Transforming LGBTQ+ Health

About Eidos

Launched in January 2022, Eidos is the first program of its kind, cultivating change efforts as a connector and think tank.

Our Vision

Eidos sees a world where community experiences, diverse partnerships, thought leaders, and public health science join to advance the wellbeing of the LGBTQ+ community.

Our Mission

The Eidos LGBTQ+ Health Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania cultivates and engages emerging and experienced leaders from community, academic, civic and business spheres to create innovative solutions for the LGBTQ+ community. We use social enterprise, community engagement, education, and research to further the sustained well-being of the LGBTQ+ community.

The Future We See

Who We Are

Eidos brings the best Penn has to offer: our students, staff and faculty’s investment in social justice, and our world-class interdisciplinary expertise in cutting-edge intervention science across the 12 schools.

José Bauermeister, MPH, PHD

José Bauermeister, MPH, PHD

Founding Faculty Director, Eidos

José Bauermeister’s work focuses on synergizing systems-level interventions, community engagement, digital strategies, and clinical innovations to optimize the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ communities.

José has led projects funded by the NIH, CDC, Ford Foundation, MAC AIDS Fund, HopeLab, and Herb Ritts Foundation. He has published over 250 peer-reviewed publications. He is also the Albert M. Greenfield University Professor of Human Relations, Chair of the Department of Family and Community Health in the School Nursing, and Psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine. José is an Aspen Institute’s Health Innovators Fellow, and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.

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Jessica Halem, MBA

Jessica Halem, MBA

Senior Director, Eidos

Jessica Halem inspires organizational change through inclusive communication strategies, evidence-based trainings and leadership development to advance LGBTQ+ health and well-being.

Jessica has 20 years of leadership in LGBTQ+ health, serving as Executive Director of the Lesbian Community Cancer Project in Chicago and the inaugural LGBT Director at Harvard Medical School. She has won awards from The Advocate, Howard Brown Health, Harvard, HERO, and GLMA. A sought-after speaker, she addresses LGBTQ+ health, workplace inclusion, and innovation using improv skills with start-ups, Fortune 500 companies, and medical centers around the world. Jessica serves on the Board of the Tegan and Sara Foundation.

Affiliated Faculty

Dolores Albarracin, PhD, MS

Dolores Albarracin, PhD, MS

Professor

Annenberg School for Communication

social psychology, social media

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Dani Bassett, PhD, CPGS

Dani Bassett, PhD, CPGS

Professor

School of Arts and Sciences

curiousity, complex systems

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Cedric Bien-Gund, MD

Cedric Bien-Gund, MD

Instructor

Perelman School of Medicine

self-testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis, implementation science

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Stephen Bonett, PhD, MA, RN

Stephen Bonett, PhD, MA, RN

Assistant Professor

School of Nursing

HIV/STI prevention, PrEP, Implementation science

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Cesar Briceño, MD

César Briceño, MD

Academic Clinician Associate Professor

Perelman School of Medicine

Surgical outcomes in oculoplastic surgery

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Ed Brockenbrough, PhD, MSEd

Ed Brockenbrough, PhD, MSEd

Associate Professor

Graduate School of Education

Black masculinity, Queer of color critique

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Robert Carpick, PhD

Robert Carpick, PhD

Professor

School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Nanomechanics and nanotribology (friction, adhesion, wear, lubrication)

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Seul Ki Choi, MPH, PhD

Seul Ki Choi, MPH, PhD

Research Assistant Professor

School of Nursing

Analytics, User engagement, Digital health

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Ron Collman, MD

Ron Collman, MD

Professor of Medicine

Perelman School of Medicine

HIV virology/pathogenesis; Respiratory tract microbiome

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Ryan Dew, PhD, MPhil

Ryan Dew, PhD

Assistant Professor

Wharton

data-driven marketing, marketing analytics, machine learning

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Nadia Dowshen, MD, MSHP

Nadia Dowshen, MD, MSHP

Associate Professor

Perelman School of Medicine

adolescent HIV prevention, digital health, transgender health

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Dalmacio Dennis Flores, PhD, RN, FAAN

Dalmacio Dennis Flores, PhD, RN, FAAN

Assistant Professor

School of Nursing

Family-based interventions, Sexual health communication

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Ian Frank, MD

Ian Frank, MD

Professor

Perelman School of Medicine

HIV, sexually transmitted infections

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Teddy Goetz, MD, MS

Teddy Goetz, MD, MS

Resident Physician

Perelman School of Medicine

LGBTQIA+ mental health; implementation science

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Robert Gross, MD, MSCE

Robert Gross, MD, MSCE

Professor of Medicine & Epidemiology

Perelman School of Medicine

HIV clinical epidemiology, medical care adherence

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Holly Harner, PhD, MBA, MPH, RN, WHCNP-BC, FAAN

Holly Harner, PhD, MBA, MPH, RN, WHCNP-BC, FAAN

Practice Professor

School of Nursing

Healthcare disparity, injury and violence, OBGYN

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Abby Howe-Heyman, PhD, CNM, RN

Abby Howe-Heyman, PhD, CNM, RN

Practice Assistant Professor

School of Nursing

Perinatal health, Sexual assault, Midwifery education

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Abby Howe-Heyman, PhD, CNM, RN

John B. Jemmott III, PhD

Professor

Annenberg School for Communication
Perelman School of Medicine

Health behavior change, Gender/Sexuality, Race/Ethnicity

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Jonathan D Katz, PhD

Jonathan D Katz, PhD

Practice Associate Professor

School of Arts and Sciences

queer art history, curating, activism

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Heather Love, PhD

Heather Love, PhD

Professor

School of Arts and Sciences

Gender/sexuality studies, literature, and critical theory

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Steven Meanley, PhD, MPH

Steven Meanley, PhD, MPH

Assistant Professor

School of Nursing

Aging and HIV, LGBTQ+ resilience, Syndemics

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Raina Merchant, MD, MSHP, FAHA

