Orlando Harris

Orlando Harris, PhD, FNP, MPH, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Community Health Systems at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Nursing. His research focuses on global health equity, particularly among sexual and gender minorities in the US and the Caribbean. He employs community-based participatory methods to address HIV/AIDS disparities, violence, and mental health challenges. His work emphasizes intersectional stigma, LGBTQ+ health, and climate change impacts on vulnerable populations. Harris holds an MPH from UC Berkeley and a PhD in Health Practice Research from the University of Rochester.

• Education:
  • PhD in Health Practice Research, University of Rochester (2014)
  • MPH in Epidemiology, UC Berkeley (2016)
  • MS in Family Nurse Practitioner, University of Rochester (2010)
  • Bachelor’s degrees in Nursing, Human Development, and Africana Studies, Binghamton University (2007)

Research interests include Caribbean sexualities, HIV prevention, trauma-informed care, and intersectional stigma. He has conducted formative studies on Jamaican transgender women and explored the impact of violence and stigma on HIV care engagement. His global health equity work spans Jamaica, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa. Harris has led NIH-funded projects, including the Jamaica CARES initiative, and co-leads the HOPE mobile clinic project for African Americans experiencing homelessness.

Awards:

• 2022 Fellow, American Academy of Nursing
• 2017 Award for Contributions to Black Gay Men’s Research
• 2012 HIV/AIDS Champion of Change

His publications highlight structural interventions, vaccine equity, and the sociocultural context of health disparities. Harris mentors students in the MEPN program, focusing on LGBTQ+ health, violence research, and Caribbean public health. He collaborates with global networks like the UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences and the Black AIDS Institute.