Meet our Advisors

At Snippa, we are so much more than the sum of our parts. The vision for this site was galvanized by the dedication, creativity and kindness of the multitude of individuals with whom we have worked, a myriad of patients we have treated, and the friends and family we love and with whom we share our fears, our challenges and our success.

Caring for patients is a privilege. It is a process of constant learning, refinement and modification. Snippa is committed to the embodiment of this exercise of evolution and change. As such, we are indebted to our advisory board, comprised of innovators and thought leaders in women’s health, reconstructive surgery, infectious diseases and pharmacy, and from whom we are continuously guided, mentored and inspired.

Rachel Bluebond-Langner, MD

Dr. Bluebond-Langner is a board-certified plastic surgeon performing both aesthetic and reconstructive surgery at NYU Langone Health, the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Associate Professor of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery, and Associate Professor with the Department of Urology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She was drawn to the field of plastic surgery because it uses creativity and artistry to restore form and function. Working closely with a team of specialists, including urologists, mental health specialists, and endocrinologists, to provide safe, gender-affirming procedures for transgender and nonbinary individuals, Dr. Bluebond-Langner strives to achieve an appearance and anatomy that is congruent with each person’s identity.

Dr. Bluebond-Langner and her team are at the forefront of innovation and research in gender-affirming procedures, conducting studies to improve safety, patient outcomes, and patient satisfaction. She values collaborating with transgender-identified professionals in patient care, and centering the transgender and nonbinary community’s voice in surgery research and innovation. Her studies specifically compare long-term outcomes of surgical procedures, looking for ways to improve them by using advances in biomedical and tissue engineering. Through research and innovation, she and her team aim to improve competent and overall healthcare for transgender and gender nonconforming people.

Rachel Bluebond-Langner, MD

Dr. Bluebond-Langner is a board-certified plastic surgeon performing both aesthetic and reconstructive surgery at NYU Langone Health, the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Associate Professor of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery, and Associate Professor with the Department of Urology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She was drawn to the field of plastic surgery because it uses creativity and artistry to restore form and function. Working closely with a team of specialists, including urologists, mental health specialists, and endocrinologists, to provide safe, gender-affirming procedures for transgender and nonbinary individuals, Dr. Bluebond-Langner strives to achieve an appearance and anatomy that is congruent with each person’s identity.

Dr. Bluebond-Langner and her team are at the forefront of innovation and research in gender-affirming procedures, conducting studies to improve safety, patient outcomes, and patient satisfaction. She values collaborating with transgender-identified professionals in patient care, and centering the transgender and nonbinary community’s voice in surgery research and innovation. Her studies specifically compare long-term outcomes of surgical procedures, looking for ways to improve them by using advances in biomedical and tissue engineering. Through research and innovation, she and her team aim to improve competent and overall healthcare for transgender and gender nonconforming people.

Bassem Girgis, Pharm. D.

Bassem Girgis is the co-founder and president of Akina Compounding Pharmacy, a healthcare destination devoted to enriching lives through personalized medicine and care. Bassem graduated from The Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy of Rutgers University, New Jersey in 2008 where he obtained his doctorate of pharmacy and developed a strong advocacy for a personalized and comprehensive approach to the healthcare of every individual.

His belief in the diligent discovery of the root cause of an issue, which allows for thoughtful and effective treatment, sparked his interest in the art and science of compounded pharmaceuticals, where customization and creativity is endless. After working as a Formulation Developer and Sales and Marketing Clinical Liaison for the largest compounding pharmacy in the USA, he co-founded Akina Compounding Pharmacy. As the president of Akina, Bassem is responsible for aligning the leadership team with the organization’s vision and purpose, and composing it’s strategic direction founded on the philosophy that good will and doing the right thing will cultivate success and an endearing company culture.

Bassem Girgis, Pharm. D.

Bassem Girgis is the co-founder and president of Akina Compounding Pharmacy, a healthcare destination devoted to enriching lives through personalized medicine and care. Bassem graduated from The Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy of Rutgers University, New Jersey in 2008 where he obtained his doctorate of pharmacy and developed a strong advocacy for a personalized and comprehensive approach to the healthcare of every individual.

His belief in the diligent discovery of the root cause of an issue, which allows for thoughtful and effective treatment, sparked his interest in the art and science of compounded pharmaceuticals, where customization and creativity is endless. After working as a Formulation Developer and Sales and Marketing Clinical Liaison for the largest compounding pharmacy in the USA, he co-founded Akina Compounding Pharmacy. As the president of Akina, Bassem is responsible for aligning the leadership team with the organization’s vision and purpose, and composing it’s strategic direction founded on the philosophy that good will and doing the right thing will cultivate success and an endearing company culture.

Briana Walton, MD

Dr. Briana Walton is the inaugural Medical Director of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS) at the University of Maryland Capital Region Health. She was previously the Director of the Women’s Center for Pelvic Health at Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) from 2008 to 2019. She is recognized as an expert in robotic / minimally invasive surgery and treatment of fibroids, urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse. She also runs an intimate wellness practice, the Center for Feminine Wellness and Surgery, that concentrates on sexual function and cosmetic Gynecology. In her career, she has served as Director of Benign Gynecology at Washington Hospital Center, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Urology at Georgetown University School of Medicine. She recently completed a Master’s Program for the Business of Art and Design from Maryland Institute College of Art.

Dr. Walton received her medical degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. She was invited to be the first fellow in the Division of Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery at Harvard Medical School / Mount Auburn Hospital. She is board-certified in both Obstetrics and Gynecology and Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstruction. She is using her Master’s to optimize patients’ experiences through design and education. In addition, she lectures on the impact of design and ergonomics on wellbeing and culture.

Dr. Walton chose Urogynecology / FPMRS because she understands the impact of pelvic floor disorders and that many women suffer in silence because they are too embarrassed to talk about such an intimate topic. “I went into medicine to help people, and when Urogynecology was presented to me as an option for study, it resonated with my passion for developing relationships that can help women achieve a quality of life that they don’t always think is possible.”

Briana Walton, MD

Dr. Briana Walton is the inaugural Medical Director of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS) at the University of Maryland Capital Region Health. She was previously the Director of the Women’s Center for Pelvic Health at Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) from 2008 to 2019. She is recognized as an expert in robotic / minimally invasive surgery and treatment of fibroids, urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse. She also runs an intimate wellness practice, the Center for Feminine Wellness and Surgery, that concentrates on sexual function and cosmetic Gynecology. In her career, she has served as Director of Benign Gynecology at Washington Hospital Center, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Urology at Georgetown University School of Medicine. She recently completed a Master’s Program for the Business of Art and Design from Maryland Institute College of Art.

Dr. Walton received her medical degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. She was invited to be the first fellow in the Division of Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery at Harvard Medical School / Mount Auburn Hospital. She is board-certified in both Obstetrics and Gynecology and Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstruction. She is using her Master’s to optimize patients’ experiences through design and education. In addition, she lectures on the impact of design and ergonomics on wellbeing and culture.

Dr. Walton chose Urogynecology / FPMRS because she understands the impact of pelvic floor disorders and that many women suffer in silence because they are too embarrassed to talk about such an intimate topic. “I went into medicine to help people, and when Urogynecology was presented to me as an option for study, it resonated with my passion for developing relationships that can help women achieve a quality of life that they don’t always think is possible.”

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