I am a nurse practitioner (NP) with over 20 years of experience as a nurse and 15 years of experience as an NP. I have a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in nursing research science. I am also certified as a family nurse practitioner and as a transgender/non-binary healthcare provider.

At Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), I care for LGBTQI+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex) people with all types of cancer, including those experiencing side effects from cancer or its treatment. I also work with people who have a high risk of developing cancer.

I see patients at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Brooklyn Infusion Center, MSK’s main hospital (Memorial Hospital), and via telemedicine visits. When patients meet with me, they are often worried about how their providers may respond to them being LGBTQI+. I ease their concerns by welcoming them to MSK, advocating for them throughout their cancer care journey, and addressing any questions they may have about LGBTQI+ care. This includes questions related to receiving gender-affirming care during or after cancer treatment.

I also help recommend cancer screening based on my patients’ LGBTQI+ status. The questions I most commonly hear from the people in my care include:

• Can I come out to my provider and feel safe at MSK?
• Will I be able to continue gender-affirming hormones during and/or after cancer treatment?
• Do you prescribe gender-affirming hormone therapy?
• I am transgender, nonbinary, or gender-expansive; what cancer screening do you recommend?
• Do I need an advanced care directive? Who should I ask?
• Do you offer LGBTQI+-specific mental health care?

I chose a career in healthcare because I am passionate about delivering individualized care to all populations. When I work with patients, I strive to get to know each patient’s individual needs and answer all their questions. I treat all of my patients with dignity and respect.

In addition to providing direct patient care, I have created a strategic plan for LGBTQI+ health equity at MSK that includes educating providers, developing and updating new policies for equality, conducting research to support improved care of LGBTQI+ patients with cancer, coordinating with community LGBTQI+ resources, and providing care to LGBTQI+ people with cancer or who have a high risk of developing cancer.

When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with my family, including my two dogs!