Cathy J. Reback, PhD

Cathy J. Reback, PhD, is a Senior Research Scientist with Friends Research Institute and the Director of the Combination Prevention Core for the UCLA Center for HIV Identification, Prevention and Treatment Services. Additionally, Dr. Reback is the Founder and Executive Director of Friends Community Center the community-based site for Friends Research Institute, which provides publically funded, culturally responsive, substance use and HIV prevention services for sexual and gender minority individuals. The focus of Dr. Reback’s research is an examination of the intersection of substance use disorders and HIV risk behaviors among sexual and gender minority individuals in community settings. Dr. Reback has an extensive background in conducting community-research collaborations, managing large-scale HIV prevention and intervention programs, designing and implementing technology-based and mHealth interventions, designing and implementing venue- and street-based intervention programs, evaluating behavioral and biomedical treatment therapies for populations with substance use and mental health disorders, and conducting mixed methods research studies. Additionally, she has collaborated with several local community-based organizations to adopt, tailor, and transfer evidenced-based interventions into public health and community settings. Dr. Reback’s community and policy work includes current and past membership on numerous local and national HIV/AIDS and substance use task forces and advisory committees.

Contact: reback@friendsresearch.org