Erin Hogan, MSN, AGPCNP-BC, RN
Erin Hogan is a nurse practitioner with a diverse clinical background, who has seen firsthand the devastating impact of health inequity. As she says, "In my current role as a nurse practitioner in inpatient oncology, I have encountered patients who have delayed treatment for their cancer due to lack of insurance." This experience, among others, has fueled her commitment to addressing disparities in healthcare access and outcomes. Ms. Hogan has worked tirelessly to provide comprehensive care for patients facing challenges, as exemplified by her work in rural New York where she "ensured to take the time necessary to provide a thorough exam." She has taken part in medical missions, delivering essential care and health education to underserved communities. As she explains, "I always ensure to focus on topics that would not require a necessity of technology or cause any financial burden to the patient." Her passion for creating a fairer healthcare system is clear in her work and advocacy.
Kenan Palmares, RN, MSN, PMH-BC
Kenan Palmares is a dedicated psychiatric registered nurse with over a decade of experience in caring for children and adolescents. He has served underserved populations in New York City’s public hospitals, including Elmhurst and Eastchester. Witnessing firsthand the challenges these communities face in accessing quality healthcare sparked his enthusiasm for creating positive change. As Mr. Palmares notes, “Developing a therapeutic relationship with them while observing their improvement has inspired me to continue working with underserved populations as a prospective advanced clinician.” With a master's in nursing from Hunter College and experience at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, he is devoted to bridging healthcare disparities. Reflecting on his journey, he shares, “my previous experiences in addressing health disparities have equipped me to hopefully bridge the gap in accessing quality healthcare services for underserved populations and communities.”
Emmanuella Jean-Pierre, MSN, RN, FNP-BC
Emmanuella Jean-Pierre is an ardent healthcare provider committed to reducing health disparities and advancing social justice, putting action to Calvin Moorley words that “being a nurse, especially in this modern day and age, means being aware of social injustices and systemic racism that exist in much of nursing. We have a personal and professional responsibility to challenge and end them.” Motivated by this call to action, Emmanuella incorporates social determinants of health into her ICU practice, empowering patients to improve their outcomes through lifestyle modifications. Beyond direct patient care, she is devoted to advocating for fair healthcare policies and has volunteered extensively in underserved communities. Her unwavering dedication to improving patient lives drives her pursuit of advanced education while supporting a healthy work-life balance.
Gilbert Barjon, MS, FNP
Gilbert Barjon is a dedicated nurse committed to improving mental healthcare. His nursing career, spanning neurosurgery, oncology, and urgent care, has provided "extensive opportunities to support individuals with mental health conditions." Recognizing "the complexity of mental health issues and the importance of addressing them within the broader context of health equity," Mr. Barjon is eager to bridge the gap between healthcare and underserved communities. He has seen firsthand the challenges faced by patients, including "a lack of resources in underprivileged communities, high healthcare costs, and a lack of literacy," and is committed to addressing these social determinants of health. Through collaboration and advocacy, he aims to create a fairer healthcare system for all.
Sharon Sperling, MS, NP
Sharon Sperling is a devoted nurse who has a long history of championing marginalized individuals and promoting health equity. "In the late eighties, after graduating from high school, I worked as an EMT in the emergency room of the since-demolished St. Vincent’s Hospital in Manhattan’s West Village," she recalls, highlighting her early exposure to the AIDS epidemic. Her commitment to health equity continued during the COVID-19 pandemic when she was "redeployed from my job in student health at Columbia University and asked to work 10-hour days in a makeshift COVID testing center for NY Presbyterian Hospital." Throughout her career, Sperling has tackled significant barriers to care, noting, "These are just two examples of the many experiences that I have had working with populations where there were significant barriers to care." Sperling believes, "Healthcare is not a luxury, but a basic human right," and aims to further her impact on health equity through the PMHNP (Psychiatry Mental Health Nurse Practitioner) program at Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing.
