Hi, all! My name is Jessie and I am a nurse practitioner specializing in HIV medicine, sexual health, and primary care, with a deep commitment to health equity and LGBTQ+ care. I am a certified HIV Specialist through the American Academy of HIV Medicine and an HIV Prevention Certified Provider. My expertise includes HIV prevention and treatment, PrEP and PEP management, STI screening and treatment, gender-affirming care, and harm reduction. I actively advocate for increased accessibility to HIV primary care services and work to influence policy changes that improve antiretroviral medication affordability and availability. My clinical background includes nearly ten years of working with people living with HIV and in prevention efforts for individuals disproportionately affected by HIV. As a registered nurse, I worked on the historic Polk Unit at Johns Hopkins Hospital, established in 1985 as one of the first dedicated inpatient HIV units in the United States. In 2020, I became the first female provider and nurse practitioner at Dupont Circle Physicians Group, a well-known medical group dedicated to gay men’s health and HIV care in Washington, DC that’s served patients for more than 30 years.
In 2022, I became the first nurse practitioner to serve as a primary investigator for the HIV Outpatient Study (HOPS), the longest-running and sole remaining U.S. government-sponsored multi-site prospective cohort study focused on people living with HIV. The opportunity to build an HIV care and prevention program at a health center in Ward 7 of Washington, DC arose shortly after the birth of my son in 2023 and I exuberantly accepted the task. I continue to serve patients at Elaine Ellis Center of Health in both Washington, DC and College Park, Maryland, working to reduce HIV transmission rates in areas with some of the highest incidences in the United States.
Outside of patient care, I am on track to complete my doctoral program at Yale University in Spring 2026. My area of focus is reducing HIV transmission among Black cisgender women by improving PrEP uptake in DC’s Ward 7. Implementation of my research and project will begin Summer 2025.
As a cisgender heterosexual woman raised among LGBTQ+ family, I have a lifelong personal and professional dedication to fostering inclusive, compassionate, and evidence-based healthcare for all individuals, particularly those from historically marginalized communities. I commit to being a lifelong ally and advocate for increased accessibility to LGBTQ+ rights and healthcare, HIV primary care services, and work to influence policy changes that improve antiretroviral medication affordability and availability.
Folks seeking a provider who is knowledgeable, affirming, and committed to culturally competent care can trust that my practice is rooted in respect, advocacy, and the latest advancements in HIV medicine and LGBTQ+ health. I look forward to working with you!