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Researcher, clinician, and educator Alex Iantaffi, PhD, joined the faculty at PHS on January 2, 2013.

Iantaffi is an assistant professor and a licensed marriage and family therapist, who originally trained in the United Kingdom as a systemic psychotherapist. Iantaffi has most recently worked on HIV research in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Minnesota. In 2008 he came to the US from the UK to work on his postdoctoral fellowship at PHS, while serving as the project coordinator for the research project All Gender Health Online.

"We welcome Alex back to PHS. He is a great addition to our faculty, strengthening our research program and helping with clinical and teaching activities as well," said Eli Coleman, PhD, director.

Iantaffi is currently principal investigator for a study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, on Deaf Men who have Sex with Men (DMSM), HIV testing, prevention, and technology titled "D-P@RK." This study aims to overcome health disparities to HIV testing for DMSM through the development of Internet-based screening and prevention tools. The long-term objective of this line of research is to improve HIV screening, prevention, treatment, and access for Deaf people, by developing innovative, culturally and linguistically accessible Internet-based methods and interventions. The project has begun recruiting DMSM and individuals who have experience working with DMSM around issues of sexual health and/or HIV prevention, testing, and treatment.

Iantaffi has been the Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Sexual and Relationship Therapy since June 2007, receiving its first impact factor in 2011. His therapeutic work is currently focused on transgender and gender non-conforming youth, and their families; sexuality, and relationships. Iantaffi has conducted research, and published on gender, disability, sexuality, deafness, education, sexual health, HIV prevention, and transgender issues. His scholarly work has been increasingly focused on issues of intersectionality and sexual health disparities. Iantaffi serves on the Transgender Commission leadership team as a past co-chair, as well as vice-chair on the Board of Directors at PFund, host for the GLBT Host Home Program, and core organizer for the newly formed Minnesota LGBTQ Health Collaborative.

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On July 12-14, 2009, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) held an expert consultation in Panama City, Panama, to develop concrete recommendations for a regional multi-component action plan to address health needs and demands of the men who have sex with men (MSM) population.  Eli Coleman PhD, on behalf of PHS, was invited to participate and facilitate part of the meeting.  In addition, PHS postdoctoral fellow, Cesar Gonzales, PhD, was also invited to share his expertise in HIV prevention among MSM and transgender populations.  The objective of the consultation was to analyze factors and situations associated with health problems, social hardship, and poor quality of living among gay and bisexual men, and other MSM in Latin America.  Participants proposed a set of urgently needed interventions to meet the sexual health needs of MSM, including prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.  Forty participants were invited from all regions of the Americas with particular emphasis on experts from Latin America and the Caribbean including UN agencies in charge of the MSM/sexual diversity; experts in provision of HIV/STI, sexual health, mental health or addiction services to MSM populations; and experts in development of health services for specific target populations.  In order to activate these strategies throughout Latin American and the Caribbean PAHO will outline consultation recommendations technical document that is forthcoming.

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Psychologist, activist, and scholar, Armando Diaz, traveled from Mexico City to study at PHS.  Diaz is working on his PhD in sociology at El Colegio de Mexico.  Inspired by Cara a Cara (Face to Face) an HIV prevention training program for community advocates that was created by PHS and conducted in Mexico, Diaz developed the educational program Hombres, conciencia y encuentros (Men, Awareness, and Encounters).  Diaz's training is designed to reduce social and personal vulnerability among gay men and men who have sex with men in urban and rural communities throughout Mexico.  Through presentations, workshops, and small group discussions, trainers focus on sexual diversity, masculinity, history, human rights, HIV/AIDS prevention, and physical and emotional health.  Starting locally in Guadalajara, the program has expanded to reach individuals from many areas of Mexico.  The group is now working with the Sexual Citizenship Network from Jalisco, National Vigilance Council in Sexual Diversity and HIV/AIDS.

Diaz has come to understand the importance of sexual health education and sexual rights.  Although many of the young LGBTI in Mexico are more open about their sexual identity, and there is a growing culture presence with GLBT parades and public gathering places, advocates still have work to do to achieve full integration.  Through their research Diaz and his colleagues found that many individuals young and old are challenged in constructing intimate relationships and many young people do not fully understand the potential impact of HIV.

Diaz believes that an empowered individual has the opportunity to look beyond his own needs to the needs of his community.  Ideally, strengthening a person strengthens the family, the community, the nation, and ultimately, the world.  "The world has been broken through the mistakes of discrimination and injustice.  The social acceptance of sexual diversity will help to align communities and right this history," said Diaz.  It is Diaz's hope that with acceptance an individual can turn his focus to other social issues like homelessness, poverty, and the environment.

While at PHS Diaz spent time consulting with Eli Coleman, PhD, as well as spending some time at a St. Paul clinic (La Clinica) to better understand the options and needs surrounding sexual health and HIV/AIDS for Latinos.   He also made time to explore materials in the Jean-Nickolaus Tretter Collection in Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Studies.  He was excited to find books about the GLBT rights movement in Mexico that he has not been able to locate at home.  Diaz feels that connecting the present to the past is very powerful.  He said, "history shows millennia of violence and discrimination and when one transgender person decides to live as he feels, when one lesbian chooses to love who she loves, and when one gay man decides to assume himself these people are changing the world by breaking the power structure of history.  I am fortunate to work with these individuals and to witness the change."

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