As the son of Mexican immigrants, I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, before moving to Mexico as a young teenager. This move allowed me to immerse myself in the history, language, and culture of my parents and ancestors, deepening my connection to my heritage. After returning to the United States, I completed my schooling in Richmond, Virginia, where I became involved in volunteer work that would shape my future career. Throughout high school and college, I volunteered as an interpreter at a free HIV community clinic, an experience that sparked my passion for medicine, particularly in serving patients who were marginalized and often excluded from traditional healthcare settings.

I went on to earn Bachelors degrees in Biochemistry and Microbiology from Virginia Tech, after which I worked as a post-baccalaureate researcher at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) within the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. My medical education at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine further fueled my dedication to healthcare, where I worked as a research associate for VCU Health System’s Antibiotic Stewardship Program and volunteered at the Richmond City Health District, analyzing statistical data on sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

In the year between my third and fourth years of medical school, I pursued a Masters of Public Health (MPH) at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. During this time, I worked on projects related to the web-based HIV-ASSIST decision support tool, which integrates HIV education with antiretroviral therapy guidance. I also volunteered as an HIV counselor for the Baltimore Health Department.

After completing my Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Residency at the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, I furthered my training through the Sawyer Pardo LGBTQ+ Health Fellowship at the University of Cincinnati. During this fellowship, I focused on HIV treatment, High Resolution Anoscopy, and reproductive and sexual health. Moving forward, I am committed to providing care for all LGBTQ+ patients, individuals living with HIV, and other medically underserved communities.