Aaron D. Hunt
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth - Health, Disability, and VA Policy Fellow
Aaron D. Hunt, Ph.D.
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth - Health, Disability, and VA Policy Fellow
Aaron is a licensed psychologist whose work focuses on the intersection of clinical psychology with health and social equity, with specific interests in health disparities, HIV, stigma, bias, identity, queer and trans issues, and sexual and health behaviors. As a researcher, clinician, and consultant, Aaron has worked on grants related to basic research, health equity, implementation and dissemination, managing research labs, establishing and optimizing new clinic workflows, and training medical and mental health providers. Aaron is presently serving as the American Psychological Association’s 2024-25 Springfield LGBTQIA+ Congressional Fellow, a position funded by the American Psychological Foundation for psychologists with an interest in LGBTQIA+ health and civil rights policy. This fellowship is administered through the prestigious American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Science and Technology Policy Fellowship. In this role, Aaron presently conducts legislative research and advises on policy related to health, disability, and Veteran affairs in the Office of U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL). In his prior roles at the VA Maryland Health Care System and University of Maryland School of Medicine consortium, Aaron completed two years of training related to health and rehab psychology, infectious diseases, neuropsychology, and administration and leadership. During his time there, Aaron also formalized a gender-affirming care and sexual health clinic. As a strong advocate for health and education equity, Aaron has been involved in grassroots organizing, administrative efforts to expand Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Justice programs and grievance processes, and mentoring programs geared towards students underrepresented in science and professional psychology. In addition to his full-time work, Aaron operates a private practice focused in part on gender-affirming care and couples therapy for queer and trans folks in a variety of different relationships. Aaron also holds a part-time Associate Professor appointment in the University of Maryland system, where he teaches courses that span psychology, behavioral sciences, and women and gender studies, including a course on the psychology of sex and gender, which he wrote the curriculum for. Aaron also serves as a committee member for the American Psychological Foundation’s Franklyn Springfield Awareness Fund, where he provides leadership dedicated to funding efforts on disseminating information to combat stigma and discrimination against the queer and trans communities. Aaron received his M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from George Mason University and an M.S. in psychology from Mercy University. In his spare time, Aaron enjoys seeing every new movie that comes out, supporting local theatre, going to concerts, and shamelessly eating snacks on camera during virtual work meetings.