You’ve spent much of your career in public health.

I worked seven years at a tribal college as a “strengthening lifestyles” director. I was a head women’s basketball coach for three years. For one year, after my son was born, I was assistant men’s basketball coach. And then I was offered a scholarship to study public health — master’s degree classes — and also be a part of a breast cancer research team in an urban setting. Prior to those seven years, I was a substance abuse prevention coordinator for my tribe, the M.H.A. Nation. I’ve always been more on the prevention side of things.

You’ve said that you went into public health because of your own family’s experience. What happened there?

I’m the oldest of three girls biologically. My mom also raised two of my older first cousins, who I consider sisters, and three older brothers. When I was 10, my younger sister was misdiagnosed at the local field clinic in Mandaree. She had appendicitis, and it almost ruptured and we almost lost her. Local health care providers turned her and my mom away. They would say she just had flulike symptoms and give her Tylenol and send her home.

My mom drove her to the nearest town that has a hospital — Watford City, 27 miles away — and the ambulance rushed her to the next level of care in Williston, and they had emergency surgeons. From that experience, with my little sister being 5 at the time — it really opened my eyes. It was scary, and I wanted to figure out how we could fix that in our community to where nobody else would have to experience that.

So from that point on, I set out to become a medical doctor. I applied and got into a summer program in seventh grade: physics, chemistry, math. It was a six-week program every summer. Then I went on to study pre-med in college. I found that I could not work with cadavers my whole senior year, so I had a life-changing decision to make [laughs].

What were the biggest issues you focused on in your campaign?

Access to health care. I knocked over 6,500 doors, and that was the most common theme I found at the doors from voters. Another issue that came up was our education system, K-12 and higher ed, and then also property taxes. People are afraid to be thrown out on the street, to lose their homes because the property taxes continue to increase.

North Dakota is a pretty conservative state. How do you think you won as a Democrat?

I would say meeting people where they’re at. Literally on their doorsteps. Most people were surprised to see a candidate at their doorstep. They were pretty receptive and open to having a conversation with me on what matters most to them.