The American Medical Association Foundation National LGBTQ+ Health Fellowship program will be housed in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health and will build on the UW School of Medicine and Public Health’s and UW Health system’s existing foundations of diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies that support affirming LGBTQ+ services.
Faculty
Ronni Hayon, MD
Ronni Hayon, MD (she/her) received her medical degree from Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia and she completed her Family Medicine residency at the UW-Madison Family Medicine Residency Program. Following residency, Dr. Hayon completed a one-year Academic Fellowship with the Department of Family Medicine.
Dr. Hayon is committed to providing family medicine and obstetrical care that is rooted in a foundation of promoting health equity, anti-racism, and size acceptance and enjoys helping people engage with healthcare in an affirming space. Dr. Hayon has nationally-recognized expertise in providing gender-affirming medical care, and is the Co-Medical Director of a new UW Health Gender Services Clinic set to launch in 2021. She also serves as the Faculty Champion and Fellowship Mentor for the inaugural American Medical Association Foundation National LGBTQ+ Health Fellowship. In her spare time, Dr. Hayon can often be found listening to music, spending time with her wonderful family, reading speculative fiction, or doing hand embroidery.
Britt Allen, MD
Britt Allen (she/her/hers) completed her undergraduate education at Wesleyan University and her medical education at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. She went on to complete a residency and chief residency at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago before returning to Madison as an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin. She is a general pediatrician as well as a co-medical director and provider in the Pediatric and Adolescent Transgender Health Clinic at American Family Children’s Hospital, which has served more than 350 transgender, nonbinary, and gender diverse (TNG) youth. She focuses her academic work on improving the health and healthcare experiences of LGBTQ+, and specifically TNG, youth. She has authored several chapters on the health of LGBTQ+ youth and have been an active member in the AAP’s Section on LGBT Health and Wellness, including serving on the section’s Publication Committee. She also serves as the Pediatrics Champion for the inaugural American Medical Association Foundation National LGBTQ+ Health Fellowship. In her free time, Britt enjoys biking in the Wisconsin countryside, connecting with friends and family, and appreciating ice cream.
Support
Christina Swords, PhD
Christina Swords (she/her) is the fellowship coordinator for the LGBTQ+ Health Fellowship Program. In addition to this program, she also coordinates the Primary Care Research Fellowship, the Academic Integrative Health Fellowship, and the Academic Fellowship in the UW Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. Her responsibilities include managing fellowship logistics, assisting with recruitment and website activities, and helping fellows manage administrative aspects of the program. She was a public librarian for a little less than a decade before deciding to foster her interest in scientific research. While working, she received her B.S. in biology and chemistry from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre PA. She then earned her PhD in biological chemistry from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill where she began to combine her community roots with science engagement. For the past several years, she has worked with multiple local and national programs to train scientists in communication with non-scientist audiences and community engagement, including a yearlong internship at Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and a postdoctoral position in science education and engagement with the Wisconsin Initiative for Science Literacy. She is passionate about public discussions regarding science and K-12 outreach. In her free time, Christina enjoys local history, road trips, and spending time with family including her rambunctious Cattle Dog and much less rambunctious Calico Cat.