Margaret Tan, RN, MSN
Margaret Tan is a seasoned nurse with nine years of experience across various healthcare settings, including dialysis clinics, public and private hospitals, and telemetry and critical care units. Her work in public hospitals has significantly shaped her understanding of the complexities and barriers individuals face in accessing healthcare. "Social, economic, and even political barriers exist that make it difficult or nearly impossible for some people to seek the help they need, especially when it comes to their health," she notes. One memorable experience involved a patient, an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala, who "waited in the emergency room for 2-18 hours" for lifesaving hemodialysis, highlighting the ethical and fiscal challenges of the current healthcare system. Tan's experiences underscore her dedication to addressing health inequities.
Minji Song, RN, TNCC, ACLS
Minji Song is a driven full-time RN, single mother, and soon-to-be student, propelled by a strong passion for nursing and public health. Starting her career in public health in Korea, she moved to New York to continue her mission of caring for patients, emphasizing the need for fair care regardless of insurance or immigration status. "It is essential to provide care to everyone, regardless of insurance or immigration status," she says, highlighting her commitment to health equity. Song values the collaborative efforts of public health teams, saying, "I love being part of public health—patient advocates, interpreters, and social workers coming together as a team to help those in need." Her personal and professional experiences at NYC Health+ Hospital, where she was also a patient, have reinforced her dedication to advocating for health equity and supporting diverse patient populations. Confident in her ability to balance her many responsibilities, she envisions completing her AGACNP within two years while continuing to advocate for her patients and community.
Seema Madhavan, RN, MS, MPH
Seema Madhavan is a dedicated nurse with 15 years of experience, deeply devoted to addressing health disparities. "My professional experiences have been crucial in guiding me towards understanding how to address health disparities," she notes, highlighting her varied roles that have shaped her understanding of health equity. Her background in public health nursing has equipped her with insights into multiple social factors influencing health outcomes, such as socioeconomic status and access to healthcare. Reflecting on her time as a Home Care Consultant, she recalls, "Working closely with hospital social workers to give people the best shot at being successful upon discharge from the hospital quickly became a primary responsibility." Inspired by stories of others who have completed the Evelyn Lauder Fellowship program, Seema is dedicated to continuing her work full-time while pursuing her PMHNP, emphasizing, "These actions will enable me to best meet my goals of continuing to address health equity in innovative and impactful ways."
Shirniece Farrell, MSN, FNP-BC, RN
Shirniece Farrell is a dedicated healthcare professional committed to achieving health equity for all. Her experience working in underserved communities has highlighted the significant disparities in healthcare access and outcomes. As she says, "Every person should have the chance to attain good health," and she is determined to break down the barriers that prevent this from happening. By pursuing the Lauder Fellowship, Shirniece aims to deepen her clinical ability as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner while continuing her work towards a fairer healthcare system. She believes that by addressing "implicit bias" and providing culturally competent care, she can help create a world where everyone can thrive.
Antonia Duran, RN
Antonia Duran is a committed nurse with seven years of experience across various healthcare settings, currently working with cancer patients at the Evelyn Lauder Breast Center at Memorial Sloan Kettering. Her early career in a clinic serving low-income communities highlighted the disparities in healthcare accessibility and the critical need for better health education, as she saw that "healthcare is not easily accessible to everyone." As a first-generation Latina from Washington Heights, she is dedicated to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for patients who often feel overlooked, saying, "I wish to provide a comfortable environment for patients where they can feel seen and heard." Antonia is passionate about health equity and believes that "if we offer more education and resources to these communities, it would be a step in the right direction." She plans to balance full-time work and graduate studies, supported by a strong personal network and the fellowship stipend, to continue her mission of improving healthcare access for all.
Marina Spektor, CCRN, CNRN
Marina Spektor is a compassionate nurse with thirteen years of experience at New York University Langone Medical Center. Her journey began nineteen years ago when she and her family immigrated to Brooklyn, where she saw health disparities affecting immigrant and low-income families. Working in the neuroscience intensive care unit exposed her to the intricate challenges faced by patients, highlighting how “individuals who lack significant financial and family support or come from a disadvantaged background face a much more difficult road to recovery.” Marina's experience inspired her to care for all patients with an open heart and mind, striving to understand their holistic needs. She believes in addressing healthcare inequity at both national and community levels and hopes to “cause a positive ripple effect” as a compassionate and resourceful clinician. As she embarks on her graduate journey at Hunter College, Marina plans to balance her studies with reduced work hours and family support, eagerly expecting the opportunity to make this experience meaningful.
