Bay Pines VA Staff’s Heritage Promotes Dedication to Veterans

Dr. Christina Flint-Lowe is one of thousands of Bay Pines VA staff who works continuously to ensure Veterans and their loved ones know that at VA, they are safe.

“What I value about working at the VA is the fact that we get to approach challenges with our Veterans’ care at the forefront,” Flint-Lowe shared. “When I worked in the private sector, the model was always very metric-driven but being here flips the script a little; I get to honor the Veteran and what matters to them with each decision I make.”

In Flint-Lowe’s daily role, she often travels to geriatric Veterans’ homes to provide care to those who are living with a chronic or serious illness. The Home-Based Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, who is based out of our Lee County Healthcare Center, has been part of the VA  team for 13 years. Although Flint-Lowe didn’t deepen her connection to her culture until she became an adult, her heritage and her work are inextricably intertwined.

“I am a member of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. I didn’t grow up on the reservation, but my grandparents were both part of the community. They were very impoverished, so they left in pursuit of more opportunities,” Flint-Lowe shared. “When I was growing up, they didn’t talk much about being native, but I think part of that was a protective feature. They were living in a time when it wasn’t popular to identify as being Native American.”

When Flint-Lowe did visit her reservation, there was an inexplicably familiar feeling. The more she learned, the more knowledge she craved; and the desire for understanding was deepened when she gave birth to her son.

“My want to learn is not only for myself, but for my son because I want to pass our heritage on to him,” Flint-Lowe stated. “Later in my adulthood, I decided to go back to school to receive my masters in Native American Leadership. Through those courses, I realized that I have a responsibility to something greater than myself.”

In addition to her role as a nurse practitioner, Flint-Lowe also serves as Bay Pines VA’s American Indian/Alaska Native Special Emphasis Program Manager (SEMP). In this role, she consistently makes every effort to conduct outreach to local native communities and educate staff about various customs and traditions.

“I encourage people to remain curious and open because through that process, people reach a mutual understanding and respect of one another,” Flint-Lowe said. “My story is just one of many, but I feel honored to be a representative of the community; it’s something I don’t take lightly.”

Although she has never shied away from voicing what she feels is right, Flint-Lowe knows that being a representative in any capacity requires balance. As both a nurse practitioner and a SEPM, advocacy remains at the forefront of her mind.

“My work requires managing my expectations while truly considering the needs of those around me,” Flint-Lowe said. “Being provided the opportunity to have leadership in both roles at VA fills me with gratitude.”