Belinda Hernandez

Belinda Hernandez, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences at the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health San Antonio Campus. Her research focuses on preventing risky behaviors among adolescents, military populations, and improving implementation of evidence-based programs. She leads projects such as iCHAMPSS (a decision support system for sexual health education) and Me & You (a teen dating violence prevention program). Dr. Hernandez holds a PhD and Master’s in Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences from UTHealth.

• Education: PhD and MS in Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, UTHealth School of Public Health

Her work emphasizes intervention development, program evaluation, and building organizational capacity for effective health initiatives. Current projects include adapting sexual health programs for AIAN communities (Native iCHAMPS) and digital solutions for teen dating violence prevention (Me & You-Tech).

Grants & Funding: Studies funded by NIH and CDC. Notable projects include the Houston Collaborative for Youth in Care and military sexual harassment prevention (X-CoRe Program).

Labs/Teams: Leads research teams focused on adolescent health, sexual health education, and implementation science. Collaborates with the ACTion Lab and UTHealth’s research centers.