Lara Stepleman

Lara Stepleman serves as Professor and Associate Dean for Faculty Success & Inclusive Excellence at Augusta University's Medical College of Georgia, Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior. Her leadership focuses on faculty development and diversity initiatives within academic medicine.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana (2001)
• M.S. in Educational Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana (1995)
• B.A. in Psychology, University of South Florida (1992)

Research Focus: Dr. Stepleman's work centers on LGBTQ+ mental health disparities, particularly healthcare access barriers in Southern U.S. contexts. Her scholarship examines stigma measurement across populations including sexual minorities and multiple sclerosis patients, while exploring protective factors like spirituality and self-compassion. Recent publications demonstrate methodological rigor in scale validation and longitudinal analysis of minority stress pathways.

Publication Trends: Her 2021-2023 output reveals concentrated expertise in validating psychometric instruments for marginalized populations, with significant contributions to understanding LGBTQ+ healthcare experiences in the American South. Research consistently bridges clinical psychology, public health, and community-based participatory methods.

Awards & Recognition:

• Diversity and Inclusion Award for Inclusive Excellence (Augusta University, 2016)
• AMSA/GLMA LGBT Award (2015)
• Health Initiative Healing Angel Award (2015)
• Caught in the Act Diversity Award (Georgia Regents University, 2015)

Service & Leadership: As Associate Dean, she drives faculty success initiatives while serving on the Faculty Affairs Committee since 2017. Her editorial roles include Associate Editor for MedEdPORTAL's DREAM Collection and ad hoc reviewer for AIDS Care, International Journal of MS Care, and Journal of American College Health, demonstrating commitment to advancing medical education scholarship.