Randi Movich, RN

"I grew up in Southern California. I spent my free time swimming in the ocean, camping, skiing, and backpacking in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In my junior year of high school, I was an exchange student in Jerusalem, Israel. I went to college at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and studied biology. Our mascot is the terrifying Banana Slug. During college, I lived in Marseille, France for a year. I learned French, sailed, and rode my bike. Oh yes, and went to classes. As part of an animal behavior class, I studied elephant seals on a small island off the coast of Central California. I also spent a summer studying Orcas and kayaking with them off the coast of Vancouver Island. The Orcas would come within 10 feet of me in the ocean with their huge 6-foot dorsal fins and dive under the kayak. Amazing and scary! After college, I went into the Peace Corps and lived in Guinea, West Africa for 2.5 years. I lived in a village of 200 amazing people. There was no electricity or running water. I had close encounters with snakes in my house and latrine. The people I lived with taught me so much about farming, community, and hard work. I met my husband in graduate school and we have 3 lovely daughters. After graduate school, I spent another year in Guinea learning about medicinal plants that women use in reproductive health. My experience with traditional healers and midwives helped me decide to pursue a career as a nurse. I went to OHSU for my nursing degree. I was lucky enough to volunteer with an organization called PINCC in Kenya which trains healthcare providers on how to detect and treat cervical cancer. When I am not in the clinic, I love to write, camp, river raft, backpack, ski, garden, travel, and make short films with my family and friends. I love to visit and travel with my 86-year young mom."