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Meet the 2022 USTS Team and Partners

Team & Partners

The 2022 USTS was conducted by the Advocates for Trans Equality Education Fund (formerly the National Center for Transgender Equality) in partnership with BTAC, TransLatin@ Coalition, and NQAPIA.

The Advocates for Trans Equality Education Fund (formerly the National Center for Transgender Equality) updated its partnership structure for the 2022 USTS to expand the integration of expert perspectives and recommendations at all stages of the survey process. We also updated the model for seeking advice from experts in transgender research and formalized a Scientific Advisory Council for the 2022 survey. In partnership with the Scientific Advisory Council, and in consultation with other subject-matter experts, the USTS team developed a survey to help to fill knowledge gaps identified by the 2015 USTS and stay up to date with changes in our understanding of transgender research and the lived experiences of diverse transgender communities. Our Outreach Council includes a larger set of partners than ever before, helping us reach transgender people who are least likely to be reached by an internet-based survey due to factors related to race or ethnicity, income, age, geographic location and other life circumstances, such as being an immigrant. Supporting Organizations include national, state, and local organizations and networks who agreed to spread the word about the USTS during the pledge period and field period.  You can learn more about the organizations and individuals involved in the 2022 USTS below.

National Center for Transgender Equality

The National Center for Transgender Equality, or NCTE, advocates changing policies and society to increase understanding and acceptance of transgender people. In the nation’s capital and throughout the country, NCTE works to replace disrespect, discrimination, and violence with empathy, opportunity, and justice. NCTE was founded in 2003 by transgender activists who recognized the urgent need for policy change to advance transgender equality. With a committed board of directors, a volunteer staff of one, and donated office space, we set out to accomplish what no one had yet done: provide a powerful transgender advocacy presence in Washington, D.C.

TransLatin@ Coalition

The TransLatin@ Coalition (TLC) was founded in 2009 by a group of Transgender and Gender nonconforming and Intersex (TGI) immigrant women in Los Angeles, California, as a grassroots response to address the specific needs of TGI Latin@ immigrants who live in the United States.

Nationally recognized organization with representation in 10 different states across the U.S. and provides direct services to TGI individuals in Los Angeles. In 2015, The TransLatin@ Coalition identified the urgent need to provide direct services to empower TGI people in response to structural, institutional, and interpersonal violence, and the Center for Violence Prevention and Transgender Wellness was born. Since then, the organization has secured funding from the state and local government sources as well as several private foundations and organizations to provide direct services to all TGI individuals in Los Angeles County (LAC). TLC’s primary focus is to change the landscape of access to services for TGI people and provide access to comprehensive resources and services that will improve the quality of life of TGI people.

National Black Trans Advocacy Coalition (BTAC)

Established in 2011, The National Black Trans Advocacy Coalition is the only social justice organization led by black trans people to collectively address the inequities faced in the black transgender human experience.

Through our national advocacy center and affiliate state chapters, we work daily, advocating to end poverty, discrimination in all forms, and its human inequities faced in health, employment, housing, and education that are rooted in systemic racism, to improve the lived experience of transgender people.  Our work is based on peacebuilding, community education, public policy initiatives, empowerment programs, and direct services.

The National Black Trans Advocacy Coalition works with communities in the U.S. and across the globe to foster diversity, inclusion, and equality for all people and is led by the Black Transmen, Inc., Black Transwomen, Inc, and Black Trans MX nonprofit organizations.

National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA)

The National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) is a federation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) organizations. We seek to build the organizational capacity of local LGBT AAPI groups, develop leadership, promote visibility, educate our community, enhance grassroots organizing, expand collaborations, and challenge anti-LGBTQ bias and racism.

Our Team

SANDY E. JAMES, J.D., PH.D.

Co-Principal Investigator and Lead Researcher (he/him)

Sandy E. James is the lead researcher for the 2022 U.S. Transgender Survey. Sandy formerly served as NCTE’s Research Director, where he led the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey, including data collection, survey outreach, data analysis, and presentation of the findings. He was also the lead author of The Report of the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey and subsequent reports on the experiences of people of color in the survey and state reports. Sandy previously worked extensively with the National Transgender Discrimination Survey as the Urvashi Vaid Research Fellow at the National LGBTQ Task Force.

Sandy currently works as a civil rights attorney. As an attorney, Sandy has represented trans and nonbinary people in civil legal matters related to their gender identity. He has also participated in extensive policy advocacy, education, and outreach work related to issues impacting trans and nonbinary people. Sandy earned a J.D. and a Ph.D. in Government from Georgetown University.

 

JODY L. HERMAN, PH.D.

Co-Principal Investigator (she/her)

Jody L. Herman holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Public Administration from The George Washington University, where she also earned her M.A. in Public Policy. Her research focuses on gender identity in survey research and the prevalence and impact of discrimination based on gender identity or expression, including minority stress, health, and well-being among transgender people. Dr. Herman was a Co-Principal Investigator for the 2015 USTS as well as a co-author of Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey. She currently serves as the Reid Rasmussen Senior Scholar of Public Policy at the Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law.

 

ANKIT RASTOGI, PH.D.

