We are always interested in hearing from you. On this page, you can hear a little bit about us.
Marquel Norton
Marquel Norton is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Counseling Psychology at UW–Madison. They received a bachelor’s degree in clinical psychology and child development and a master’s in School Psychology from Tufts University. Marquel was a formerly licensed school psychologist in Massachusetts, working in Boston Public Schools for four years. They are originally from Fort Worth, Texas. Marquel considers themself an educator, advocate, and scholar who is deeply committed to developing critical community spaces for Black queer and trans individuals to commune, heal, and organize. In this, they hope to work across sectors to develop community-based support programs for trans youth and their families and communities so that they can thrive in the educational and psychological domains of their lives. Their current scholarship considers the interaction of emotional well-being and critical consciousness in Black trans and queer youth organizing spaces. Research areas: Youth Participatory Action Research – Black Trans Youth – Psychology of Activism (Affectivism).
Sage Gao
Sage (he/they) is a doctoral student in Counseling Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is broadly interested in addressing internalized stigma and promoting well-being among trans* and nonbinary young populations, especially TNB folks of color. Their emerging research focuses on TNB young people’s nuanced identity experiences and sources of resilience in interpersonal (e.g., family, community) contexts, including online spaces. Outside the collaborative, Sage enjoys wandering around Madison’s beautiful lakes, taking cute photos of wild squirrels, exploring shopping malls, and bonding with cat.
Joonwoo Lee, M.Ed. (he/him), is a doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His research and clinical work center on understanding parental relational trauma among transgender and nonbinary (TNB) individuals, as well as developing culturally specific, trauma-focused interventions for this population. Additionally, he is dedicated to disseminating gender affirming referral letter practices (“The Companionship Model”) and advancing psychotherapy approaches tailored to TNB individuals of color.
Louis Lindley
Louis is a third-year doctoral student in the Department of Counseling Psychology. His research interests focus on gender dysphoria’s interactions with gender minority stress and how transgender individuals navigate sex and sexuality. Due to being raised in Texas, Lou enjoys spending time outdoors with his partner and their three dogs in the summer and hiding under a blanket indoors during the winter.
J. McNeill
J. McNeill (they/them) is a personal and career development coach, and researcher in the field of psychology. They are focussed on co-creation of projects that increase the quality of life for their communities through practical and impactful graphic design. Vocationally, they support people at all organizational levels through major life and systems changes with a great sense of purposeful hope. With the honor of being a senior member of the Collaborative, they continue to learn and grow with incredible colleagues that proliferate efforts that result in community, connectedness, and consensual care.
Beneli Andert
Beneli (they/them) graduated from UW-Madison in 2020 with a master’s degree in public health. Beneli’s interests include working toward health equity, building resilience, and learning about almost anything. They love to read (again, almost anything) and are part of a book club that reads only queer romance.
Yusuf Barburoğlu
Yusuf is a current Ph.D. student and graduate assistant in Old Dominion University’s Counseling program. Their research experience is on the individual and relational well-being of sexually and gender-diverse people and building resilience among trans- identifying folks against minority stress. Similarly, in practice, they have a year of experience working with clients experiencing minoritized sexual and gender diversity stress. Regarding advocacy, they are currently a member of a psychosocial support network in a local LGBTQIA+-specific Turkey based NGO working to increase the wellness of queer folks living in a politically harsh context. Also, they volunteered as a board member, peer trainer, and researcher in collaboration with an international organization to disseminate reliable and scientific sexual health information to youth. They took their master’s degree from a counseling program by specializing in gender identity-based discrimination-related traumas, well-being, and traumatic stress among trans and non binary identifying people.
Darren Schoenike
Darren majored in Psychology with a minor in LGBTQ+ studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He will be starting medical school next year, where he will become a surgeon who provides all types of gender-affirmation surgery for trans and gender non-conforming folks. Darren worked as a House Fellow (RA) for the Open House Gender and Sexuality Learning Community in the residence halls where he worked with many lgbtq+ identified first-year students and built community among them. His passions in life include going to the gym and pretending that it’s not because he’s vain along with loving his cat-son Viita.
Dean Dvorak
Dean was formerly a master’s student in counseling psychology. Their research interests include gender euphoria and embodied experiences, as well as gender fluidity and development, especially in adolescence. They would like to work as a clinical mental health therapist in the future. In their free time, they like to make art and try new recipes.
Sergio Domínguez, Jr.
Sergio was a doctoral student in the Department of Counseling Psychology and is now a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Illinois Chicago. Broadly, they are invested in trans wellbeing, ethical and legal professional issues in psychology, and relationship-centered research and clinical approaches. In their free time, Sergio enjoys outdoor activities (e.g., hiking, canoeing), cooking, and shopping.
Lyuchen Ben
Lyuchen Ben is a doctoral student in the Counseling Psychology program at the University of Iowa. Their research interests are intimate partner violence and protective factors against isolation in the queer and trans community. In their free time, they enjoy spending time with their senior cat.
Leslie Her
Leslie (they/she) is currently pursuing a master’s degree in counseling psychology. They received their BS in Psychology from National Taiwan University, along with a certificate in Women’s and Gender Studies. Their academic and personal experiences have shaped their interest in health equity, social justice and understanding how culture, ethnicity, gender, and other identities intersect to shape people’s experiences, with a particular focus on 2STNB individuals. They aspire to become a therapist who is both academically engaged and involved in advocacy work. In their free time, Leslie enjoys watching movies, listening to metal music, and playing video games that lets them relax and be creative.
