LGBTQ Employee Resource Group
Welcome
The Massachusetts General Hospital LGBTQ Employee Resource Group was formed in 2008, in support of the new Mass General mission and focus on the health and well-being of the diverse communities we serve. All Mass General employees (friends and allies, as well as those in the LGBTQ community) are welcome to join us and participate in our activities and events.
To join as a member, sign up here (MGB login required).
Mission
The Massachusetts General Hospital Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Employee Resource Group serves to educate the Mass General community about LGBTQ health issues and to create an environment that is supportive of LGBTQ employees, patients, families, friends and allies.
Goals & Objectives
- Provide a forum for Mass General employees who are LGBTQ, relatives of LGBTQ individuals or interested in LGBTQ issues for discussion, mentoring, and networking
- Educate both healthcare providers and staff across the Mass General community about the unique health care issues facing LGBTQ patients
- Ensure that the Mass General climate is safe and welcoming of LGBTQ employees and patients, families and friends
- Ensure that all Mass General internal policies are inclusive of LGBTQ issues.
ERG Leadership
Administrative Co-Chair: Kerry Phelan-Li, MBA
Kerry (she/her) is an Administrative Manager in the Division of General Internal Medicine where she is responsible for the effective management of several ambulatory care coordination programs. Kerry is a Massachusetts native and earned her Master of Business Administration from Endicott College and Bachelor's in Public Health at Merrimack College. Her professional interests include advancing local and global health initiatives, immigrant advocacy, community development, administrative operations, and strategic planning.
Clinical Co-Chair: Kevin Knoblock, NP
Kevin (he/him) is a nurse practitioner in the MGH Crohn’s & Colitis Center and the manager of the advanced practice provider team for the Division of Gastroenterology. A New Jersey native, he first came to Boston for undergrad to study German language and literature at Boston University. Then he joined the MGH as a clinical research coordinator in the Division of Gastroenterology. In the decades that followed, Kevin returned to the MGH in different roles between business school at the University of Minnesota for an MBA and MHA and nursing school at the MGH Institute of Health Professions for a BSN and MSN. Prior to his current role, he worked in biotech, most recently as the medical director for the Cambridge donor collection facility of Seres Therapeutics, whose goal is the development of microbiome-based oral therapies for a variety of conditions. His professional interests include clinical process improvement and improving patient experience. Outside the office he loves to travel and volunteers his time for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation and has volunteered in numerous capacities for the Human Rights Campaign.
Operations Chair: Jamie Quinkert, PhD
Jamie (they/them) is the Assistant Director of the Center for Clinical Research Education in the Division of Clinical Research. Originally from Louisiana, they received their bachelor’s degree from Rhodes College in Memphis, TN, and their doctoral degree from the Rockefeller University in New York City under the supervision of Dr. Donald Pfaff. They first moved to Boston to work as a clinical research coordinator at Tufts Medical Center and have since worked in several positions within the Mass General Brigham system. Their professional interests include developing accessible educational offerings that support the conduct of high quality, compliant, and ethical clinical research and meets the needs of the diverse research community at MGH.
Culture Chair: Kim O'Brien
Kim (she/her) is a Clinical Research Project Coordinator at Mass General Brigham Personalized Medicine’s Laboratory for Molecular Medicine and a Unit Coordinator on the family unit and special care nursery. She previously provided operational support to the MGB mobile vaccine and testing efforts during the pandemic. She earned her Medical Billing and Coding Certification. Kim is a Massachusetts native. Her professional interests include community health improvement and diversity, public health science, and molecular genetics.
Community Chair: Erin Hanlon
Erin (she/her) is a Clinical Research Coordinator for Dr. Ahmed Tawakol in the MGH Cardiovascular Imaging Research Center. She earned her bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Villanova University in Villanova, PA with minors in Biomedical Engineering and Psychology. She is planning on attending medical school in the near future, and her professional interests include providing primary care to marginalized communities, increasing physician trainings in culturally competent care, and ensuring that every patient receives the best care possible regardless of their identity.
Career Chair: Liliana Vela
Liliana (she/her) is a Research Technician in the Yu/Lichterfeld Labs at the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard. She earned her bachelor's degree in chemical-biological engineering and biology at MIT, and her professional interests include equitable medicine and infectious disease research.
Our Team
Meet the members of the LGBTQ Employee Resource Group who help create a welcoming and affirming environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees, as well as patients, families and friends.