MEET ROB QUINN

I’m Rob Quinn—author, speaker, advocate, survivor, and founder and creator of R4 Style.

My life has been shaped by illness, recovery, disability, grief, community, and rebuilding. These experiences inform how I understand change and connect with others navigating their own crossings.

My professional life began in early childhood education and Child Life. I earned my Master of Science in Child Life from Wheelock College in Boston in 1986, worked as a Certified Child Life Specialist in Boston and New York City, and taught graduate Child Life at Bank Street College of Education in New York City.

Supporting children and families through difficult experiences taught me to listen, be present, and meet people where they are—lessons I continue to carry.

In 2001, my health required me to leave the workforce on disability. Leaving work changed my sense of identity, independence, and purpose. I began asking questions that would become central to my own crossing: Who am I when familiar roles fall away? What gives my life meaning now?

I was diagnosed with HIV in 1993 and AIDS in 1999. I am a long-term HIV survivor and a cancer survivor, having lived through Kaposi’s sarcoma. I also live with chronic comorbidities, including cardiovascular disease, resulting from living long-term with HIV and the lasting effects of treatment, particularly older generations of HIV medications.

I am in recovery from addiction and have sustained my sobriety since February 14, 2007. Recovery continues to teach me the value of connection, accepting support, and making daily choices that help me move forward.

Living through addiction, illness, disability, and loss has broadened my understanding of recovery. We recover from many experiences that reshape our lives. For me, that has meant adjusting expectations, grieving what has changed, and making room for new possibilities—with support along the way.

Today, I share what I have lived and learned through The Crossing Trilogy, R4 Style reflections, and speaking engagements. Through stories, questions, and conversation, I invite others to consider where they are, what support they need, and what their next honest step might be.

I also serve as a Board Member and Board Clerk for Pathways for Change, Inc., and as a Certified Sexual Assault Counselor.

I live at The Pryde in Boston’s Hyde Park neighborhood, where community and connection are part of my daily life. My work and relationships continue to remind me how much it matters to be heard, have choices, and know that support is available.

I share my story to offer perspective and invite conversation. Each of us brings experiences that can help us learn from one another and feel less alone.

My life has been changed by many crossings. None erased who I was; each helped shape who I am still becoming.