Dr. Blanco joins UCQ from Virginia, USA, and is originally from Ontario, Canada. She is an advanced practice registered nurse, licensed in the state of Virginia. She specializes in Primary Care and Psychiatric-Mental Health Care across the lifespan. She is a graduate of University of North Florida, where she earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice in 2018. Her doctoral project focused on improving adherence to guidelines for glucose monitoring  for patients taking antipsychotics. Dr. Blanco brings years of professional and teaching experience to her role. Since 2012, she has been a Psychiatric Nurse Supervisor, Advanced Wound Care Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, and Program Director of an Advanced Wound Care Center and Hyperbaric Medicine in Virginia. As far as her career in academia, Dr. Blanco's area of expertise includes undergraduate, RN to BSN student education, distance learning, and clinical practicum. Dr. Blanco was awarded Faculty of the Year in 2015 by  Virginia Career College Association. With regard to research, she is interested in associations between antipsychotics and metabolic syndrome as well as illicit drug use and mental wellbeing. She is passionate about appropriate use of medicines for mental disorders and improving access to primary and mental health care.