Pavithra Jaisankar, FNP-BC, MPH, RN
Pavithra Jaisankar is a dedicated nurse committed to addressing health inequities faced by individuals with severe mental illness (SMI). During an internship in India, she saw firsthand "the psychosocial and medical issues facing the women residing at the shelter were extensive, and the resources available to the clinicians I worked with often felt inadequate." As a psychiatric nurse, she was "repeatedly confronted with the complex bio-psychosocial needs of my patients, and saw firsthand how patient, provider and system level factors created barriers to accessing timely medical care, and often resulted in poor health outcomes." Shocked by the statistic that "people with SMI die on average twenty-five years earlier than the general population, often from preventable cardiovascular disease," Pavithra became a Family Nurse Practitioner. She has provided integrated care in various settings, implementing strategies like "making sure everyone on our unit, especially those on high-risk medications, are screened for diabetes and other cardiovascular diseases." Her unwavering commitment to improving the health and well-being of individuals with SMI drives her work.
Julia Crawford, RN, BLS
Julia Crawford is an RN who gained a deeper understanding of social determinants of health during her nursing education at Temple University. Her community work in North Philadelphia made a significant impact, leading her to realize, “I was incredibly lucky through this rewarding experience, especially when children opened up about their struggles at home.” Working in a pediatric complex care unit revealed the challenges families face and reinforced her belief in the need for comprehensive primary care. Julia then developed a preventative back pain program, furthering her commitment to primary prevention. Now working in an internal medicine clinic while pursuing the Adult and Geriatric NP (Nurse Practitioner) program at Hunter Bellevue, she looks forward to applying her knowledge to enhance patient outcomes and support her interdisciplinary team.
Sarah Somuah, RN
Sarah Somuah is a registered nurse dedicated to inclusive, compassionate care. Her bedside experiences have shaped her understanding of health inequities, as she notes, “I understand that my patients may come from different socioeconomic backgrounds and have different life experiences, so I am nonjudgmental and kind towards them.” A New Yorker at heart, Sarah values cultural competency and patient-centered care, emphasizing, “It’s important for me to sit down with my patients and listen to them.” She is committed to advocacy, taking part in healthcare policy development to reduce disparities. As a nurse, Sarah believes in fairness, justice, and respect for patient dignity, saying, “Nursing ethics indicates the essence of fairness, justice, and respect for the dignity of everyone.” Beyond clinical care, she collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to address patients’ holistic needs, including access to resources.
Sigrid Squicciarini, RN, BLS, ACLS, PALS
Sigrid Squicciarini is an RN with a background in serving underprivileged populations. In 2019, she worked as a Care Manager, helping medically underserved children by securing resources and finding medical providers despite the challenges of limited access to care. Her nursing role in Washington Heights, a low-income and predominantly Latino area of New York City, involved addressing issues like violence and addiction, and overcoming language barriers through multilingual signs and interpreters. Sigrid believes, "It is important to really listen to the patient, and to allow them to verbalize their feelings without any form of judgment." Her experiences underscore the need for collaborative efforts to close gaps in health equity, affirming that "it takes a team to coordinate these services and ensure that patients have the best experience possible."
Boyoung Yun, MPA, BSN, RN, CNOR
Boyoung Yun is an RN dedicated to health equity, combining her MPA in international development with fourteen years of nursing experience. She says, "This program delved into critical issues that impact health outcomes, such as poverty, education, and social justice," which shaped her approach to culturally sensitive care. Her extensive nursing background has heightened her empathy for patients facing diverse challenges, and her volunteer work in underserved communities highlighted the severe impacts of health disparities. Boyoung believes, "Building awareness goes beyond just identifying the problem; it involves empowering patients and navigating their surroundings to optimize their recovery." Her work integrates patient awareness, community engagement, and policy advocacy to drive systemic change and achieve health equity.
