Expert Details
Internal & Addiction Medicine Physician, Public Health Advocate, Speaker, and Expert Witness
ID: 740274
New York, USA
As the former Chief of Addiction Medicine for New York City jails including Rikers Island, Expert oversaw substance use treatment and recovery efforts at the nation’s 2nd-largest jail complex. Previously, she was a primary care doctor to Boston’s vulnerable homeless population among whom the leading cause of death was drug overdose. She was also an attending physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and faculty at Harvard Medical School where she taught Clinical Nutrition and The Healer’s Art. Expert completed her medical and master’s in public health degrees at Tulane University in New Orleans, followed by residency training in internal medicine at Duke University Medical Center. Expert is a strong advocate for public service. In addition to caring for incarcerated and homeless men and women, she has served the underserved in Nicaragua and India, as well as New Orleans residents affected by Hurricane Katrina. Expert has also provided medical relief to earthquake victims in Haiti, and volunteered in the medical tent at the Boston Marathon.
Expert is a dynamic public speaker and medical commentator whose mission is to educate and empower the public to make healthy decisions. As an MSNBC, NBC News, and Forbes Medical Contributor, Expert has made over 300 nationwide appearances discussing multiple COVID-related health issues. Her television appearances include MSNBC, NBC News, Dr. Oz, The Tamron Hall Show, CNN, Charlie Rose and CBS New York. Her articles have also been published in STAT and The Huffington Post; and she has been featured in The New York Times, Boston Globe, Wall Street Journal, Cooking Light and Oprah.com.
Expert's mission is to educate and empower the public to make healthy decisions through speaking engagements, corporate trainings/workshops, writing, television and film, and other impactful collaborations. She shares the lessons she's learned from her many years of medical training and unique clinical experiences to inspire and empower others.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 2008 | Degree: MD | Subject: Medicine | Institution: Tulane University School of Medicine |
| Year: 2008 | Degree: MPH | Subject: Public Health | Institution: Tulane University |
| Year: 1998 | Degree: MS | Subject: Physiology - Neuroscience | Institution: University of Toronto |
| Year: 1996 | Degree: BS | Subject: Molecular Biology & Biotechnology | Institution: McMaster University, Ontario |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2023 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Addiction Medicine Physician | Department: |
Responsibilities:• Treating patients with opioid use disorder at an opioid treatment program• Teaching clinical topics to staff |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2023 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Founder & CEO | Department: |
Responsibilities:Created a speaking and training business dedicated to addressing stress-related conditions, ranging from drug use and addiction to depression, anxiety and sleep disorders; serving multiple industries including the criminal justice system, veterans, financial sector, music/fashion/entertainment/sports. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2021 to 2023 | Employer: Housing Works | Title: Medical Director of Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ) Sites | Department: |
Responsibilities:• Oversaw medical services at sites (hotels) for justice-involved individuals• Attended weekly meetings with the NYC Mayor’s Office MOCJ leadership • Led daily interdisciplinary clinical huddles, discussed patient care, provided medical input • Supervised Associate Medical Directors and nurse practitioners |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2020 to 2021 | Employer: Housing Works | Title: Medical Director of COVID Isolation & Quarantine Sites | Department: |
Responsibilities:• Oversaw medical services at hotels for homeless individuals and out-of-state travelers• Created and implemented clinical protocols and procedures • Attended weekly meetings with the NYC Dept of Homeless Services leadership • Supervised nurse practitioners and coordinated medical and nursing staff meetings • Led educational programming for various health topics |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2020 to 2022 | Employer: St. Ann's Corner of Harm Reduction | Title: Staff Physician | Department: |
Responsibilities:• Evaluated and treated underserved patients with opioid use disorder using buprenorphine• Connected patients to other treatment, recovery and harm reduction services • Worked closely with interdisciplinary team to provide compassionate, evidence-based care • Reviewed and designed clinical protocols with other staff |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2019 to 2019 | Employer: Urban Recovery NYC | Title: Director of Addiction Medicine & Community Engagement | Department: |
Responsibilities:• Revised and streamlined admissions protocols• Implemented state addiction rules and regulations into current operations • Admitted new patients with various substance use disorders and co-occurring mental illness • Led didactics on various health topics for staff and patients • Spoke locally, nationally and internationally about addiction- and other health-related topics |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2017 to 2019 | Employer: New York State Office of Alcoholism & Substance Abuse Services | Title: Medical Director, Kingsboro Addiction Treatment Center | Department: |
Responsibilities:• Coordinated and streamlined admissions/intake process• Reviewed medical and nursing protocols/policies (detox, first aid, infection control) • Led monthly Physician Meetings and regular staff educational programs • Worked in interdisciplinary format with nurses, doctors, social workers and admin |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2016 to 2017 | Employer: New York City Health + Hospitals | Title: Chief of Addiction Medicine, Correctional Health Services | Department: |
Responsibilities:• Led efforts in and expansion of substance use treatment and recovery services including the opioid treatment (“KEEP”) and behavioral therapy (“A Road Not Taken”) programs• Collaborated in an interdisciplinary manner with multiple services: Medicine, Mental Health, Nursing, Pharmacy, Transitional Health/Reentry Team, Dept of Correction (DOC) • Created and implemented widespread addiction education and training curriculum to clinical and non-clinical staff (including DOC employees) • Collaborated with academic, medical/hospital, government and community partners to collectively address the opioid epidemic • Strategized effective substance use policies and programs at city, state and national levels at monthly “RxStat” meetings with High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2011 to 2016 | Employer: Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program | Title: Staff Physician & Addiction Specialist | Department: |
