My story begins the moment my parents adopted me as an infant. I was born in the very isolated Colombian town of Abejorral and raised in Medellin, Colombia. I have never met my biological parents, but I had the privilege of being raised by a caring, generous family who nourished my physical and psychological health. Looking back at my childhood in Colombia, I know I would not be where I am today without the loving, secure, and supportive environment my family provided for me. When I had my first pediatric appointment at nine months old, the pediatrician told my parents that my motor and communication skills were delayed. My parents sought out intervention services for me, and as a result, I was able to reach my full developmental potential by the age of two. Rooted in my personal history and later experiences as a professional in the clinical field, I have become particularly empathetic and sensitive to the struggles of young children who lack access to adequate healthcare. It has become my mission as a student, future clinician, and global citizen to improve the lives of children and families dealing with developmental challenges – a mission I plan to pursue in all aspects of my life.
As a way of coming into direct contact with research on health disparities and those affected by them, I worked as a clinical research coordinator with Dr. Alice Carter on the Autism, Behavior, and Child Development (ABCD) Early Screening Project. The ABCD Project is a multi-stage screening and assessment protocol working in partnership with Early Intervention (EI) agencies, aiming to reduce health disparities in the early detection of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The project is motivated by evidence showing that, on average, children from families of color, low-income families, and English learner families are diagnosed later than their middle-class, English-speaking, White counterparts. This delay leads to months or even years of missed access to EI, which denies these children the opportunity to improve their developmental outcomes.
My primary responsibility in ABCD was to interview parents about their pre-diagnostic concerns and hardships, as well as their access to intervention after receiving a diagnosis. Through this experience, I gained crucial clinical skills that have left a lasting effect on how I approach my work. I learned how to build connections with families and develop rapport even when discussing difficult topics over the phone. I listened to countless stories of underrepresented families struggling to navigate the complex healthcare system and advocate for their children diagnosed with ASD. I experienced firsthand the variety of emotions that arise from conducting in-depth clinical interviews, such as admiration, sadness, empathy, and frustration. My role was not only to offer clinical guidance on how to navigate our healthcare system but also to validate the experiences of families and empower parents to advocate for services.
The patterns I noticed in my clinical work with racial and ethnic minority families inspired me to participate in disseminating scientific information related to these populations. Specifically, I explored how sociodemographic factors influence the frequency of intervention hours children with ASD receive post-diagnosis. My collaborators and I found that even when children receive an early ASD diagnosis under age three, significant disparities emerge in their access to post-diagnostic intervention. Our results showed that children whose parents were non-US-born, lacked English proficiency, had less than a high school education, or experienced poverty received roughly half as many hours per week of EI as their more advantaged peers (Buitrago, Portillo, Eisenhower, & Carter, 2017). These results are alarming because marginalized children – already a vulnerable population – face barriers to adequate care. I aim to expand my research in this area by examining how best to help families from diverse cultures access EI.
To further understand ASD from a biological perspective and integrate family-centered work with clinically relevant questions, I worked under Drs. Susan Faja and Charles A. Nelson at the Labs of Cognitive Neuroscience at Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School on the Autism Biomarkers Consortium for Clinical Trials (ABC-CT). This study investigated neural, physiological, and genetic biomarkers related to ASD symptoms across multiple institutions. As the clinical research coordinator for our site, I managed a team conducting electroencephalography, eye tracking, developmental questionnaires, and diagnostic measures. I learned the importance of integrating demographic factors with biological biomarkers, as combining social experiences with biological measures is essential to high-quality care. This experience sparked my interest in seeking a career that integrates working with marginalized communities in a medical environment.
After four years of research experience, I pursued a nursing career due to my passion for clinical work. I completed my Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Salem State University. While in school, I worked as a Client Care Coordinator at Life Changes Group, helping individuals access mental health services by understanding their needs and researching their insurance coverage. It was a rewarding experience to assist others in overcoming the challenges of accessing mental health care.
Given my passion for mental health and the completion of my nursing degree, I accepted a position at Arbour Fuller Hospital, a behavioral health facility where we stabilize mental health crises. As a float nurse, I worked in five different units, including adult psychiatry, adolescent units, adult neurodevelopmental units, and dual diagnosis units. This experience reaffirmed my commitment to mental health and motivated me to advance my career to deepen my clinical knowledge.
Currently, I work with the Program for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) through Eliot, which has been an incredible experience. PACT allows me to provide community-based support to individuals with severe mental illnesses, helping them achieve their goals and improve their quality of life. What makes this role particularly meaningful is my ability to use my cultural background to connect with clients and provide care that is not only clinically effective but also culturally sensitive. Drawing from my experiences growing up in Colombia, I am able to build rapport and understanding with clients who may share similar cultural backgrounds or have experienced challenges in accessing mental health services. This work has allowed me to merge my passion for mental health, cultural competency, and community support in a way that feels deeply impactful.