Raina Merchant, MD, MSHP, FAHA

Professor

Perelman School of Medicine

Disease prevention, racism, emergency medicine

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Desmond Patton, PhD, MSW

Desmond Patton, PhD, MSW

Professor

Social Policy & Practice
Annenberg School for Communication

Social media, youth, AI ethics, gun violence, grief and joy

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Sarah Rottenberg, MA

Sarah Rottenberg, MA

Executive Director

Integrated Product Design Program,
Stuart Weitzman School of Design

Design Thinking, Healthcare, Product Design, Entrepreneurship

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Andy Tan, PhD, MBA, MPH,  MBBS

Andy Tan, PhD, MBA, MPH, MBBS

Associate Professor

Annenberg School for Communication

Tobacco, youth, social media

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Jennifer Tran, PhD

Jennifer Tran, PhD

Postdoctral Fellow

School of Nursing

Mental health, Intersectionality, Narrative programs

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Beans Velocci, PhD

Beans Velocci, PhD

Professor

School of Arts & Sciences

trans history, sex classification, knowledge production

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Dovie Watson, MD, MSCE

Dovie Watson, MD, MSCE

Instructor

Perelman School of Medicine

Gender affirming care, PrEP, HIV/STI prevention and care

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Annie Wilson, PhD

Annie Wilson, PhD

Senior Lecturer

Wharton

Wellness consumption; Consumer perception; Signaling

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Sarah Wood, MD, MSHP

Sarah Wood, MD, MSHP

Assistant Professor

Perelman School of Medicine

Adolescents, Health Equity, Implementation Science

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Team

Blake Kosciow

Blake Kosciow

Qualitative Research Assistant

Survey research, Qualitative research, Transgender youth mentorship

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Willey Lin, MB

Willey Lin, MB

Project Manager

Graphic design, Biotechnology, Recruitment

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Lou Listeroud

Lou Listeroud

Project Manager

Public health, Trans and Nonbinary health

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Olivia McPherson

Olivia McPherson

Senior Innovation Manager

 

Translational research, Biotechnology, Health Tech Innovation

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Marley Molkentin, MA

Marley Molkentin, MA

Program Coordinator

Social Media, Digital Storytelling, Office admin

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Alana Richards, MA

Alana Richards, MA

Research Analyst

Gender violence, IPV related health inequities, qualitative research

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Kevin Schott, MA

Kevin Schott, MA

Director of Engagement

Community collaborations, Student involvement

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Anna Sweeney, MS

Anna Sweeney, MS

Project Manager

Injury prevention, Community engagement, Qualitative data

Julia Votto, MIPD

Julia Votto, MIPD

Senior Innovation Manager

Human-centered design, Product development, Healthcare innovation

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Jessica Webster, MS, LPC

Jessica Webster, MS, LPC

Project Manager

Trauma-informed care, Mental health, Injury prevention

James Wolfe, MS, NCC

James Wolfe, MS, NCC

Senior Innovation Manager

Motivational interviewing, Clinical trials, Youth-driven programs

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Hyunmin (David) Yu, MSN, RN, CRNP

Hyunmin (David) Yu, MSN, RN, CRNP

Predoctoral fellow

inclusive policies & practices, Structural barrier mitigation

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Advisory Board

Asha S. Collins, PhD

Asha S. Collins, PhD

Business Investor, Consultant

Corporate Board Member, Healthcare Growth Executive, Aspen Institute Health
Innovators Fellow, Angel Investor

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Tam Ho, MPA

Tam Ho, MPA

Social Impact, Philanthropy

Social impact, strategic philanthropy and corporate social responsibility (CSR)
leader with 20 years of experience

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Elli Kaplan, MBA

Elli Kaplan, MBA

Startup Founder, CEO

Co-founder and CEO of Neurotrack, a digital health company. Elli has 2 decades
of experience in the public & private sectors

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M. Dru Levasseur, Esq

M. Dru Levasseur, Esq

Lawyer, Consultant

Harvard Law Wasserstein Fellow & Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association

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Aiyshen Padilla, MBA

Aiyshen Padilla, MBA

Strategic Partnerships, Communications

Head of Global Employer Brand, Marketing, DEI, Student Programs at Amazon. Social change strategist, & DEI practitioner

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John J. Rydzewski, MBA

John J. Rydzewski, MBA

Business Investor, Consultant

Director of Health Outlook. John serves as advisor & director to healthcare
companies & health policy & education organizations

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Martín Sepúlveda, MD, ScD

Martín Sepúlveda, MD, ScD

Physician, Researcher, Consultant

Distinguished Professor at Florida International University. Senior executive physician transforming approaches to health systems

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Patrina Sexton Topper, PhD, RN, MS

Patrina Sexton Topper, PhD, RN, MS

Nurse, Researcher, Educator

Patrina is a Research Consultant, Educator, and Holistic Health Enthusiast based at the University of Pennsylvania

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Michelle Tat, PhD

Michelle Tat, PhD

Data Scientist, Activist

Senior Data Scientist at OneStudyTeam. Healthcare scientist by day and grassroots LGBTQ+ activist by night

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Antonia Villarruel, PhD, RN, FAAN, ex officio

Antonia Villarruel, PhD, RN, FAAN, ex officio

College Dean, Nurse, Researcher

Dean of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing

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