Lisa Abdul-Haqq, DNP, M.A. ’09, MSN ’21, CRNP, FCPP, works tirelessly to help underserved communities navigate the U.S. healthcare system.

Lisa Abdul-Haqq, DNP, M.A. ’09, MSN ’21, CRNP, FCPP, is focused on helping communities most in need of support navigate the U.S. healthcare system. It is Abdul-Haqq’s accomplishments that made her the ideal choice for La Salle’s annual Women in Leadership Award. Abdul-Haqq will be recognized at the award luncheon on Saturday, March 2 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Founders’ Hall. 

The primary care nurse practitioner, public speaker, and educator is the founder and president of Celestial Health and Human Services, Inc (CHHS, Inc). 

The nonprofit provides comprehensive services and resources to empower immigrant and underserved communities in achieving physical, mental, and social well-being to promote healthy integration into society. The organization provides documented clients with legal assistance, ESL and health literacy classes, job training, medical exams and treatments for the uninsured, and interpreters to accompany clients to their medical appointments. 

“We try to do everything so that it’s manageable for them,” she said. Abdul-Haqq is also a primary care medical provider at Dedicated Senior Medical Center, a division of ChenMed, LLC, where she specializes in adult-gerontology. Medicare patients are provided with several services that keep them healthy and out of hospital care if possible. 

Abdul-Haqq was immersed in her parents’ Haitian culture, and it’s what inspired her interest in studying diverse populations. She is passionate about delivering comprehensive care to Philadelphia communities while addressing the intricate needs of the mind, body, and spirit. The La Salle’s annual Women in Leadership Award is given annually to an alumna who melds career distinction and community engagement with Lasallian values in her personal and professional life. 

“I felt so humbled,” Abdul-Haqq said of being this year’s honoree. 

During the nomination process, Abdul-Haqq was described as someone who’s “passion for service to vulnerable populations is evident in all of her endeavors. She always aspires to help those in her care by providing education to help them achieve optimal health and promote self-care. She believes in meeting patients ‘where they are’ and addressing each person as a unique individual.”

Alongside 15-plus years of experience working with multicultural populations, she received a master’s degree in bilingual and bicultural studies from La Salle, focusing on Latin/Caribbean populations. She later returned to the University for her master of science in nursing. 

Abdul-Haqq felt supported at La Salle from the rigorous academics and knowledgeable faculty. The experience she’s received in the classroom has helped her build a foundation for career success. 

“All of the degrees I have, it’s like a marriage, it works together,” she said. 

Proficient in French, Haitian Creole, and Spanish, Abdul-Haqq has undertaken medical missions in Haiti and Peru. She’s also presented at cultural diversity conferences at Chestnut Hill College, Georgetown University, and Holy Family University while contributing to numerous health and wellness symposiums. She is also the former host of a radio show on Philadelphia’s WDAS-FM and a creator of educational health videos in multiple languages for social media platforms. 

Abdul-Haqq’s professional affiliations include Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society, AANP, PCNP, and she was recently inducted as a Fellow with the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. 

Abdul-Haqq tells others to create a dream board and look at it often to motivate you to keep pursuing your goals. 

“When you’re passionate about something, that’s what drives you,” she said. 

For more information on the 2024 Women in Leadership Award Luncheon and to register, click here.