Theresa Gutierrez, MSN, RN, FNP, has been appointed to the American Health Council’s Nursing Board. Ms. Gutierrez brings an abundance of experience from spending twenty-one years working within the healthcare industry. She is currently a Family Nurse Practitioner at the Lovelace Westside Hospital and has been in that role for over a year. She is equipped with skills in Family Medicine, Bariatrics, and Nursing Education.

Beginning her education at the University of New Mexico, Ms. Gutierrez obtained her Bachelor’s in Nursing with a concentration in Family Medicine and Bariatrics in 1996. She continued her education at the University of St. Francis Joliet where she worked towards her Master’s in Nursing and became a Certified Family Nurse Practitioner in 2013.

The inspiration to become a Nurse Practitioner came to Theresa Gutierrez when she was a Pre-Medical undergraduate. She became a mother during that time and decided that the benefits she received from pursuing a career as a nurse better fit her needs. She also has a natural passion for providing care to others, especially those in her community. It is this passion that she credits her entire career to, if she was without it she believes she would not have been this successful.

To begin her day, Theresa Gutierrez, MSN serves as a clinician that provides care to bariatric patients who manage chronic health issues associated with obesity. She manages the pre-surgical screenings of all bariatric-surgical patients as well as performing her duties as the Bariatric Program Manager.

In her time as a nurse practitioner, Ms. Gutierrez has had the privilege of being an Adjunct at the Brookline College of Nursing and the Central New Mexico Community College. She has also received numerous thanks and appreciations from the patients she has treated in the past.

Ms. Gutierrez is a proud member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, the Obesity Medical Association, and acts as the Current Treasurer for the New Mexico Nurse Practitioner Council. She also contributes her wealth of knowledge in nursing through precepting for nurse practitioner students.

Above all other accomplishments, Ms. Gutierrez is most proud to have been married to her high school sweetheart for 29 years. Together, they raised two very well-rounded adult children. She is also proud to be a successful Hispanic woman in the medical field.

Theresa Gutierrez, MSN has teamed up with United Way, an organization that helps fund under-developed programs in healthcare, education, and the workforce. She is also associated with the Make a Wish Foundation, in hopes that her efforts could help a child in need.

One of Ms. Gutierrez’s future endeavors is returning to school to teach as a member of the adjunct faculty. She wishes to teach those in the nursing field, using her experience as an educational tool for others who are willing to learn. She truly values education above all else, which is why she is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Nursing as well as her Master’s in Public Health. She strongly believes that people must do all that they can to give back to their community to ensure the health and wellness of future generations.

When she has time to herself, Ms. Gutierrez likes to be outdoors, she is fond of hiking and fishing. She also cherishes the time that is spent with her family and friends.