Dr. Ryan Assaf received his PhD and MPH in Epidemiology from the University of California, Los Angeles, Fielding School of Public Health and his BS in Public Health Sciences from the University of California, Irvine. During his graduate degree, Ryan’s research focused on sexual health, HIV/STIs, and substance use primarily among sexual and gender diverse groups. He recently completed his postdoctoral fellowship at the Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, where his work centered on substance use, treatment, overdose, and harm reduction among people experiencing homelessness. Throughout his postdoctoral fellowship, Ryan presented data from the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness at academic conferences, in scientific publications, and through op-eds-- one of which was published in the LA Times.
Ryan’s academic career stems from nearly a decade of working in community-based organizations, where he engaged in direct services and advocacy work for sexual and gender diverse communities, people who use drugs, and people experiencing homelessness. Ryan is currently working on a NIH K01 Mentored Research Scientist Career Development grant that will use data from the HOPE HOME and the CASPEH to evaluate the bidirectional relationship between substance use and homelessness. Ryan has a strong foundation in epidemiology and causal inference methodology and aims to further his academic career with DHES in policy-relevant work aimed at preventing and ending homelessness.
Outside of work, Ryan loves to travel, run, hike, and go camping. He and his fiancé are excited to be welcoming a corgi pup to their family at the end of the month.
