Foundations of Human Sexuality

Shari Brightly-Brown is a recent graduate of the Clinical Psychology PhD at the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa, and is currently a postdoctoral fellow in transgender health at the Eli Coleman Institute of Sexual and Gender Health. Shari's primary clinical interests are in gender affirming care and sexual health, with a passion for working with LGBTQ+ identified people. Shari's research interests are broadly focused on resilience among LGBTQ and BIPOC people, with a particular interest in understanding how the intersection of LGBTQ+ and BIPOC identities may contribute positively to mental health.

Jennifer A. Vencill, PhD, is an assistant professor, licensed psychologist and AASECT-certified sex therapist at the Mayo Clinic, where she practices in the Menopause and Women's Sexual Health and Transgender and Intersex Specialty Care clinics. Her clinical interests include sexual health and functioning, sexuality and aging, gender and sexual identity development, couples/relationship concerns, alternative relationship models, and LGBTQ mental and sexual health. Dr. Vencill’s research interests include health disparities and minority stress in marginalized sexual and gender communities, mixed orientation relationships, and sexual health. Dr. Vencill received her PhD in counseling psychology from Texas Tech University and was the first Michael E. Metz Postdoctoral Fellow in Couples' Sexual Health at the University of Minnesota’s Program in Human Sexuality.