Joelys Gonzalez is a bilingual social work professional and passionate health equity advocate with a strong focus on culturally responsive cancer education, patient navigation, and program development. As the Programs Manager at the Patient Empowerment Network (PEN), she leads national initiatives that aim to reduce health disparities and empower patients and care partners through accessible, culturally tailored resources and strategic partnerships.
Before joining PEN, Joelys provided bilingual psychosocial support through the Cancer Support Community Helpline, where she worked directly with patients and care partners to address emotional distress, language barriers, and systemic access challenges. Her experience supporting Spanish-speaking individuals highlighted the urgent need for equitable, linguistically appropriate care and inspired her ongoing commitment to community-centered solutions.
Joelys began her career in advocacy prior to earning her Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) from York College. She is currently pursuing her Master of Social Work (MSW) at Rutgers University with a focus on clinical practice, while applying her advocacy and program development expertise through her work at the Patient Empowerment Network—particularly in support of underrepresented Latino/a/x communities. As she takes on greater responsibility for partnerships at PEN, Joelys has cultivated deeper relationships across the cancer advocacy space to strengthen PEN’s mission and reach.
She lives in New Jersey with her four children and their energetic Goldendoodle, Bellaluna. Her lived experience as a caregiver and cultural bridge continues to shape her efforts to build inclusive systems of support for all patients and families.