The Bridge: Your Health Your Voice

In this episode of The Bridge , Paris Barnes and Joe Howarth recap the fifth year of the PATIENTS Professors Academy. This free, virtual program brings together patients, caregivers, community members, and researchers to advance patient-centered research. They discuss the Academy's growth, new participant-driven enhancements, and how the programcontinues to foster connection, advocacy, and mea...

In this episode of The Bridge , Gretchen Gutendorf Tucker discusses her research on dementia, caregiving, andrecovery after fall-related injuries among older adults. Learn why care networks matter, how caregivers support recovery, and what researchers are doing to improve the transition from hospital to home. Spotify currently does not support transcript uploads for this podcast; to view an ADA‑co...

What does it mean to ensure that patient voices shape research, healthcare, and the future of Parkinson's care? In this episode of The Bridge: Bring Your Health, Your Voice, Esther Labib-Kiyarash, a healthcare administrator, Parkinson's advocate, social media creator, Patients Professor, and person living with young-onset Parkinson's disease, sits down with us to talk about her journey...

In this episode of The Bridge, host Paris Barnes sits down with Dr. Jasmine K. Cooper, Director of Qualitative Research for the PATIENTS Program, to discuss REPRO-HEAL (Reproductive Health Across the Lifespan). Through personal experience and research, Dr. Cooper explores the importance of centering lived experiences in conversations about menstruation, maternal health, perimenopause, and menopaus...

Bobby Wiseman is a lifelong learner, a Class of 2025 graduate of the PATIENTS Professors Academy, and a dedicated advocate for communities seeking a stronger voice in their health and in health research. In this episode, we catch up with Bobby to explore his advocacy journey and the impactful work he’s doing to uplift and empower his community—one voice at a time. Spotify currently does not suppor...

In this special episode of The Bridge , Paris Barnes is joined by Baltimore legends Ernestine Shepherd and Chauncey Whitehead for a powerful conversation about fitness, faith, community, and purpose. As Ernestine approaches her 90th birthday, she shares the habits, mindset, and life lessons that have fueled her remarkable journey, while Chauncey reflectson how their shared commitment to walking an...

How do we engage patients, community partners, clinicians, policy makers, researchers, and government agencies?\ In this episode of The Bridge , we dive into the PATIENTS Program’s 10-Step Framework for Continuous Engagement — a model designed to ensure patients, caregivers, and community members have a meaningful voice in health care research. PATIENTS Programs Executive Director Daniel Mullins a...

In this episode of The Bridge, the conversation highlights the CO POD project, a PCORI funded initiative designed to make patient-centered research more accessible and meaningful for everyday people. Focused on individuals living with chronic pain, CO POD connects patients, caregivers, and community members with research in a way that’s practical, easy to understand, and actionable. The episode fe...

We’re excited to celebrate Year Five of the PATIENTS Professors Academy ! In this episode of The Bridge , host ParisBarnes sits down with Joe Howarth , Lead Training Specialist and architect of the PATIENTS Professors Academy, to discuss the evolution of the program and the impact it continues to make. The conversation also features Melinda Aldridge , a PATIENTS Professors Academy Class of 2025 gr...

In this episode of The Bridge , host Paris Barnes is joined by John Medeiros, his mother, and advocate Michelle Medeiros, and Steve Buettner of the Baltimore Lab School for a powerfulconversation about inclusive excellence, disability justice, and belonging in education. This episode is a moving reminder that inclusive excellence is not one‑size‑fits‑all, and that when students are truly seen, sup...

In this episode of The Bridge , host Paris Barnestalks with patient advocate Jeff Wells about resilience, recovery, and the power of lived experience. After surviving a life‑altering stroke, Jeff found purpose in advocacy—using his voice to improve accessibility, health literacy, and inclusion in research and care. From influencing NIH consent practices tocreating meaningful moments for patients t...

In this episode of The Bridge , host Paris Barnes sits down with Bernard and Denise Coley—patient advocates, community builders, and leaders in health equity—for a powerful conversation on advocacy, storytelling, and justice inhealthcare. Together, they unpack what it means to be under‑engaged , why patient‑led solutions matter, and howbuilding culturally responsive community spaces can transform...

