Rachel Arnett is an Assistant Professor of Management at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, specializing in diversity, identity, inclusion, intergroup relations, and intersectionality within the Organizational Behavior subgroup. She received her Ph.D. from Harvard University's interdisciplinary Organizational Behavior program and holds a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania. Education: Ph.D., Harvard University (Organizational Behavior) B.A., University of Pennsylvania Her research explores pathways to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) through identity-based interactions, including: Identity expression and concealment in workplace relationships Intergroup dynamics and social change Allyship behaviors and bias confrontation Intersectional influences of gender, race, and social class on leadership Psychological safety in DEI advancement Recent publications analyze cultural-identity expression as inclusion mechanisms, bias confrontation strategies, and longitudinal impacts of identity management. Her work combines lab experiments, surveys, and qualitative methods in collaboration with DEI-focused organizations. Key awards include the 2023-2024 Claude Marion Faculty Scholar designation, 2022 Poets & Quants Best 40-Under-40 MBA Professors, and four consecutive Wharton Teaching Excellence Awards (2018-2021).
Hernan Galperin is a Professor of Communication and Director of Doctoral Studies at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. His expertise lies in Internet policy, digital inequality, and the intersection of technology adoption with social stratification. He holds affiliations with institutions like the Annenberg Research Network on International Communication (ARNIC) and the USC Annenberg Innovation Lab. Galperin has authored four books and published in leading journals such as Telecommunications Policy and New Media & Society. His research, funded by organizations like the Pew Charitable Trust and the Inter-American Development Bank, focuses on broadband accessibility, digital inclusion, and policy impacts. Notable awards include membership in the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council and top paper awards from the International Communication Association (2020, 2022). Education background: While not explicitly detailed in the provided text, his academic roles and publications imply advanced training in communication studies, public policy, or related fields. His work integrates quantitative methods with policy analysis to address global challenges in technology access. Research highlights include studies on broadband’s role in poverty reduction (Ecuador), geographic discrimination in the gig economy, and the gender digital divide in Latin America. He has contributed policy briefs on the Affordable Connectivity Program and digital inclusion in public housing, demonstrating real-world policy impact. His affiliations with global institutions reflect a focus on international collaboration in addressing digital divides. Grants and awards: His funding sources include the Pew Charitable Trust, IDRC-Canada, and the Internet Society. Awards highlight his contributions to cyberpolicy and global media governance. His work often bridges academic research with actionable policy recommendations, particularly in underserved regions. Labs and teams: He directs ARNIC and collaborates with the USC Annenberg Innovation Lab and USC Price Center for Social Innovation, fostering interdisciplinary approaches to communication and technology challenges.
Qimin Liu is an Assistant Professor at Boston University, serving as Lab Director of the Quantitative Psychopathology Laboratory. He holds a PhD in Psychological Sciences from Vanderbilt University with specializations in Clinical Science and Quantitative Methods. His research focuses on emotional disturbances across development, statistical methodology development, and health equity with an emphasis on intersectional marginalization. He has expertise in analyzing intensive longitudinal data and has published extensively on topics like irritability, suicidality, and mental health disparities among sexual and gender minority populations. Dr. Liu’s work frequently integrates advanced statistical techniques such as latent variable modeling, network analysis, and machine learning. His recent studies explore the temporal dynamics of affect, the impact of stigma on mental health, and the role of childhood adversity in psychiatric outcomes. Notable contributions include developing methods for analyzing zero-inflated longitudinal data and creating algorithms for digital phenotyping of mood disorders through mobile device usage patterns. His scholarship emphasizes bridging clinical phenomena with rigorous quantitative approaches, addressing gaps in understanding how social determinants and individual differences shape mental health trajectories. He has collaborated on large-scale datasets like the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiological Surveys and contributed to interdisciplinary research on public health outcomes among aging sexual minority men. Dr. Liu’s methodological innovations include the DACF framework for ceiling/floor effect data and the lamme package for log-analytic multiplicative effects modeling. He actively publishes in high-impact journals such as Psychological Methods and Journal of Abnormal Psychology , focusing on both empirical findings and statistical best practices.
