Florida State University College of Medicine
Dr. Alexandra “Xan” C.H. Nowakowski, PhD, MPH is an Associate Professor in Geriatrics and Behavioral Sciences & Social Medicine at the Florida State University College of Medicine. They are a medical sociologist, public health program evaluator, and community advocate. Their research, teaching, and outreach focus on health equity in aging with chronic disease. They use mixed methods to explore and amplify the experiences of intersectionally marginalized populations to inform effective practice of chronic care for people aging with complex health challenges. They hold a PhD and MS in Medical Sociology from Florida State University, an MPH in Health Systems and Policy from Rutgers University, and a BA in Political Science from Columbia University.
To all of their professional activities, Dr. Nowakowski brings lessons learned from their own lived experience with cystic fibrosis and complex post-traumatic stress disorder. Building on this history, they co-edited Negotiating the Emotional Challenges of Conducting Deeply Personal Research in Health with their spouse and frequent collaborator Dr. J Sumerau. They also co-authored the social fiction novel Other People’s Oysters focused on intergenerational environmental health and aging on Florida’s Forgotten Coast, and a monograph on Transformations in Queer, Trans, and Intersex Health and Aging along with third author Nik Lampe. Recently they published a monograph on Sexual Deviance in Health and Aging with Dr. Lacey Ritter. In addition, they co-founded the academic blog Write Where It Hurts focused on scholarship informed by lived experience of trauma, and contribute to a number of other blogs focused on amplifying patient voices in science and medicine. For more information, please visit www.writewhereithurts.net.
In the CF community, Dr. Nowakowski serves as a volunteer advocate, professional mentor, and research consultant with a variety of different organizations. In these roles they draw on their own experiences as a member of the 10% of people with CF currently ineligible for CFTR modulator drugs--a comparatively more common experience among multiethnic patients of all races. Their experiences as a bisexual, agender, and neurodivergent person also shape their perspectives on equity and justice in CF science and care. This history helped them collaborate with fellow patient scientists in writing the recently completed Sex, Gender, and Sexuality chapter for the CFReSHC Resource Guide.
Dr. Nowakowski presently serves on the Board of Directors for the US Adult Cystic Fibrosis Association and chairs its Committee. They also contribute a quarterly column called “Pearls of Wisdom” for the CF Roundtable newsletter, focusing on intersections between clinical education, scientific research, and social justice in CF care. Previously they helped to increase access to mental health care for queer, trans, and intersex people with CF in partnership with the Attain Health Foundation and Rock CF Foundation. Finally, they were proud to participate in the first CF Warrior Project Book edited by Andy Lipman, and continue to advocate in partnership with other featured warriors.
Dr. Nowakowski has spoken at multiple other Cystic Fibrosis Foundation conferences, including ResearchCon in several different years and NACFC itself. They are excited to support greater patient leadership in science, and to uplift the diversity of the CF patient and clinician communities alike!
SPC01--AM: Increasing Our Awareness to School & Vocation Success in CF Interdisciplinary Care
Wednesday, September 25, 2024
8:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET