Patricia E. McGoldrick, PNP

Patricia Engel McGoldrick, NP, MPA, MSN, FAES is a nationally recognized pediatric neurology and epilepsy nurse practitioner with more than two decades of leadership in complex epilepsy care, developmental disability medicine, clinical education, research collaboration, and family-centered advocacy. Her career reflects a rare combination of advanced clinical expertise, program development, interdisciplinary leadership, teaching excellence, and sustained commitment to improving access to high-quality neurological care for children and individuals with disabilities.

Core Strengths

• Deep clinical expertise in pediatric epilepsy, catastrophic epilepsies, tuberous sclerosis complex, developmental disabilities, and neurological care across hospital, clinic, home, group-home, and institutional settings.
• Proven program-building leadership, including roles in epilepsy centers, epilepsy surgery initiatives, ketogenic diet programming, pediatric epilepsy research, and tuberous sclerosis clinics.
• Strong patient- and family-centered communication, with a consistent focus on accessible, individualized care and reducing disparities for children with neurological and developmental needs.
• Experienced educator and mentor for nurse practitioner students, residents, nurses, medical students, families, and interdisciplinary clinical teams.
• Collaborative research and quality-improvement contributor with experience in study design, patient recruitment, data evaluation, clinical trials, grants, and multi-center research initiatives.
• Trusted professional advisor and community leader with long-standing service on advisory boards, foundations, professional societies, and disability-focused organizations.

Selected Accomplishments

• Recognized as a Fellow of the American Epilepsy Society, reflecting sustained professional contribution to epilepsy care and the broader epilepsy community.
• Received the Association of Child Neurology Nurses Nurse Practitioner Award for Excellence in Child Neurology Nursing in 2021.
• Received American Epilepsy Society Nurse Investigator Awards in 2019 and 2006 for epilepsy-related research initiatives.
• Named Epilepsy Hero by the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater New York in 2017 and honored by Ferncliff Manor Home for Children in 2013 for work with individuals with developmental disabilities.
• Served in major clinical leadership roles, including Associate Director of Pediatric Epilepsy Research, Associate Director of a Pediatric Epilepsy Center, Associate Director of a Developmental Disability Center, and Co-Director of Tuberous Sclerosis Clinics.
• Co-authored educational family resources on epilepsy, seizure management, learning and developmental issues, and epilepsy surgery, supported by grant and foundation funding.
• Participated in clinical trials and research initiatives involving cannabidiol treatment, responsive neurostimulation, pediatric epilepsy surgery, rare epilepsies, epilepsy genetics, seizure detection technology, and pediatric epilepsy databases.
• Mentored trainees and students on scholarly projects, quality improvement work, case reports, and publications related to epilepsy, neurostimulation, tuberous sclerosis, and complex pediatric neurological disorders.

Patricia brings the perspective of a seasoned clinician, educator, researcher, and advocate who has helped build and sustain epilepsy services while caring for children with some of the most complex neurological conditions. Her strengths lie in translating specialized clinical knowledge into compassionate care, practical education, research collaboration, and systems-level improvement. She is especially effective in settings that require clinical judgment, interdisciplinary coordination, family engagement, mentorship, and a commitment to equitable care for vulnerable populations.