About Us
Abigail (Abby) Batchelder, PhD, MPH
Director of the Behavioral Health Equity Program
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and General Internal Medicine, Boston University’s Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Associate Professor, Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health
Associate Vice Chair of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Boston Medical Center
Affiliated Investigator, The Fenway Institute
Abigail (Abby) Batchelder (she/her), PhD, MPH is a clinical psychologist with a background in public health. Dr. Batchelder’s research has been funded by the NIH, SAMHSA, Harvard, UCSF, private foundations, and industry; she has been awarded 15 unique grants as principal investigator. Dr. Batchelder’s research aims to collaboratively identify, adapt, and implement evidence-based interventions with and for underserved people with unmet psycho-behavioral health needs, including people with and vulnerable to HIV, people who use drugs, and sexual and gender minority people with a goal of increasing behavioral health equity. Her hobbies include spending time with her spouse and little one, cooking and eating spicy food, traveling, and attending dance classes.
Post-Doctoral Fellows
Déjà Clement, MPH, PhD
Clinical Health Psychologist, Postdoctoral fellow
Déjà (she/her) is a clinical health psychologist, post-doctoral research fellow in the Boston University Clinical HIV/AIDS Research Training Program (T32), and clinical fellow in the Integrated Behavioral Health Fellowship at Boston Medical Center. Dr. Clement earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Health Psychology/Behavioral Medicine at Oklahoma State University and completed a Clinical Psychology residency at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School in the Behavioral Medicine Program. Dr. Clement’s current work focuses on developing and implementing community based and culturally responsive interventions to improve HIV and substance use treatment engagement among Black women and other women of color. Her hobbies include cooking/eating food, running, and spending time with her dog.
Christopher Chiu, PhD, MA
Clinical Health Psychologist, Postdoctoral Fellow
Chris (he/him) is a clinical psychologist, a postdoctoral fellow in the Boston University Clinical HIV/AIDS Research Training Program (T32), and a clinical fellow in the Integrated Behavioral Health Fellowship at Boston Medical Center. He received his PhD and MA in Clinical Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Boston and completed his clinical psychology residency in the Behavioral Medicine program at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Chris is also a Health Policy Research Scholar of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and received specialized training in translating research into health policy to promote health equity. Chris’ research focuses on addressing social determinants of health that drive health disparities (e.g., HIV, mental health) among sexual minority communities of color. His hobbies include traveling, eating, plants, reality TV.
Research Staff
Aliza Barnett, MPH
Project Manager
Aliza (they/she) is a project manager at Fenway Health in the Behavioral Studies Research Program. Aliza brings a varied work and advocacy background to the team including two years working in community health and HIV prevention as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Lesotho, contact tracing in NYC during the COVID-19 Pandemic, global Tuberculosis research at the CDC, and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) research in the U.S. South. Aliza received their MPH in Global Health from Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health with a concentration in SRH and population studies. Aliza is passionate about all things public health, but especially LGBTQ+ and trans, non-binary, and gender expansive health, social determinants of health, as well as SRH and reproductive autonomy. Their hobbies include pottery, swimming, cooking, and travelling.
Mellon Tayebwa, MPH, MBA
Lab Manager
Mellon (she/her) is a research specialists whose work spans global health research – at Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the University of British Columbia – Global Health Institute, where she has contributed to projects on social determinants of health, mental health interventions, HIV, and health system strengthening. She is passionately committed to developing impactful interventions that reduce health disparities in underserved communities, driven by a deep desire to make a lasting impact. Her hobbies include spending time with family, gardening, playing tennis, and road-tripping.
Surabhi Iyer, BA
Research Associate
Surabhi (she/her) graduated from Williams College in 2021 and joined the Behavioral Health Equity Lab in February 2023. Prior to joining the lab, she worked in implementation science research at Massachusetts General Hospital, focusing on the sexual healthcare needs of Boston-area communities. As part of the Behavioral Health Equity Lab, she is excited to work on projects addressing disparities in access to HIV prevention and treatment. Her hobbies include cooking, reading, going on nature walks, and dancing.
Pamela Ruiz, BA
Research Specialist I
Pamela (she/her) is a research specialist with a BA in Neuroscience and Philosophy, and a minor in Psychology. Growing up in a border town in Texas, her research interests focus on addressing health disparities, particularly in mental health and addiction medicine, within marginalized populations including queer and BIPOC communities. Her hobbies include cooking cultural dishes, reading non-fiction books, and dancing.
