Kami Kosenko

Dr. Kami Kosenko is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at North Carolina State University. She joined the university in 2008 and specializes in communication processes related to stigmatized conditions and identities, particularly focusing on sexual communication, HIV/STI prevention, and transgender health. Her research bridges communication studies with public health, emphasizing stigma management, social support, and uncertainty reduction.

Dr. Kosenko holds a PhD in Communication from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her work spans academic journals in communication and biomedical fields, such as Communication Monographs and Medical Care. She has secured grants from the National Institute of Mental Health and internal university funds to support projects addressing transgender health disparities, safer sex communication, and HPV-related stigma.

Her research interests include stigma management in healthcare, narrative constructions of survival, and media effects on health behaviors. Key themes in her publications involve the intersection of communication practices and health outcomes, particularly among marginalized populations. Kosenko has advised undergraduate research projects on topics like African American women’s heart disease prevention and LGBTQ+ student experiences in communication courses.

Awards include top paper recognitions at national/international conferences. Her work on HIV disclosure, HPV patient experiences, and transgender stigma has informed clinical practices and policy recommendations to reduce health disparities.