Cherrie Boyer, PhD

Dr. Boyer is a Professor of Pediatrics based in the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine where she serves as the Associate Division Director for Research and Academic Affairs. She is an internationally recognized social health psychologist with over 30 years of research, teaching, and mentoring experience. She has been the recipient of many grant awards and has been a productive investigator, publishing widely in the areas of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention in adolescents and young adults. Her program of research focuses on the development and evaluation of cognitive-behavioral and community-level intervention strategies utilizing culturally competent strengths-based frameworks to promote sexual and reproductive health to reduce the risk of STIs, HIV, and unintended pregnancy and their sequelae. In addition to her role in providing research and career mentoring to postdoctoral research and clinical fellows and early career faculty in Pediatrics, Dr. Boyer serves as a research and career mentor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Prevention Science, Center for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS) Visiting Professors Program, which mentors early career research scholars in the fields of social and behavioral science, medicine, nursing, and public health. Additionally, she is the Program Director for the Ujima Mentoring Program, based in CAPS, which provides multidisciplinary research mentoring and funding to early career investigators, particularly those at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), who focus their programs of research on high priority areas that address HIV prevention, care, and treatment in Black/African American communities. Additionally, she is a Co-Director of the University’s School of Medicine Differences Matter Diversify the Academy Workgroup.
Honors and Awards
  • Elected Fellow, Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, 2013
  • Elected, American Pediatric Society, 2008
  • Spring 2008 UCSF-CORO Faculty Leadership Collaborative, UCSF, 2008
  • Alumnae Achievement Award in Health and Sciences, Spelman College, 2006
  • Palm Award, Southeastern Region "Best in Show," Educational Video: "Liberty Brief", Produced by Paradise Video, Miami, FL, 1998
  • Elected, Society for Pediatric Research, 1996
  • Grant Supplement, Underrepresented Minorities in Biomedical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 1993
  • National Research Service Award, National Institute of Mental Health, 1985
  • Letter of Commendation for Research, Psychology, State University of New York at Stony Brook, 1985
  • Sigma Xi Scientific Research Award, 1983
  • Who's Who among American College and University Students, 1978
  • Cum Laude, Spelman College, 1978
  • Psi Chi Psychology Honor Society, 1977
Websites
  1. Cordova D, Bauermeister JA, Warner S, Youth Leadership Council, Wells P, MacLeod J, Neilands TB, Mendoza Lua F, Delva J, Fessler KB, Smith V, Khreizat S, Boyer C. Efficacy of a Digital Health Preventive Intervention for Adolescents With HIV or Sexually Transmitted Infections and Substance Use Disorder: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR research protocols 2024. PMID: 38373025

















  2. Chiaramonte D, Miller RL, Lee K, Santiago Rivera OJ, Acevedo-Polakovich ID, McGirr S, Porter JL, Ellen JM, Boyer CB, Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions. Gendered powerlessness in at-risk adolescent and young women: an empirical model. AIDS care 2020. PMID: 32008352


  3. Cordova D, Mendoza Lua F, Muñoz-Velázquez J, Street K, Bauermeister JA, Fessler K, Adelman N, Youth Leadership Council , Neilands TB, Boyer CB. A multilevel mHealth drug abuse and STI/HIV preventive intervention for clinic settings in the United States: A feasibility and acceptability study. PloS one 2019. PMID: 31437240



  4. Boyer CB, Greenberg L, Korelitz J, Harper GW, Stewart-Campbell R, Straub D, Sanders R, Reid L-H, Futterman D, Lee S, Ellen JM, and the Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions (ATN). Sexual Partner Characteristics, Relationship Type, and HIV Risk Among a Community Venue-based Sample of Urban Adolescent and Young Adult Men Who Have Sex with Men Youth & Society 2019. PMID:




  5. Miller RL, Strzyzykowski T, Lee KS, Chiaramonte D, Acevedo-Polakovich I, Spring H, Santiago-Rivera O, Boyer CB, Ellen JM. Structural Effects on HIV Risk Among Youth: A Multi-level Analysis. AIDS and behavior 2018. PMID: 29340914




  6. Miller RL, Lee KS, Chiaramonte D, Santiago-Rivera OJ, Acevedo-Polakovich I, Boyer CB, Ellen JM, Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions (ATN). Youth health outcomes from the Connect-to-Protect Coalitions to prevent adolescent HIV infections. Vulnerable children and youth studies 2017. PMID: 29623100


  7. Schillinger D, Ling PM, Fine S, Boyer CB, Rogers E, Vargas RA, Bibbins-Domingo K, Chou WS. Reducing Cancer and Cancer Disparities: Lessons From a Youth-Generated Diabetes Prevention Campaign. American journal of preventive medicine 2017. PMID: 28818240


