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Meet the Team

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Sari Reisner, ScD

(He/him)

Dr. Sari Reisner is an Associate Professor with tenure in the Department of Epidemiology at University of Michigan School of Public Health. Trained as a social and psychiatric epidemiologist, his research seeks to identify and mitigate health inequities for transgender and gender diverse populations, particularly in HIV prevention, mental health, and healthcare access and quality. Dr. Reisner’s research utilizes a participatory population perspective to work “with” not “on” communities. Toward that end, he directs transgender and gender diverse research at The Fenway Institute using an academic-community partnership model focused on advancing health equity. Dr. Reisner has led numerous funded research investigations in the US and Latin America, has contributed to more than 300 peer-reviewed publications, is a founding Research Associate Editor of the PubMed-indexed journal Transgender Health, and serves as an elected Board Member of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH).

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Cassie Vuong

(She/her)

Project Support Coordinator, The Fenway Institute

Cassie Vuong is a Research Assistant within the Epidemiology Team at The Fenway Institute in Boston, MA. She is passionate about promoting the health and wellbeing of the LGBTQIA+ community, especially LGBTQIA+ people of color. Currently, she works on the LEAP study. Outside of work, she’s a thrill seeker who loves adventure, traveling and experiencing new things.

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David Pletta, PHD, MPH

(He/him)

Epidemiology Analyst, The Fenway Institute

David R. Pletta, PhD, MPH is a Research Scientist at the Brown University School of Public Health and a Consultant at The Fenway Institute at Fenway Health. He oversees data analysis for the LEGACY Project. David’s research focuses on: (1) sexual and psychiatric health inequities affecting sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations; (2) the epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections and HIV among SGM adults; and (3) how social contexts and social support influences the psychiatric health of SGM people. David earned a PhD in Population Health Sciences from Harvard University, an MPH in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the Boston University School of Public Health, and a BS & BA from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

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Genesis Valera

(She/her)

Project Coordinator, The Fenway Institute

Genesis Valera (She/Her) works as a Project Coordinator on the Epidemiology Team at The Fenway Institute. Coming on to her fifth year at the institute she has worked on various studies focusing on transgender and gender diverse populations. Genesis was one of the leads who worked on the LITE Study,  focused on the advancement of trans women's sexual health. She is passionate about the development and progress of trans and gender diverse healthcare and has been heavily involved in the local LGBT+ community in Boston for many years. During her free time, she tends to her many animals on her farm.

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Rodrigo Aguayo-Romero, PhD

(They/them/elle)

Research Scientist, Whitman-Walker Institute

Consultant, Brigham and Women's Hospital

Dr. Aguayo-Romero (they/them) is a Research Scientist at the Whitman-Walker Institute. They completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Transgender Health Research at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, with affiliations at Harvard Medical School and the Fenway Institute. They are the co-chair of the joint task force of the American Psychological Association’s Division 44 and the Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity revising the Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Transgender and Gender Nonconforming People. They are a clinical-psychologist by training and their research focuses on understanding how intersectional experiences of discrimination faced by gender, sexual, ethno-racial, and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups impact health overall. Their research examines risk behaviors and health disparities—with an emphasis on HIV—using epidemiologic quantitative methods and principles of Participatory Action Research. They draw from systems approaches that apply modified social-ecological models, intersectionality, and syndemics frameworks. They are establishing a research agenda addressing health disparities among Latinx sexual and gender minorities in the Americas starting with the United States, Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador. They are the PI of the following grants: 

  • K01 grant funded by NIMH (K01MH134764) “Intersectional discrimination and linkage to HIV prevention and care in transgender women in Ecuador”

  • NIH CFAR supplement award “Developing a community-driven HIV research agenda to guide DC CFAR’s expansion in DC’s highest-burden neighborhoods: Needs assessment with four high priority populations”

  • HU CFAR developmental award "Optimizing biobehavioral HIV prevention for Latina transgender women in the eastern and southern US: An intersectional mixed-methods study”

Meg Quint, BS

(They/them)

Research Assistant II, Brigham and Women's Hospital

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Aleksander Meyer

(He/him)

Senior Research Assistant, The Fenway Institute

Aleksander Meyer is a Senior Research Assistant in the Epidemiology Team at The Fenway Institute. He is passionate about reproductive justice and transgender healthcare. He is currently working on the TOGETHR Study, an HIV prevention project for transgender men and transmasculine people. Aleksander has a BA in Public Health and Medical Anthropology from Hampshire College. 

