I am originally from Germany but have lived in England, UK for over 20 years, where I completed a BSc (hons) in Adult Nursing (Oxford Brookes University) and PhD in Health Sciences (University of Southampton). I worked clinically within respiratory, general medical and gerontological nursing and this is reflected in my research interests in long-term conditions, ageing and healthcare delivery. Most recently, I spent time in northern Ontario, Canada before moving to Wellington. 

I have been a principal or co-investigator on several research projects with funding in the UK and Canada, including the current project "Peoples, Spaces,  Places - a realist evaluation of Rare Dementia Support Canada" funded by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research.