  8. Miller RL, Reed SJ, Chiaramonte D, Strzyzykowski T, Spring H, Acevedo-Polakovich ID, Chutuape K, Cooper-Walker B, Boyer CB, Ellen JM. Structural and Community Change Outcomes of the Connect-to-Protect Coalitions: Trials and Triumphs Securing Adolescent Access to HIV Prevention, Testing, and Medical Care. American journal of community psychology 2017. PMID: 28851064


  9. Arrington-Sanders RA, Fields E, Greenberg L, Henry-Reid L, Pehoua SS, Korelitz J, Kapogiannis B, Ellen J, Boyer CB, and The Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions (ATN).. Does Venue Type Matter for HIV-Related Risk Behavior in Urban Adolescent and Young Adult Men Who Have Sex With Men? Youth & Society 2017. PMID:


  10. Miller RL, Boyer CB, Chiaramonte D, Lindeman P, Chutuape K, Cooper-Walker B, Kapogiannis BG, Wilson CM, Fortenberry JD. Evaluating Testing Strategies for Identifying Youths With HIV Infection and Linking Youths to Biomedical and Other Prevention Services. JAMA pediatrics 2017. PMID: 28418524


  11. Boyer CB, Greenberg L, Chutuape K, Walker B, Monte D, Kirk J, Ellen JM, Adolescent Medicine Trials Network. Exchange of Sex for Drugs or Money in Adolescents and Young Adults: An Examination of Sociodemographic Factors, HIV-Related Risk, and Community Context. Journal of community health 2017. PMID: 27498094


  12. Boyer CB, Greenberg L, Korelitz J, Harper GW, Stewart-Campbell R, Straub D, Sanders R, Reid LH, Futterman D, Lee S, Ellen JM, Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions (ATN). Sexual Partner Characteristics, Relationship Type, and HIV Risk Among a Community Venue-based Sample of Urban Adolescent and Young Adult Men Who Have Sex with Men. Youth & Society 2016. PMID: 30983642


  13. Boyer CB, Walker BC, Chutuape KS, Roy J, Fortenberry JD, Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions. Creating Systems Change to Support Goals for HIV Continuum of Care: The Role of Community Coalitions to Reduce Structural Barriers for Adolescents and Young Adults. Journal of HIV/AIDS & social services 2016. PMID: 27239165



  14. Miller RL, Janulis PF, Reed SJ, Harper GW, Ellen J, Boyer CB, Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions. Creating Youth-Supportive Communities: Outcomes from the Connect-to-Protect® (C2P) Structural Change Approach to Youth HIV Prevention. Journal of youth and adolescence 2015. PMID: 26534775


  15. Chutuape KS, Willard N, Walker BC, Boyer CB, Ellen J, Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIVAIDS Interventions. A Tailored Approach to Launch Community Coalitions Focused on Achieving Structural Changes: Lessons Learned From a HIV Prevention Mobilization Study. Journal of public health management and practice : JPHMP 2015. PMID: 26785397


  16. Joffe A, Boyer CB, Britto MT. Call for Papers on Adolescent and Young Adult Health. JAMA pediatrics 2015. PMID: 26146799


  17. Willard N, Chutuape K, Stewart-Campbell R, Boyer CB, Ellen J. Targeting Structural Change for HIV Prevention: A Process and Tool for Community Application. Health promotion practice 2015. PMID: 25776019


  18. Ellen JM, Greenberg L, Willard N, Korelitz J, Kapogiannis BG, Monte D, Boyer CB, Harper GW, Henry-Reid LM, Friedman LB, Gonin R. Evaluation of the effect of human immunodeficiency virus-related structural interventions: the connect to protect project. JAMA pediatrics 2015. PMID: 25580593


  19. Blood EA, Trent M, Gordon CM, Goncalves A, Resnick M, Fortenberry JD, Boyer CB, Richardson L, Emans SJ. Leadership in adolescent health: developing the next generation of maternal child health leaders through mentorship. Maternal and child health journal 2015. PMID: 25376658


  20. Ellen JM, Greenberg L, Willard N, Stines S, Korelitz J, Boyer CB, Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions. Cross-sectional survey comparing HIV risk behaviours of adolescent and young adult men who have sex with men only and men who have sex with men and women in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Sexually transmitted infections 2015. PMID: 25587181



  21. Boyer CB, Robles-Schrader GM, Li SX, Miller RL, Korelitz J, Price GN, Rivera Torres CM, Chutuape KS, Stines SJ, Straub DM, Peralta L, Febo I, Hightow-Weidman L, Gonin R, Kapogiannis BG, Ellen JM. A comparison of network-based strategies for screening at-risk Hispanic/Latino adolescents and young adults for undiagnosed asymptomatic HIV infection. The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine 2014. PMID: 25223476




