Jae Sevelius, PhD

Center for AIDS Prevention Studies Director / Faculty

Jae Sevelius, PhD, (they/them) is Professor of Medicine and Director of the UCSF Center for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS; P30MH062246) and the Center of Excellence for Transgender Health.

Dr. Sevelius is a licensed clinical psychologist and community-engaged researcher whose portfolio of NIH-funded behavioral health research focuses on intervention science and the investigation of risk and protective factors in transgender and gender diverse communities, elucidating and intervening upon relationships between intersectional stigma, gender affirmation, and health-related behaviors and outcomes.

Most recently, Dr. Sevelius' research has focused on developing, testing, and disseminating peer-led interventions to promote sexual health and resilience among transgender people by addressing intersectional stigma among transgender women of color and those affected by HIV in the San Francisco Bay Area and in São Paulo, Brazil.

Dr. Sevelius is also a dedicated mentor of early-stage investigators, with a focus on those with backgrounds and identities that are under-represented in academic medicine. They are a passionate advocate for transforming academic institutions to create environments where diversity is truly celebrated, equity is non-negotiable, and inclusion follows naturally from a culture of belonging.
Education
Certificate, 2022 - MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies
Certificate, 2018 - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Training, University of California, San Francisco
Certificate, 2016 - Psychedelic Therapies and Research, California Institute for Integral Studies
Postdoctoral Research Scholar, - Behavioral Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
Bachelor of Science, - Psychology, University of Florida
PhD, - Clinical Psychology, University of Missouri
MA, - Gender Studies, University of Missouri
Pre-doctoral clinical internship (APA-accredited), - Clinical Psychology, Psychological Assessment, University of Oregon
Honors and Awards
  • Laura Brown Award, American Psychological Association - Division 35 Section 4 - Lesbian, Bisexual, & Trans Concerns, 2021
  • Chancellor Award for LGBTQI Leadership, University of California, San Francisco, 2021
  • Genentech Midcareer Development Award, UCSF School of Medicine, 2020
  • Outstanding Achievement Award, American Psychological Association, Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 2018
  • Strengthening Team Science in California, CREDITS - Center for Research, Excellence, and Diversity in Team Science, 2017
  • Early Career Research Excellence Award - Behavioral Science, Gladstone Center for AIDS Research, UCSF, 2016
  • UCSF CORO Faculty Leadership, CORO, UCSF, 2015
  • Innovative Dissemination Award, Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, UCSF, 2010
Websites
Publications

  1. 84. Sevelius, JM, Castro, D, Warri, V, Moreta Avila, L, Chakravarty, D, Zamudio-Haas, S, Kramer, K, Zack, B.. Adapting and implementing an evidence-based reentry intervention for incarcerated transgender women: Lessons learned. (in press) 2022. PMID:


  2. Sievwright, K, Stangl, AL, Nyblade, L, Lippman, SA, Veras, MA, Zamudio-Haas, S, Smith, K, Pachankis, J, Logie, C, Poteat, T, Rao, D, Mena, L, Kalichman, S, Weiser, S, Roebuck, N, Greenberg, A, Brooks, R, Sevelius, JM.. Applying intersectional stigma in public health research and praxis 2022. PMID:


  3. Hope, D. A., Holt, N. R., Woodruff, N., Mocarski, R., Meyer, H. M., Puckett, J. A., Eyer, J., Craig, S., Feldman, J., Irwin, J., Pachankis, J., Rawson, K. J., Sevelius, J., & Butler, S.. Bridging the gap between practice guidelines and the therapy room: Community-derived practice adaptations for psychological services with transgender and gender diverse adults in the central United States 2022. PMID:


  4. Sevelius JM, Dilworth SE, Reback CJ, Chakravarty D, Castro D, Johnson MO, McCree B, Jackson A, Mata RP, Neilands TB.. Randomized Controlled Trial of Healthy Divas: A Gender-Affirming, Peer-Delivered Intervention to Improve HIV Care Engagement among Transgender Women Living with HIV 2022. PMID:


  6. Lippman SA, Sevelius JM, Saggese GSR, Gilmore H, Bassichetto KC, de Barros DD, de Oliveira RB, Maschião LF, Chen D, de Sousa Mascena Veras MA. Peer Navigation to Support Transgender Women's Engagement in HIV Care: Findings from the Trans Amigas Pilot Trial in São Paulo, Brazil. 2022. PMID: 35119537


  7. Suen LW, Lunn MR, Sevelius JM, Flentje A, Capriotti MR, Lubensky ME, Hunt C, Weber S, Bahati M, Rescate A, Dastur Z, Obedin-Maliver J. Do Ask, Tell, and Show: Contextual Factors Affecting Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Disclosure for Sexual and Gender Minority People. 2022. PMID: 35073205


  8. Bass SB, Kelly PJ, Brajuha J, Gutierrez-Mock L, Koester K, D'Avanzo P, Sevelius J. Exploring barriers and facilitators to PrEP use among transgender women in two urban areas: implications for messaging and communication. 2022. PMID: 34991548


