Nadine Ruff:
Clinician, Activist, Scholar
I am a Black woman with a transgender experience who has lived with HIV for over 38 years. I am the fourth Black transgender woman in the nation with a Masters Degree. I have worked in the community for 20 years after staying clean from drugs for 21 years of recovery. My focus is on collaborating with LGBT communities, especially the transgender people who are living with and without HIV/AIDS. I have great expertise about the challenges, barriers, and strengths of transgender women of color.
In addition to my lived experiences, I am a Licensed Master of Social Work clinician.
I earned both my BSW and MSW at Southern CT State University.
I am currently doing my clinical 3000 hours working with people who live with HIV/AIDS, mental health and Substance Use Disorder.
I work as an intensive medical case manager at APNH, an AIDS service organization in New Haven, CT.
I serve as a consultant to several community-based research studies in New Haven, CT with Yale University and Southern CT State University.
My experience includes speaking at local, regional, and national conferences.
I am a leader and advocate for Trans and Gender-Diverse Community
I began my transition in 1990 and it was a lonely journey filled with harassment, discrimination, imprisonment, homelessness, unemployment, sexual & physical abuse, sex work, and substance use disorder. One day I came to a crossroads in my life homeless moment. I did not know what to do at this point in time. I knew there was more to life than this with nowhere to go.