Responsibilities:• Treated acute and chronic medical conditions among Boston’s homeless population• Provided primary care at various outpatient settings including hospitals, homeless shelterbased clinics and a medical respite facility (Barbara McInnis House) • Facilitated access to various social services, e.g. housing, legal, disability income • Received specialized training in addiction medicine, buprenorphine, chronic pain, mindfulness practices, trauma-informed care, motivational interviewing and management of aggressive behavior • Supervised nurse practitioners and physician assistants • Mentored medical students and residents • Co-Chaired the Wellness Committee: implemented multiple programs to reduce obesity by training AmeriCorps volunteers, coordinating healthy meal plans with respite chef, initiating weekly Mindfulness groups and working with professional chef, Tracey Burg |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2011 to 2016 | Employer: Massachusetts General Hospital | Title: Site Medical Director | Department: |
Responsibilities:• Provided outpatient medical care to Boston’s homeless population• Organized and led regular clinical site meetings; facilitated communication between MGH Medical Walk-In Unit and BHCHP; facilitated communication with MGH Emergency Department to optimize care for ‘high utilizer’ homeless population • Interacted closely with the inpatient Addiction Consult Team, Bridge Clinic and recovery coaches to provide high-quality care to vulnerable patients • Attended at Bigelow Teaching Service: supervised medicine house staff and Harvard medical students while overseeing high-volume ward of patients with complex needs • Participated regularly in educational programs including weekly General Medicine Division Grand Rounds and Stoeckle Center Schwartz Primary Care discussions • Mentored medical students and residents; supervised NPs and PAs |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2008 to 2011 | Employer: Duke University Medical Center | Title: Research Assistant | Department: Division of Infectious Diseases |
Responsibilities:Cryptococcus Retrospective Study: evaluated treatment outcomes in patients with cryptococcus infection with HIV or organ transplantation |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1999 to 2004 | Employer: AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals | Title: Biomedical Researcher | Department: |
Responsibilities:• Cancer: Used molecular and cellular biology and computational modeling to better understand mechanism of lung cancer agent, Iressa™, to design better inhibitors of the pathway, to tailor future therapy (patient stratification) and to design more effective drugs; Conducted research exchange in Sweden to learn project-related technologies• Alzheimer Disease: Isolated hippocampal and cortical neurons from fetal rats, stained cells and performed toxicity assays to study effects of microglia-secreted Neurotoxin |
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International Experience
| Years | Country / Region | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Years: 2010 to 2010 | Country / Region: Haiti | Summary: Provided medical relief to ~150 earthquake victims in large urban clinic. |
| Years: 2007 to 2007 | Country / Region: India | Summary: Clinical and public health work. Treated patients with a diverse illnesses (meningococcemia, SLE with pulmonary hemorrhage, lymphatic filariasis); assisted surgeons in O.R. |
| Years: 2006 to 2006 | Country / Region: Nicaragua | Summary: Member of Tulane Medical Mission Team to assist local physicians, educate local communities about Dengue fever, and help rebuild homes. |
| Years: 1996 to 1996 | Country / Region: India | Summary: Assisted nuns at Shishu Bhavan (home for children) in caring for orphans (feeding, bathing, medication administration) during difficult conditions of monsoon season. |
Career Accomplishments
| Associations / Societies |
|---|
| Present: • American College of Physicians • Association for Multidisciplinary Education and Research in Substance use & Addiction • American Society of Addiction Medicine • New York Society of Addiction Medicine • Women in Medicine Former: • American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin • Indian Medical Association of New England • Massachusetts Medical Society |
| Licenses / Certifications |
|---|
| • Board Certification in Addiction Medicine • Buprenorphine Waiver Certification |
| Professional Appointments |
|---|
| • Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Population Health, NYU School of Medicine (2017-present) • Instructor of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Harvard Medical School (2011-2016) • Instructor of Medicine, Division of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine (2011-2016) • Clinical Associate, Division of General Internal Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital (2011-2016) • Full list of academic teaching experience, community service, and board memberships available upon request. |
| Awards / Recognition |
|---|
| • Keynote Speaker Award, Connecticut Certification Board • Visionary Award, Wellbeing Forum, World in 2050 • Top Doctor Magazine, Cover Story • Community Service Award, Caron Treatment Centers • Dean’s Community Service Award, Harvard Medical School • Outstanding Achievement Award, Life Chiropractic College West, San Francisco • Nominated for Compassionate Caregiver Award, Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare • Recognition for Serving the Commonwealth through Advocacy and Art, House of Representatives, Commonwealth of Massachusetts • Nominated for Excellence in Mentoring Award, Diversity and Community Partnership, Harvard Medical School • Named to Women Physician Leadership Honor Roll, Massachusetts Medical Society – Committee on Women in Medicine |
| Publications and Patents Summary |
|---|
| Expert has 18 publications and has been featured by various media outlets including MSNBC, CNN, Dr. Oz, Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, Tamron Hall, and more. She has also been featured in two documentaries about the opioid crisis and addiction. |
Additional Experience
| Expert Witness Experience |
|---|
| Expert has provided testimony and expert reports in 5 cases since 2017. These cases involved opioid treatment protocols, opioid addiction, medical practice boards, death by overdose, and a large healthcare company's addiction billing codes. |
| Training / Seminars |
|---|
| Full list of speaking engagements and trainings available upon request. |
Language Skills
| Language | Proficiency |
|---|---|
| English / Bengali / French | Fluent |