  10. Downing J, Yee K, Sevelius JM. PrEP Use and Adherence Among Transgender Patients. 2021. PMID: 34643827


  11. Johnson MO, Gandhi M, Fuchs JD, Sterling L, Sauceda JA, Saag MS, Riley ED, Sevelius JM. The impact of COVID-19 on mentoring early-career investigators: "Everything can wait. Listen more than usual and share your own struggles". 2021. PMID: 34622852


  12. Grant RM, Pellegrini M, Defechereux PA, Anderson PL, Yu M, Glidden DV, O'Neal J, Yager J, Bhasin S, Sevelius J, Deutsch MB. Sex Hormone Therapy and Tenofovir Diphosphate Concentration in Dried Blood Spots: Primary Results of the iBrEATHe Study. 2020. PMID: 32766890


  16. Walters SM, Platt J, Anakaraonye A, Golub SA, Cunningham CO, Norton BL, Sevelius JM, Blackstock OJ. Considerations for the Design of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Interventions for Women: Lessons Learned from the Implementation of a Novel PrEP Intervention. 2021. PMID: 34138377


  17. Sevelius JM, Xavier J, Chakravarty D, Keatley J, Shade S, Rebchook G, SPNS Transgender Women of Color Study Group. Correlates of Engagement in HIV Care Among Transgender Women of Color in the United States of America. 2021. PMID: 34037930


  18. Sevelius J, Jackson A, Harzke AJ. Call for Special Issue Papers: Transgender Health and Corrections. 2021. PMID: 34232774


  19. Blackstock OJ, Platt J, Golub SA, Anakaraonye AR, Norton BL, Walters SM, Sevelius JM, Cunningham CO. A Pilot Study to Evaluate a Novel Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Peer Outreach and Navigation Intervention for Women at High Risk for HIV Infection. 2021. PMID: 32748159


  20. Auerbach JD, Moran L, Weber S, Watson C, Keatley J, Sevelius J. Implementation Strategies for Creating Inclusive, All-Women HIV Care Environments: Perspectives From Trans and Cis Women. 2021. PMID: 33941451


  21. Bindman J, Ngo A, Zamudio-Haas S, Sevelius J.. Health Care Experiences of Patients with Nonbinary Gender Identities 2021. PMID:


  25. Poteat TC, van der Merwe LLA, Sevelius J, Keatley J. Inclusion as illusion: erasing transgender women in research with MSM. 2021. PMID: 33496381


  27. Sauceda, J.A., Santiago-Rodriguez, E.I., Zaragoza, G., Rivas, C.E., Venegas, L., Zamudio-Haas, S., Gutierrez-Mock, L., Bass, S.B., & Sevelius, J.. Housing stability and transactional sex among Spanish-speaking and English-speaking transgender women 2020. PMID:


  29. Williams, M. T., Bartlett, A., Michaels, T., Sevelius, J., & George, J. R.. Dr. Valentina Wasson: Questioning what we think we know about the foundations of psychedelic science 2020. PMID:


  30. Suen LW, Lunn MR, Katuzny K, Finn S, Duncan L, Sevelius J, Flentje A, Capriotti MR, Lubensky ME, Hunt C, Weber S, Bibbins-Domingo K, Obedin-Maliver J. What Sexual and Gender Minority People Want Researchers to Know About Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Questions: A Qualitative Study. 2020. PMID: 32875381


  32. Sevelius JM, Poteat T, Luhur WE, Reisner SL, Meyer IH. HIV Testing and PrEP Use in a National Probability Sample of Sexually Active Transgender People in the United States. 2020. PMID: 32692101


  33. Sevelius JM, Gutierrez-Mock L, Zamudio-Haas S, McCree B, Ngo A, Jackson A, Clynes C, Venegas L, Salinas A, Herrera C, Stein E, Operario D, Gamarel K. Research with Marginalized Communities: Challenges to Continuity During the COVID-19 Pandemic. 2020. PMID: 32415617


  34. Sevelius JM, Neilands TB, Dilworth S, Castro D, Johnson MO. Sheroes: Feasibility and Acceptability of a Community-Driven, Group-Level HIV Intervention Program for Transgender Women. 2019. PMID: 31562572


  35. Wiklund, L. O., Anderson-Carpenter, K. D., Sevelius, J. M., Ching, T., & Buchanan, N. T.. Translating research into practice to close the health disparity gap in the LGBTQIA+ community 2020. PMID:


  36. Callander D, Schneider JA, Radix A, Chaix B, Scheinmann R, Love G, Smith J, Regan SD, Kawachi I, St James K, Ransome Y, Herrera C, Reisner SL, Doroshow C, Poteat T, Watson K, Bluebond-Langner R, Toussaint N, Garofalo R, Sevelius J, Duncan DT. Longitudinal cohort of HIV-negative transgender women of colour in New York City: protocol for the TURNNT ('Trying to Understand Relationships, Networks and Neighbourhoods among Transgender women of colour') study. 2020. PMID: 32241785


