A PROUD native of East Chicago, Indiana (15 minutes from Chicago), Dr. FreeDem graduated from Purdue University in 2000 with a degree in Nursing. She worked as an Oncology nurse for 2 years and then as a Maternal Child nurse for 12 years. In 2009, she completed a Masters of Nursing and Masters of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in Healthcare Management from the University of Phoenix. While living in Lexington, South Carolina, she attended and graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2012 with a Post Masters to practice as a Family Practice Nurse Practitioner. Understanding the disparities that impact Black men and having a passion for the health of Black men, Dr. FreeDem completed her Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) focused on the health of black men in December 2020. In December 2022 she completed a post doctoral certificate in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing. Dr. FreeDem loves psychiatric and acute care and has experience as a Nurse Practitioner in Urgent Care, Retail Health, and Hospice/Palliative Care.