Kristen E. Porter, PhD, MS, MAc, LAc, JP received her PhD in Gerontology and a certificate in Survey Research from University of Massachusetts Boston in 2015. Her dissertation,"Resilience in the Face of Adversity: Aging with HIV/AIDS," investigated the mediating role of spirituality and complementary/integrative healthcare (CIH) and the moderating role of minority status in older adults with HIV. Her research areas include HIV, cognition, LGBT Aging with a special focus on transgender and gender nonconforming older adults and CIH use in older adults.
She has published in the Journals of Gerontology (Social Sciences), Gerontologist, Clinical Gerontologist, Journal of Aging and Health, Journal of Applied Gerontology, Journal of Religion, Spirituality & Aging, Journal of Homosexuality, Behavioral Medicine, Journal of Urban Health, American Acupuncturist and the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Her direct work with older adults included positions as a volunteer ombudsman, volunteer activities coordinator for long term care settings, and in private practice as a death midwife. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at ACRIA's Center on HIV & Aging.
Previous to the field of gerontology, Kristen worked in the integrative health field for more than two decades. She was an Assistant Professor at the New England School of Acupuncture, is a columnist for the national publication Acupuncture Today, and was an appointed member of the Massachusetts Board of Medicine. As a National Institute of Health NCCIH funded researcher, Kristen was the co-investigator on several research studies in the field of immunology, HIV/AIDS and acupuncture. As the director of Pathways to Wellness (formerly the AIDS Care Project), she developed more than 15 hospital and health center based acupuncture programs including Massachusetts General Hospital, Tufts New England Medical Center and Boston Medical Center.
Kristen holds a PhD in Gerontology, a MAc in acupuncture, a MS in gerontology, certificates in survey research and nonprofit leadership and completed a postgraduate hospital residency in China. She holds a business degree from Boston University (BU) School of Management, including post graduate completion of BU’s Institute for Nonprofit leadership, where she served as an executive mentor. She has been invited faculty at Harvard University, Tufts University, Simmons College, among others and has lectured around the world.