  22. Boyer CB, Hightow-Weidman L, Bethel J, Li SX, Henry-Reid L, Futterman D, Maturo D, Straub DM, Howell K, Reid S, Lowe J, Kapogiannis BG, Ellen JM. An assessment of the feasibility and acceptability of a friendship-based social network recruitment strategy to screen at-risk African American and Hispanic/Latina young women for HIV infection. JAMA pediatrics 2013. PMID: 23338776





  23. Reed SJ, Bangi A, Sheon N, Harper GW, Catania JA, Richards KA, Dolcini MM, Boyer CB. Influences on Sexual Partnering Among African American Adolescents With Concurrent Sexual Relationships. Research in human development 2012. PMID: 22505843


  24. Harper GW, Timmons A, Motley DN, Tyler DH, Catania JA, Boyer CB, Dolcini MM. "It Takes a Village:" Familial Messages Regarding Dating Among African American Adolescents. Research in human development 2012. PMID: 23028256



  25. Dolcini MM, Catania JA, Harper GW, Boyer CB, Richards KA. Sexual Health Information Networks: What are Urban African American Youth Learning? Research in human development 2012. PMID: 22505842


  26. Raine TR, Foster-Rosales A, Upadhyay UD, Boyer CB, Brown BA, Sokoloff A, Harper CC. One-year contraceptive continuation and pregnancy in adolescent girls and women initiating hormonal contraceptives. Obstetrics and gynecology 2011. PMID: 21252751




  27. Raine TR, Gard JC, Boyer CB, Haider S, Brown BA, Ramirez Hernandez FA, Harper CC. Contraceptive decision-making in sexual relationships: young men's experiences, attitudes and values. Culture, health & sexuality 2010. PMID: 20169479





  28. Pollack LM, Boyer CB, Betsinger K, Shafer MA. Predictors of one-year attrition in female Marine Corps recruits. Military medicine 2009. PMID: 19485108



  29. Bing EG, Cheng KG, Ortiz DJ, Ovalle-Bahamón RE, Ernesto F, Weiss RE, Boyer CB. Evaluation of a prevention intervention to reduce HIV Risk among Angolan soldiers. AIDS and behavior 2008. PMID: 18324469


  30. Shafer MA, Boyer CB, Pollack LM, Moncada J, Chang YJ, Schachter J. Acquisition of Chlamydia trachomatis by young women during their first year of military service. Sexually transmitted diseases 2008. PMID: 18490868





  31. Boyer CB, Shafer MA, Pollack LM, Canchola J, Moncada J, Schachter. Correlates of sexually transmitted infections in women: Reply to Handsfield and Marrazzo Journal of Infectious Diseases 2007. PMID:







  32. Boyer CB, Shafer MA, Shaffer RA, Brodine SK, Pollack LM, Betsinger K, Chang YJ, Kraft HS, Schachter J. Evaluation of a cognitive-behavioral, group, randomized controlled intervention trial to prevent sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies in young women. Preventive medicine 2005. PMID: 15530594




  33. Halpern-Felsher BL, Kropp RY, Boyer CB, Tschann JM, Ellen JM. Adolescents' self-efficacy to communicate about sex: its role in condom attitudes, commitment, and use. Adolescence 2004. PMID: 15673222






  34. Shafer MA, Boyer CB, Shaffer RA, Schachter J, Ito SI, Brodine SK. Correlates of sexually transmitted diseases in a young male deployed military population. Military medicine 2002. PMID: 12099086


  35. Thomas AG, Brodine SK, Shaffer R, Shafer MA, Boyer CB, Putnam S, Schachter J. Chlamydial infection and unplanned pregnancy in women with ready access to health care. Obstetrics and gynecology 2001. PMID: 11755563








  36. Klausner JD, Barrett DC, Dithmer D, Boyer CB, Brooks GF, Bolan G. Risk factors for repeated gonococcal infections: San Francisco, 1990-1992. The Journal of infectious diseases 1998. PMID: 9607868


  37. Ellen JM, Vittinghoff E, Bolan G, Boyer CB, Padian NS. Perceptions of sexual partners' risk behavior Journal of sex research 1998. PMID:







  38. Shafer MA, Schachter J, Moncada J, Keogh J, Pantell R, Gourlay L, Eyre S, Boyer CB. Evaluation of urine-based screening strategies to detect Chlamydia trachomatis among sexually active asymptomatic young males. JAMA 1993. PMID: 8411573




  39. Shafer MA, Schachter J, Moncada J, Keogh J, Pantell R, Gourlay L, Eyre S, Boyer CB. Evaluation of non-specific and specific screening strategies to detect C trachomatis among sexually active asymptomatic young men JAMA 1993. PMID: