As a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) with eight years’ experience, having worked in multiple settings, Martina is delighted to now assist students at SUNY’s (State University of New York’s) Fashion Institute of Technology to improve their physical and mental health.  Martina worked as a Registered Nurse (RN) with an ACT team (Assertive Community Treatment) in the Bronx, providing formerly homeless severely mentally ill individuals with physical and mental healthcare in their homes. Inspired by her patients and the need for direct medical care, Martina pursued a Master of Science in Nursing at Lehman College. After passing the boards and spending five weeks in Guatemala to learn Spanish, she joined one of the five outreach teams in Manhattan for the homeless and treated street homeless patients for two years.

Realizing during that time that mental health is a key component in achieving overall health, Martina decided to pursue a Post Master’s Certification as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner at Hunter College.  Martina also worked at New York State Psychiatric Institute’s outpatient clinic in Washington Heights, spearheading a program funded by Medicaid (DSRIP) to bring medical care into the psychiatric outpatient setting - reverse integrated care. As a Yoga teacher and Qi Gong instructor, she had the opportunity to teach Qi Gong to the patients in Spanish as part of the weekly Health and Wellness class. This is one of her favorite highlights!

After completing her degree, Martina is looking forward to combining all her skills and experiences in assisting individuals in the Spanish Harlem - Washington Heights area to improve their physical and mental health, working with a team of dedicated psychiatric and social work providers!