Dr. Celia McIntosh, DNP, RN, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC, CCRN, CEN, SCRN, CNRN is a powerhouse in healthcare and a fierce advocate for justice. A dually certified nurse practitioner, international and national speaker, and anti-trafficking advocate, Dr. McIntosh is known for showing up where it matters—at the bedside, in the boardroom, and on the frontlines of policy change.

With dual certification in family and psychiatric mental health, she brings a rare and deeply informed perspective to clinical care—treating the whole person while challenging the systems that harm them. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice, Family Nurse Practitioner, and post-master’s Psychiatric Mental Health NP certifications from St. John Fisher College, and has built a career grounded in equity, action, and community-centered leadership.

Dr. McIntosh is the past president of the Rochester Regional Coalition Against Human Trafficking (RRCAHT), the immediate past president of the Rochester Black Nurses Association (RBNA), and currently serves as RBNA’s Health Policy and Black Maternal Health Chair. She also serves as Health Policy Co-Chair for the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) and is a board member for The Children’s Agenda, where she advocates for policy change that centers child well-being, health equity, and family support.

During her leadership at RRCAHT, she led initiatives that shifted the local response to human trafficking:

• Launched the “Yes Here” Campaign to raise awareness about human trafficking and amplify survivor voices

• Created the Survivor Fund, offering direct financial support to survivors navigating reentry

• Partnered with Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) to expand education and outreach

• Built community training programs for law enforcement, healthcare providers, educators, and faith-based leaders

• Founded the Human Trafficking and Social Justice Conference, now an annual regional event

• Secured nonprofit status for the coalition to ensure long-term sustainability

• Rolled out fundraising and recognition events, honoring mission-aligned community partners

In her clinical leadership role, Dr. McIntosh developed a system-wide human trafficking protocol that has been embedded in the Rochester Regional Health electronic medical record system for over five years—ensuring frontline teams are equipped to identify and respond to trafficking victims with care and accountability.

Dr. McIntosh is a nationally and internationally recognized voice and thought leader on neurological disorders, post-stroke depression, Black maternal health, and human trafficking. Her presentations blend evidence-based insight with advocacy and bold truth-telling—sparking action and influencing change across healthcare, academic, and policy spaces.

Whether she’s mentoring future leaders, driving policy conversations, or redesigning care systems from the inside out, Dr. Celia McIntosh is a disruptor for good—unapologetic, compassionate, and relentlessly committed to building communities where health equity, dignity, and justice are non-negotiable.