Biography

Dr. James Simmons (he/him/his) is a Board Certified Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, frontline healthcare provider, and passionate on-air medical personality. Dr. James continues to emerge as one of the most sought-after voices at the intersection of the LGBTQ+ and Black communities because of his uncanny ability to distill the complex and complicated into consumable content the audience just gets. He is also the brains and heart behind the vibrant online community Ask The NP! (@askthenp) As seen and heard on KTLA, NBC, FOX, CBS, ABC, Yahoo!, Scripps News, The Young Turks, KROQ, Sirius XM, Loveline, DASH Radio and countless more, his combination of extensive multimedia experience, real, relatable, and reliable approach, and more than 12 years of hospital-based critical care practice make Dr. James one of the most innovative voices changing the way we talk about healthcare today. Dr. James holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communications from Drake University, a Master of Science in Nursing from University of Illinois-Chicago, and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice from the University of California Los Angeles, where he is also a frequent guest lecturer and research consultant. Dr. James was featured in Beyoncé’s “Break My Soul Hive Certified” video. He is also the 2023 recipient of two prestigious professional awards; the Sharp Cutting Edge Award from the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and the Creative Communication Award from Sigma Theta Tau. Dr. James is honored to be a founding and continuing Clinical Ambassador for the CDC’s “Let’s Stop HIV Together” campaign. He serves proudly on multiple non-profit boards, including as Advisory Board Chair for APAIT, whose vision is to advocate, educate, and achieve optimal health for vulnerable communities, and Black Queer Town Hall, a non-profit organization led by Miss Peppermint and Bob the Drag Queen, committed to supporting Black Queer excellence by cultivating community, sharing knowledge, and uplifting voices.

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