Veronica grew up in New Mexico, ranging from Santa Fe to living on the border of the Cochiti reservation. Later, volunteering for the Native Health Initiative (NHI) non-profit shaped her value for diversity and dedication to work towards health equity. She received two undergraduate degrees at the University of New Mexico where she majored in Psychology with a minor in Chemistry and majored in Biology with a minor in Health Medicine and Human Values. She continued onto medical school at the University of New Mexico as part of the Combined BA/MD program. Understanding how financial struggles impact access to care, she worked to restart and coordinate a monthly women's health clinic to provide free essential health services for uninsured and undocumented patients. Her research centered around teenagers' reproductive life plans and attitudes towards contraception. She expanded this research to incorporate a trauma-informed care approach within the local youth detention center. Her commitment for advocating for women's reproductive rights drove her to write a policy and medical proposal to allow medication abortions for her school's student health center. When she isn’t at the hospital, you can find her trying out a new recipe, trail running, mountain biking, rock-climbing, and swing dancing! Coming from the desert, she is especially excited to explore Oregon, with its luscious and rainy weather and quick access to both the ocean and mountains!