Dr. Erik D. Storholm
Principal InvestigatorDr. Erik D. Storholm (he/him) is a tenured associate professor in the Division of Health Promotion and Behavioral Science in the School of Public Health and director of the Sexual Health Equity Lab (SHEL) at SDSU. Dr. Storholm is a licensed clinical psychologist with an established behavioral research program focused on reducing health inequities through behavioral and biomedical interventions that prevent HIV/STI transmission by improving mental health and reducing substance use and violence among sexual and gender minority populations. Dr. Storholm is currently leading several NIH-funded projects focused on biobehavioral HIV prevention uptake and adherence among sexual and gender minorities.
Research Coordinators
Carrie L. Nacht, MPH
Lab Manager, Research CoordinatorCarrie Nacht (she/her) is a 2nd year Ph.D. student in the Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health at San Diego State University/University of California San Diego. She previously attended University of Illinois at Chicago for her MPH in Epidemiology with a concentration in Global Health (2019), and finished two bachelor’s degrees at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2016). Her research interests include sexual and reproductive health equity, reproductive justice, social support, power dynamics in sexual relationships, and sexual/reproductive health education and access.
Hannah Reynolds
Graduate Research Assistant, Research CoordinatorHannah Reynolds (she/her) is a first year student in SDSU’s MPH program, emphasizing in Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences. She graduated in 2022 from SDSU with her Bachelor of Science in Public Health. This will be her second year contributing to the SHEL Lab. Her interests include community-based research that focuses on equitable healthcare services, sexual health and wellbeing, and sexual and reproductive health equity through a combination of clinical work and public health.
Owen Jessup
Graduate Research Assistant, Research CoordinatorOwen Jessup (he/him) is a first year MPH student at SDSU concentrating in Health Promotion and Behavioral Science. He is a Certified Health Education Specialist and recently graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo with his Bachelor’s of Science in Public Health concentrating in Worksite and University Health Promotion. His interests include tobacco cessation, sexual health, injury and disease prevention, and mental health.
Mari Amato
Graduate Research Assistant, Research CoordinatorMari Amato (she/her) is a second year master’s student in the Child and Family Development program at San Diego State University. Previously, she attended San Jose State University, earning a B.A. in Psychology. Mari’s research interests center around culture, gender identity, and sexuality, and how the intersection of these identity factors impacts the experiences of adolescents and emerging adults.