Mahzarin R. Banaji is the Richard Clarke Cabot Professor of Social Ethics at Harvard University and a Harvard College Professor. She is affiliated with the Department of Psychology and is a key figure in the Mind, Brain, and Behavior (MBB) Interfaculty Initiative. Her research is centered at the intersection of social cognition, implicit bias, and ethical behavior. Institution: Harvard University School: Harvard College Department: Psychology Email: banaji@fas.harvard.edu Dr. Banaji earned her Ph.D. from Ohio State University and has been a leading scholar in the study of unconscious bias. Her work explores how implicit attitudes shape perception, judgment, and behavior outside conscious awareness. She co-developed the Implicit Association Test (IAT) , a groundbreaking tool for measuring unconscious biases related to race, gender, age, and other social categories. Her research spans social cognition, prejudice, stereotyping, moral psychology, and the neuroscience of social behavior . More recently, she has extended her work into the domain of artificial intelligence, investigating how human-like biases emerge in large language models. The 15 most recent publications reflect a strong trend toward computational social science , combining psychological theory with natural language processing and AI. Her team analyzes bias in digital corpora, studies the transmission of stereotypes in AI systems, and develops tools to measure intersectional and implicit attitudes at scale. These works bridge psychology, ethics, and technology, highlighting the societal implications of implicit cognition. Among her notable scientific honors are: Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences William James Fellow Guggenheim Fellowship Kurt Lewin Award (SPSSI) Harvard College Professorship Dr. Banaji has advised numerous graduate students, including Tessa Charlesworth and Kerry Morehouse, many of whom are now active researchers in social and cognitive psychology. She has secured major grants through the Mind, Brain, and Behavior Initiative and has led interdisciplinary teams exploring bias in education, law, and technology. She is also the co-creator of OutsmartingHumanMinds.org , a public education platform on implicit bias. Her lab serves as a hub for collaborative research on implicit social cognition, bringing together psychologists, neuroscientists, and computer scientists to understand and mitigate unconscious bias in human and artificial systems.
Eileen Klein is an Associate Professor of Social Work and Convener of the BSW Program at Ramapo College of New Jersey's School of Social Science and Human Services. Her work focuses on LGBTQ mental health treatment , community support systems , and policy reform for marginalized populations. Klein has presented extensively at international conferences on topics like cultural competency in social work education and LGBTQ health disparities . Ph.D., M.S., and M.S.W. from New York University and SUNY Buffalo Key research areas: LGBTQ Mental Health, Community Health Disparities, Forensic Social Work Published 15+ works (2013-2021) on topics ranging from polypharmacy to support programs for LGBTQ clients Active in professional development: Delivered presentations at conferences across the U.S. and Italy on topics including integrated treatment and supervision of student interns
Jonathan Santo is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), where he serves as Director of the Graduate Developmental Psychology Program and as a faculty member in the Office of Latino/Latin-American Studies. His research explores peer relations, cultural differences in self-esteem, and classroom-level influences on child and adolescent development, with a focus on improving school environments and fostering positive social interactions. ORCA Faculty Fellow His research spans broad areas including Developmental Psychology , Social Support Systems , and Cross-Cultural Peer Dynamics , with specific attention to peer victimization , self-continuity , school climate , and developmental trajectories in Brazilian and Colombian youth . Recent publications analyze topics like hikikomori experiences , friendship security , and HPA axis dysregulation in adolescents. Scientific awards include the ORCA Faculty Fellow recognition. His work often involves longitudinal assessments of peer relationships cross-cultural comparisons (Brazil, Colombia, China, Nigeria, Singapore, U.S.) policy-focused blog posts on family separations and school interventions
Rachel Best is an Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Sociology at the University of Michigan. Her research focuses on the intersections of politics, culture, inequality, and health, with a particular emphasis on disease advocacy, disability discrimination, and the sociological implications of medical policy. She directs the Sociology graduate program and leads computational studies on disease stigma, advocacy strategies, and ADA litigation outcomes. Her work bridges medical sociology, legal studies, and public health, addressing how societal structures shape health outcomes and policy responses. Her research interests include analyzing how disease campaigns influence health policy, the political consequences of overestimating individual health control, and the role of stigma in disability rights litigation. Notable projects use computational methods to trace policy advocacy impacts and explore visibility dynamics in disability cases. Recent publications (2022–2025) highlight her focus on disease stigma’s societal effects, legal interpretations of invisible disabilities, and the evolving nature of advocacy in health policy. Her earlier works, such as Common Enemies: Disease Campaigns in America , critique single-disease advocacy frameworks and their unintended policy consequences. Rachel Best advises on graduate studies and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams. Her research has been supported by grants focusing on sociological methods in health policy analysis. She is affiliated with the University of Michigan’s Sociology Department and the LSA College, contributing to discussions on inequality and institutional sociology.
