About

After graduating from St. Joseph's High School in Hammonton, New Jersey in 1985, I moved to Washington, DC to attend the illustrious Howard University, better known as "The Mecca." What an amazing school with its rich heritage and diverse culture. When I visited Howard for the first time, I had never seen so many African Americans in one space. I saw students walking around playing the part of real professionals. The students at the top of the hill in the School of Business were wearing their business attire, and students in the valley from the College of Medicine looked like real doctors wearing their scrubs and white lab coats with stethoscopes that hung freely around their necks. It was clear that these students were serious about their education. I was beyond impressed.

I remember when my mother and I met with my advisor in the Department of Clinical Nutrition, I looked like a homegrown country girl who came straight from working on a tumbleweed farm. I was sporting my blue jean overalls and skippy white sneakers as if that were the style, at least it was where I was from. I had a rude awakening when I observed the Howard fashion show on the main campus. Most of the students were dressed comfortably but I didn't see anyone dressed quite like me. I was quiet, shy, and very soft-spoken. My advisor assured my mother that with time, I would make a total transformation and when I went back home, she wouldn't recognize me.  Sure enough, when I went home for summer break, I was unrecognizable with a new look and confidence that exuded from me. I had blossomed into an entirely different person. I was now officially one of the Bison's best, a Howardite!

Howard University refined me as an individual. This is where I received a Bachelor of Science in Clinical Nutrition and my board certification as a registered dietitian. I also received a Bachelor of Science as a Physician Assistant and later obtained a master’s degree from the University of Nebraska with a specialty in general/cardiothoracic surgery. I pledged Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. graduate chapter during the course of my journey which empowered me to make a difference in my community. I loved Howard University so much that years later I went back to serve as a clinical medicine instructor in the Physician Assistant Program at the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences.

My twenty-five-plus years of experience as a dietitian includes work with AIDS research where I worked closely with Dr. Rovenia Brock (Dr. Ro), who is also a Howard graduate. I also worked in geriatrics, and with the women, infant, and children’s program. I have an extensive background in medicine, including anesthesiology, correctional medicine, neurosurgery, internal medicine, gastroenterology, mental health, emergency medicine, urgent care, and pediatrics. Of all my experiences, pediatrics is my favorite, but my shadow is of a larger dimension from every work opportunity. 

Being an autism mom has increased my magnetic connection and passion to work with children on the autism spectrum. It’s not every day that a parent runs across a healthcare provider that can personally relate to their child’s struggle. Working in the pediatric emergency room allowed me the opportunity to care for many children on the autism spectrum. Parents were relieved knowing they had a healthcare provider that was not only compassionate and understanding, but someone that could identify with their struggle with autism on a personal level. I know firsthand that every parent's journey is different, and each journey has its own challenges that require patience.

I’m familiar with the daunting feeling of taking my autistic child to a health care facility in the midst of a behavioral crisis and being rushed out without equal treatment or optimal health care service. I also know the feeling of taking my child into a public setting when he has a behavioral meltdown. My trained and experienced eyes can automatically detect the stereotypes and the uncomfortable stares from people in society that just don't have a clue.  My child’s behaviors were often misunderstood in the community which caused many to have a distorted perception of him being a "bad boy" for acting the way he did, and I was often viewed as a "bad mom" for allowing him to act out the way he did. It's funny because people only knew my story and knew that what they were witnessing wasn't even a bad day for my child... I stopped beating myself up and realized that not everyone from the outside looking in will come close to understanding my journey. I stopped feeling like I owed everyone who gawked at me an explanation or an apology for my child's behavior. The reality is it's a medical condition, so they need to get over it. Once I started ignoring people who had me mentally bound and started living my life concentrating on helping my child to reach his maximal potential, that is when I freed myself from society's stigma.  At that point, anyone who had a problem with my autistic son was considered the one with the real problem.

This area of medicine also allowed me to provide healthcare to teens with mental health challenges struggling with depression from bullying and many other traumatic events. For some reason, my words were comforting and seemed to resonate with teens, helping them to see their situation from a different perspective and giving them a different outlook on life. It is always the most rewarding feeling to know I made a difference in someone's life. Believe it or not, there's even a stigma attached to parents who are struggling children going through mental health challenges induced by external causes. I learned to manage my daughter's depression induced by bullying the same way as I managed my son's autism with behavior challenges, and my life has been so much more filled with happiness because I don't allow negativity to take up space in my mind.  I just made up my mind that one of my career titles is a "Special Mom Advocate", it's not a profession that can be taught at even the finest school because it is based purely on life experiences and having unbridled love for your children. 