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Nathan Dorcey Holstine-Johnson

(He /him, they/them)

Study Coordinator, The Fenway Institute

Nathan Dorcey Holstine-Johnson is a Black, autistic, queer, trans person from Houston, TX. He is a Study Coordinator in the Department of Epidemiology at The Fenway Institute where he coordinates the TOGETHR study, an NIH funded RCT focusing on HIV prevention, PrEP uptake, and community connectedness for transmasculine folks. They are new to TFI, joining the team after having been the Lead Research Coordinator for the Adolescent Medicine Trials Network (ATN) at a local site housed within a Ryan White Part D funded Retrovirology clinic. A highlight of their time there includes doubling the expected enrollment of Transgender and Gender Expansive (TGE) youth into a four-arm RCT, exclusively through online recruitment methods, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nathan also brings his experience in transgender health research along with experience in community organizing and programming within the trans community. Passionate about the intersectionality of expansive gender identities and neurodiversity, trans affirming sexual health, and intergenerational community connectedness, they are excited to bring their experience and passions to the TOGETHR study. Outside of work Nathan enjoys thrifting and spending time with their new wife and fur babies.

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Aisha Ghorashian

(She/they)

Research Assistant, The Fenway Institute

Aisha Ghorashian is a Research Assistant contributing to the TOGETHR study, dedicated to HIV prevention for transgender and transmasculine individuals. With a background in sexual health programming and promotion, they champion the integration of community-health models in public health initiatives. Currently pursuing a Master's in Public Health at Boston University, they are committed to bridging the realms of policy, programming, research, and community organization to advance health equity for BIPOC LGBTQ+ communities. 

Previous Team Members

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Dana Pardee, BS

(He / Him / His)

Director of Epidemiology Projects, The Fenway Institute

Dana is currently the Director of Epidemiology Projects at The Fenway Institute at Fenway Health in Boston, MA. In this role, he oversees the development, implementation, and operations of multiple transgender health studies, with particular focus on preventive sexual health screening, and development and implementation of HIV prevention interventions with transgender individuals.

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Juwan Campbell, MA

(They/Them/Theirs)

Jr. Programmer/Analyst, The Fenway Institute

Juwan is a Programmer/Analyst at Fenway Health. They assist in managing data and analysis for research projects within The Fenway Institute. Juwan is most passionate about addressing social determinates of health through research in clinical settings and lessening the burden of research on patients through innovative methods. During their spare time, Juwan enjoys board games, table-top games, and video games with friends.

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Andrew Asquith, BA

(He / Him / His)

Study Coordinator, The Fenway Institute

Andrew is a transgender man who works at The Fenway Institute as a Study Coordinator. Andrew coordinates a panel of transgender health research projects, of which the primary focus is sexual health, HIV prevention, and gender affirmation. He holds a bachelor's degree in Women’s and Gender Studies from Syracuse University. He most recently presented his research at the APHA Annual Meeting and the WPATH Symposium. He believes that centering trans voices is imperative for positive change.

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Lauren Sava, MPH

(She / Her / Hers)

Study Coordinator, The Fenway Institute

Lauren Sava is a Study Coordinator on the Epidemiology Team at Fenway Health. Her current work focuses in qualitative and mixed methods research and research coordination. Lauren is passionate about LGBTQ+ youth health needs in schools, including inclusive sexual health education, mental health services, and preventing and responding to bullying. Lauren has her MPH in Global Health and Epidemiology with an emphasis in Sex, Sexuality, Gender, and Health from Boston University and her BA in Health, Behavior, and Society from the University of Rochester. She enjoys traveling and spending time with her cat.

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