{"id":6,"date":"2024-07-20T00:35:55","date_gmt":"2024-07-20T04:35:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/bhequity\/news\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T12:36:20","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T16:36:20","slug":"aboutus","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/bhequity\/aboutus\/","title":{"rendered":"About Us"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/strong><\/p>\n

Abigail (Abby) Batchelder, MPH, PhD<\/strong>
\nDirector of the Behavioral Health Equity Program<\/em>
\nAssociate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and\u00a0 General Internal Medicine, Boston University’s Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine<\/em>
\nAssociate Professor, Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health\u200b<\/em>
\nChief and Vice Chair of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Boston Medical Center<\/em>
\nAffiliated Investigator, The Fenway Institute \u200b<\/em><\/p>\n

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\u2019s 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.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"\"Alexandria Miller, PhD\u00a0<\/strong>
\nProgram Manager of Behavioral Health Equity Program <\/em>
\nProject Director of NIDA Funded R01: Matter\u00a0<\/em>
\nAssistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry<\/em><\/p>\n

Alexandria Miller (she\/her), PhD, is a clinical psychologist (Suffolk University, ’23) and a recent graduate of the Advanced Research Fellowship in Women’s Health at the National Center for PTSD Women’s Health Sciences Division. Her program of research focuses on the evaluation and development of acceptable and effective mental health treatments for intersectionally minoritized individuals, particularly for the treatment of oppression-based stress. She is often inspired by the strengths and power within minoritized communities and aims to emphasize those strengths throughout her clinical research program. Clinically, she has had extensive training in the treatment of PTSD, OCD, anxiety disorders, and grief. In her free time, you can find her singing with Boston Choral Ensemble, gardening, cooking and mixing tea blends, and spoiling her cats.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Post-Doctoral Fellows<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

D\u00e9j\u00e0 Clement, MPH, PhD<\/span><\/b>
\nClinical Health Psychologist, Postdoctoral fellow<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

D\u00e9j\u00e0 (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\u2019s 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<\/span> cooking\/eating food, running, and spending time with her dog.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/p>\n

Christopher Chiu, MA, PhD<\/strong>
\nClinical Health Psychologist, Postdoctoral Fellow\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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\u2019 research focuses on addressing social determinants of health that drive health disparities (e.g., HIV, mental health) among sexual minority communities of color.<\/span> His hobbies include tr<\/span>aveling, eating, plants, reality TV.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Research Staff<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Pamela Ruiz, BA<\/strong>
\nResearch Specialist<\/em><\/p>\n

Pamela (she\/her) is a research specialist with a BA in Neuroscience and Philosophy, and a minor in Psychology. Her research interests focus on addressing barriers to engagement in mental health within marginalized populations including queer and BIPOC communities.<\/p>\n

\n

\"\"Cameron Bonnevie, BA<\/strong>
\nResearch Associate<\/em><\/p>\n

Cameron (he\/him) graduated from Wesleyan University in 2023 and started as a Research Assistant at Fenway Health Institute in 2025. He is excited to work on research pertaining to LGBTQ+ healthcare, elder care services, and disparities in accessing HIV-related care. Outside of work, he loves experimenting with coffee, trying new dishes, and solving crossword puzzles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/span><\/div>\n
\n

Kira Emsbo, MPH<\/strong>
\nResearch Associate<\/em><\/p>\n

Kira<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>(she\/her) joined the Behavioral Health Equity Lab full time in June 2025 after completing a practicum in the lab. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Medical Anthropology with a minor in Global Health and Health Policy from Princeton University in 2023. She went on to receive her Master of Public Health (MPH), concentrating in epidemiology and biostatistics, with a particular interest in maternal health and health policy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

At the Behavioral Health Equity Lab,\u00a0<\/span>Kira<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>is excited to contribute to projects that address disparate barriers to care in HIV prevention and beyond.<\/div>\n
In her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking, and playing basketball.<\/div>\n
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\n<\/div>\n
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\"\"<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rebecca Neergaard<\/strong>
\nBehavioral Health Equity Practicum Student<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Rebecca (she\/her) is a practicum student at the Behavioral Health Equity Lab working on Projects 4U and WE-RISE. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Economics from Temple University in 2019 and is currently a second year Master of Public Health student at Boston University with a concentration in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Rebecca has several years of experience in qualitative data analysis in both academic and private research settings and a strong interest in community-based participatory work and implementation science. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, sewing, biking, and spending time with her cats.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Interventionists<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Alana Egan, MA<\/strong>
\nClinical Psychology Doctoral Candidate<\/em><\/p>\n

Alana<\/span> (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\u2019s Employee Assistance Program. Her research interests include investigating substance use, suicide, and historical trauma in minoritized communities.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"\"Ashlin Ondrusek<\/span>, MA<\/strong>
\nClinical Psychology Doctoral Candidate<\/em><\/p>\n

Ashlin (she\/her) is a Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student at the University of Nebraska\u2013Lincoln. She discovered her passion for mixed-methods and community-engaged public health psychology at the Yale School of Public Health, where she coordinated Project RENEW, exploring the interaction between social networks, geographic locations and substance use. Her current work focuses on stigma, social networks, and substance use, with an emphasis on intervention development to advance behavioral health equity; outside of work, she enjoys running, knitting, and spending time with her partner and her dog, Maggie.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Miah Theresse Sabas, MS<\/strong>
\nClinical Psychology Doctoral Candidate<\/em>\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

