What’s your name?
Tammy Hickman
Where did you grow up?
Columbia — We moved here from St. Louis when I was 4 so I consider myself a true Columbia native.
What is your position at the Thompson Center?
Charge Nurse
How long have you worked at the Thompson Center?
Since Oct 7th 2008 — So almost 13 years.
What is your role at the Thompson Center?
Doing vital signs, refilling medications, answering messages, assisting providers as needed as well as many other nurse related duties. I also happen to be one of the handlers for our facility dog, Rhett.
What got you interested in autism?
Growing up, my family was part of the foster care program and we had a child in our care that was diagnosed with autism. That led me to a lot of reading about autism and ultimately a degree in psychology.
What is your favorite thing about working at the Thompson Center?
Working with our families is incredibly rewarding, especially since I’ve been here so long. I’ve watched some of the children grow up and make huge changes. I also love the people I work with, they are truly like family to me and have been so supportive.