Who We Are

As a trans-led collective, many of us are “way-pavers” in our respective fields. We honor those who have gone before us without the safety to disclose their identities. Through our work, we hope to continuously push for the conditions for all trans and gender expansive people to be safe and supported.

Rhi Reed, OTR/L

Rhi (they/them) is an occupational therapist specializing in adult neurological injuries at Touro Infirmary. Originally from Los Angeles, Rhi is proud to call New Orleans home. They currently volunteer as a junior board member at the Rebuild Center, a space that serves unhoused community members. Rhi is an annual guest lecturer at LSU Health Sciences Center where they teach on topics of gender, unhoused community health disparities, and social determinants of health. Additionally, Rhi offers pro-bono training and consultancy work surrounding trans-literate healthcare: tgnc.ot@gmail.com. In their down time, they enjoy gardening and watching Legendary with friends.

Dynte’ McBride, BA

Dynte’ (they/he) is a Clinical Research Coordinator at Tulane University’s Clinical Translational Unit. As a New Orleans native, they have always been passionate about creating a safe, accessible, and affirming healthcare environment for folks of trans experience in the South, especially those of color. He secretly spends his free time reading various manga and watching anime.

Jasper Privat, PsyD

Jasper (they/them) is a licensed psychologist in private practice from Lafayette, based in New Orleans since 2008. They practice clinical and community psychology, guided by a commitment to accessible, evidence-based, and liberatory healthcare. Jasper is grateful to be involved in ongoing research, teaching, training, and co-mentorship with emerging psychologists and allied health professionals. They enjoy floral design and gardening, queer video games, and being a cat dad.

James Husband, MPH

James (he/him) works as a Health Equity Coordinator for Tobacco Free Living. He is dedicated to finding and supporting structures that serve all people, especially TGNC communities. He is interested in addressing social determinants of health, systematic healthcare injustices, and changing the built environment to create healthier people and communities. He is passionate about lifting weights, playing board games with his partner, and spending time outside with his dog.

“There are very many things that anchor me to TIDAL, though most recently the space we hold for each other as trans people working in health justice has been a truly life saving resource in my life. Frequently TGNC folk are the only, if not one of a precious few, people of trans experience working in their clinics, research projects, institutions, etc; TIDAL is a space where we can support each other not only in the work we do together, but also offer each other the encouragement and support we need to sustain ourselves as trans folk in our personal and professional domains as well.” — Dietz

Gabe Christian-Solá, MAT

Gabe (they/them) is originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico and is a transplant in New Orleans. As a lifelong educator, Gabe advocates for Black, Brown, and Indigenous young people, serving as a mentor and vocal supporter of shifting cultures to ensure the thrival of made-to-be marginalized people (The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond), not just our survival. Gabe believes creating new worlds is possible through community organizing and living into emergent strategy principles. Gabe understands the power of the collective and fighting for liberation from white supremacy. They see trans liberation as inherently tied to the dismantling of these systems. Gabe proudly identifies as mixed-race, Taíne, fat, queer, and trans. They are an artist and thrive when creating and learning new skills.

Demi Ward-Thom

Demi (Demi/they) is a researcher, community health worker, performing artist, and educator that has called New Orleans home for 10 years. Demi is passionate about identity-centered work, focusing in their work on intersections of oppression that affect them most (ie. Immigration, Blackness, Queer Health & History). Demi has worked in community-centered public health and arts education initiatives consistently over the years with the understanding that helping others will help yourself. They have facilitated cultural humility trainings for healthcare personnel, collaborative support groups, and conference presentations on Queer and Trans liberation through community. Demi is currently an ethnographic researcher and performer with Les Cenelles, a music educator, and research study staff with Tulane University’s Adolescent Medicine Dept.

Dietz

Dietz (any pronoun used with respect) is a queer health activist and advocate who is passionate about collectively re-visioning strategies for creating better systems of mutual care and liberation within their community. Dietz is currently the Health Coordinator for the Louisiana Coalition on the Criminalization of Health and is actively involved in local and regional legislative action related to LGBTQIA+ health and allied social justice movements. Dietz has over a decade of experience as a patient navigator, primarily serving people living with HIV and gender diverse populations, and helped develop the first trans health clinic in the state of Louisiana. Dietz is passionate about uplifting their experiences as a direct service provider to better inform systems improvement and policy. You can find out more about the gender equity and capacity building and services they offer online via www.dietzconsultingllc.com.

