Sally J. Stevens, PhD, is the Executive Director of the University of Arizona's Southwest Institute for Research on Women and a Distinguished Outreach Professor in the Department of Gender and Women's Studies. She holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Arizona (1987), along with an M.A. (1983) and M.Ed. (1981) in Educational Psychology from the same institution, and a B.A. in Psychology and Education from The Evergreen State College (1978). Stevens conducts collaborative, community-based research on health and social justice disparities, substance abuse, mental health, sexuality, human trafficking, equity, and innovations in education. Her work emphasizes gender and cultural issues among women and their children, adolescents, young adults of Mexican-origin Hispanic descent, and Native Americans in the southwestern United States and along the U.S.-Mexico border region. She has led regional, statewide, and national cross-site evaluations of programs for justice-involved youth and women in substance abuse treatment.

Since 2004 at the University of Arizona, Stevens has served as Principal Investigator, Co-Investigator, Project Director, Evaluator, and Project Advisor for more than 60 projects funded by the National Science Foundation, Ford Foundation, National Institutes of Health (NIAAA, NIDA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (CSAT, CHAB), and others. She has authored over 300 journal articles and technical reports, including 'Improvements in self-acceptance for LGBTQ+ and straight allied youth and young adults enrolled in an affirming, system-of-care program' (Children and Youth Services Review, 2020), 'Socioenvironmental risk factors for adolescent marijuana use in a United States-Mexico border community' (American Journal of Health Promotion, 2020), 'How the U.S.-Mexico Border Influences Adolescent Substance Use: Youth Participatory Action Research Using Photovoice' (International Journal of Drug Policy, 2019), 'Improving student learning outcomes through community-based learning: The Poverty Workshop' (Teaching Sociology, 2018), and 'Intimate attachments and migrant deportability: Lessons from undocumented mothers seeking benefits for citizen children' (Journal of Ethnic and Racial Studies, 2017). Stevens received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (2019) from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the 2017 Diversity Leadership Award, and the Distinguished Outreach Professor designation. She reviews for professional journals, delivers trainings and webinars, and holds committee roles in conferences on substance use, gender health, and social justice.

Professional Email: sstevens@arizona.edu