting care including the effective treatment of mental health disorders. 

With luck he will be able to further demonstrate the importance of the role of Collaborative Care in providing services in a county jail or correctional setting. 

Over the next several years hopefully the efficiency of collaborative care will be increasingly demonstrated and recognized among best practices.

Christopher Ajadi’s journey in mental healthcare spans over 30years through continents and cultures. He is filled with gratitude for the diverse experiences that have shaped him into who he is today. Originally from Nigeria, his nursing career has taken him on a transformative path through the Republic of Ireland, England, and finally to the United States in 2007 and to South Korea through the US army. These global encounters have instilled in him a deep appreciation for the universal language of compassion and care, inspiring him to seek continuous growth and advancement in mental health.

Christopher’s educational journey has been marked by a relentless pursuit of knowledge and excellence. Starting from Nigeria and a post-master’s degree in psychiatric/mental health nursing at Maryville University, a pivotal step that propelled him towards his goal of becoming a proficient mental health nurse practitioner.

Through each educational milestone, he honed his clinical skills, deepened his theoretical understanding, and nurtured a passion for holistic patient care. His academic experiences have not only equipped him with the necessary tools to address the complex challenges of mental health but have also inspired him with a sense of purpose to advocate for vulnerable populations and promote mental wellness in all healthcare settings.

He is greatly excited and proud to be part of the fellowship program of the University of Washington in community-based integrated care to expand his skills, knowledge and understanding in a more holistic approach to healthcare, focusing on the intersection of mental health and community-based services. It is with great enthusiasm and determination to work alongside other healthcare professionals to achieve this dream.