“The hope for radical and lasting change anchors me to TIDAL. I’ve seen and experienced so much, especially in the public health/healthcare systems, that is unsustainable. I’m here because I want better for myself and others I share community with.” — Demi

Manny Ocasio, PhD

Manny (he/him/el) is a community-engaged HIV researcher focused on inequities in LGBTQ+ youth and young adults of color, particularly those who identify as Black and/or Latinx/Hispanic. His goal is to improve HIV prevention access and engagement by developing culturally and developmentally appropriate interventions and programs that engage community in the process. Manny serves as Co-Principal Investigator for TIDAL’s current research grant, funded by Tulane’s Center for Public Service, and has been a proud member of TIDAL since it began. In his spare time, he plays old school RPGs and chips away at NY Times crossword puzzles.

SK Groll, MA

SK (any pronoun used with respect) is a learner and educator with a passion for creative research, storytelling, and collective imagination. They are a white trans person and Louisiana transplant. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, SK has lived in Baton Rouge, LA for the past 8 years. SK is currently working towards a PhD in medical anthropology at LSU, and their research explores the possibilities for liberatory trans pedagogy in medical education. SK believes that joy is a practice which deserves more spaciousness in our daily lives, institutions, and communities. Hopefully, SK is gardening, eating snacks, or snuggling a dog when you read this.

Tucker/Nessle Rose Barker, NBC-HWC

Tucker, or Nessle, (they/them) is a Gender Services Patient Navigator at CrescentCare Health and is a practicing National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach. As a local New Orleanian growing up in the post-Katrina landscape, their background is in education reform, peer-led restorative justice facilitation, and racial justice-focused community organizing for over a decade before stepping into the healthcare field. Nessle serves on the background support crew for the New Orleans Black Youth Mutual Aid Fund, co-facilitates a youth group for Unitarian Universalist high school students, and can often be found making up songs, gazing at the sky, or imitating their dog on the weekends.

E Badowski, MA

E Badowski (they/them) is the Associate Director of Adult Learning at a DEI consulting nonprofit. They moved to Bulbancha/New Orleans in 2010 from a small town in Indiana and are thankful to call this city home. They have a background in Instructional Design, LGBTQ+ Advocacy, and Philosophy. In their free time, E loves to connect with the community and cuddle their pets.

“I am anchored to TIDAL because of the persistence and passion of its members to improve TGNC healthcare. I also appreciate how mutually supportive members are of each other.” — Manny

Past TIDAL Collaborators

Cody Smith, LPC

Cody(she/her) is a Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice in New Orleans and an educator/advocate providing training to other healthcare professionals regarding the care of TGNC people in healthcare settings. She has spoken at state and national conferences and sits on numerous advisory boards for local healthcare agencies involved in LGBTQ+ healthcare. She currently serves as medical policy advisor for Louisiana Trans Advocates and hosts monthly social support groups for the New Orleans Chapter. In her spare time, Cody enjoys playing drums, tabletop RPGs, and caring for her ever-growing plant collection.

Austin Davenport

Austin (they/them) is a Libra, parent, community health worker, and counseling student. They are native to the gulf coast, having moved in 2014 to New Orleans from Florida in order to access gender-affirming healthcare. Austin is passionate about networking and organizing as a means to connect community to resources. They love gardening, cats, cooking, bodywork, and breaking binaries.

Emmie Saux, LMSW

Emmie (they/them) is a genderqueer therapist from New Orleans, Louisiana. Prior to becoming a therapist, they worked primarily with survivors of trauma. Emmie is dedicated to creating affirming spaces of care for TGNC folx, especially those further marginalized by race, class, or ability. Outside of work, they enjoy crafting, baking, and spending time with their wife and two dogs.

Tiffany Najberg DO, FACEP

Tiffany (she/her) is a trans female Emergency Physician in Louisiana. She practices medicine, offers telehealth with Plume, and co-owns UrgentEMS, a telemedicine start-up. She provides TIDAL with medical expertise from a trans perspective. Tiffany also runs a peer to peer support site, which houses a large trans friendly resource database. Tiffany enjoys traveling, art, and architecture.

Join the TIDAL team.

All skill levels welcome!

tidalnola@gmail.com