For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a deep-seated interest in understanding and helping others. Friends and family have often confided in me, seeking advice or simply a listening ear, and I’ve always been eager to offer support in any way I could. I’m proud that people feel safe coming to me to talk about whatever’s on their mind.
If I had to pinpoint where this inclination comes from, I’d say it stemmed from my own need for emotional safety. I was shaped by my feeling of being “different” and coming out as gay in the era of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” Coupled with my family's mental health challenges, these experiences fueled my commitment to making a positive impact on individuals and society, and led me toward a career as a clinical psychologist.
In graduate school, my interests led me to pursue concrete skills I could use to make a real-world impact. I immersed myself in coursework that not only deepened my understanding of human behavior, but also sharpened my ability to apply psychological principles across diverse situations. I honed my research skills, equipping me with the tools necessary to translate findings into practical solutions to problems.
The most impactful moments in my early career were my direct clinical experiences with children, youth, families, and adults in the therapy room. It was a privilege to witness firsthand the powerful impact that person-centered, evidence-based interventions, empathy, and the therapeutic relationship had on changing lives. By prioritizing the individual’s unique experiences and needs, I saw the transformative power of creating a safe, empathetic space for recovery and healing at work. And integrating evidence-based practices helped ensure interventions were not only rooted in empathy but backed by scientific efficacy. It was not uncommon to hear people say, “That felt great to talk about” at the end of our first session together. At other times, people would say, “I tried that technique you taught me, and it worked!” These moments underscored the importance of establishing a genuine connection to make meaningful progress in the therapeutic process.
The use of data and evidence to track and monitor progress and inform interventions became central to my thinking and practice. I found conducting applied research and working alongside providers to improve the quality of care delivered to children, youth, and families to be a natural outlet to use what I'd learned over the course of my educational and clinical experiences. But the difficulties I experienced as an early-career psychologist in trying to close the research-to-practice gap in community-based settings were eye-opening. To bridge that gap, it became clear that I needed to develop skills in consultation, technical assistance, model development, quality improvement, and outcomes evaluations.
After working for several years alongside community-based providers implementing a range of evidence-based practices in various settings, I transitioned into Medicaid behavioral health analytics. This pivotal shift enabled me to apply my skills in a context in which I could contribute to improving the quality, outcomes, and cost of behavioral health care for a state’s Medicaid population. The intersection of my clinical background and analytical expertise opened doors that enabled me to have a hand in making data-driven decisions that could affect the behavioral health and well-being of communities on a broader scale. My time working in behavioral health analytics made me a natural fit for my current role as a principal researcher at Mathematica. In this role, I have an opportunity to use my diverse experiences to drive change across states and jurisdictions.
It is no secret that there are substantial unmet behavioral health needs across the country. For example, every day, headlines present new data demonstrating the profound impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on our individual and collective mental, emotional, and physical health and well-being. As I join the Mathematica family, a company committed to rigor, research, and evidence-based policymaking, I look forward to contributing to a future where evidence-based insights positively influence behavioral health.
Nowadays, when I’m asked about my profession, I like to say that my core identity remains that of a clinical psychologist. While my journey has diverged from that of the typical person with my background, my work upholds their fundamental tenets and guiding principles. I still seek to benefit those I work with and for and to help promote the health and well-being of all.
