Olga Lucia Torres, JD, MS

Narrative Medicine Expert & Patient Advocate; Attorney & Lecturer; Faculty in Narrative Medicine at Columbia University

Manhattan, NY, USA
Live Event: $5,000 - $10,000 Virtual Event: $5,000 - $10,000 More Fee Info
Autoimmune Disease, College, Culture, DEI, Disability, Diversity & Inclusion, Health & Wellness, Healthcare, Hispanic Heritage, Inspirational, Medicine, Motivational, Storytelling, TED, Women, Youth
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Olga Lucia Torres, JD, MS Biography

Olga Lucia Torres, JD, MS, is a narrative medicine expert, patient advocate, attorney, and lecturer whose work focuses on the intersection of law, healthcare, and storytelling. Torres, a first-generation Latina, earned a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Africana Studies and Government from Cornell University and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law School. She was one of eight founding attorneys of the Bronx Defenders, a holistic public defender's office that contributed to redefining public defense in New York City. Torres previously taught at CUNY School of Medicine before concentrating on narrative medicine.

Torres has lived with chronic illness since childhood, beginning with a pediatric pituitary adenoma, followed by lupus, multiple autoimmune diseases, and a brain injury resulting in disability. These experiences led her to Columbia University, where she earned a Master of Science in Narrative Medicine. There, she developed expertise in using narrative training to help clinicians better understand and interpret patients' stories of illness. Torres is a faculty member in the Narrative Medicine program at Columbia University and serves as a Pedagogy Fellow as part of Columbia's Faculty Assessment and Development Team.

Torres is recognized for her work in narrative medicine, clinician-patient communication, disability rights, healthcare equity, and structural racism in healthcare. She has delivered a TEDx talk titled "Why Everyone Should Be a Professional Patient" and has been published in New York Times, New York Daily News, Parents, Next Avenue, and other outlets on topics including healthcare, disability rights, and BIPOC issues. Her keynote speaking topics include "How to Be a Professional Patient," "How to Tell Your Medical Story and Effectively Advocate for Yourself," and strategies for incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion into clinical encounters.

Torres serves as the inaugural Northeast Region Advocacy Chair for the Lupus Foundation of America, providing individual and group advocacy. The Lupus Foundation of America honored her with the Sandra C. Raymond Advocate of the Year Award. She is a member of the Patient Engagement Collaborative, which collaborates with the Food and Drug Administration and Clinical Trials Transformation Initiative to improve communication and education on medical product regulation. Torres has also partnered with the National Patient Advocate Foundation as a lecturer, supporting patients in navigating the healthcare system.

As Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association, Torres works to increase diversity across media platforms. She serves on the medical advisory board of Hear Your Song, a nonprofit empowering children and teens with serious illnesses through collaborative songwriting. Torres's combination of legal expertise, lived experience with chronic illness, and grounding in narrative medicine positions her as a resource for patients, clinicians, and organizations aiming to improve healthcare communication and patient advocacy.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 10/09/2026.

Olga Lucia Torres, JD, MS Speaking Topics

  • How to Be a Professional Patient

    After surviving a brain injury I made a discovery—to make the most out of doctor-patient interaction, both the doctor and patient have to show up as professionals. I’m not suggesting that the patient and the doctor are equals in knowledge or skills. No, an egalitarian relationship at the medical level is not possible. In large part, the doctor dictates the treatment, and the patient is expected to comply. But could not this compliance be re-calibrated?

    In this talk and or workshop, I explain how the best results come when the doctors and patients think and work in sync, when they share concerns and expectations. Professional patient isn’t about the frequency of appointments or the nature of the patient’s ailments, but rather the state of mind of the patient during their doctor’s visits.

    After completing my master's in narrative medicine and working as a patient advocate, I found there are 4 basic steps that patients can take that will help them have a more professional attitude when they see their doctors, and this professional attitude, will greatly enhance the quality of their interaction with the clinician. In this talk or workshop, I go over the steps (I’ve created an easy to remember acronym for the steps) and how to implement them."

  • How to Tell Your Medical Story and Effectively Advocate for Yourself

    Death by medical mistake is the 3rd leading cause of death in the United States. Being able to communicate effectively with your clinicians is critical for your safety. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to use the skills of storytelling to tell your medical story and effectively advocate for yourself and your loved ones.

    We’ll cover what you need to do before your visit—how to prepare. What to do during the visit both if it’s going well or if the clinician isn’t listening to you. What to do after the visit to continue building repertoire with your provider.

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Olga Lucia Torres, JD, MS Videos

Why Everyone Should Be a Professional Patient | Olga Lucia Torres TEDx

Why Everyone Should Be a Professional Patient | Olga Lucia Torres TEDx

Olga Lucia Torres was working as a defense attorney in New York City in August of 2000 when she suffered a traumatic brain injury that forced her to...

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  • What topics does Olga Lucia Torres, JD, MS speak about?

    Olga Lucia Torres, JD, MS is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Autoimmune Disease, College, Culture, DEI, Disability, Diversity & Inclusion, Health & Wellness, Healthcare, Hispanic Heritage, Inspirational, Medicine, Motivational, Storytelling, TED, Women, Youth

  • Where does Olga Lucia Torres, JD, MS travel from?

    Olga Lucia Torres, JD, MS generally travels from Manhattan, NY, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.

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Olga Lucia Torres, JD, MS is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as How to Be a Professional Patient, How to Tell Your Medical Story and Effectively Advocate for Yourself, Looking past the DEI jargon--how do you practically bring DEI into a doctor-patient encounter?, Disabled People Aren’t Here to Inspire You and We Don’t Need Your Pity and How to Parent as a Disabled Person Who Lives with Multiple Chronic Illnesses. The estimated speaking fee range to book Olga Lucia Torres, JD, MS for your event is available upon request. Olga Lucia Torres, JD, MS generally travels from Manhattan, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Temple Grandin, Jennifer Borrero, Isabel Mavrides-Calderón, Daphne Frias and Tiffany Yu. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Olga Lucia Torres, JD, MS for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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