About

I am a social science researcher in the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research at Cornell University.

My work centers on past and present examples of health activism, as well as community-based approaches to sexual and behavioral health promotion. I am interested in community-based participatory research as a tool for empowering marginalized young people to investigate and address the structural determinants of health.

Through the Program for Research on Youth Development and Engagement (PRYDE), I partner with community organizations across the U.S. to create and evaluate positive youth development programs. This includes connecting young people with participatory action research skills, encouraging them to ask critical questions about their lives, communities, and health.

Hand-in-hand with this work, I document the stories of those who confronted the early HIV/AIDS epidemic, connecting contemporary queer people with the stories of LGBTQ health activists and community health workers from the height of the crisis.

I completed my undergraduate and Master of Social Work training at Binghamton University. I am a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) in the State of New York.