Tina is a Crohn’s patient who has accumulated several autoimmune and digestive ailments over the years. She is an avid blogger, speaker, patient thought leader, and researcher who advocates for chronic illnesses, disabilities and life-saving ostomy surgery.
Her expertise includes public health policy, legislative advocacy, clinical and market research in addition to diversity and inclusion to voice the concerns of patients around the world who are suffering in shame, in silence and from significant health disparities. To that end, Tina has co-founded and is now the CEO of South Asian IBD Alliance, the first patient-clinician led organization in the IBD space to address global disparities in South Asian IBD patient care. Tina also sits on the patient advisory board for the United Ostomy Associations of America in addition to being a founding member of the Diversity, Equity, Accessibility & Inclusion (DEAI) Taskforce within HealtheVoices. She works extensively with IBD Social Circle, Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, American Gastroenterological Association & American College of Gastroenterology to drive forward the patient voice in GI care.
Tina has spoken at many medical conferences, including Crohn’s & Colitis Congress, Advances in IBD (AIBD), European Crohn’s & Colitis Organization (ECCO), Digestive Disease Week (DDW), & Patients as Partners in Clinical Research. She has spoken at many reputed academic research hospitals, including Cleveland Clinic, University of Michigan, Boston University, Mount Sinai, Weill Cornell Medical College & Allegheny Health Network.
Tina was named a Top 5 Patient Influencer in the IBD Community by Time Magazine. She has been featured in The New York Times, on the cover of American College of Gastroenterology Magazine, and in Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News as well as Health Magazine for her trailblazing advocacy work. Tina has also spoken at multiple leading medical, clinical research, and patient conferences worldwide. She has co-authored and led research studies in many prominent medical journals (JAMA, The Lancet, Gastroenterology, Clinical Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, etc.). Access Tina’s publications here.
Tina’s blog, Own Your Crohn’s, was named a top Crohn’s blog for 2020 by Healthline Media, a top 10 IBD Blog for 2019 by MyTherapyApp.com. The American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) awarded Tina the Best Patient Advocacy Award and the Best International Healthcare Education & Advocacy Award in 2022 and 2024, respectively. Tina and South Asian IBD Alliance’s patient advocacy arm, IBDesis, were both awarded the Healio Gastroenterology Disruptive Innovator Award in 2019 and 2023, respectively, for moving the needle on GI care for patients. Very Well Health presented Tina with the Health Impact Award and Social Health Network awarded her the Revolutionary Researcher Award in the patient advocacy space in 2023. The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation recognized Tina in 2021 for her phenomenal leadership and powerful impact on the IBD community with the Above & Beyond Volunteer Award. To read her blog posts, visit her blog here.
Tina’s aim is to normalize the rhetoric around chronic illnesses and disabilities and to help patients own their ailment to live fuller, happier lives. She does this by arming patients with the education and knowledge they need to make the best decisions about their care.
Read more about Tina and her health journey on the Welcome Page. For collaborations and/or to leave feedback, please contact her here.
Tina’s blog and content are all original and her own intellectual property. Please do not borrow or reproduce any of Tina’s content without express written permission from Tina.