Savannah Lynn
Savannah Lynn (she/her and they/them pronouns) received a BA from Duke University and an MA in Psychology from New York University. Savannah is currently a doctoral student at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY), pursuing a PhD in Health Psychology and Clinical Science. Savannah’s research centers trans, nonbinary, and otherwise gender-diverse young people, particularly those who are multiply marginalized. Specific research interests include building autonomous models of gender-affirming healthcare, adapting existing therapy modalities to better suit gender-diverse clients, and understanding the health impacts of bans and restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors. With a dual background n psychology and gender, sexuality, and feminist studies, Savannah is inspired by embodied movement philosophies, such as decolonization and Black and Third World feminisms. Savannah lives on Lenapehoking (politically designated as Manhattan), and enjoys reading, aerial arts (silks, lyra, and stationary trapeze), fiber crafts, and hosting dinner parties.
Stephanie Budge
Stephanie Budge (she/her) focuses her research and advocacy efforts on Two Spirit, transgender, and nonbinary people. She is a professor in the Department of Counseling Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She received her master’s degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin and received her PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research focuses on improving of medical and psychotherapeutic treatments (and access to care) for Two Spirit, trans, and nonbinary (2STNB) clients. She provides clinical trainings nationally and internationally related to LGBTQ issues, focusing on practitioners’ self-efficacy, knowledge, awareness, and skills. As a licensed psychologist, she has provided pro-bono therapy to 2STNB youth and adults. For her research efforts, she received the Vilas Mid-Career Award (2024) and the Society for Counseling Psychology (Division 17) Distinguished Contribution to Psychology Award (2021). Stephanie is currently an Associate Editor of Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. She is also on the editorial board of the International Journal of Transgender Health.
Stephanie enjoys going on hikes with her wife and child, cooking (especially anything with potatoes), and rappelling down waterfalls.
Trans CARE and T*STAR Alum
Eileen “Egg” Guo
Eileen “Egg” Guo graduated from the UW-Madison Master’s in Counseling program in 2019. She currently works at University Health Services as a Mental Health Provider and Outreach Coordinator. Egg is passionate about providing therapy and conducting outreach to historically underserved communities, including students of color, LGBTQ+ students, and those at the intersection of these identities. In her free time, Egg enjoys ice skating, candlemaking, cooking, watching reality dating shows, and drinking boba.
Rachel L. Dyer
Rachel L. Dyer, PhD is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison MS (2019) and PhD programs (2024) in counseling psychology. She is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Lawrence University, a small liberal arts college in Madison, Wisconsin. Updates about Rachel’s work and contact information can be found here.
Ezra Mauk
Ezra’s passions in life include psychology, gender and sexuality scholarship, and cheese. He graduated from UW-Madison with an undergraduate degree in Psychology and a certificate in Gender and Women’s Studies. He completed his master’s degree in Counseling Psychology at UW in 2019.
Jayden Thai
Dr. Jayden Thai (he/him/his) was an original member of T*STAR at the University of Louisville, founded in 2011. He graduated with his PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Louisville in 2018. Dr. Thai is currently a licensed staff psychologist at Brown University’s Counseling and Psychological Services. He is also currently serving as co-chair of Division 44’s Committee for Transgender People and Gender Diversity. Dr. Thai is interested in the identity development processes and mental health outcomes of trans and gender diverse folx, particularly those of color, as well as providing psychotherapy through liberation and social justice lenses. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his partner and animals, cooking, and all things Doctor Who.
Jacob Eleazer
Dr. Jacob Eleazer (he/him) served in the Army National Guard for 12 years and was among the first actively serving transgender soldiers to come out publicly in 2014. He advocates for open service and access to care for transgender military personnel as the Director of Advocacy for SPART*A, A Professional Association for Transgender Service Members. Jacob completed his doctorate in counseling psychology at the University of Louisville, predoctoral internship at the VA Puget Sound-American Lake Division, and clinical postdoctoral fellowship in LGBTQ+ Health and Psychosocial Rehabilitation at the Connecticut VA Healthcare System. Jacob is currently an Advanced Postdoctoral Fellow in Health Service Research and Development at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System and Yale School of Medicine. He is a member of the PRIDE Cohort research lab in the PRIME (Pain, Research, Informatics, Multi-morbidities, and Education) Center of Innovation. His active research projects investigate the experiences of actively serving transgender military personnel, health disparities for LGBTQ+ Veterans, and patient-centered interventions to improve access to care for transgender Veterans.
Laura Patricia Minero, PhD (She/Her/Ella)
Q Dillard
Q Dillard graduated from the UW-Madison’s Counseling Psychology Master’s program in 2018. They currently work at UW-Madison’s University Health Services/Mental Health Services as the Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Services Coordinator. They provide individual and group therapy services utilizing a Relational-Cultural approach. Their clinical work with TGNC students can include processing internalized societal narratives about transness and facilitating increased ability to access gender euphoria and empowerment. Sidra also enjoys cuddling with their dog, taking naps, and creative writing.
"We need, in every community, a group of angelic troublemakers."
Bayard Rustin