The Inaugural PRIDEnet Researcher Basecamp: Catalyzing LGBTQIA+ Research with All of Us Data
PRIDEnet is a National Community Engagement Partner focusing on LGBTQIA+ community engagement for the National Institute of Health’s All of Us Research Program, an ambitious effort to gather health data from one million or more people living in the United States to accelerate research that may improve health. We are excited by the potential that All of Us data present in advancing LGBTQIA+/sexual and gender minority (SGM) health research on a large and national scale.
Through multiple community listening sessions, we heard feedback that more support is needed to help make the process of conducting research more accessible. We also understand that not all researchers know about the All of Us data and/or how to best approach using it. To help facilitate this process, we created the PRIDEnet Researcher Basecamp. This hands-on course, convened in-person at Stanford Research Park, will provide researchers with the tools and resources they need to launch their own journey of conducting LGBTQIA+/SGM health research projects with the robust All of Us data. The PRIDEnet Researcher Basecamp will feature sessions and workshops presented by leaders in LGBTQIA+/SGM research and All of Us researcher experts, covering topics such as LGBTQIA+/SGM research skills, community-engaged research concepts, and in-depth tutorials on the various aspects of using the All of Us Research Hub.
We are inspired by the 15 community-based researchers and early-career academic researchers who are coming from across the country to participate in this event on March 23–24, 2023! We invite you to learn more about their stories and research focuses below.
Adrienne Grzenda, MD, PhD (they/them) — UCLA, David Geffen School of Medicine, Health Sciences Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences
Dr. Adrienne Grzenda received their M.D./Ph.D. (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology) from Mayo Clinic and an M.S. in Bioinformatics & Computational Biology from the University of Minnesota followed by psychiatry residency at UCLA/Semel Institute. Double-boarded in psychiatry and clinical informatics, their research is dedicated to advancing the understanding and treatment of mental health problems using data science, informatics, and computational methods (e.g., machine and deep learning, natural language processing) with priority on improving outcomes for sexual and gender minority populations. Dr. Grzenda also serves as a statistical editor for the American Journal of Psychiatry and is a member of several task forces of the American Psychiatric Association.
Alexander B. Harris, MPH, CPH (he/they) — Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, Clinical Research Manager
Alexander B. Harris, MPH, CPH is the Clinical Research Manager at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center and specializes in TGNB population health research and health insurance advocacy. Prior to joining Callen-Lorde, Harris previously worked at the NYC Health Department, where he coordinated health promotion campaigns intended to shift health narratives for LGBTQ populations, conducted policy analysis in LGBTQ health, and provided technical assistance for SOGI/E data collection, analysis and reporting. Since 2014, Harris organized initiatives to ensure compliance with state and federal mandates for transition-related health coverage and regularly provides technical assistance on study development, survey design and analysis for transgender health projects. Harris earned his Masters of Public Health from Columbia University and his Bachelors from Smith College.
Arjee Restar, PhD, MPH (she/her) — University of Washington / Yale University, Faculty
Arjee Restar (she/her) applies epidemiologic methods to behavioral, social, structural, and health services research and policy to address inequities in health outcomes and access, particularly as experienced by communities of transgender and nonbinary people in the US and Asia. She is expanding transgender health as a field by building research environments that produce high-quality evidence that speaks to the myriad of health priorities of transgender and nonbinary communities at-large, along with community stakeholders, scientists, scholars, and trainees who are also paving this field forward. This work includes advocating for institutional policies and practices that dismantle systems of oppression, inequality, and inequity.
Athena D. F. Sherman, PhD, PHN, RN, CNE (xe/they/she) — Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University, Assistant Professor
Dr. Sherman is an assistant professor at Emory University School of Nursing and has completed a Bachelor of Nursing Science from San Jose State University in 2015, a certificate in LGBTQ+ Public Health from the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins in 2019, a PhD in Nursing Science from Johns Hopkins School of Nursing in 2019 and completed 2-years of post-doctoral studies at Emory University SON in 2021. As a queer person and survivor of violence, Dr. Sherman seeks to lift the voices of LGBTQ+ survivors of violence and build a foundation of research to improve care delivery and mental health outcomes among LGBTQ+ communities. Their research focuses on improving our understanding of how complex systems of racism, cisgenderism, and heterosexism influence health and health equity for racial, ethnic, sexual, and gender minoritized populations, with a focused lens on the impacts of stigma on mental health among transgender and gender diverse people.
Bo James Hwang (he/him) — Hunter College, Study Coordinator / Community Researcher
Bo James Hwang is a community researcher for the Four Corners Trans and Nonbinary Research Advisory Network. The network collaborates with FQHCs in the USA that predominantly serves trans people and conduct a true community-centered and community-based participatory research. Bo is also a research coordinator at Lyon-Martin Community Health Services, one of the only health clinic that specifically serves cis women and trans people.
