Dr. Barbara Speller- Brown is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s National Hospital, Washington, D.C.  She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Howard University, Washington, D.C., Master of Science in Nursing and Pediatric Nurse Practitioner from the University of Utah and Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. She is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health. Dr. Barbara is also the Lead Translational Research APN at Children’s National. She participates in several research projects and has authored several manuscripts and book chapters on sickle cell disease. She is Director of the Sickle Cell Adolescent Transition Clinic (SCAT) at Children’s, which prepares adolescents and young adults with sickle cell disease to make a smooth, successful transition from pediatric to adult care. She is passionate about caring for children and making a difference in the lives of patients with sickle cell disease and their families.