Rebekah Hersch currently serves as Interim Associate Vice President for Research and Innovation and also leads the Research Development Services team. As Interim Associate Vice President, Dr. Hersch provides leadership for the Research and Innovation Initiatives (RII) team which includes Mason’s three University Research Institutes (IBI, ISE and IDIA) and its five Transdisciplinary Centers for Advanced Study as well as the Research Development Services office. Together, these units focus on supporting, connecting, communicating about, and convening researchers internally and with external partners. She works closely with other administrative units across Mason to develop and implement the strategic plan to foster and grow the research ecosystem.
Dr. Hersch also serves as a member of the leadership team for the Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN) Coordinating and Translation Center, part of the NIH HEAL Initiative. Prior to joining Mason in 2017, Dr. Hersch was Senior Research Scientist and Senior Vice President at ISA Associates, a behavioral science research organization in Alexandria, Virginia. For over 25 years, while at ISA Associates, Dr. Hersch conducted workplace-based health promotion and substance abuse prevention research and development. The primary focus of her research was on the application of multimedia technology and health behavior change theory and science to address behavioral health problems and improve the wellness. The programs developed and field-tested as part of that research address a myriad of health issues including substance abuse, HIV prevention, stress, mental illness, and medication adherence.
Dr. Hersch received her Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from Clark University in Worcester, MA and her Ph.D. in Applied Social Psychology (with a concentration on health) at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C.