Rose Ali, MSN, RN, ANP-BC, GNP
Rose Ali is an Adult Geriatric Nurse Practitioner with 17 years of experience addressing health equity and healthcare disparities. She notes, "I've witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by minority patients, such as limited access to specialized cancer treatments and insufficient preventative care education." Rose has focused on educating patients about health maintenance and reaching those at elevated risk, despite barriers like lack of insurance and financial difficulties. Her role as a clinical nurse specialist, especially in educating staff about the HPV vaccine, and her work at the Breast Center of Harlem, has deepened her understanding of healthcare disparities. Rose plans to balance her part-time work with graduate studies in mental health, aiming to integrate mental health care into her practice and enhance patient outcomes.
Yasmin Sheikh, RN
Yasmin Sheikh is an RN with extensive bedside nursing experience, dedicated to advancing health equity in underserved communities. She notes, "Patients lack resources and face barriers to affordable healthcare, and some populations face these challenges at higher rates." Yasmin works collaboratively with case management and social services to ensure patients have access to necessary support. In one instance, she recognized an African American patient's need for a blood pressure check and proper education, saying, "I learned that she did not own a BP monitor and had not received appropriate education about monitoring her BP." Yasmin's commitment to health equity is clear in her proactive advocacy and comprehensive patient care.
Sunil Gurung, RN, BSN
Sunil Gurung is an RN whose diverse experiences at HSS have deepened his commitment to fair care, highlighting the urgent need to address healthcare disparities among underserved populations. He reflects, "Engaging with diverse resources and patient demographics deepened my appreciation for equitable care and the pressing need to address the healthcare needs of underserved populations." Sunil is driven by the mission of the Evelyn Lauder Fellowship, which aligns with his goal of promoting health equity. As he begins his master's program in Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner this August 2024, he plans to work part-time to focus on his studies and the Fellowship. Sunil is committed to using his time and energy to contribute meaningfully to improving healthcare outcomes and advancing inclusive care practices.
Krystaline N. Velez, BSN, RN, CRRN, GERO-BC
Krystaline N. Velez is an RN dedicated to addressing healthcare disparities and advancing health equity through comprehensive patient education and culturally competent care. She emphasizes, "By promoting health literacy, I empower patients to make informed decisions about their health, which is a crucial step towards achieving health equity." Krystaline is committed to leading initiatives that provide education, preventive care, and continuity of care to underserved communities. As she starts her master's program, she plans to work full-time while balancing her professional and personal commitments. She notes, "If needed, I would decrease my work hours," with her manager's support, ensuring she can focus on her graduate coursework and clinical practice.
Sandra N. Austine, BSN, RN
Sandra N. Austine is a registered nurse deeply committed to addressing healthcare disparities. As she explains, "These past and present experiences have shaped and provided me with a unique perspective on the disparities that exist in our healthcare system." Having worked in diverse settings, from hospitals to community clinics, Austine has seen firsthand "how factors such as income, educational level, and race can impact an individual’s ability to receive quality healthcare services." This experience has ignited a passion for advocacy, as she strives to "address health equity issues unequivocally." Through volunteer work and a forthcoming study abroad program, she aims to "tailor my approach to meet individual needs and address any barriers they may face in accessing care and addressing health equity."
Sarah Gross, RN
Sarah Gross, RN, has devoted the past five years to her role as a Clinical Nurse on the Medicine Stepdown Unit at New York Presbyterian Columbia, where she has tackled significant health disparities among underserved communities. Her commitment extends to enhancing unit practices and supporting NYP's Health Care Equity Certification. Sarah's personal experience with health inequity, particularly her caregiver Ana’s battle with cancer and the obstacles she faced, is a major motivator: "The struggle to address health inequity and health injustice is personal." The Evelyn Lauder Community Care Nurse Practitioner Fellowship is a crucial opportunity for Sarah to deepen her ability in treating underserved populations and addressing systemic health disparities. She is eager to "empower all New Yorkers to live their healthiest lives" and contribute to creating fair healthcare systems.