Miah\u00a0(she\/her) is a doctoral student in University of Massachusetts, Boston’s Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program. She graduated with her BA in Psychology and Social Behavior (with minors in Asian American Studies and Social Ecology) at University of California, Irvine in 2020 and earned her MS in Counseling from California State University, Fullerton in 2023. She has provided therapy at both a community college counseling center and a university counseling center at a minority-serving institution, initiating an LGBTQ+ support group and co-facilitating an Asian American support group. Her research focuses on the mental health effects of engaging in activism and other coping strategies as resistance against racism in queer Asian American communities. In her free time,\u00a0Miah\u00a0enjoys doing aerial silks, baking, watching Korean dramas, and making her own matcha lattes.<\/div>\n
\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Taylor Eggers, MA<\/strong>
\nClinical Psychology Doctoral Candidate<\/em>\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

Taylor (He\/Him) is a doctoral student in University of Massachusetts-Boston’s Counseling Psychology Ph.D. program. He graduated with his BS in Psychology (minor in Criminal Justice) from Sam Houston State University in 2020 and earned his MA in Clinical Psychology from University of Houston-Clear Lake in 2023. He has provided therapy in an outpatient Psychological Services Clinic, LGBTQ+ Community Mental Health Center, Eating Disorder Partial Hospitalization\/Intensive Outpatient Program, and a University Counseling Center. His research focuses on LGBTQ+ mental health, Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) interventions, and the intersection of LGBTQ+\/Neurodiverse experiences and mental health. In his free time, Taylor enjoys video games, reading, and attending DJ sets\/EDM festivals.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Affiliates<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Jacklyn Foley, PhD<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>
\nStaff Psychologist at Massachusetts General Hospital<\/em>
\nMember of the Faculty at HMS (pending Assistant Professor)<\/em>
\nAffiliated Investigator at The Fenway Institute<\/em><\/p>\n

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 h<\/span>obbies\/personal interests include True Crime podcasts, reading, walks outside, playing with her kids<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"\"
\nBrooke Rogers, PhD, MPH<\/span><\/b>
\nDirector of Psychological Services for Addiction<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/em>
\nCo-Director of the BHE Clinical Practicum for Psychology Trainees<\/em>
\nClinical Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Boston University’s Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nLicensed Psychologist, Department of Psychiatry, Boston Medical Center<\/em><\/p>\n

Brooke G. Rogers, PhD, MPH (she\/her\/hers) is a clinical health psychologist with a background in public health. She currently directs psychological services for addiction within BMC and in this role supports training, consultation, and supervision for behavioral health clinicians in working with patients with substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions and adapting clinical care, operations, and programming to meet the needs of this patient population. She also provides direct clinical care to this population at BMC. Clinical and research interests include harm reduction, implementation of evidence-based treatment for patients living with substance use disorders, and expanding access and improving adherence to evidence-based approaches to prevention and treatment of HIV. When not at work, her hobbies include visiting the beach (all year round!), trying new fitness classes, working in her vegetable garden, and spending time with her husband and kiddo.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/span><\/strong> <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Corinne <\/span>Beugard, <\/span><\/strong>PhD, MSW<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>
\nAcademic Primary Care Postdoctoral Research Fellow<\/em><\/p>\n

Corinne (she\/they) is a mixed methods addictions and health equity researcher. Corinne explores expansive, non-<\/span>abstinence based<\/span> experiences of recovery and improving treatment access and outcomes for racially minoritized populations. <\/span>Their hobbies include gardening, hiking in Acadia, and spending time with family.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"\" Seungbin Oh, PhD<\/strong><\/span>
\nAssistant Professor in Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Health Program, Department of Psychiatry<\/em><\/p>\n

Dr. Oh\u2019s 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. <\/span>His hobbies include reading philosophy books and watching English football (fan of the English Premier League)<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\"\"Sayre Wilson, PhD<\/strong>
\nResearch Scientist<\/em><\/p>\n

Sayre Wilson (she\/her) is a Research Scientist in the Public Health and Health Sciences department at Northeastern University. Her research experience relates to at-risk health behaviors (e.g., sexual behaviors, substance use) and adverse health outcomes in both sexual and gender minority and emerging young adult populations using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Her current work pertains to developing and implementing interventions for reduced drinking, associated negative consequences, and related behaviors (sexual health, impulsivity). Her hobbies include cooking, running, reading, writing, and watching documentaries<\/div>\n
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\n

MPH Practicum Students<\/h3>\n

Current<\/strong>
\nClaire Bourett
\nKat Vakhromeeva
\nOlivia Vegliante<\/p>\n

Past<\/strong>
\nJia Yao
\nMehreen Jeddy
\nMegan Lenard
\nDiksha Venugopal
\nKaitlyn Anderson
\nManogna Mutte<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Abigail (Abby) Batchelder, MPH, PhD Director of the Behavioral Health Equity Program Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and\u00a0 General Internal Medicine, Boston University’s Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine Associate Professor, Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health\u200b Chief and Vice Chair of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Boston Medical Center Affiliated Investigator, The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23839,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/bhequity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/bhequity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/bhequity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/bhequity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23839"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/bhequity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6"}],"version-history":[{"count":50,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/bhequity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":626,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/bhequity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6\/revisions\/626"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/bhequity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}