Bio Type: CAMP Staff

Philadelphia’s syringe exchange and wound care clinic. The foundation of her clinical philosophy and practice is harm reduction – a social justice movement as well as a practical approach to reducing the negative consequences of substance use. In addition to producing concrete evidence-based strategies to improve the health and well-being of people who use drugs, harm reduction shines a light on the rich, everyday opportunities health professionals have to learn from and work with people who use drugs. As a Bloomberg Fellow at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, her work centers on reducing stigma, and strengthening Penn’s capacity to respond to the opioid/substance use crisis through the integration of harm reduction, and bridging Penn’s medical services to community-based and public health efforts.

Lindsey Jo is a Research Coordinator for the Center for Addiction Medicine and Policy’s new intervention study for patients with serious injection-related injuries in collaboration with the Infectious Disease Department. She has spent the last two years as a case manager and patient navigator in Kensington, linking unhoused clients with treatment for OUD (Opioid Use Disorder), infectious disease care, housing, and government assistance programs. In her free time, Lindsey Jo enjoys spoiling her orange tabby Charlie, doing harm reduction outreach in the underground Philly music scene, and spending time with her friends and family.

Patrick is a Certified Recovery Specialist, Substance Use Navigator, and Research Coordinator.  Prior to joining the CAMP team, he worked for a local Recovery Community Organization serving Philadelphia and Montgomery Counties. Patrick is group facilitator with the “BRIDGING THE GAPS” program, which links the provision of health-related service for under-resourced communities with the inter-professional training of health and social service professionals. Pat is also the co-founder of “Kensington Cares” – a local outreach program that provides food, clothing and harm reduction resources, on a grassroot level in the Kensington community.

M is a clinical research coordinator for the Center for Addiction Medicine and Policy. They bring experience working with people who use drugs, people experiencing homelessness, gender diverse populations and people engaged in sex work. M is a passionate advocate for health care equity. Foundational to their work is the belief in harm reduction as a social justice movement that centers and respects the rights of people who use drugs. They are currently pursuing a nursing degree and in their free time they enjoy reading fiction, cuddling their cats, making just about any kind of art, and talking to anyone who will listen about the joys of harm reduction.

Gilly is a Project Manager for the Center for Addiction Medicine and Policy’s new Police-Assisted Diversion (PAD) program. Gilly has supported the growth of the CareConnect Warmline and led new initiatives for enhancing MOUD training and education for students and faculty with support from SAMHSA. Their work has also focused on community outreach in West Philly and building new partnerships to better support care linkages. Gilly has extensive experience working with individuals experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia and individuals experiencing co-occurring mental health and substance use diagnoses. Their past and current work is centered around ensuring equitable low-barrier access to resources and improving existing care models. Gilly is working towards obtaining their Masters in Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania. In their free time, Gilly enjoys playing rugby, pickleball, and spending time with friends and family.

Jasmine is the Project Manager of the new “Linkage to Care-Embedding Peers in the ED” program. In partnership with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH), this work will expand access to MOUD, warm hand-offs to community providers and peer support to patients who present to the HUP Cedar ED.  Jasmine is passionate about building bridges between community members, grassroots organizations, and healthcare systems. She possesses genuine passion for empowering communities to realize their full potential and advocating for equity and inclusivity. She leads several community engagement initiatives at CAMP and has been instrumental in efforts to form and engage our Community Advisory Board (CAB). She strives to partner with community leaders to make harm reduction education and supplies more accessible. Her approach to community engagement is built on active listening, empathy, and collaboration. She believes that every voice matters and that sustainable solutions arise from collective efforts driven by the community. She received her Master of Public Health from La Salle University in May 2022. In her free time, Jasmine enjoys spending time in nature, reading the latest research on pressing public health issues, spending quality time with family and friends and traveling.

Nikki is a Certified Recovery Specialist and Research Coordinator for Women’s Health at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Neonatal Follow Up Clinic & Resilience After Infant Substance Exposure (NFP-RISE) Program and the Penn PROUD (Perinatal Resources for Opioid Use Disorder) Clinic.  Nikki has extensive experience in peer support, behavioral health, and training and development. Nikki is passionate about helping patients address and find balance in their “8 Dimensions of Wellness” while meeting patients where they are so that they can achieve their recovery, health, and wellness goals. Nikki currently serves on the Philadelphia Reentry Coalition Health Committee and The National Federation of the Blind, Keystone and Greater Philadelphia Chapters. Nikki is founder and organizer of two support and social groups which help educate and support people with chronic illness and women of color. Nikki loves to teach and learn new things. In her spare time, she enjoys attending Broadway plays in NY, concerts, traveling, shopping and playing various card games, favorite being pinochle.

Jasmine is a Project Manager with the Center for Addiction Medicine and Policy (CAMP) at the University of Pennsylvania. Jasmine is passionate about building bridges between community members, grassroots organizations, and healthcare systems. She possesses genuine passion for empowering communities to realize their full potential and advocating for equity and inclusivity. She leads several community engagement initiatives at CAMP and has been instrumental in efforts to form and engage our Community Advisory Board (CAB). She strives to partner with community leaders to make harm reduction education and supplies more accessible. Her approach to community engagement is built on active listening, empathy, and collaboration. She believes that every voice matters and that sustainable solutions arise from collective efforts driven by the community. She received her Master of Public Health from La Salle University in May 2022. 

Alix is the Program Manager of OUTREACH working to promote the integration of Certified Recovery Specialists into acute care settings and other initiatives mitigating harms from substance use. Alix combines social work, public health and social science perspectives in her approach to spreading harm reduction initiatives, destigmatization, and increasing access to care.  Working closely with individuals experiencing substance use, mental illness, chronic homelessness, trauma, and domestic violence has always been at the core of Alix’s experiences and interests.  During her time as a case manager working in shelters, hospitals, crisis response centers, and residential settings in the Philadelphia, Minneapolis, and Boston areas, Alix witnessed the stigmas and systemic dysfunction the clients she worked with struggled against.  This inspired her to critically examine systems and structures and work to spread evidence-based practice by connecting research to application.