My career has been devoted to real-life implementation of empirically-based treatments among underserved populations with the overarching goal of ameliorating health risk behaviors associated with health disparities. I am a Florida Licensed Clinical Psychologist (FL PY 6443), Assistant Research Professor in Florida International University’s (FIU) Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, and the Associate Director for Clinical Services and Training of the Community-Based Research Institute (CBRI) at FIU. CBRI is a multidisciplinary research center devoted to reducing risk behaviors and promoting health and wellness across the lifespan. Our mission is to promote health equity for all. CBRI conducts rigorous, innovative clinical research on the prevention and treatment of alcohol and other drug (AOD) use, HIV, and mental health problems. We have received over $60 million in extramural support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH: NIAAA, NIDA, NIMHD), the US Department of Health & Human Services (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration – SAMHSA and Office of Minority Health), and private foundations (Ware Foundation, Aetna Foundation). I have worked on community-based RCT’s for more than 20 years, served as the clinical supervisor and primary trainer for 19 of those years, and have been co-investigator on 15 grant-funded research projects. In 2016, I was promoted from staff to research faculty and began the second phase of my career. In 2017, I became Administrative Core co-leader of the FIU Center for Reducing Health Disparities in Substance Abuse & HIV in South Florida (RCMI, NIMHD 1U54MD012393-01, PI: Wagner); the major goal of the RCMI is to build a world class research center focused on ending health disparities associated with substance use problems and HIV in South Florida. Also in 2017, I was selected to participate in the 2017 Training Institute for Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (TIDIRH) supported by NIH and the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Currently, I focus my own research on Dissemination and Implementation (D&I), specifically of evidence-based treatments with underserved communities. In my 25 year career, I have utilized Motivational Interviewing (MI) techniques, as well as provided multiple trainings and supervision of MI in multiple studies targeting a variety of health behaviors with mostly underserved populations. I am also co-investigator on 2 current research projects addressing vaccine hesitancy. I have extensive clinical and research expertise implementing and evaluating community-based RCTs, specifically with MI and underserved populations, tailoring, staffing, training, and supervision. I am motivated by the opportunity to positively impact public health, especially among minority communities.