Brandon L. Velez is an Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology at the Graduate School of Education, Health & Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University. His research examines the intersections of oppression and collective identity with mental health and career outcomes for sexual, gender, and racial/ethnic minority populations. He is affiliated with the Counseling & Clinical Psychology department and leads the Stigma, Identity, and Intersectionality Research Team. Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology, University of Florida, 2014 Predoctoral Internship, Georgia Institute of Technology Counseling Center, 2014 M.S. in Psychology, University of Florida, 2011 B.S. in Psychology (summa cum laude), B.A. in Religion (cum laude), Minor in Anthropology, University of Florida, 2009 Dr. Velez’s work focuses on minority stress , intersectionality , and the well-being of multiply marginalized groups, including LGBTQ+ people of color, transgender individuals, and women of color. His studies explore how systemic discrimination and coping strategies influence mental health , body image , and career development , often integrating theories like objectification and work adjustment. His recent publications analyze: Protective effects of womanist attitudes on women of color Minority stress in transgender communities and bisexual women Applications of work theory to racial and sexual minorities Resilience mechanisms against systemic oppression Scientific honors include graduating summa cum laude (B.S.) and cum laude (B.A.) from the University of Florida. He does not currently advise new Ph.D. students for the Fall 2025 cohort.
Pamela Y. Collins is a Bloomberg Centennial Professor and Chair of the Department of Mental Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She holds an affiliate professorship at the University of Washington's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Her work bridges global mental health, HIV care, and stigma reduction. She leads initiatives in low-resource settings, including integrating mental health into HIV programs and developing scalable interventions like the WHO-UNICEF EQUIP initiative. Her research focuses on marginalized populations, including adolescents in urban environments and communities affected by conflict. Education: MD from Cornell University Medical College (1991), MPH from Columbia University (1997), BA from Purdue University (1986). She has held leadership roles at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and global health organizations like I-TECH. She chairs the American Psychiatric Association’s Council on International Psychiatry and co-chairs the Connecting Climate Minds initiative. Research Interests: Global mental health systems, HIV/mental health integration, stigma reduction, adolescent mental health in urban contexts, and culturally adapted interventions. She pioneered studies on mHealth in Ghana’s prayer camps and co-led the MindKind study on youth data governance. Awards: Over 20 honors including the NIH Merit Award, NIMH Director’s Awards, and the Jeanne Spurlock Minority Fellowship. Her work emphasizes equity and capacity-building in global health. Grants/Advising: Principal investigator on NIH-funded projects like the Kenya adolescent HIV-mental health trial and co-investigator on Ghana’s mHealth/nurse intervention. She advises on climate change and mental health linkages through her role with the Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health. Labs/Teams: Leads the Johns Hopkins Mental Health Department’s global initiatives, collaborating with WHO, UNICEF, and institutions in Kenya, Ghana, and India. Her teams include interdisciplinary experts in implementation science and digital health.
