ABOUT ROB QUINN, MS

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

My life has been shaped by illness, recovery, disability, grief, community, and the work of rebuilding. Those experiences continue to influence how I understand change—and how I connect with others navigating their own crossings.

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

Supporting children and families through difficult experiences taught me the value of listening, presence, and meeting people where they are.

In 2001, my health required me to leave the workforce on disability. I faced questions about identity, independence, and purpose that would become central to my own crossing.

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 cardiomyopathy and other chronic health conditions.

My recovery from addiction began on February 14, 2007.

These experiences have asked me to accept help, adjust expectations, grieve losses, and discover new possibilities. They have also deepened my understanding that recovery takes many forms—and that support matters throughout our lives.

Today, I share my experiences through The Crossing Trilogy, R4 Style reflections, and speaking engagements.

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.

Across these roles, I return to the value of being heard, having choices, and finding support.

I share my story to offer perspective and invite conversation. Each person brings experiences that can deepen what we understand together.

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