Catherine Cerulli, Ph.D.
Catherine Cerulli, JD, PhD, has established a unique, scientifically based career path that seeks to combine legal, public health, and mental health perspectives to enhance the human rights and well-being of people marginalized due to economic, safety, health, and legal concerns. As a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) and the Director of the Laboratory of Interpersonal Violence and Victimization, she has promoted research in diverse criminal justice, community, and health settings, and in 2016 cofound an innovative medical-law program that integrates health, legal, and advocacy services for victims of intimate partner violence (IPV). Dr. Cerulli also directs the UR Susan B. Anthony Center. The “Sue B. Center” focuses on translating science regarding social determinants of health into practices that changes lives. Dr. Cerulli, a licensed attorney, has worked directly with IPV victims since 1983 – as a counselor, advocate, attorney, and researcher. She forges collaborative community studies in partnership with survivors as investigators and advisors, guided by principles of community-based participatory research. Dr. Cerulli has worked in Russia, China, Mongolia, the Greater Mekong region, and most recently, in India. NIH Fogarty International Center, the World Health Organization, and the Fulbright Specialist Program have funded her international portfolio. As a national and international leader and trainer, Dr. Cerulli speaks directly to the need for agencies to ground their service programs in scientifically developed evidence and to rigorously evaluate the real-world impacts of their initiatives.