Dana joined the Piper Center in December 2021 after having taught career classes to undergraduates at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities for the past 10 years.  Her background also includes work with the University of Minnesota’s MD/PhD Program, and Indiana University’s Psychiatry Residency program. She is excited to help pre-health students at St. Olaf explore career and educational opportunities after college.  

As the pre-health coach, Dana works closely with members of the St. Olaf Health Professions Committee, comprised of faculty from the sciences and mathematics, and is chaired by Dr. Kevin Crisp from the Biology Department. Together, Prof. Crisp and Dana provide support and advising to students on both the academic (Prof. Crisp) and experiential (Dana) requirements for admission to graduate health programs. In her role at the Piper Center, Dana helps manage a range of pre-health internships and shadowing opportunities, and she is excited to partner with alumni, parents, and others in the community to create new internships, identify research opportunities, and build strong shadowing programs for St. Olaf students.

Dana grew up on a farm near Northfield, and after experiencing indecision, earned her BA in Theatre Arts from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and her MA from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota in Counseling in Psychology, where her master’s work focused on career indecision in college students and appropriate counseling interventions. Dana lives in Bloomington with her husband and George the cat. Her daughter graduated from college in 2021, and her son graduated from St. Olaf in May 2023. Her favorite things include spending time with family, friends, and neighbors, impromptu conversations, almost any type of music, listening to podcasts and audio books, travel, hiking, and early morning walks.

She is thrilled to be at St. Olaf and the Piper Center, and looks forward to meeting with you!