No one should have to wait for a health crisis to find their voice.
Project Healthvocate is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping patients and families become more informed, confident, and active participants in their healthcare.
Our Story
Project Healthvocate was founded by a group of community health workers, nurses, and patient advocates who saw the same problem again and again: people were leaving doctor's appointments confused, unheard, and without the information they needed to make informed decisions about their own health.
We believe health advocacy starts with understanding. That means knowing what questions to ask, understanding your health information, communicating your needs, preparing for appointments, and feeling empowered to speak up when something doesn't feel right.
Through health education, advocacy tools, community resources, and provider-focused training, Project Healthvocate helps bridge the communication gap between patients, families, and healthcare professionals.
What We Do
We create practical, accessible resources that help people navigate healthcare with greater confidence — from preparing for a medical appointment to understanding health information and advocating for themselves or a loved one.
Patient & Family Advocacy
Helping individuals prepare for appointments, ask meaningful questions, understand their options, and advocate for their needs.
Health Literacy
Breaking down complicated health information into language people can understand and use.
Community Education
Bringing health education, wellness resources, screenings, and conversations directly into the communities we serve.
Provider Education
Supporting healthcare professionals in strengthening culturally responsive communication and building stronger relationships with the people they care for.
Practical Advocacy Tools
Developing resources such as appointment checklists, question guides, health organization tools, and other materials people can use before, during, and after healthcare encounters.
Why We Exist
Too often, patients are expected to navigate a complicated healthcare system without being given the tools to do so. A person may leave an appointment unsure of what was said, hesitate to ask a question, or struggle to understand what comes next.
At the same time, healthcare professionals are working to care for people from different backgrounds, experiences, and communities — often without enough support for the communication and cultural considerations that shape how care is understood and received.
Project Healthvocate exists in that space. We help patients find their voice while helping providers strengthen theirs — so that healthcare can become a conversation rather than a one-sided exchange.
Mission & Vision
To equip individuals and communities with the knowledge, tools, and advocacy support needed to navigate the healthcare system with confidence and dignity.
A healthcare experience where every person has the knowledge, tools, confidence, and opportunity to advocate for their health, and every healthcare professional has the communication skills and cultural awareness to truly hear the person in front of them.
Health Literacy
We don't believe people need more medical jargon. They need information they can understand and tools they can actually use.
Advocacy
We build capacity in individuals — the confidence to participate in decisions about their own health.
Accessibility
Our tools, resources, and programs are free, multilingual, and designed for everyone.
Culturally Responsive Communication
We center the lived experiences and cultural contexts that shape how care is understood and received.
Community Connection
We are accountable to the communities we serve, bringing resources and conversations directly to where people are.
Dignity
Every person deserves to be treated with respect in every healthcare interaction — and to feel heard.
Our Approach
Our approach is rooted in health literacy, advocacy, accessibility, culturally responsive communication, and community connection. We don't believe people need more medical jargon. They need information they can understand, tools they can actually use, and the confidence to participate in decisions about their health. Project Healthvocate is building a culture where asking questions is encouraged, understanding is expected, and advocacy is part of everyday healthcare — not something people discover only when they are in crisis.
Our Impact
Building a more equitable healthcare landscape — one community member at a time.
Our Team
We are community health workers, patient advocates, educators, and organizers united by a shared belief in health equity.
Dr. Amara Osei
A former emergency medicine physician and public health researcher, Dr. Osei founded Project Healthvocate after witnessing firsthand how systemic barriers prevent patients from receiving equitable care.
Luz Hernández
Luz has spent 15 years working in community health education. She leads our workshop programs and Health Cabinet initiative, bringing health education directly into the communities we serve.
Marcus Webb
Marcus brings a decade of healthcare policy experience, working with state legislators and hospital systems to advance patient rights protections.
Priya Nair
Priya leads the development of our digital tools and resources, ensuring they are accessible, multilingual, and grounded in health literacy best practices.
James Kowalski
James coordinates our neighborhood partnerships and volunteer network, connecting residents with the resources and training they need.
Fatima Al-Rashid
Fatima develops and reviews all educational content, ensuring materials meet plain-language standards and are culturally responsive.
Our Partners
We work alongside clinics, hospitals, community organizations, and advocacy groups who share our commitment to health equity.
Join the movement.
Whether you want to volunteer, donate, or partner with us — there's a place for you in this work.