Team Members

Christine Platt PhD, DNP, FNP-C

FCCL Director

Dr. Platt is an assistant professor, researcher, and Family Nurse Practitioner. Her research reflects her commitment to improving the health of children at high risk for poor health outcomes. With a focus on health disparities, particularly for children in the US foster care systems, her work seeks to identify facilitators and barriers to quality caregiving particularly on the discharge transition from hospital to home for children with complex health needs.

Sally Martens PhD, FNP-C

Dr. Sally Martens has more than 15 years of nursing experience, and for the past 8 years, has worked as a Nurse Practitioner in a pediatric specialty hospital, where she specialized in pediatric acute care, burns, and orthopedics. Her clinical background working with children with physical differences and disabilities inspired her desire to promote psychosocial health development in school-aged children. Her program of research aims to examine and describe the complex nature of self-concept development and self-acceptance in school-aged children using mixed-method research methodologies.

Mike Robinson DNP, FNP-C

Dr. Michael S Robinson, DNP, FNP-C, received his DNP from Oregon Health and Science University in 2016. After graduating from the BYU College of Nursing with an MS and becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner in 2013 he began practicing in Family medicine (first in Oregon than here in Utah). He has practiced in family/general medicine, urgent care, weight loss medicine, and recently made a change to dermatology ('21; a long-held desire). He enjoyed being an adjunct faculty member at BYU ('16-'19) so much he joined the BYU faculty full-time ('21) as an assistant teaching professor before moving full-time into dermatology. He is married to the amazing Shanelle Robinson; they have three remarkable and beautiful/handsome children.

Jeanette Drake, PhD, MA, RN

Dr. Jeanette Drake received BSN from BYU, MN from University of Washington, MA in Education and PhD in Nursing from the University of Texas Health Science Center, Cizik School of Nursing, in Houston Texas. Her research interests include psychometric testing of new instruments that evaluate Critical Care Nurse Knowledge, Atrial Electrograms, Critical Care Nursing, and Transition to practice (RN and NP).

DeeDee Long, RN

DeeDee is a registered nurse. She received her Associate's Degree in Nursing from Central Arizona College in 2015 and graduated with her Bachelor's of Science in nursing from the University of Utah in 2023. Her experience in nursing includes working on the ortho/neuro floor at St. Marks Hospital and as a public health nurse through the Utah County Health Department. She is currently a Family Nurse Practitioner student at Brigham Young University. She chose nursing because of her love of family and the opportunity to love and treat others as such. Her hobbies include traveling, spending time with her family and trying to learn new languages.

Lindsay Jenson

Lindsay is an undergraduate student in the BYU College of Nursing. She grew up in Colorado Springs, CO and served a mission in Bahia Blanca, Argentina. Lindsay was drawn to nursing due to her deep love of people and interest in providing high-quality, compassionate care. She plans to pursue a career in pediatric nursing and is excited about her future career. She loves to run, play pickleball, be outdoors, and be with family and friends.

Amanda Ball

Susy Vega, RN

Susy Vega is a Registered Nurse. Born in Mexico City and grew up in Southern California. She graduated from Cerritos College in 2003 with an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and later earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from BYU-Idaho in 2017. Susy is currently pursuing her Family Nurse Practitioner degree at BYU.

Susy has worked in various nursing specialties, including adult critical care, maternal and newborn care, and public health nursing. Most recently, she worked as a school nurse, where her skills in patient care and health promotion played a significant role in supporting students and their families.

Susy is a mother of five, and her favorite thing to do is spend time with her family. She also enjoys reading, sewing, and doing crafts.

Fluent in both Spanish and English, Susy is also learning Italian and Portuguese, demonstrating her passion for languages and connecting with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Hannah Wilkerson

Hannah is an undergraduate nursing student at BYU. From teaching piano to being an Emergency Department volunteer and Patient Care Tech at Utah Valley Hospital, her experiences have fueled her passion for human interaction and desire to become a nurse. She plans to work in Labor and Delivery and eventually become a Certified Nurse Midwife. In her free time, she loves to play the viola, cook, hike, dance, go rock climbing, and spend time with family and friends.

