Kathleen Muldoon was a medical school professor before her middle child, Gideon, was born in 2013 with congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV), a diagnosis that transformed her family’s life. This led Kathleen to become an advocate for children with complex medical needs, balancing her roles as a mother, educator, and advocate.

Kathleen, originally from Canada, and her husband Seth, were living in Vermont but moved to Arizona, where they found vital support from Ryan House, the state’s only facility offering overnight respite care for children like Gideon. Ryan House has been essential to their family’s well-being, providing a community that allows them to thrive instead of isolating. Its care is a major reason Kathleen has chosen to stay in Arizona despite professional opportunities elsewhere.

Kathleen’s experience as a caregiver shapes her advocacy for whole-person care. Named 2023 National Educator of the Year by the Student Osteopathic Medical Association, she empowers healthcare professionals and caregivers through her work as a professor at Midwestern University—Glendale and as a coach at Kathleen Muldoon Coaching.