As a trauma survivor and a harmed patient, I have developed a passion for being a voice for the voiceless.
While I had been doing public speaking and volunteering for various causes since high-school, my journey took a very personal turn in 2006 when I suffered permanent adverse reactions from a commonly prescribed antibiotic called Levaquin. Since then, I have used my experience as a harmed patient to advocate for others and work in partnership with established consumer and patient-safety advocacy groups and agencies.
The experiences I have had and people I have met led me to many opportunities and partnerships-both within patient-safety, and in other causes I am passionate about. Some of my current roles and recent projects include:
Consultant and writer
- Special Government Employee (SGE) at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
- Collaborate with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Advisor for Breast Implant Safety Alliance (BISA).
- Contributor for Drugwatch, Medshadow Foundation , and the Journal of Precision Medicine.
- Communications Lead at American Society of Pharmacovigilance and founding member of the Standardizing Laboratory Practices in Pharmacogenomics (STRIPE).
Public speaker
- Domestic violence.
- Patient education and empowerment
- Sexual assault
- Pharmacogenomics
Webinars and virtual series’
- Speak Up (domestic violence and sexual assault)
- Real Talk with Rachel (patient safety)
Cinematographer Founder and CEO of Courage to Continue Productions. Current active projects include:
- Every 73 Seconds (sexual assault)
- Moral Pedestal (military reform)