The Sexuality, Health and Gender (SHAG) team’s work spans several universities across the nation. We are a group of scholars, advocates, practitioners, methodologists, sex educators, and lifelong learners that believe in working collaboratively to achieve our common goal of exploring sexuality through research, education, and training.
Theresa Anasti, MSW, PhD (she/they)
- Email: anasti@wustl.edu
Interests:
- sex work
- harm reduction
- trafficking
- substance use
- organizations and management
Bethany Bray, PhD (she/her)
Affiliate/Associate Director for Scientific and Infrastructure Development at the Institute for Health Research and Policy (IHRP), University of Illinois Chicago
- Email: bcbray@uic.edu
Zakary Clements, PhD, MS (he/him)
Postdoctoral Researcher
- Email: zakary@wustl.edu
Interests:
- Strengths, authenticity, and well-being in transgender, nonbinary, and/or gender-expansive (TNB and GE) populations
- Community-based research
- Effects of policies on LGBTQ+ people
Elizabeth Fuchs, MSW (she/her)
Affiliate, Former Lecturer, Missouri House Representative for District 80
Paz Galupo, PhD (they/she)
Audre Lorde Distinguished Professor of Sexual Health & Education
- Email: paz@wustl.edu
Interests:
- Queer & Trans Mental Health Disparities
- Community Informed Research
- Qualitative & Mixed-Method Design
- Culturally Informed Measurement Development
- Affirmative Therapy
Jeremy Goldbach, PhD, LMSW (he/him)
Masters & Johnson Distinguished Professor of Sexual Health and Education, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
- Email: jgoldbach@wustl.edu
Interests:
- LGBTQ+ mental health and substance use
- Adolescent health
- Discrimination & stigma
- Psychometric development
- Intervention development
Mohammed Issifu, MSW Candidate (he/him)
Graduate Research Assistant
- Email: i.mohammed@wustl.edu
- Concentration: International Social & Economic Development
- Specialization: Research
- Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2025
Mohammed previously served as a Research Practicum Student in the SHAG Center during the summer of 2024.
Aliza Kleinberg, MSW Candidate (she/her)
Research Practicum Student
- Email: akleinberg@wustl.edu
- Concentration: Mental Health
- Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2026
- Interests: queer IPV, sexual liberation, queer adolescents & mental health, qualitative & mixed-method design
Maric Martin Lorusso (he/they)
Visiting Scholar, PhD Candidate in Community Psychology
- Email: maric@wustl.edu
Interests:
- trans youth parents’ experiences
- resilience factors among trans and nonbinary emerging adults
- socio-ecological approach
- participatory methods
Permanent email: maricmartin.lorusso2@unibo.it
Octavio Mesner, PhD (he/him)
Research Assistant Professor
- Email: mesner@wustl.edu
Interests:
- Algorithmic fairness
- Causal discovery
- Information theory
- Development of methods related to LGTBQ+ health
Molly Pearson, MSW (any pronouns)
Lecturer
- Email: mollypearson@wustl.edu
Interests:
- Sexual health, pleasure, & liberation
- Queer liberation
- HIV activism & advocacy
- Harm reduction
- Community organizing
M Pease, M.S. (they/she)
Director of Research and Assessment, Trans Maryland
- Email: mpease1@terpmail.umd.edu
Harmony Rhoades, PhD (she/her)
Research Associate Professor
- Email: harmony@wustl.edu
Interests:
- Sexual and gender minority youth
- Homelessness and housing instability
- Mental health and suicide prevention
- Substance use and misuse
- Social networks
Willow Rosen, MSW Candidate (they/them)
Graduate Research Assistant/Research Practicum Student
- Email: rosen.w@wustl.edu
- Concentration: Individualized
- Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2026
Joshua Rusow, PhD (he/him)
Assistant Professor
- Email: rusow@wustl.edu
Interests:
- LGBTQ+ mental and sexual health
- Adolescent health
- HIV prevention
- Partner and sexual violence
- Stigma and discrimination
Dalychia Saah, MSW (she/her)
Assistant Professor of Practice
- Email: dalychia.saah@wustl.edu
Interests:
- Interpersonal & institutional liberation
- Internalized oppression
- Black liberation
- Sexual pleasure, health, & liberation
- Sexuality education
Sheree Schrager, PhD (she/her)
Affiliate/Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, CSU-Dominguez Hills
- Email: sschrager@csudh.edu
Susan Stiritz, MSW, PhD (she/her)
Professor of Practice
- Email: sstiritz@wustl.edu
Interests:
- Transformative sexuality education
- Sexual culture & hook-up culture
- Effects of sex-positive, gender-neutral sex education on emerging and older adults
Jules Wood, PhD (they/them)
Research Assistant Professor
- Email: juliewood@wustl.edu
Interests:
- LGBTQ+ health
- Quantitative methods
- Psychometrics
- Adolescent development