  37. Vincent W, Sevelius J, Lippman SA, Linnemayr S, Arnold EA. Identifying Opportunities for Collaboration Across the Social Sciences to Reach the 10-10-10: A Multilevel Approach. 2019. PMID: 31658198


  38. Gamarel KE, Sevelius JM, Reisner SL, Richardson RL, Darbes LA, Nemoto T, Operario D. Relationship Stigma and HIV Risk Behavior Among Cisgender Men Partnered with Transgender Women: The Moderating Role of Sexual Identity. 2019. PMID: 31586272


  41. George, J.R., Michaels, T.I., Sevelius, J.M., Williams, M.. The Psychedelic Renaissance and the limitations of a White-dominant medical framework 2019. PMID:


  42. D'Avanzo PA, Bass SB, Brajuha J, Gutierrez-Mock L, Ventriglia N, Wellington C, Sevelius J. Medical Mistrust and PrEP Perceptions Among Transgender Women: A Cluster Analysis. 2019. PMID: 31343968


  44. Sevelius J, Murray LR, Martinez Fernandes N, Veras MA, Grinsztejn B, Lippman SA. Optimising HIV programming for transgender women in Brazil. 2018. PMID: 30378463


  45. Gamarel KE, Sevelius JM, Reisner SL, Coats CS, Nemoto T, Operario D. Commitment, interpersonal stigma, and mental health in romantic relationships between transgender women and cisgender male partners. 2018. PMID: 31086428


  50. Rebchook G, Keatley J, Contreras R, Perloff J, Molano LF, Reback CJ, Ducheny K, Nemoto T, Lin R, Birnbaum J, Woods T, Xavier J; SPNS Transgender Women of Color Study Group. The Transgender Women of Color Initiative: Implementing and Evaluating Innovative Interventions to Enhance Engagement and Retention in HIV Care 2017. PMID:


  52. Grant RM, Sevelius JM, Guanira JV, Aguilar JV, Chariyalertsak S, Deutsch MB. Transgender Women in Clinical Trials of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis. 2016. PMID: 27429187


  54. Sevelius J, Deutsch MB, Glidden DV, Grant RM. PrEP adherence among trans women in Brazil-access needed for this key population - Authors' reply. 2016. PMID: 27126486


  55. Pollock L, Silva-Santisteban A, Sevelius J, Salazar X. 'You should build yourself up as a whole product': Transgender female identity in Lima, Peru. 2016. PMID: 27080150


  56. Lippman SA, Moran L, Sevelius J, Castillo LS, Ventura A, Treves-Kagan S, Buchbinder S. Acceptability and Feasibility of HIV Self-Testing Among Transgender Women in San Francisco: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study. 2016. PMID: 26511864


  57. Bockting W, Coleman E, Deutsch MB, Guillamon A, Meyer I, Meyer W, Reisner S, Sevelius J, Ettner R. Adult development and quality of life of transgender and gender nonconforming people. 2016. PMID: 26835800


  58. Safer JD, Coleman E, Feldman J, Garofalo R, Hembree W, Radix A, Sevelius J. Barriers to healthcare for transgender individuals. 2016. PMID: 26910276


  60. Kaplan RL, Sevelius J, Ribeiro K. In the name of brevity: The problem with binary HIV risk categories. 2016. PMID: 26824592


  61. Deutsch MB, Glidden DV, Sevelius J, Keatley J, McMahan V, Guanira J, Kallas EG, Chariyalertsak S, Grant RM. HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis in transgender women: a subgroup analysis of the iPrEx trial. 2015. PMID: 26614965


  63. Light AD, Obedin-Maliver J, Sevelius JM, Kerns JL. Transgender men who experienced pregnancy after female-to-male gender transitioning. 2014. PMID: 25415163


  64. Sevelius, J.. Transgender Issues in HIV 2014. PMID:


  66. Deutsch MB, Keatley J, Sevelius J, Shade SB. Collection of gender identity data using electronic medical records: survey of current end-user practices. Volume 25 of Issue 6. 2014. PMID: 24880490


  71. Jefferson K, Neilands TB, Sevelius J. Transgender women of color: discrimination and depression symptoms. 2013. PMID: 25346778


  72. Sevelius, J. & Johnson, M.O.. HIV Prevention in Transgender Persons 2012. PMID:


  73. Johnson MO, Sevelius JM, Dilworth SE, Saberi P, Neilands TB. Preliminary support for the construct of health care empowerment in the context of treatment for human immunodeficiency virus. 2012. PMID: 22654510


  74. Sevelius JM, Keatley J, Gutierrez-Mock L. HIV/AIDS programming in the United States: considerations affecting transgender women and girls. 2011. PMID: 22055679


  75. Sevelius JM, Carrico A, Johnson MO. Antiretroviral therapy adherence among transgender women living with HIV. 2010. PMID: 20347342


  79. Operario D, Burton J, Underhill K, Sevelius J. Men who have sex with transgender women: challenges to category-based HIV prevention. 2007. PMID: 17705095