Hey There!

My name is Kristen and I am a board-certified music therapist, creative aging practitioner, and professional musician. I live for connecting with others through song and storytelling - and in a perfect world, over a plate of homemade rigatoni. I'm a proud Binghamton native and delighted to serving these communities directly. Thanks for stopping by!

I graduated from Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory of Music, earning my Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy and completing my six-month internship at MetroHealth in Cleveland, Ohio. There, I was exposed to the power of music intervention as I followed patients from their first day in the trauma ICU after near-death accidents, to the front doors of the nearby inpatient neurologic rehab as they were discharged knowing they beat their odds.

After receiving my board certification in the spring of 2018, I relocated to Minnesota to join one of the many Mayo Clinic Hospice and Palliative Care teams. There were many difficult moments as I navigated hospice care for the first time, but it was in this work that I realized the beautiful gift that is walking alongside patients and their families, as they walk their loved ones home. My fervor for patient-centered care that prioritized dignity and my wish to advocate for better death literacy amongst communities followed me back to the Binghamton area (as well as the unfortunate COVID-19 pandemic). In 2021, I was granted the opportunity to create the area's first hospice music therapy program at Mercy House of the Southern Tier, and have treasured every moment of working alongside their team as we care for our community in their times of need.

Now, I am looking forward to continuing advocating for music therapy services across all ages and life situations as I officially launch my first LLC! My biggest hope is to provide quality services that are accessible to those that are in need. Over the course of my music therapy journey, I've worked with children and adults with developmental disabilities, neurologic impairments from injury or stroke, terminal illnesses, speech-language disorders, intellectual disabilities, mental illnesses, different types of dementia and memory loss, and grief and loss. I am also in the process of earning my Master's degree in Social Work which will allow me to continue my mission of creative arts interventions and making services more accessible.

I enjoy collecting vinyl records, baking, playing tennis at Rec Park, spending time with family and friends over a homecooked meal, and caring for my thriving collection of houseplants.