Natalie Valentino, MSN, APRN, WHNP-BC

Listening first: "I began my nursing career in 2006, working on a surgical unit caring for patients recovering from everything from kidney and liver transplants to mastectomies and hysterectomies. I became increasingly connected to my female patients as I witnessed their voices ignored. I became a nurse practitioner focused on women's health in 2016 and have since worked in private practices and large hospital systems focusing on obstetrics, gynecology, fertility care, contraception, and menopause care. Over time, I realized the part of medicine I valued most was not the exam room routine, it was sitting with women, hearing their stories, and working together to build a plan that truly fit their lives."

Women-centered care: "I joined Midi because the model is built around women feeling seen, informed, and in control of their own care. I see myself as an educator and collaborator. My role is to explain options, risks, and benefits clearly so patients can make decisions that feel right for them. I never want women to feel like healthcare is happening to them instead of with them."

You are not crazy: "Women in perimenopause and menopause are too often told to simply live with symptoms that deeply affect their quality of life. Some of the most meaningful moments in my career have been seeing women return after years of feeling dismissed and say they finally feel like themselves again. I always start from the same place: this is real, you are not crazy, and you do not have to keep suffering in silence."