Dr. Craig Emmitt Cole, Dr. Chikelue Oragwu, Dr. Nicole Christian-Brathwaite, Dr. Yele Aluko, Dr. Kristen Harris Nwanyanwu, Dr. Adam Friedman, Dr. Beatrice Williams and Dr. Keisha L. Gibson join the platform to guide clinical strategy, product development and content for over 30 million users
CHICAGO, Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — BlackDoctor, the leading health and wellness platform for Black America, today announced its first Medical Advisory Board. The board brings together eight physicians from across the country. They will help inform the company’s product and content development strategy for clinicians, advance its health education efforts, help shape new products and tools and facilitate strategic engagements across the healthcare ecosystem.
The board is a core part of BlackDoctor’s strategic rebrand and reintroduction into the health services industry. It gives the company, which reaches 30 million people each year, a formal layer of clinical oversight from physicians who understand the challenges facing Black patients and clinicians with specialities spanning cardiovascular health, cancer, mental health, kidney disease, clinical trials, dermatology and vision care.
“Our Medical Advisory Board reflects who we are as a company — built by and for the community we serve, with real clinicians in the room,” says Akinwole Garrett, CEO, BlackDoctor. “These eight physicians will help shape every part of BlackDoctor, from the products we build to the content our readers trust every day.”
The board’s role goes beyond an advisory title. Members will help inform new product development and conduct medical review of BlackDoctor’s content. They will represent the brand at industry events and conferences, and contribute content and commentary for BlackDoctor.com and BlackDoctor.pro. They will also help build relationships with pharmaceutical companies, academic medical institutions, medical schools, medical societies, foundations and health nonprofits.
“When BlackDoctor first approached me about joining the board, it was an easy decision,” says Dr. Craig Emmitt Cole, Oncology/Hematology, BlackDoctor Medical Advisory Board Member. “I thought about how many patients could be helped by the trusted resources BlackDoctor provides, and it just made sense. As part of the board, I’ve been able to help shape cutting-edge tools like WellBot and Health on Point from the ground up, drawing on what I’ve learned treating multiple myeloma in Black patients for years. We’re not just adding another AI product to the market — we’re building something that actually understands who it’s talking to.”
BlackDoctor already maintains the largest single database of Black and culturally sensitive healthcare professionals in the country, with more than 30,000 practitioners. The eight-member board becomes the clinical front door to that network for future partners, content and initiatives.
About the Board
- Dr. Craig Emmit Cole – Oncology/Hematology, Detroit, MI
- Dr. Chikelue Oragwu – Medical Affairs, Marietta, GA
- Dr. Nicole Christian-Brathwaite – Psychiatry, Boston, MA
- Dr. Yele Aluko – Cardiology/Physician Executive, Charlotte, NC
- Dr. Kristen Harris Nwanyanwu – Ophthalmology, New Haven, CT
- Dr. Adam Friedman – Dermatology, Washington, DC
- Dr. Beatrice Williams – Orthodontics, Raleigh-Durham, NC
- Dr. Keisha L. Gibson – Pediatric Nephrology, Chapel Hill, NC
About BlackDoctor
BlackDoctor is the leading digital health platform dedicated to the health and wellness of Black Americans, reaching more than 30 million users. The company has evolved from a health media site into a 360-degree digital health platform that combines editorial content, AI-powered tools, a provider network and live experiences. Its AI-powered tools include WellBot, which trains providers through simulated patient interactions, and Health On Point, which helps patients prepare for medical visits. Both tools are informed by more than 20 years of BlackDoctor’s clinical content and a network of more than 30,000 Black and culturally sensitive healthcare practitioners. BlackDoctor’s Medical Advisory Board, a group of eight physicians across eight specialties, helps inform the company’s clinical strategy, content and product development.
To learn more, visit BlackDoctor.com.