It was an amazing experience to attend such a renowned HBCU that reared so many well-respected and distinguished professionals such as our Vice president of The United States, Kamala Harris; need I say more. Chadwick Boseman, a graduate of The School of Fine Arts who is known for his stellar performance, starring in "The Black Panther." Dr. Phylicia Rashad is also remembered as Clair Huxtable, the mother of five on the Cosby show. She is now the Dean of the newly named college, The Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts. The School of Fine Arts was named in honor of Mr. Boseman after his untimely death due to colon cancer. Dr. Rashad'ss sister Debbie Allen, a graduate of The School of Fine Arts is known for dance and many other accomplishments especially the musical-drama series "Fame" from the 1980s. Gone but not forgotten, the Honorable Congressman Elijah Cummings, an attorney, prestigious civil rights giant, and Representative of the United States Congress whom I had the privilege of meeting in person during my journey with autism and bullying. ​

Wow! So many amazing and distinguished people are a product of the world-renowned Howard University. The list goes on and on with prestigious graduates who have achieved many accolades. There are far too many notable and well-respected individuals to name, but it just goes to show, when you attend Howard, you never know what future leader you're sitting next to. Someone is likely attending a class with the next future President of the United States right now. That's just how powerful this academic environment is. In my opinion, every Howard graduate is a star that never goes without shining.

Without question, there is truly no experience like the Howard Bison experience. You Know! (a Howard saying) It was simply AMAZING and a true honor to be a graduate from "The Mecca."

I would be remiss without mentioning Howard University's President Dr. Wayne Frederick. He is not only one of the brightest stars in the universe and one of the finest surgeons around, but he is also a down-to-earth, genuinely kind-hearted and compassionate person who takes great pride in patient care and educating all who are eager to learn.

Dr. Frederick and I go way back to when he was a surgical resident at DC General Hospital in Washington, DC. This is where I landed my first job as a surgical physician assistant. As the Chief Surgical Resident in charge, he ran a tight ship, and all the staff knew when he was assigned to DC General they had better straighten up and fly right. He was serious about the wellbeing of the patients and he did not tolerate slackers. He always kept me busy with tasks to complete for the surgical patients admitted on the floor. I can recall hearing his voice as clear as day yelling out my name from the opposite end of the long hallway on Unit 22. He would call me by my last name at that time and say, "Griffin!" Whenever I heard his voice, I knew for sure he had more to add to my things-to-do list for the day. At times I would work well into the evening and nighttime hours with no extra pay to complete extra tasks, learn procedures or hang around to hear the operator call a "Code Yellow" major trauma for the Howard Surgery Team. This gave me a chance to jump in as a first responder and learn even more from the residents. It was a unique job with so many hands-on opportunities that typically no new graduate would have access to. I was single with no children, so I took full advantage of all this job and the residents had to offer.   

Dr. Frederick along with many of the other surgical residents taught me so much during rounds such as how to manage patients in the surgical intensive care unit. I learned many invasive procedures such as putting in a central line, placing and pulling out chest tubes, performing abdominal taps just to name a few. You name it I did it!  My skills were refined when reading X-rays and I learned how to interpret specific labs on a deeper level for the surgical patients. Dr. Frederick reiterated whatever was taught that it be put to practice when caring for our patients on the floor. Since this was a teaching hospital, it wasn't uncommon for him to drill me along with the residents and students on rounds. Each patient was a different learning experience so the Attending Physician or Chief Resident would ask random pop questions that pertained to the patients admitted on the unit. The expectation was an answer on demand regarding clinical management. If a similar patient was admitted, the information previously taught should be retained because the same question would likely be asked again.  It never looked good not knowing the answer when it had already been discussed in detail. I actually loved rounds. Not only did it make me feel like a part of the team, but it kept me on my toes and built my confidence in managing even the most extreme surgical cases.​

After my experience with Dr. Frederick and the other Howard surgical residents at DC General, my resume was drenched with more experience than a sponge could hold. From that point forward I was able to land a job in any area of medicine that I chose with confidence. Board-certified physicians would often seek me out to perform many of the procedures that I learned from the Howard surgery team.  Although DC General offered the lowest salary I ever received in my profession, it was the most rewarding experience that no amount of money could replace.  What an awesome flashback in time to that powerful experience.