Nyah Bee

Nyah was born and raised in Gilbert, AZ before going on her mission to Nashville, TN. After her mission, she began BYU's nursing undergraduate program to eventually become a Critical Care Practitioner. She was drawn to nursing because of her desire to serve and advocate for others. Outside of the classroom, Nyah can be found doing anything outdoors: canyoneering, hiking, skiing, or country dancing.

Eliza Allen

Eliza Allen is an undergraduate student in the Brigham Young University College of Nursing. Eliza chose to pursue nursing because of her passion for promoting wellness not just physically, but of the whole person. She plans to pursue an FNP degree following graduation in April 2026. She grew up in Southern Utah where she developed a love for the outdoors. She also loves to travel and has spent time living and studying abroad in Ukraine, Jerusalem, Greece, Jordan, and the Czech Republic.

Ruby Jensen

Ruby Jensen is an undergraduate student in the BYU College of Nursing who's love of healthcare was sparked during a high school EMS internship. Later, navigating typhoons and tricycle rides in the Tacloban, Philippines Mission, she decided that she wanted to use her love of medicine to further serve vulnerable populations. Back in the States, she dove into cancer disparities research at The Ohio State (go Bucks!), and she’s determined to keep chasing ways to make healthcare more accessible for everyone. When she’s not buried in textbooks or research, you’ll probably find Ruby and her husband Russell gallivanting through the mountains, chasing white water, or otherwise frolicking in the great outdoors.

Whitney Pierce

Whitney was born in Boise, Idaho, but her family is currently living in Vacaville, California. She has been married to her husband for over a year and loves living in Provo! She is an undergraduate student in the Brigham Young University College of Nursing and chose to pursue nursing because of the amazing opportunities she will have to help and heal others. She plans on working as a trauma nurse in the ER or ICU. She loves pickleball, backpacking, cooking, or just curling up with a warm blanket, sweet treat, and a good book.

David Parks

David Parks is an undergraduate student at BYU majoring in Economics. He was born and raised in Waukee, Iowa and served a mission in Accra, Ghana. Currently, he is pursuing a career in Podiatry. His interest in podiatry started in his youth through competitive running. He hopes that in his future career, he can work and serve with compassion, love, and integrity to all he comes across. In his free time David enjoys running, golfing, and cooking with his wife.

Emma Hardy

Emma Hardy is an undergraduate student at BYU majoring in Economics and minoring in Japanese. Growing up in a military family, she lived in various locations around the world, most recently in Tokyo, Japan. Her time living abroad sparked a deep appreciation for diverse cultures and inspired her current pursuit of a career in diplomacy. She is passionate about utilizing the research skills and the global perspective she is gaining at BYU to serve others on an international scale. In her free time, she enjoys baking, swimming, traveling, and reading.

Madison Strebel, FNP

Madison Strebel is a Family Nurse Practitioner. She received her RN from Salt Lake Community College (2020). She received her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from Utah Tech University (2021). She has worked as a cardiac nurse at Utah Valley Hospital since 2020. She graduated from the Family Nurse Practitioner program at Brigham Young University in 2025. She likes to read, hike, and sew when she can.

Annie Lavering

Annie is an undergraduate student in the BYU College of Nursing. She is also pursuing a minor in Healthcare Leadership in the Marriott School of Business at BYU. She is from Seattle, Washington. She chose nursing because of her interest in health with an emphasis on personal patient engagement, and because of the wide array of roles nurses can embrace. She enjoys friendly competition and loves playing pickleball and golf in her free time.

Taylor Russell, RN

Taylor was born and raised in Houston, TX before moving to Utah to begin her undergraduate degree at Brigham Young University studying nursing with a minor in family life. After serving a mission for her church in Dallas, TX/ Porto Alegre, Brazil, she has about 1.5 years until graduation. Her dream is to one day be an oncology nurse practitioner. When she is not working, researching, or studying, she loves to be with her family or somewhere outdoors.

Nicole Strand, RN

Nicole Strand was an undergraduate nursing student at Brigham Young University, and graduated December 2024. She has special interest in pediatrics and mental health nursing. Outside of nursing classes, Nicole enjoys learning other languages, and is currently attempting to learn Portuguese, while maintaining her Russian language skills!

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