Megan Blanton Vittetoe knows the importance of surrounding herself with positive and uplifting people. She loves helping others and giving back to her community in every way she can.
“I have a lot of people that motivate me just by being themselves and watching them and other women succeed drives me to succeed,” Vittetoe said. “Surround yourself with people you want to emulate, who make you want to be a better person.”
Vittetoe grew up in Valparaiso and attended Wheeler High School. She also attended both Ivy Tech in Valparaiso and Gary for her Associate’s degree. She continued her education at Valparaiso, receiving her Bachelor’s. Vittetoe also has a Master’s of Healthcare Administration, and she’s still got a thirst to continue to learn. She is currently attending Purdue to become a Nurse Practitioner.
“I work at Lakeshore Bone and Joint Institute for Dr. Aaron Anderson,” Vittetoe said. “As soon as I graduate in August, I’ll be more like a physician assistant, since most nurse practitioners focus on family practice where my workplace has a larger focus on the surgical aspect.”
What started as a small idea became a reality as Vittetoe’s friends and coworkers inspired her to follow her dreams. Her orthopedic office was in need of physician assistants, and a seed was planted in her head that maybe she should continue her education to fill that need.
“I love my job and I love orthopedics,” Vittetoe said. “Everyone said, ‘Why don’t you go to Physician Assistant school,’ and I’m a nurse, and nurses typically follow the Nurse Practitioner path. I never want to stop learning.”
In her free time, Vittetoe spends time with her two sons, Evan (17) and Caden (13). Evan recently took on a new job at Fluid Coffee Bar, and Caden likes to spend his free time playing video games. The family recently moved to downtown Valparaiso, and so they are enjoying the luxury of being able to walk to a myriad of storefronts and shops. Vittetoe also enjoys running and taking her sons to visit different parts of the world.
“We’ve been to California twice this year already, and I took them to Florida for spring break,” Vittetoe said. “I love to travel with them. We’ve been to Gatlinburg, and we’ve also hiked a small part of the Appalachian Trail.”
Imparting sage wisdom, Vittetoe shares her belief that every individual is responsible for the collective well-being of the community. Though, she understands that everyone might play a different role in how they might help others.
“I would have to say the biggest way that I give back to the community is through my job,” Vittetoe said. “Of course, I don’t like seeing people come in broken, but my favorite part is seeing them walk out functional. I think that’s amazing; just helping people get back to their daily life.”