Jeanine Gargiulo has been a Physician Assistant (PA) since 2008, specializing in orthopedics. She began her volunteering journey with Operation Walk Virginia in 2010, traveling to Ecuador on her first mission trip with Dr. Bill Hamilton. Since then, she has taken on the role of PA team lead, participating in 4 additional trips to Guatemala, Cuba, and twice to Panama.

Jeanine is a faculty member at the University of Maryland Baltimore's PA Program and lectures on medical volunteerism. Inspired by her experiences, she is dedicated to establishing global elective rotations for her clinical students and plans to focus on global experiential learning as she works toward earning her PhD.

Jeanine's involvement with Operation Walk brings her fulfillment through cultural competency, perspective, and gratitude, while emphasizing the importance of teamwork and community collaboration. Her favorite quote is, "Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart," by Elizabeth Andrew.