Pediatrician | Founder & CEO, Strong Children Wellness | Social Policy Advocate for Low-Income Families | Building Healthcare Without Boundaries. Creating Children Without Limits.
New York City Metropolitan Area
8K followers
500+ connections
About
As a pediatrician, founder, and advocate working at the intersection of healthcare, social care, and storytelling, I’ve spent over 20 years building programs in the US, Africa, Latin America and Asia to support health & social well-being for children and families and then translating that community-based, equity-centered work into narratives that inspire action and funding.
I am the co-founder and CEO of Strong Children Wellness, a social enterprise delivering integrated primary care, mental health, and social services to Medicaid-eligible and uninsured children and families. Through this organization, inspired by care models from my global health work, we’ve partnered with community organizations, navigated complex funding landscapes, and helped secure millions in philanthropic and social impact investments, all while centering dignity, justice, and trust in underserved communities in the U.S. and globally.
My work combines professional credibility as a pediatrician with deep experience as a founder and advocate, allowing me to bring stories to life in ways that resonate with policymakers, funders, and the public. My writing and advocacy have been featured on NPR, Newsweek, Reuters, Essence, BlackDoctor.org, SiriusXM, and SXSW, often highlighting child health justice, immigration, and the social conditions shaping the lives of children living in poverty.
I’m based in New York.
Always glad to connect with mission-driven leaders and organizations looking to make meaningful change and impact in the lives of historically marginalized children & families.
Experience
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Northwell Health
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Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology and Prevention
Donald & Barbara Zucker School of Medicine
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Columbia University Medical Center
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Program Evaluator, Partnership for Reviving Routine Immunization in Northern Nigeria
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
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Pediatric AIDS Corps Physician, Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative
Texas Children's Hospital
Education
Volunteer Experience
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Board Member
National Immigration Law Center
- Present 6 years 1 month
Civil Rights and Social Action
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Advisory Committee Member- Health Equity Fellowship
United Hospital Fund of New York
- Present 2 years 7 months
Health
The Health Equity Fellowship program is designed to support, catalyze, and develop next generation health equity change-makers in New York City. Over the course of the 18-month fellowship, cohorts of leaders working across the health care delivery ecosystem will champion equity, systems transformation, and collaborative leadership. As part of their fellowship, fellows will partner with a Community Based Organization (CBO) and collaborate on a project to address a specific health equity need in…
The Health Equity Fellowship program is designed to support, catalyze, and develop next generation health equity change-makers in New York City. Over the course of the 18-month fellowship, cohorts of leaders working across the health care delivery ecosystem will champion equity, systems transformation, and collaborative leadership. As part of their fellowship, fellows will partner with a Community Based Organization (CBO) and collaborate on a project to address a specific health equity need in the community being served.
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Advisory Committee Member - Equity in Behavioral Health Leadership initiiative
InUnity Alliance
- 1 year 7 months
Health
Advisor in the development of a training institute to ensure that there is more diversity in the leadership of behavioral health agencies throughout New York State, including on the executive levels and on the Boards of Directors.
Publications
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Associations of adverse social determinants of health with missed well-child visits and the role of caregiver social support
Journal of Advanced Pediatrics and Child Health
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Featured Article: Pediatricians need to provide more than health care
American Academy of Pediatrics
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New Views in Global Child Health: Global Solutions for Care in the United States
Current Opinion in Pediatrics
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