Hispanic/Latinx Advisory Board

MSAA’s Hispanic/Latinx Advisory Board is comprised of leading MS healthcare professionals, people living with MS, and care partners. The advisory board was established in 2021 to identify unmet needs and challenges facing the Latinx MS community and to develop comprehensive and innovative programmatic and educational initiatives to address those needs.

Junta Asesora Hispana/Latinx

La Junta Asesora Hispana/Latinx de MSAA está compuesto por destacados profesionales de la salud en EM, personas que viven con EM y cuidadores. La junta se estableció en 2021 para identificar las necesidades y los desafíos no satisfechos que enfrenta la comunidad Latinx de EM y para desarrollar iniciativas programáticas y educativas integrales e innovadoras para abordar esas necesidades.

Lilyana Amezcua, MD, MS, FAAN (Co-Chair)

Lilyana Amezcua, MD, MS, FAAN

Co-Chair, MSAA Hispanic/Latinx Advisory Board
Associate Professor of Neurology
Multiple Sclerosis Fellowship Program Director
Multiple Sclerosis Comprehensive Care and Research Group
USC, Keck School of Medicine
Los Angeles, California
Yahaira Rivera, M.B.Ed.

Yahaira Rivera, M.B.Ed.

Co-Chair, MSAA Hispanic/Latinx Advisory Board
Director of Mission Delivery and Program Development
MSAA
Diana Andino, MD

Diana Andino, MD

Neuroimmunologist
Austin Regional Clinic
Austin, Texas
Fernando X. Cuascut, MD, MPH

Fernando X. Cuascut, MD, MPH

Assistant Professor, Baylor College of Medicine
Director, Harris Health MS Clinic
Director, Neurology Clerkship
Houston, Texas
R. Alejandro Cruz, MD

R. Alejandro Cruz, MD

Neurology Director
Co-Chief of Neuroscience
Director of Neurology/ Neuroimmunology & Multiple Sclerosis Center
McAllen, TX
Angel Chinea, MD

Angel Chinea, MD

Neurologist
Medical Director, Fundación de Esclerosis Múltiple de PR
Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
Silvia Delgado, MD, FAAN

Silvia Delgado, MD, FAAN

Professor of Neurology
Multiple Sclerosis Center of Excellence
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Miami, Florida
Augusto Miravalle, MD, FAAN

Augusto Miravalle, MD, FAAN

Chief, Multiple Sclerosis Center
Associate Professor of Neurology
Department of Neurological Sciences
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, Illinois
Gabriel Pardo, MD, FAAN

Gabriel Pardo, MD, FAAN

Founding Director, OMRF Multiple Sclerosis Center of Excellence
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Carlos Ramirez-Calderón, MD

Carlos Ramirez-Calderón, MD

Erica Rivas-Rodriguez, MD

Erica Rivas-Rodriguez, MD

Medical Director, Multiple Sclerosis and Neurology Institute of Austin
Austin, Texas
Victor Rivera, MD, FAAN

Victor Rivera, MD, FAAN

Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Neurology
Founding Director of the Maxine Mesinger MS Clinic
Houston, Texas
Rebecca S Romero, M.D., FAAN

Rebecca S. Romero, MD, FAAN

Associate Professor of Neurology
Director of Comprehensive MS Clinic
Director Infusion Center Brain Health Building
Division Chief of Neuroimmunology
University of Texas Health at San Antonio
San Antonio, TX

Please note that members of the MS community, including individuals with MS and care partners are also included on the Hispanic/Latinx Advisory Board.


Tenga en cuenta que miembros de la comunidad de esclerosis múltiple, incluidas las personas con EM y sus cuidadores, también forman parte de la Junta Asesora Hispana/Latinx.

Misión: La Junta Asesora Hispana y Latinx de la Asociación de Esclerosis Múltiple de América es una colaboración dinámica compuesta por expertos en el cuidado de la esclerosis múltiple, así como defensores de pacientes y de la comunidad, que juntos buscan superar las barreras sistémicas para lograr un bienestar óptimo y una atención equitativa.

Visión: La Junta Asesora Hispana y Latinx de la Asociación de Esclerosis Múltiple de América (MSAA HLAB) busca abordar las barreras que las personas hispanas y latinx que viven con EM enfrentan en relación con la calidad de atención médica, el diagnóstico temprano y preciso y el acceso a recursos equitativos. A través del diseño y la implementación de programas educativos culturalmente relevantes, folletos informativos y defensa clínica, MSAA HLAB confía en que existe la oportunidad de proporcionar recursos internos y externos que puedan impulsar el acceso y los resultados relacionados con la esclerosis múltiple en la comunidad hispana y latina. MSAA HLAB se centrará en estrategias que ayuden a integrar la competencia cultural en todos los aspectos de la atención médica para mejorar la confianza, la transparencia y la colaboración comunitaria.


Mission: The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America Hispanic and Latinx Advisory Board is a dynamic collaborative comprised of experts in the care of multiple sclerosis as well as patient and community advocates, together seeking to overcome systemic barriers to achieving optimal wellness and equitable care.

Vision: The MSAA Hispanic and Latinx Board (MSAA HLAB) seeks to address barriers that Hispanic and Latinx individuals living with MS may face related to quality of care, early and accurate diagnosis, and access to equitable resources. Through the design and implementation of culturally relevant educational programming, information pamphlets, and clinical advocacy the MSAA HLAB trusts there is the opportunity to provide internal and external resources that can move the needle on access and outcomes related to multiple sclerosis in the Hispanic and Latinx Community. MSAA HLAB will focus on strategies that help to integrate cultural competence in all aspects of healthcare to improve trust, transparency, and community collaboration.



For more resources for the Spanish-speaking MS community, please see MSAA’s Información en Español section.

Para obtener más recursos para la comunidad de EM de habla hispana, consulte la sección Información en Español de MSAA.