Sharon Goldfarb is a New York native that joined the Los Medanos Nursing Department in fall of 2014.

Goldfarb recalls receiving the opportunity to encompass the dynamic responsibility of becoming the LVN program educator while eating dinner with a long time friend. The Licensed Vocational Nurse program took a year of absence due to staffing issues. Goldfarb was a perfect fit, considering she had many years of teaching credentials along with being a nurse practitioner. Goldfarb said it was a blessing to get the opportunity because she had been seeking employment for a few months but to no avail.

Goldfarb took her first steps as an educator in the early 1980s as an assistant teacher for Children’s Circle, L.I College Hospital. She taught special education preschool. During that time she realized a passion for teaching. She knew what she wanted to pursue in her life and spent the following years educating and volunteering her time in an array of health departments and non-profit organizations. Through this journey she landed in a program whose main focus was to help the homeless adults of New York called Project Renewal. Goldfarb thought it was one of the most eye opening experiences she has ever had.

“It was very interesting to hear the homeless proclaim they were healthy. The reality was they were very sick and suffered from disease but because they cannot afford health care they go their whole life unaware and untreated.” said Goldfarb.

She felt it was the most eye-opening experience because it gave her a look into the perception society had on health.

Goldfarb was passionate about helping those people who really needed the medical aid even though the homeless were unaware of that need. She was even more excited when the service was offered for free.

Goldfarb laughs when she recalls her days as an educator for Columbia University.

“During my time as an educator at a university several years before the nursing students self diagnosed themselves as fatally ill when all they had was a minor cold. It was very interesting to see the perception people had on health,” she said. “The homeless do not have readily available access to health care but yet they state they are in the best condition. It is so backwards.”

Goldfarb spent close to ten years working with Project Renewal before becoming a family Nurse Practitioner for New School University Student Health Services. She spent several years caring and nurturing mothers and their babies. Goldfarb’s face lights up and a twinkle in her eye shines when she describes the joy that experience brought into her life despite seeing many babies born prematurely.

Goldfarb hesitates a moment before she shares the heartbreak that is associated with the polarized end of childbirth. Goldfarb fixes her eyes to the ceiling as if to prevent the tears from falling.

“Witnessing a mother lose her child is devastating. When you spend so much time with a mother during the terms of her pregnancy you cannot help but become attached,” said Goldfarb.

She witnessed many success stories with the children who did survive the first crucial months but she will always hold a special place in her heart for those little ones that fought the best they could but did not make it.

“I believe in the power of physical touch. I encourage physical touch especially with newborns. I believe it has its own power of healing,” she said.

Goldfarb was full of energy and in high spirits during her first few days on the LMC campus. Despite her straight posture, she still managed to jiggle her three-inch turquoise earrings as she excitedly explained how happy she was to work with nursing students.

“My goal is to create scientific minds and inspire compassionate hearts,” said Goldfarb.

According to Goldfarb, the LVN program is a great catalyst into the RN program. It