Nancy Kass is a Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she also holds the Phoebe R. Berman Professorship in Bioethics and Public Health. She serves as Vice Provost for Graduate and Professional Education at Johns Hopkins University and is the Interim Chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management. Additionally, she is Deputy Director for Public Health at the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics and co-directs the Johns Hopkins Fogarty African Bioethics Training Program. ScD, Johns Hopkins University, 1989 BA, Stanford University Postdoctoral Fellowship, Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Georgetown University Dr. Kass’s research focuses on the ethical dimensions of public health policy and research, with particular expertise in bioethics, research ethics, public health ethics, informed consent, learning health systems, and global health ethics . Her work addresses ethical challenges in HIV/AIDS, obesity prevention, genetics, and international research. She has developed influential frameworks for ethical oversight in public health and clinical research. Her recent publications (2024–2025) reflect a strong focus on modernizing clinical research ethics, including optimizing informed consent, integrating clinical trials with medical practice, and enhancing data infrastructure. These works emphasize ethical governance, patient-centered decision-making, and the alignment of research with real-world healthcare delivery. Her scholarship spans high-impact journals such as JAMA and Implementation Science , demonstrating sustained scholarly leadership. GBFFR Annual Award, Global Forum on Bioethics in Research, 2016 Member, National Academy of Medicine (formerly Institute of Medicine), 2008 Fellow, Hastings Center, 2007 Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health, 1996 AMTRA (Advising, Mentoring, and Teaching Award), Johns Hopkins, 1996 Dr. Kass has played a pivotal role in education and mentorship, having directed the PhD program in Bioethics and Health Policy for 15 years. She currently leads the Fogarty-funded African Bioethics Training Program, advancing global bioethics capacity. She has served on numerous national and international advisory bodies, including the National Cancer Institute’s central IRB, the National Academy of Medicine, and the WHO Ethics Review Committee. Her leadership extends to chairing the national Precision Medicine Initiative central IRB. She is actively involved in research projects such as the CDC Informed Consent Project, Bioethics of Quality Improvement, and Demonstrating Respect and Acceptable Consent Strategies in patient-centered outcomes research. These initiatives underscore her commitment to ethical innovation in public health and clinical practice.
Dr. Zhiying Ma is an Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice , with faculty affiliations at the Center for East Asian Studies, Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality, and Global Studies Program. She holds a joint PhD in Comparative Human Development and Anthropology from the University of Chicago and bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Philosophy from Peking University. Research Focus: Examines biopolitical paternalism in China's mental health governance Develops peer support systems for persons with serious mental illnesses Investigates intersections of disability rights, care ethics, and welfare systems Conducts ethnographic fieldwork in psychiatric hospitals and community teams Key Projects: Led a CBPR pilot project (2019-2021) to create peer support manuals in Guangzhou, and currently scales services in Guangzhou/Yunnan with Cyrus Tang Foundation support. Collaborated with the WHO on community mental health models. Scientific Recognition: 2021 Ford Global Fellow Published in SSM-Mental Health , Cultural Anthropology , and Disability Studies Quarterly Advocacy & Impact: Combines scholarship and activism , consulting for NGOs on disability livelihoods and gender equality. Collaborates with China's community mental health teams to improve service fidelity and client satisfaction.
Ka I Ip is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Child Development , University of Minnesota. As director of the D.A.N.C.E. Lab , Dr. Ip employs multimodal methods including neuroimaging, cortisol assays, and cross-cultural experiments to study emotion regulation and developmental psychopathology. PhD in Developmental Psychology (University of Michigan) Susan Nolen-Hoeksema Postdoctoral Fellow (Yale University) Research focuses on how cultural contexts and early adversity shape emotional development, with particular attention to racial-ethnic minorities and immigrant families . His work applies findings to social policy reform and health equity initiatives. Recent publications analyze neighborhood socioeconomic impacts on brain development , discrimination effects in bilingual adolescents , and cortisol dynamics in immigrant families . Key journals include Biological Psychiatry and Developmental Psychology . APA Editor’s Choice Article (2024) Yale Health Equity Research Finalist (2022) Accepting PhD students for Fall 2026. Collaborates with teams in neuroimaging , cross-cultural research , and pediatric biomarker studies .
