While attending Indiana University, in Bloomington, Indiana, I had the privilege and opportunity to develop my interests in gender studies at the Kinsey Institute. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community in the 1980s and 1990s, this had been my first opportunity to discuss, debate, and learn about the history, philosophies, and traditions of queer cultures in an atmosphere of respect, free from the discrimination and threat of violence prevalent at that time . This was also my first exposure to respected, elevated individuals in society (professors, researchers) who were curious, affirming and who celebrated non-conformity. My pursuit of training in psychiatry seemed a natural extension of my personal and professional interests and curiosities about stigmatized and socially disadvantaged populations.

In my academic role, I have given grand round lectures and co-author a peer reviewed, evidence based perspective on gender binary as a social construct that, when adopted as fact, has misguided the field of psychiatry and harmed individuals we are charged with healing. Additionally, I am a faculty member for the Sawyer Pardo Fellowship for LGBTQ+ Health at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

As a healthcare administrator, I have participated in efforts toward culture, transformation, as pertains to respect, understanding, and sensitivity for gender non-conforming patients. This has included the early identification of gender identity as relevant biographical information, education about the use of inclusive language, and encouraging questions and open discussion when, often unintentionally, behaviors, or something said, negatively impacts the experience of our LGBTQ+ patients.

Clinically, I am a member of more than 50 clinicians from 12 different specialties at the University of Cincinnati; a network of physicians, psychologists, social workers, pharmacists, and others who advocate for and participate in gender, affirming care. I provide consultations for the purposes of providing the required letters for medical/surgical interventions for trans individuals and am piloting a consultation model with internal medicine to increase access to mental healthcare for transgender individuals. Additionally, I am passionate about the social, emotional, psychological, and psychiatric well-being of LGBTQ+ individuals, offering both management of psychiatric medications and psychotherapy in the outpatient setting.