"If they are to achieve sexual and reproductive health, people must be empowered to exercise control over their sexual and reproductive lives, and must have access to related health services." (World Health Organization, 2004)

 

I am joining CSULB after working as an Agency for Health Research and Quality postdoctoral fellow at the UC San Francisco Institute for Health Policy Studies. Prior to that position, I earned my Ph.D. in Psychology from the Community and Prevention Research program at the University of Illinois at Chicago with a minor in Statistics, Methods, and Measurement. In my research, I apply ecological theory and cultural analysis to the psychological study of sexual health promotion and HIV prevention within multiple communities. I approach research from a community-based perspective and work to identify ways to apply social science to solving social problems.

 

AREAS OF RESEARCH

Community-based research
Sexual health promotion and intervention development
Ecology of lesbian, gay, bisexual health
HIV prevention among youth
Culturally specific health research
Program evaluation

CURRENT PROJECTS

If you are an undergraduate student and interested in working with me to get

research experience, please complete the Research Assistant Application and contact me.

 

Sexual culture and sexual health
The Black Lesbians' Ideas about Sex and Sexuality (BLISS) Study is designed to examine sexual beliefs and norms and aimed at informing the development of culturally grounded sexual health promotion programs for African American lesbians. BLISS is a multiple method research project, incorporating qualitative and quantitative methodologies.

 

Discrimination and health care access among lesbians and gays
I am also currently working on studies of the relationships between experienced depression and health, as well as health care access.