The Team

My commitment to excellence in pain medicine and innovative therapies has been shaped by nearly two decades of dedication to patient care, beginning with my education at Howard University and medical training at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. As Director of the George Washington Hospital Ketamine Infusion and Research Program, I've been at the forefront of advancing ketamine therapy for both chronic pain and mental health conditions. My  work at GW included supporting our research goals, including studies on ketamine's effectiveness for treatment-resistant conditions and investigations into optimizing treatment protocols, has helped establish evidence-based approaches that maximize patient outcomes.

During my nearly eight years as Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology at George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates and Director of the GW Spine and Pain Center, I developed extensive experience in both inpatient and outpatient ketamine therapy. Working closely with the acute pain team, I pioneered protocols for using ketamine to help hospitalized patients recover more effectively, while simultaneously building a robust outpatient program for chronic pain and mental health conditions.

My role included collaboration with the Office of the Attending Physician, providing discreet, high-level pain management services to ensure the wellbeing of our nation's top government officials, including members of Congress, the Supreme Court, and White House personnel.

My expertise has been consistently recognized, earning Washingtonian Top Doctor honors in 2018, 2020, and 2021. These accolades reflect not just technical skill, but also my commitment to providing compassionate, personalized care. With over a decade of experience administering ketamine and other infusion therapies, I've successfully treated thousands of patients suffering from conditions including:

· Treatment-resistant depression and anxiety

· Chronic migraines and headaches

· Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

· Fibromyalgia

· Neuropathic pain

· Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

At Cultured Therapeutics, I bring this wealth of academic medical center experience to a boutique setting where each patient receives individualized attention and care. My approach integrates advanced ketamine protocols with comprehensive pain management strategies, ensuring that every treatment plan is tailored to the patient's specific needs and goals. As Chair of the Clinical Competency Committee for GW Pain Fellowship and a member of the GW Hospital Opioid Task Force, I've maintained the highest standards of safety and efficacy in ketamine therapy while working to expand access to this transformative treatment.

My advocacy for equitable access to innovative pain care has garnered national attention, with features on NBC News and in the Daily Mail. As a double board-certified physician in both Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, I believe in making advanced therapies accessible while maintaining rigorous medical oversight and patient safety.

What sets our practice apart is not just my extensive experience with ketamine therapy, but our commitment to creating a comfortable, supportive environment where healing can occur. We take time to understand each patient's unique story, carefully explaining treatment options and setting realistic expectations for outcomes. Our patients consistently report feeling heard, supported, and confident in their care journey.

Looking ahead, I remain dedicated to advancing the field of ketamine therapy through clinical excellence, research, and patient advocacy. Whether you're struggling with chronic pain, depression, anxiety, or other conditions that haven't responded to traditional treatments, I invite you to explore how our evidence-based, personalized approach to ketamine therapy might help you reclaim your quality of life.

My journey in medicine began over 15 years ago as an undergraduate at Howard University in Washington, DC. My medical education occurred on the West Coast – I earned my medical doctorate from University of California, Davis School of Medicine in 2012. Through my unique combined residency in Anesthesiology and Pediatrics at University of California, Irvine, where I served as Chief Resident, I fueled my passion for helping patients navigate complex pain conditions. This drive led me to pursue specialized fellowship training in both pediatric and adult pain medicine at Seattle Children's Hospital and the University of Washington School of Medicine in 2018.

My research contributions to the field began early in my career, with pioneering work on acute care of pediatric patients with sickle cell disease, published in Pediatric Blood Cancer. This study, which earned the Dionesia Bertakis Podium Presentation Award, demonstrated my commitment to improving care for underserved populations. I've continued to advance the field through numerous research initiatives, including recent work presented at the IASP 2022 World Congress on Pain in Toronto, examining the critical needs of the pediatric pain physician workforce.

Throughout my career, I've presented at major international conferences, from the International Symposium on Pediatric Pain in Basel, Switzerland, to multiple Society for Pediatric Anesthesia meetings. My research spans diverse areas: from studying differences in child and parent pain score agreement to investigating opioid prescribing patterns for pediatric inpatients.

Since completing my training, I've practiced at some of the nation's most prestigious institutions, including Children's National Medical Center, Howard University Hospital, and Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. This extensive clinical experience, combined with my triple board certification in Pain Medicine, Anesthesiology, and Pediatrics, has shaped my approach to culturally responsive, trauma-informed care at

Cultured Therapeutics, where I serve as co-founder and Chief Operating Officer.

My dedication to medical education manifests through various teaching roles, from departmental lectures to mentorship programs. I'm particularly proud of the "Drapes Down" mentorship program at Howard University College of Medicine, where we worked to diversify the field of anesthesiology. As a frequent lecturer on topics ranging from molecular pain signaling to pediatric regional anesthesia, I remain committed to sharing knowledge and advancing our field.

At Cultured Therapeutics, I've created a practice environment that combines my years of clinical expertise with a deep understanding of cultural and personal contexts. Whether working with pediatric patients or adults, my approach emphasizes building trust, ensuring comfort, and developing comprehensive treatment strategies that address both the physical and emotional aspects of chronic pain.

My commitment extends beyond the clinic through my role as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for Children in Washington DC and international humanitarian work with Operation Smile International and medical missions to Honduras, Ghana, Nigeria, Dominican Republic, and Sierra Leone. These experiences continue to inform my

practice, reinforcing the importance of accessible, culturally competent pain care.

Looking forward, I remain dedicated to advancing pain medicine through research, education, and innovative treatment approaches. By sharing our outcomes, staying current with the latest medical advances, and actively engaging in community outreach, I strive to make effective pain management accessible to diverse patient populations while contributing to the broader medical community's understanding of comprehensive pain care.