Officers
The SGM SIG leadership consists of two co-chairs, two student representatives, and one webmaster. The primary responsibilities of the leadership are to facilitate the day-to-day operations of the SIG, to act as a liaison between the SIG and the ABCT leadership, to organize activities and events related to the annual convention, and to ensure that members’ needs are being met. In addition, the leadership develops and executes new initiatives based on members’ interests. Of note, we strive for a leadership that reflects the diversity of our members.
Jae Puckett
Co-chair, 2017-2020
Jae Puckett, Ph.D., (they/them) is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University in the Department of Psychology’s Clinical Psychology Program. Their research documents experiences of stigma and marginalization encountered by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals (with a primary focus on transgender and gender diverse individuals), the negative health outcomes of these minority stressors, and ways of coping and being resilient. More information about their research can be found at www.trans-ilience.com. Jae received their doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Massachusetts Boston in 2014 and completed their pre-doctoral internship in LGBTQ health at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, with rotations at the Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing (ISGMH), Center on Halsted, and Northwestern Memorial Hospital. They remained at ISGMH for an NIH funded postdoctoral fellowship and then joined the faculty at the University of South Dakota for 3 years prior to their current position at Michigan State University. Jae is currently a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of South Dakota.
Co-chair, 2017-2020
Jae Puckett, Ph.D., (they/them) is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University in the Department of Psychology’s Clinical Psychology Program. Their research documents experiences of stigma and marginalization encountered by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals (with a primary focus on transgender and gender diverse individuals), the negative health outcomes of these minority stressors, and ways of coping and being resilient. More information about their research can be found at www.trans-ilience.com. Jae received their doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Massachusetts Boston in 2014 and completed their pre-doctoral internship in LGBTQ health at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, with rotations at the Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing (ISGMH), Center on Halsted, and Northwestern Memorial Hospital. They remained at ISGMH for an NIH funded postdoctoral fellowship and then joined the faculty at the University of South Dakota for 3 years prior to their current position at Michigan State University. Jae is currently a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of South Dakota.
Jeffrey Cohen
Co-chair, 2019-2022
Jeffrey Cohen, (he/him) is an Instructor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center. Dr. Cohen’s clinical and research efforts focus on cognitive and behavioral practice with sexual and gender minorities. Dr. Cohen has expertise in anxiety disorders and also suicidal and self-harming behaviors. He provides clinical supervision and offers trainings on evidence-based practice and cultural competence. Additionally, Dr. Cohen is an Assistant Professor of Psychology (Adjunct) in the Department of Psychology at Columbia University where he teaches undergraduate students. Dr. Cohen's research has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Behavior Therapy and Journal of Anxiety Disorders. Dr. Cohen is committed to educating the public about the value of psychological science and has been interviewed by NBC, Men’s Health, Reader’s Digest, and Prevention. Dr. Cohen graduated from the doctoral program run jointly by Stanford University School of Medicine and Palo Alto University and completed his post-doctoral fellowship at San Francisco VA Medical Center in affiliation with the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Cohen is a licensed clinical psychologist in the states of New York and California.
Co-chair, 2019-2022
Jeffrey Cohen, (he/him) is an Instructor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center. Dr. Cohen’s clinical and research efforts focus on cognitive and behavioral practice with sexual and gender minorities. Dr. Cohen has expertise in anxiety disorders and also suicidal and self-harming behaviors. He provides clinical supervision and offers trainings on evidence-based practice and cultural competence. Additionally, Dr. Cohen is an Assistant Professor of Psychology (Adjunct) in the Department of Psychology at Columbia University where he teaches undergraduate students. Dr. Cohen's research has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Behavior Therapy and Journal of Anxiety Disorders. Dr. Cohen is committed to educating the public about the value of psychological science and has been interviewed by NBC, Men’s Health, Reader’s Digest, and Prevention. Dr. Cohen graduated from the doctoral program run jointly by Stanford University School of Medicine and Palo Alto University and completed his post-doctoral fellowship at San Francisco VA Medical Center in affiliation with the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Cohen is a licensed clinical psychologist in the states of New York and California.
Brian Feinstein
Treasurer, 2019-2020
Brian Feinstein, Ph.D., (he/him) is a research assistant professor at the Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing (ISGMH). He received his doctorate in clinical psychology from Stony Brook University in 2015 after completing an APA-accredited internship at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Prior to joining the faculty at ISGMH, he received funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to complete a postdoctoral research fellowship in the Department of Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Dr. Feinstein’s program of research broadly focuses on understanding and reducing the health disparities affecting sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations, especially bisexual and other non-monosexual individuals. He is particularly interested in understanding how different types of stress (e.g., discrimination, internalized stigma, rejection sensitivity) influence mental health, substance use, sexual risk behavior, and relationship functioning among SGM individuals and couples. He is also interested in developing and testing interventions to improve health and relationships in these populations. Finally, Dr. Feinstein is also a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of Illinois.