Interventionists
Aradhana Srinagesh
Clinical Practicum Student Extern
Aradhana (she/her) is interested in the intersection of Psychology and Public Health, specifically, investigating risk and protective factors for alcohol and substance use by adopting novel methodologies and mobile technology (JITAIs, EMA) to increase accessibility and dissemination of culturally sensitive interventions. She identifies as a first-generation immigrant and her immigrant experiences have shaped her commitment to education, equity, and social justice. Her hobbies include traveling, perusing on Zillow and Facebook Marketplace, or trying new foods, or doing advocacy work through her organization, Psychin’ Out.
Alana Egan, MA
Clinical Psychology Doctoral Candidate
Alana (she/her) is a doctoral candidate in the University of Rhode Island’s Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program. She graduated with her BA in Psychology and Anthropology from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and earned her Masters in Clinical Psychology from the University of Houston-Clear Lake. Prior to matriculation at the University of Rhode Island, she worked as a counselor intern for NASA Johnson Space Center’s Employee Assistance Program. Her research interests include investigating substance use, suicide, and historical trauma in minoritized communities.
Practicum Students & Undergraduate Interns
Megan Lenard
Behavioral Health Equity Practicum Student
Megan (she/her) is a Nashville, TN native. Megan is a graduate from the University of Colorado Boulder where she holds bachelor’s degrees in psychology and sociology. She moved to Boston University to continue her learning in the context of a public health master’s program. Her hobbies include crocheting, walking outside (in hopes of meeting a dog), trying new recipes, and supporting women’s sports.
Kaitlyn is entering her third semester at Boston University’s School of Public Health, pursuing a Master of Public Health with an emphasis in epidemiology and biostatistics. Prior to graduate school, Kaitlyn received her bachelors in public health with a mathematics minor from the University of Tampa. She is passionate about data analysis, management and behavioral health research. Her hobbies include exercise, baking, going to the beach and listening to true crime podcasts
Manogna Mutte
Behavioral Health Equity Practicum Student
Manogna Mutte, a second-year MPH student at BU School of Public Health with a focus on epidemiology and biostatistics, is deeply passionate about clinical research. She aims to convert intricate clinical data into valuable insights to advance evidence-based treatments and enhance outcomes. With a strong desire to make a real impact, she joined the BHE team to enhance the quality of life for individuals affected by HIV through data-driven efforts. Her hobbies include being a foodie and shopaholic who delights in discovering local markets and dining spots. She has recently taken up photography and enjoys experimenting with new recipes she finds on social media.
Kusum Aryal
Clinical Research Intern
Kusum Aryal (she/her) is currently an undergraduate student at Boston University. She works as a Clinical Research Intern with the Behavioral Health Equity Program, where she has been a dedicated team member for the past year. Her work has involved recruitment efforts, qualitative and quantitative coding, as well as qualitative data analysis. She is passionate about contributing to research that promotes health equity and understanding the diverse needs of our communities.
Affiliates
Jacklyn Foley, PhD
Staff Psychologist at Massachusetts General Hospital
Member of the Faculty at HMS (pending Assistant Professor)
Affiliated Investigator at The Fenway Institute
Jacklyn (she/her) is a clinical psychologist and researcher. Her primary interests are in developing and refining psycho-behavioral interventions to support age-related health outcomes for older people with HIV. She currently has a K23 Career Development Award to develop, and pilot test an integrative cardiovascular disease risk reduction intervention that synthesizes behavior change and mindfulness-based strategies for older people with HIV and experiencing psychological distress. Dr. Foley is also interested in substance use as a barrier to HIV prevention and care engagement. She has an Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) award to develop an intervention and implementation strategy for people who use stimulants and indicate a structural disadvantage to increase engagement in HIV prevention services at Fenway Health. Her hobbies/personal interests include True Crime podcasts, reading, walks outside, playing with her kids
Corinne Beugard, PhD, MSW
Academic Primary Care Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Corinne (she/they) is a mixed methods addictions and health equity researcher. Corinne explores expansive, non-abstinence based experiences of recovery and improving treatment access and outcomes for racially minoritized populations. Their hobbies include gardening, hiking in Acadia, and spending time with family.
Seungbin Oh, PhD
Assistant Professor in Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Health Program, Department of Psychiatry
Dr. Oh’s research focuses on mental health issues, including self-harm behaviors and related conditions such as depression, particularly among marginalized youth and young adults. He explores the social and cultural determinants of mental health, including the effects of discrimination on racial minorities, immigrants, refugees, and sexual and gender minorities. Dr. Oh also investigates mental health disparities and the role of culturally competent behaviors by helping professionals in therapy. His hobbies include reading philosophy books and watching English football (fan of the English Premier League)
Sayre Wilson, PhD
Research Scientist