Originally from Minnesota, Mary Anne graduated as a nurse in 1987 and has since had extensive experience in ICU and flight nursing.

Her tenure at Regions Hospital spans various critical roles, including staff nurse in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Trauma Nurse Clinician, Neurosurgical Nurse Clinician, and FCCS coordinator. Mary Anne's contributions to clinical research within the Department of Surgery are notable, overseeing multiple studies and currently serving as a co-investigator for an NIH study focusing on post-surgical incision management to prevent ostomy complications.

Notably, Mary Anne led the establishment of the Complex Abdominal Reconstruction Service (CARS) at Regions Hospital. The CARS team, under her guidance, has devised innovative approaches to manage complex abdominal wounds and enteric fistulae, emphasizing optimal patient outcomes and quality of life throughout the journey to surgical repair.

Mary Anne shares her expertise on fistula care and complex wounds nationally and internationally, contributing as faculty for renowned conferences like the Symposium on Advanced Wound Care and the Abdominal Wall Reconstruction conference. Her commitment extends globally as part of the wound care team for the Canadian-Ukrainian Surgical Aid program, including multiple missions in Poland aiding Ukrainian War wounded.

Her inventive spirit led to the creation of Fistula Solution products, for which she holds multiple patents. Complementing her contributions, Mary Anne has published articles in prestigious healthcare journals, including the Journal of American College of Surgeons, Wounds, Surgical Technology International, Clinical Nutrition, Current Dialogues in Wound Management, and The Clinics of North America: Emergency Nursing.