Lawanda graduated with honors from Herbert H. Lehman College, the City University of New York in 1994 after serving in the United States Marine Corps for 4 years.  Her basic nursing career includes medical surgical, step-down, telemetry, operating room, and home health nursing.  She has worked at major health care systems including, the Veterans Administration Medical Centers in NYC, and the Bronx, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, and the Visiting Nurse Service of New York. 

 

In 1998, she completed an Adult Nurse Practitioner program at the College of Mount Saint Vincent in Riverdale, New York.  In 2007, she was awarded a Doctorate degree in Health Administration.   As an Advanced Practice Nurse, she has gained invaluable experience in various specialties and settings to include:  Federal Qualified Health Care Clinic, Critical Care, Prison Health, Community Health, Opioid Addiction,  Skilled and Assisted care living facilities.  Her career has included several Nurse Executive roles such as in managed care, as well as secondary and tertiary care environments.