From Silicon Valley to Patient Advocacy: Navigating Transgender Health Equity featuring Molly Crowther

In this conversation with Molly Crowther, a board-certified independent patient advocate based in Berkeley, California, we trace Molly’s unconventional background in the software industry, where she worked on large systems, into the field of independent patient advocacy. Molly goes over her unique journey from the software industry, explaining her background in engineering and project management and how these unique experiences ultimately led her to advocacy. She also shares her experiences working in educational publishing, energy efficiency, business-to-business events, and software infrastructure.We take a deep dive into Molly's advocacy work, which includes supporting transgender individuals in navigating the healthcare system. Molly discusses the challenges faced by transgender people when seeking gender-affirming care and the need for education and sensitivity training within the healthcare system. Molly also shares her vision for the future, emphasizing the potential for advocacy to be offered as an employee benefit by organizations. She believes that advocacy services can relieve the burden on employees, allowing them to focus on their work and overall well-being.Molly's approach to advocacy is characterized by listening to her clients, understanding their unique needs and barriers, and helping them achieve their healthcare goals.