Curriculum Vita

Alena Kuhlemeier, PhD, University of New Mexico

Alena Kuhlemeier is a postdoctoral fellow at the Center on Alcohol, Substance Use, and Addictions at the University of New Mexico. Her research agenda is broadly centered on understanding the social determinants of behavioral health disparities experienced by sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth. Her dissertation work used a socio-ecological framework and mixed method approach to examine how intersectional differences and institutional forces shape SGM youth substance use and mental health. As a postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Kuhlemeier will continue to investigate the particular risk factors of substance use that affect SGM populations as well as working to develop precision medicine research methods to examine heterogeneity in treatment effects of clinical and behavioral interventions.

Dr. Kuhlemeier graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Pomona College in 2011. She received a Master of Arts in 2015 and PhD in Sociology in 2021 from the University of New Mexico. She is currently working with Dr. Katie Witkiewitz at the University of New Mexico.