Gary Kwok is a doctoral candidate in Social Work at Adelphi University and currently a NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse) funded T32 Predoctoral Fellow at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing the Behavioral Sciences Training in Drug Abuse Research (BST) program. He received his Masters in Mental Health Counseling and General Psychology from CUNY City College of New York. During his clinical training at a local community clinic, Gary became interested in health disparities in marginalized and underrepresented populations with an interest in protective factors. Inspired by his fellowship training, his dissertation examines if community assets (e.g., solidarity and altruism) buffering the effects of risk factors (e.g., sexual risk norms) on risk behaviors among HIV risk populations. Gary is also interested in program evaluation. He served as a data analyst for the Center for Innovations in the Advancement of Care at NYU Langone Health. Led by Dr Peri Rosenfeld, Gary was part of a multiphase program evaluation team that assessed the NICHE program (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders), an international nursing education program designed to improve geriatric care in healthcare organizations. Gary also worked under Drs. Chrisann Newransky and Stavroula Kyriakakis on a study funded by the U.S. Administration for Children and Families where they are assessing the efficacy of Project FORWARD (Facing Obstacles in Relationships and Work with Action, Resources, Direction), a program that delivers evidence-based interventions to help challenged and at-risk youth and young adults to develop relationship skills in order to build both strong family functioning and economic stability.