Treasurer, 2019-2020
Brian Feinstein, Ph.D., (he/him) is a research assistant professor at the Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing (ISGMH). He received his doctorate in clinical psychology from Stony Brook University in 2015 after completing an APA-accredited internship at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Prior to joining the faculty at ISGMH, he received funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to complete a postdoctoral research fellowship in the Department of Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Dr. Feinstein’s program of research broadly focuses on understanding and reducing the health disparities affecting sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations, especially bisexual and other non-monosexual individuals. He is particularly interested in understanding how different types of stress (e.g., discrimination, internalized stigma, rejection sensitivity) influence mental health, substance use, sexual risk behavior, and relationship functioning among SGM individuals and couples. He is also interested in developing and testing interventions to improve health and relationships in these populations. Finally, Dr. Feinstein is also a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of Illinois.
Natalie Holt
Student representative, 2018-2020
Natalie Holt, M.A., (she/her/hers) is a doctoral candidate at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in clinical psychology. Her research interests broadly include SGM mental health, with a focus on improving the quality, availability, and delivery of affirming evidence based behavioral health services to transgender and gender diverse communities.
Student representative, 2018-2020
Natalie Holt, M.A., (she/her/hers) is a doctoral candidate at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in clinical psychology. Her research interests broadly include SGM mental health, with a focus on improving the quality, availability, and delivery of affirming evidence based behavioral health services to transgender and gender diverse communities.
Ilana Seager
Student representative, 2018-2020
Ilana Seager van Dyk, M.A., (she/her) is a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at The Ohio State University. Her research uses experimental methods to investigate the emotional impact of minority stress on sexual and gender minorities’ mental health. She is also interested in understanding how affective processes during sexual identity development (i.e., in adolescence) and sexual orientation disclosure may predict later psychopathology. Prior to graduate school, Ilana served as a post-baccalaureate research coordinator in the psychology department at the University of Miami. She received her undergraduate degree in psychology and the history of science and medicine from Yale University. Ilana will begin her pre-doctoral internship at UCLA’s Semel Institute in summer 2019.
Student representative, 2018-2020
Ilana Seager van Dyk, M.A., (she/her) is a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at The Ohio State University. Her research uses experimental methods to investigate the emotional impact of minority stress on sexual and gender minorities’ mental health. She is also interested in understanding how affective processes during sexual identity development (i.e., in adolescence) and sexual orientation disclosure may predict later psychopathology. Prior to graduate school, Ilana served as a post-baccalaureate research coordinator in the psychology department at the University of Miami. She received her undergraduate degree in psychology and the history of science and medicine from Yale University. Ilana will begin her pre-doctoral internship at UCLA’s Semel Institute in summer 2019.
Kevin Narine
Webmaster, 2019-2020
Kevin Narine, B.A., (he/him/his) is a research assistant at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2018 with a major in psychology and a minor in Gender, Sexuality, & Women’s Studies. As an undergraduate student, he assisted with examining the adverse effects of trauma exposures, screening for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among youth, implementing trauma-informed intervention programs, and investigating mechanisms of and treatments for anxiety disorders. At the CTSA, Kevin helps coordinate a study examining physical health, mechanisms, and treatments for anxiety disorders. He also assists with a city-wide project disseminating Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy to clinicians in Pennsylvania. He hopes to pursue a doctoral degree in clinical psychology and is interested in research on suicide and anxiety-related disorders in LGBTQ+ populations.
Webmaster, 2019-2020
Kevin Narine, B.A., (he/him/his) is a research assistant at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2018 with a major in psychology and a minor in Gender, Sexuality, & Women’s Studies. As an undergraduate student, he assisted with examining the adverse effects of trauma exposures, screening for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among youth, implementing trauma-informed intervention programs, and investigating mechanisms of and treatments for anxiety disorders. At the CTSA, Kevin helps coordinate a study examining physical health, mechanisms, and treatments for anxiety disorders. He also assists with a city-wide project disseminating Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy to clinicians in Pennsylvania. He hopes to pursue a doctoral degree in clinical psychology and is interested in research on suicide and anxiety-related disorders in LGBTQ+ populations.
