Skip to main content
UMass Collegiate M The University of Massachusetts Amherst
  • Visit
  • Apply
  • Give
  • Search UMass.edu
School of Public Health & Health Sciences School of Public Health & Health Sciences

Main navigation

  • Academics

    Academic programs

    BiostatisticsCommunity Health EducationEnvironmental Health SciencesEpidemiologyHealth Policy and ManagementKinesiologyNutritionProfessional ProgramsPublic Health SciencesSpeech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
    Graduate AdmissionsUMass AdmissionsFinancial aid and scholarshipsFaculty directoryCourses
  • Research
    Center for Community Health Equity ResearchCenter for Program EvaluationInstitute for Global Health
    Research news and highlightsResearch areasResearch centers and institutesResearch Administration Office (RAO)
  • Campus & Outreach
    Academic Dean & Office of Academic SuccessCenter for Language, Speech, and HearingOffice of Career PlanningOffice of Public Health Practice and OutreachSupport SPHHS
  • About
    AccreditationDiversity, Equity and InclusionNewsEventsDirectory
    Resources for current studentsResources for faculty & staffVisit usContact usSenior Recognition Ceremony

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. News

SPHHS LGTBQIA+ Community Featured in Spotlight Series

The series celebrates students, faculty, and alumni who are members and allies of the LGBTQIA+ community.

October 27, 2023 Diversity, equity, and inclusion

Content

Collage of photos clockwise from top left: Abby Grimm, Gerry Puerto, Saharra Dixon, Krystal Kittle, Kevin Sassaman, Nicole VanKim
Top row (l-r): Abby Grimm, Gerry Puerto, and Saharra Dixon. Bottom row (l-r): Nicole VanKim, Kevin Sassaman, and Krystal Kittle.

Throughout LGBTQIA+ History Month this October, the SPHHS is highlighting students, faculty, and alumni who are members and allies of the community. Students Abby Grimm, Gerry Puerto, and Saharra Dixon are featured in the series, along with alumnus Kevin Sassaman and faculty members Nicole VanKim and Krystal Kittle. Learn more about them below:

Abby Grimm
Abby Grimm

Abby Grimm

Abby is a senior majoring in public health sciences. She’s currently writing an honors thesis examining the relationship between school experiences and disparities in mental health outcomes of gender minority adolescents compared to their cisgender peers.

It’s important that healthcare professionals understand that someone’s identity is a big part of who they are and we need to be able to provide care based on that. 

Read more

Geraldine "Gerry" Puerto
Geraldine "Gerry" Puerto

Geraldine "Gerry" Puerto

Geraldine “Gerry” Puerto is a Community Health Education doctoral student in the Department of Health Promotion and Policy working under the supervision of Dr. Krystal Kittle and Dr. Kathryn Derose. She earned her MPH from the SPHHS in 2022 – 10 years after beginning her journey as an undergraduate psychology major at UMass.

As a Latina, as a queer person, and as an immigrant, I know the importance of understanding how intersectionalities influence folks’ experiences and why it is critical to build solidarity.

Read more

Saharra Dixon
Saharra Dixon

Saharra Dixon

Saharra Dixon is a Community Health Education doctoral candidate in the Department of Health Promotion and Policy under the supervision of Dr Aline Gubrium and Dr. Linnea Evans. She is currently in her third year of the program, and a working board member of the Collective for Radical Death Studies.

I am a Black, queer storyteller. My research is arts-based. I am a performing artist, as well as a digital and performance storyteller. I am passionate about anti-racist and anti-colonial public health practices.... My research works to understand how systems and social environments (re)produce health inequities.

Read more

Kevin Sassaman
Kevin Sassaman

Kevin Sassaman

Kevin earned his BS in public health sciences and his MPH in epidemiology through the 4+1 program. He is currently living in California researching HIV at the University of California, San Francisco.

I had queer faculty members at UMass. I could see myself in other people in the field that I wanted to pursue and reminded me that I can be a part of the LGBTQ community and pursue my dream career. It’s so important to have those role models and have those people to look up to.

Read more

Nicole VanKim
Nicole VanKim

Nicole VanKim

Nicole VanKim is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology. Her work focuses on LGBTQIA+ health, health disparities, and social and behavioral epidemiology.

I have had a lot of students of color and queer students. I always wanted to be able to provide that mentorship because I never had that.

Read more

Krystal Kittle
Krystal Kittle

Krystal Kittle

Krystal Kittle joined the Department of Health Promotion and Policy as an assistant professor of community health education this fall. Her research focuses on LGBTQIA+ aging and health.

My PhD is in gerontology. As a student in my doctoral program, I saw a gap in the research. There was some literature on diversity and aging related to race, culture, and ethnicity but nothing on LGBTQIA+ people.

Read more

Spotlight posted in Diversity, equity, and inclusion for Faculty , Staff , Prospective students , Current students , and Alumni

Related programs

  • Public Health Sciences
  • Community Health Education
  • Epidemiology

Related departments

  • Biostatistics and Epidemiology
  • Health Promotion and Policy
  • Public Health Sciences Program

Site footer

School of Public Health & Health Sciences
  • X
  • Find us on Facebook
  • Find us on YouTube
  • Find us on LinkedIn
  • Find us on Instagram
Address

Arnold House
715 North Pleasant Street
Amherst, MA 01003
United States

Academics

  • Explore our programs
  • Undergraduate
  • Graduate
  • Certificate
  • Post Baccalaureate

Research

  • Research News
  • Research Areas
  • Research Centers & Institutes

The School

  • About SPHHS
  • News
  • Events
  • Directory
  • Visit
  • Contact

Info for...

  • Current students
  • Faculty & staff

Global footer

  • ©2025 University of Massachusetts Amherst
  • Site policies
  • Privacy
  • Non-discrimination notice
  • Accessibility
  • Terms of use