Chou Moua (Nws | 他 | he/him) — University of Minnesota, PhD Student in Comparative International Development Education
A son of Hmong immigrants, Chou Moua has based his research in the Hmong global diaspora. He currently is a PhD. student at the University of Minnesota studying Comparative International Development Education. He is also Director of Programs at PFund Foundation, a LGBTQ+ community foundation serving the upper Midwest.
Eric K. Layland, PhD (he/him) — University of Delaware, Assistant Professor
Dr. Eric Layland is an assistant professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences at the University of Delaware where he bridges LGBTQ+ developmental research to community impact through longitudinal LGBTQ observational studies and developmentally informed, affirmative interventions. His research areas include LGBTQ+ within-group differences in mental health and unhealthy substance use, the impact of stigma on LGBTQ+ development, strengths-based approaches to LGBTQ+ health, and LGBTQ+ affirmative interventions. Across all areas of research, Dr. Layland uses advanced and innovative analytical methods to reflect intersecting systems of oppression that shape LGBTQ development across the life course.
Ethan Cicero, PhD, RN (he/they) — Emory University, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Assistant Professor
Ethan Cicero is currently a tenure track assistant professor at the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University. He is also a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Future of Nursing Scholar and last year, was named a National Institute on Aging Butler-Williams Scholar. Dr Cicero’s research is focused on evaluating the interrelationship between social inequities and the effects of adverse and affirming social conditions on the health and well-being of transgender, non-binary, and other gender diverse adults, with a particular interest in promoting healthy aging and reducing the risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Hunter Baldwin (he/they) — The Fenway Institute, Research Associate
Hunter Baldwin is a clinical psychology researcher interested in just about everything related to the health and wellbeing of sexual and gender minorities. Currently, they work at a community health center, where they assist in the development of technology-aided CBT interventions focused on reducing internalized stigma among people living with HIV who use substances. In addition, he is particularly passionate about research related to body image and disordered eating among sexual and gender minorities, with a special focus on trans and non-binary individuals.
Hy V. Huynh, PhD (they/he) — Center for Health Policy and Inequalities Research at Duke University, Research Scholar
Dr. Hy V. Huynh is a community psychologist researcher and practitioner at the Center for Health Policy & Inequalities Research (CHPIR) at Duke University. Their Research Scholar appointment is uniquely interdisciplinary and integrates over 15 years of community development practitioner experience, doctoral research training in community psychology, and expertise in ethical visual storytelling. They identify as a queer, non-binary, Buddhist, first-generation Vietnamese American, and child of the Vietnam War and refugee diaspora.
Kiet D. Huynh, PhD (he/him) — Palo Alto University, Research PostDoc
Kiet Huynh is a Counseling Psychologist by training. He currently works as a research postdoctoral fellow in LGBTQ+ psychology through the Center for LGBTQ+ Evidence-Based Applied Research at Palo Alto University. His program of research focuses broadly on identifying risk and resilience factors that contribute to health disparities for LGBTQ+ and LGBTQ+ POC populations.
Michele Battle-Fisher, MPH, MA (she/her) — Equitas Health Institute, Associate Director of Research
Michele Battle-Fisher, MPH, MA is the Associate Director of Research for Equitas Health Institute. Her research interests include LGBTQ+, HIV, and BIPOC health disparities. She is the author of Application of Systems Thinking to Health Policy and Public Health Ethics- Public Health and Private Illness (Springer).
Ryan Suk, PhD (they/she) — The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Assistant Professor
Ryan Suk’s research goal is to contribute to “Inclusive Health Improvement’’. Their research interest lies in the area of HPV-associated cancer prevention, with an overarching focus on health equity and multi-level social determinants of health (especially, focusing on LGBTQIA+ health and area-level social vulnerability).
Wendasha Jenkins Hall, PhD (she/her) — Kennesaw State University, Assistant Professor of Integrated Health Science
Wendasha Jenkins Hall, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Integrated Health Science at Kennesaw State University. Her research investigates the social, behavioral, and technological factors that influence the sexual health and wellbeing of Black women and sexual minority populations. Dr. Hall is currently interested in exploring the relationship between chronic exposure to socioeconomic and political marginalization and premature biological aging and poor health outcomes among LGBTQIA+ people.
Zachary McNiece, PhD, CTP (he/they) — San José State University, Assistant Professor
Zachary McNiece is an assistant professor in San José State University’s Department of Counselor Education. Their research is centered on oppression-based traumas, including race-based and intergenerational trauma, and physical and mental health consequences. They also seek to decolonize counseling and research by implementing expressive, culturally-situated counseling and research methods.