In this episode of The Bridge Podcast , host Paris Barnes sits down with Patrick Gee —a graduate and contributor to the PATIENTS Professors Academy, a passionate advocate within the PATIENTS Program, and a dedicated member of the program’s steering committee. Patrick shares his inspiringjourney of personal growth, justice-driven advocacy, and the deep community engagement that continues to shape h...

In this episode of the Bridge, Your Health, Your Voice, host Paris Barnes is joined by Delayna Watkins, founder of the Women’s Wellness Lounge, and Brittany Harris, Senior Community Engagement Specialist for the PATIENTS Program. Together, they explore what it means to build trust with communities, create safe and culturally responsive spaces for women’s health, and ensure research is truly commun...

In this powerful episode of The Bridge Your Health Your Voice , host Paris Barnes welcomes our Executive Director of the PATIENTS Program, Dr. Daniel Mullins, and Pastor Franklin Lance, Senior Pastor of Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church. Together, they unveil a transformative initiative led by the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy’s PATIENTS Program, in collaboration with other UMB schools and ex...

2025 was a milestone year for The Bridge —a year of growth, meaningful conversations, and exciting new initiatives. In this special Year in Review episode, we revisit our most memorable moments, from the launch of our Going National Initiative to powerful insights shared by our sponsors and our newest national partners. We also celebrate the start of Year Four of the PATIENTS Professors Academy, f...

In this episode of  The Bridge: Your Health, Your Voice , host  ParisBarnes  sits down with  Joe Howarth , Lead Training Specialist for the PATIENTS Professors Academy (PPA), and  Peyton Miles ,a young health advocate and a 2025 PPA graduate. Together, they explore how the Academy empowers patients, caregivers, community members, and researchers to co-create solutions that make health research mor...

After a devastating high-speed accident nearly claimed their lives, Seantae and Trevor Jackson chose a path of resilience and hope. Out of their journey, the Sandal Blue Foundation was born—a mission to uplift, heal, and inspire others facing life’s hardest battles. In this episode, Seantae shares her deeply personal story of survival, the turning points that reshaped her family’s future, and how...

In this episode of The Bridge Podcast, host Paris Barnes welcomes Dr. Claudia Baquet—a physician scientist with decades of experience in health research, Together, they explore the critical role of informed consent in medical and health research, tracing its historical roots and ethical importance. Listeners will gain insight into why informed consent is more than a procedural step—it’s a cornerst...

We’re thrilled to share a very special episode of our podcast! Host Paris Barnes introduces our Going National Initiative partners—remarkable leaders and organizations who share our vision of community-driven health: • Trevor and Seantae Sandal, founders of the Sandal Blue Foundation• Delayna Watkins, powerhouse behind the Women’s Wellness Lounge• Anna and Jordan Rathkopf, dedicated advocates and...

In this episode, meet a long-time partner of the PATIENTS Program, Daniel Frye. He is a leading advocate and policy expert for the blind and disabled communities. With decades of experience, Daniel has dedicated his life to giving voice to those who are often left out of public discourse and policy decisions. As The PATIENTS Program expands its national reach to engage the disability community bet...

This episode reunites the dynamic cast from ourgroundbreaking Hidden Heroes of Research series to dive deep into career growth in health research. Join us as they explore pivotal topics like career pivots, mentoring, and the art of networking to elevate your career journey. Whether you’re navigating the life sciences, law, or leadership, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you...

Join us on The Bridge as we welcome Chris Blanchette, Vice President of Clinical Data Science and Evidence at NovoNordisk. Together, we explore how the PATIENTS Program’s Going National Initiative is reshaping the way pharmaceutical companies engage patients in research. The PATIENTS Going National Initiative is about sharing the PATIENTS Program’s recipe for evidence-based approach for patient an...

Join us for an inspiring episode as the PATIENTS Program proudly introduces Anna and Jordan Rathkopf, a dynamic visual storytelling duo and one of our newest national community partners in the Going National Initiative. Anna and Jordan’s remarkable journey began in 2016 when Anna was diagnosed with breast cancer—a pivotal moment that shaped their passion for capturing the raw, human stories of hea...

The ASTARISQ Summer Roundtable Series is back and more impactful than ever! This AHRQ-funded initiative spotlights changemakers dedicated to enhancing safety, quality, and trustworthiness in health delivery systems. Join host Rodney Elliott and series creator Dr. Hillary Edwards as they dive into the vision behind ASTARISQ. Dr. Edwards shares how this series is fostering a vibrant community of pra...