Jillian R. Scheer, PhD, is a licensed counseling psychologist, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Rhode Island, and Director of the Minority Stress & Trauma (MST) Lab. Dr. Scheer is also a research affiliate at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS at the Yale School of Public Health.

Dr. Scheer earned a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Boston College and completed a predoctoral clinical internship at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s/West Hospital in New York City. Dr. Scheer also completed an NIMH T32 postdoctoral fellowship in psychiatric epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health. Dr. Scheer is the author of over 80 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Scheer’s research has been supported by grants from NIAAA, NIMHD, the William T. Grant Foundation, and the American Psychological Foundation. Dr. Scheer’s work has been recognized through several awards (e.g., NIMHD Research Institute Scholar, NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health).

Dr. Scheer’s work examines the biopsychosocial determinants of substance use, mental health concerns, and chronic pelvic pain among trauma-exposed individuals and those with minoritized identities (e.g., sexual and gender minority people). Dr. Scheer’s research leverages ecological momentary assessment, qualitative inquiry, and wearable sensors to inform just-in-time adaptive interventions that address the intersection of pelvic pain, substance use, and trauma in real-world settings. Dr. Scheer also investigates multilevel factors influencing help-seeking and linkage to care, and develops scalable in-person, telehealth, and digital mental and behavioral health interventions tailored to sexual and gender minority populations.

Gabriella (Gabby) Epshteyn Gabby is a third-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program under the mentorship of Dr. Jillian Scheer. She graduated with her BA in Psychology from Baruch College, City University of New York, and earned her Masters in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in global mental health and trauma from Columbia University, Teachers College. Before coming to URI, Gabby served in various research coordinator/program manager roles across the Veterans Health Administration, Columbia University, and the Mount Sinai Health System. Gabby’s research focuses on the intersection of suicide, trauma, substance use, and personality disorders, with an emphasis on adapting transdiagnostic mindfulness-based interventions within historically underrepresented and marginalized communities. In Gabby’s free time she enjoys thrifting and spending time with her two dogs.

Rachel Girard is a doctoral candidate in the Clinical Psychology, Ph.D. program. After earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Kalamazoo College, MI in 2019, she worked at Michigan Medicine as a clinical research coordinator on several projects aimed at increasing access to evidence-based substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. At URI, she has continued studying her interests in health utilization, with an emphasis on improving access and treatment experiences among marginalized communities under the mentorship of Dr. Spillane (now at ASU) and Dr. Scheer. Rachel was awarded the F31 application from NIDA exploring intervention stigma surrounding buprenorphine prescribing and use in the Veterans Health Administration, which will serve as her dissertation project. Outside of the lab, her interests include playing volleyball, doing heated workout classes, and spending time at the beach.

Katerine (Katya) Rashkovsky is a first-year Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student mentored by Dr. Jillian Scheer. They earned their B.S. in Psychology with a specialization in Clinical Psychology from the University of California, San Diego. During and after completing their undergraduate degree, Katya worked as a research assistant and coordinator at the San Diego Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, supporting various projects focused on increasing access to and enhancing the efficacy of treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They are interested in research on developing and evaluating scalable, accessible interventions for PTSD and minority stress, particularly in sexual and gender minority populations. Outside of research, they enjoy rock climbing, hiking, backpacking, and spending time with their cat (Styles) and dog (Sky).

Virinca Jaipuriyar is a graduate student in the Applied Psychology program at Rutgers and graduated from Cornell University in 2021 with a degree in psychology. Virinca is also currently a research intern with the MST lab for the 2025-2026 academic year and is applying for clinical psychology PhD programs this fall.

Natalie Chasten graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a minor in nutrition. She is thrilled to be supporting the Minority Stress & Trauma Lab as a research assistant and hopes to pursue a graduate degree in psychology in the future. Her research interests include behavioral endocrinology, eating disorder behaviors, sports psychology, and mental health interventions for sexual and gender minorities.

Katrina Walier is a junior at the University of Rhode Island pursuing a B.A. in Psychology and a B.S. in Human Development and Family Science with a concentration in Counseling and Social Services, along with a minor in Philosophy. She is passionate about supporting children and adolescents, particularly those affected by trauma and from marginalized communities. Katrina aims to earn a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology to become a psychologist and therapist specializing in child and adolescent mental health. 

Makayla Leon is a senior working on her BA in Psychology and BA in Criminology/Criminal Justice at the University of Rhode Island. Her research interests include the impact of stressors on the health of marginalized communities and forensic psychology. She also plans to pursue a graduate degree in psychology in the future. She is excited to be a part of the Minority Stress & Trauma Lab as a research assistant!

Olivia Camire is a Junior at URI working towards my BS in Public Health with a minor in Psychology. Olivia hopes to pursue a Masters in Physician Assistant Studies in the future and is thrilled to be joining the MST lab as a research assistant this summer!

Kayla Archer is a junior at URI, double majoring in Neuropharmacology (B.S) and Psychology (B.S) with hopes of obtaining a career in clinical research. Her role as an undergraduate research assistant includes participant engagement and recruitment, collecting physiological data, and interpreting data collected from the studies. She is excited to work with the Minority Stress & Trauma Lab to gain experience in biopsychosocial research!

Joslyn Brown is a sophomore at the University of Rhode Island studying Clinical Neuroscience. As an undergraduate research assistant in the MST Lab, she supports participant recruitment for ongoing studies and work with the research team to administer the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) protocol. She is passionate about advancing the understanding of mental health and expanding access to mental health care, and thankful that her work in the MST Lab allows her to actively contribute toward these goals!

Zachary Theisen is a senior working toward his Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the University of Rhode Island. His academic interests focus on the social and multicultural aspects of psychology, and he plans to continue his education in URI’s Master of Science program in Mental Health Counseling. He is eager to gain valuable experience and insight through his role as a research assistant with the Minority Stress & Trauma Lab. 

Nathalie Benitez is a junior at the University of Rhode Island pursuing a B.S. in Psychology on the premed track. She is an aspiring psychiatrist with a strong commitment to supporting minoritized and marginalized communities. Nathalie joined the Minority Stress Lab to deepen her understanding of how identity‑based stress affects mental health and to learn how research can inform more inclusive, culturally responsive care.

Caty Myers is a senior at the University of Rhode Island pursuing a B.A. in Psychology and a B.A.S in Criminology & Criminal Justice. She is passionate about increasing mental health awareness and researching substance abuse. After graduation, Caty plans to earn her master’s degree in Psychology.

Lucas Johnson is a first semester transfer student with an AA in Biology from CCRI. Lucas transferred to URI to study neuroscience and the implications on daily stresses and habits that create our health, as well as holistic forms of healing. The MST Lab is a great opportunity to work with researching biopsychological factors, and being able to understand the implications of said factors.