​Hi, I'm Sarah Gioia.
pronouns: she/her/hers

I am a fifth year PhD Candidate in the department of Biobehavioral Health (BBH) at Penn State University, studying under the guidance of Dr. Joshua Rosenberger.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

I study perceived discrimination in healthcare affecting sexual minority individuals and people of color. My research explores how discrimination can best be measured quantitatively and I explore the influences that may encourage better patient-provider communication. I also study how these discriminatory experiences shape health behaviors including physical/mental health outcomes and treatment utilization. 

ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

I am a fifth year PhD Candidate in the Department of Biobehavioral Health at Penn State University. I also hold a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Science in Biobehavioral Health from Penn State University.

NON-ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

Research Assistant, Office of Program Consultation & Accreditation 
American Psychological Association

Senior Coordinator, Research & Insights 
Advisory Board Company

August 2014 – July 2015
Duties included: projecting annual budget, creating a spending tracking system, providing recommendations for contract renewal and management
July 2015 - June 2016
​Duties included: Creating annual and five-year reports to summarize trends in student outcomes, provide 400+ accredited programs with the programs' successes and areas for improvement with regard to program standards

Legislative Assistant, Public Interest Government Relations
American Psychological Association
 
June 2016 - July 2017
Duties included: Coordinating congressional briefings, writing and reviewing all internal and public-facing deliverables, team budgeting