hortensiaamrao

Hortensia Amaro, Ph.D.

Dr. Amaro is Distinguished Professor of Health Sciences and Counseling Psychology in the Bouvé College of Health Sciences at Northeastern University and Director of the Institute on Urban Health Research. She received her Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1982 and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters by Simmons College in 1994.

Dr. Amaro published over 100 scientific articles on epidemiological and community-based studies of alcohol and drug use among adolescents and adults; developing and testing behavioral interventions for HIV/AIDS prevention; substance abuse and mental health treatment for Latina and African American women and incarcerated men; and behavioral interventions for HIV medications adherence. Dr. Amaro’s “Love, Sex and Power” published in American Psychologist drew from the keynote for her 1993 Distinguished Contributors to Psychology in the Public Interest: Early Career Award by APA. The article had wide ranging impact in HIV prevention among women; resulting in her 1996 Scientific Publication Award by the National Association of Women in Psychology. She also served on editorial boards (e.g., American Journal of Public Health) and on review/advisory committees to the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Amaro is actively engaged as founder of numerous professional organizations and community based service agencies: National Hispanic Psychological Association, National Hispanic Science Network on Drug Abuse Research, National Trauma Consortium, Latino Health Institute, and Multicultural AIDS Coalition in Boston. She is also founder of substance abuse treatment programs for women in Boston: The MOM’s Project, the Entre Familia Residential Treatment Program, and MORE, for women with co-occurring disorders. In 2005, she was named one of 100 most influential Hispanics by Hispanic Business Magazine. Dr. Amaro’s own journey as a refugee and immigrant to the U.S. has significantly impacted her life and informed her scholarly and community work in public health.