Leandro "Leo" Pongeluppe serves as an Assistant Professor of Management at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, holding the distinguished position of Leonard J. Horwitz Faculty Scholar. His academic journey culminated with a PhD from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, positioning him at the forefront of research at the intersection of business and societal challenges. Pongeluppe's research program centers on understanding how organizational design and governance mechanisms influence the achievement of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. His work spans multiple continents and contexts, with field research conducted in Brazilian favelas, the Amazon rainforest, worldwide desalination plants, and African HIV/AIDS treatment clinics. Methodologically, he employs innovative mixed-methods approaches that combine econometric causal inference with ethnographic techniques to tackle complex socio-environmental challenges. His publication portfolio reveals a consistent focus on stakeholder management within contexts of socioeconomic development and environmental sustainability. The research demonstrates how businesses can effectively address global challenges through strategic stakeholder engagement, showing particular promise in environmental conservation efforts and inclusive business models. His work on the Amazon rainforest reveals how companies like Natura have successfully preserved forests through stakeholder alignment, while his favela research exposes the complex social consequences of economic mobility. Wharton AI & Analytics Initiative Research Funding (2024) Wharton Teaching Excellence Awards (2023-24) Wiley Blackwell Outstanding Dissertation Award (Academy of Management, 2023) Multiple Best Paper Awards from Strategic Management Society and Academy of Management conferences Wharton Global Initiatives and ESG Initiative Funding (2023) Prior to his academic career, Pongeluppe co-founded Insper Metricis, a research group focused on socio-environmental impact evaluation, where he contributed to Brazil's first Social Impact Bond in partnership with São Paulo State Government and international development institutions. His professional experience also includes three years as an associate researcher at the Accenture Institute for High Performance, working on inclusive innovation projects across Brazil, China, Ghana, India, Mozambique, Nigeria, and South Africa. This practical experience deeply informs his scholarly work and teaching approach, particularly in his course on Managing Established Enterprises which addresses strategic challenges facing incumbent firms.
David Wooten is the Alfred L. Edwards Collegiate Professor of Marketing and a University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor at the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business. He holds a PhD (1992), MBA (1987), and BBA (1985) from the University of Michigan and Georgia State University, respectively. His research explores consumer behavior through social psychology and micro-sociological theories, focusing on gift-giving, word-of-mouth, and the impact of racial/stigmatized identities on marketplace dynamics. He has published extensively in journals like Journal of Consumer Research and served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Consumer Psychology . Notable awards include the 2022 Taylor & Francis Distinguished Scholar Award and the 2015 AMA Multicultural Mentoring Award. Wooten’s work bridges theory and practice, addressing topics such as racial identity in consumer research, the presenter’s paradox in service interactions, and the role of ambient lighting in prosocial behaviors. He has led editorial roles and mentored doctoral students through forums like the AMA-Sheth Doctoral Consortium (2013) and SCP Doctoral Symposium (2023). His research also emphasizes equity and social transformation, advocating for inclusive consumer research frameworks.
Joseph Frey is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work at the University of North Texas. His research focuses on stigma-related issues affecting marginalized populations, including LGBTQ+ communities and families involved in social service systems. He examines intersections between mental health, criminal justice policies, and child welfare, with a particular emphasis on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and parenting support mechanisms. His work utilizes both quantitative and qualitative methods to address systemic barriers in service provision. Key themes include the impact of regional cultural attitudes on sexual identity stigma in the American South, the role of probation officer networks in connecting individuals with mental health resources, and strategies to enhance parental self-efficacy in under-resourced communities. Dr. Frey has published extensively on topics such as Head Start program effectiveness, latent class analysis of ACEs, and peer support interventions for fathers. His scholarship bridges academic research with practical applications in social work practice and policy development.
