DAP Health is proud to celebrate Director of Gender Health and Wellness Roque Anthony F. Velasco, PhD, AGPCNP-BC, AAHIVS, who was recently named the 2026 recipient of the Carol A. Lindeman Award for a New Researcher by the Western Institute of Nursing.
Presented at the organization’s 59th Annual Western Institute of Nursing Conference in San Francisco on April 21, the prize recognizes an emerging scientist whose work shows exceptional promise and impact. Established in 1976, the honor is awarded through a rigorous selection process that includes candidates from leading universities across 10 western states, including such esteemed institutions as UCSF, UCLA, and the University of Washington.
Velasco’s research focuses on a critical and often overlooked issue: how stigma within health care systems affects access to primary care for transgender people. His findings reveal that stigma is not only interpersonal, but also structural — woven into systems in ways that can exploit, enforce exclusion, and ultimately keep people from receiving the care they need.
“What I found is that stigma operates in interconnected ways that keep people down (through exploitation), in (through enforcement of social norms), and away from care (through exclusion), influencing access across the life course.” Velasco explains. “By centering the voices of transgender people, this work highlights not only the impact of stigma, but also the resistance that persists in the face of it.”
That research is not confined to academia. At DAP Health, it directly informs the design and delivery of gender health and wellness services, helping ensure that programs are affirming, community-based, culturally relevant, and trauma-informed. Velasco’s work reflects a broader commitment to building a better health care environment where patients are respected.
“Ultimately, it points toward a future where health care is fundamentally transformed so that all people are seen, heard, and affirmed,” he says.
A graduate of the University of Colorado’s College of Nursing, Velasco brings both scholarly rigor and deep compassion to his role at DAP Health. This recognition underscores not only his contributions to nursing research, but also the organization’s leadership in advancing equitable, inclusive care.
DAP Health congratulates Anthony on this well-deserved honor and celebrates the impact of his work — both within our community and across the broader field of health care.
