Kathy Lowry and Eva Smidova are both WPATH members and Certified Transgender Care Therapists. Kathy is the former President and an honorary board member and Eva is the former Secretary of the board and adult group leader with The GET Network Foundation. Rachel Cavucci is serving as the current Vice President of The GET Network Foundation and helps with the adult and teen groups. Other therapists at IBOS that have received training in trans health are Ania Jarmulowicz, Bryn Marcus, Christina Molina, Gary Freudenthal, Julia Corbin Grey, Kira Hickman, Michele Ocampo, Mirna Velasquez, Nadji Garcia, Natalie Moppert and Vanessa Matute.

IBOS follows the guidance from the WPATH Standards of Care. We can help with letter writing for hormone therapy and surgeries, but name changing and gender marker changing letters must be done by a medical doctor. Psychological evaluations are typically done by psychologists, psychiatrists or medical doctors. We do not do any psychological evaluations at IBOS. Letter writing and gender exploration is done from an informed consent approach. We do not tell individuals what they need to do nor do we pressure individuals into making decisions. 

Our role is not of gate keeping but making sure that as you continue on your life journey, you are able to make the best decisions for yourself at whatever and wherever you are in your life at any moment. Transition is a life long journey that will continue to evolve as medicine and society does. It is also a journey that is shared by all around you and we can support you and anyone else you feel needs help or guidance. 

One of the first questions that people ask me is, “So how did you get involved with this?” Although it is a small niche in this great world, it is one with a growing voice. My journey began in 2004 when I was attending the University of Miami getting my Master’s Degree. It was required that I take a Sexology class where my professor, Dr. Marilyn Volker, had a Transgender Panel. Here I met Jessica Lam.

Jessica told me of her journey, her feelings as a child, getting married, fathering two children, and then her decision to transition from male to female. I was fascinated. I had never met anyone like her. She had such conviction in her voice, her decision was so clear, and above all, she was so courageous. I knew with this friendship, I had to get to know and help others that had similar experiences.

Since 2004, I have attended various Transgender workshops, seminars, conferences and medical symposiums to educate myself. As of October 2013 I became a Florida board Certified Transgender Care Therapist and in 2015 a Gender Care therapist with WPATH. I have worked with a variety of people who fit under the Transgender umbrella, helping some to further their journey through hormone therapy and a variety of surgeries. I also hosted a Transgender Workshop in 2012 in Fort Myers, FL to further educate people in my area about with it means to be Transgender.I have also made sure that my IBOS team who is working with transgender health is educated and competent to continue to help individuals on their journey.  

 Congrats to:

Emmie Wakefield, Youth Advocate of the Year; Nicole Lamorte, College Advocate of the Year; and Katherine Lowry, Advocate of the Year!

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