Director of Research (they/them)

Dr. Rastogi is a demographer and quantitative methodologist with over a decade of experience using statistical research to inform social movements. They currently serve as the director of research at Advocates for Trans Equality and the A4TE Education Fund. Their work uses large administrative data to understand the geography or gender, race, class, and politics, and they have published in a number of scholarly outlets. Articles arising from this line of research have been featured in The New York Times. At A4TE, they head the research program with a focus on analyzing the results of the 2022 USTS. Dr. Rastogi was a postdoctoral fellow at Center for the Study of Ethnicity, Race, and Immigration at the University of Pennsylvania and they hold a PhD in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an MSc in Biostatistics from Harvard University, and BA in Biology from Dartmouth College.

 

JOSIE CABALLERO

Former Director of U.S. Trans Survey and Special Projects (she/her)

Josie Caballero is a proud Latina trans woman who previously served as the Director of the 2022 US Transgender Survey and Special Projects at the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE). Josie played a crucial role in organizing and coordinating researchers, academics, and activists across the US to ensure the scientific integrity & efficacy of the USTS. With her exceptional skills in coalition building, policy development, and community advocacy, Josie played a pivotal role in ensuring the success and impact of the 2022 U.S. Trans Survey.

Josie’s background is rich and varied, served six years in the Navy as a nuclear reactor operator. After her Navy career, she honed her expertise in political management and consulting for nearly a decade, working across the United States to advance critical political causes. With her unique blend of experience, Josie brings a wealth of knowledge and skills to her role at NCTE.

As the director of the 2022 U.S. Transgender Survey, Josie’s diverse experience in organizing has brought her skills in building collations, policy, political strategy, management, program development, data analytics, mobilizing, fundraising, and community advocacy. Josie is committed to working with researchers, academics, and activists to promote greater understanding and respect for the trans community.

 

LAURA E. DURSO, PH.D.

Research Advisor (she/her)

Laura E. Durso serves as a research team member for the U.S. Transgender Survey and the founder of Harmonic Strategies, a DC-based consulting practice working with clients at the intersection of research and policy.  Previously, Dr. Durso was the Chief of Staff at the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services where she helped lead the civil rights and health information privacy agenda under the Biden-Harris Administration.  Prior to public service, she was the Executive Director and Chief Learning Officer of the Whitman-Walker Institute and was the Vice President of the LGBTQ Research and Communications Project at the Center for American Progress.  She holds a BA in psychology from Harvard College and master’s and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa.

 

SYBASTIAN SMITH

Organizing Director (he/him)

Sybastian is a Black trans man, LGBTQ+ social justice advocate, consultant, organizer, Certified Health Educator and Medical Assistant of over fifteen years. As the Organizing Director at the National Center for Transgender Equality, a major part of his role involves leading the creation of community education, engagement and mobilization projects. These projects include, but are not limited to, speaking publicly about trans rights, trainings on various trans focused topics, participating in and leading coalition building efforts, as well as community/organizational outreach for the 2022 US Trans Survey. He leads and co-facilitates the USTS Outreach Council, which is comprised of LGBTQ+ focused organizations all around the nation and its focus is to ensure that priority populations of trans people have equal access to the 2022 USTS. As the organizing lead for the Southern region of the U.S., he tracks legislation and creates action taking initiatives for LGBTQIA+ community members in these states. Sybastian has many years of expertise working alongside and organizing outreach events in partnership with national, local, grassroot and community-based organizations.

 

ALEX DEL ROSARIO

National Organizer (he/they)

Alex del Rosario (they/he) is a trans nonbinary Filipino immigrant, serving as the National Organizer with the National Center for Transgender Equality. As the National Organizer, Alex works alongside trans advocates, activists, and communities around the country to protect and advance trans rights. From youth to sports to projects like the community-led 2022 U.S. Trans Survey, TRANSform the Vote and more, they cover a wide range of trans issues in their work. Prior to joining NCTE, Alex held various organizing roles in local, state, and federal level electoral and issue-based campaigns, including Deputy Field Director for a Congressional campaign. Currently, they are also a proud union member of NCTE United, where they sit on the bargaining committee.

Alex was born in the Philippines, grew up in Washington State, and has called the Mountain West region home for several years. They enjoy all things outdoors during their free time.

 

Scientific Advisory Council

  • Asa Radix, M.D., PH.D., M.P.H.
  • Kellan Baker, PH.D., M.P.H.
  • Logan Casey, PH.D.
  • Sari Reisner, SC.D.
  • Charlotte Tate, PH.D.
  • Tonia Poteat, PH.D., M.P.H.

The Scientific Advisory Council has met since early 2020, helping to guide the survey’s methodological decisions, as well as providing significant input on the revisions to the 2022 Questionnaire. For example, the Scientific Advisory Council recommended that the fielding of the survey be delayed as the COVID pandemic started in March 2020 and recommended when work on the survey should re-commence and when a proper field period should occur, given the survey’s reliance on questions asking respondents if something occurred “in the past year.” The SAC is comprised of experts in research on transgender populations, issues impacting transgender people, disparities in health and other aspects of life, and survey methodology.

 

Outreach Council

  • AARP
  • Campaign for Southern Equality
  • Centerlink
  • Dine Pride / Navajo Nation Pride
  • Equality Federation
  • Family Equality Council
  • GLMA Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality
  • Immigration Equality
  • Marcus Arana (Holy Old Man Bull)
  • Mattee Jim
  • National Black Justice Coalition
  • Parivar Bay Area
  • PFLAG National
  • Planned Parenthood
  • Renae Swope
  • Reva D’Nova
  • SAGE
  • SPART*A
  • Transgender Americans Veterans Association
  • Trans Justice Funding Project
  • URGE
  • United Territories of Pacific Islanders Alliance – Washington: UTOPIA WA