Empowering Members to Lead: SBM’s Path to Leadership
Are you ready to embark on your leadership journey--or take it to the next level--but need help deciding which path to take?
SBM’s Path to Leadership allows members to enhance leadership skills, advance their careers, and make a lasting impact for our community. The infographic on the right outlines different ways to build your involvement, skills, and responsibilities. The first level, explore & learn, starts approximately one year after joining SBM. Members can then progress through the connect & contribute and lead & influence stages before reaching the highest level, govern & shape.
This path to leadership, coupled with our Volunteer Impact Hub, embodies SBM’s commitment to fostering growth and excellence among health professionals and researchers worldwide.
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SBM Leaders Reflect on their Journeys
Every SBM leader has a unique story to tell about how they became involved in SBM and why they stayed, often shaped by their chosen impact area and the support they received along the way. We invited six current leaders to reflect on their paths to leadership. Dive into the success stories from members below, follow their paths, or become inspired to create your own! Take the time to reflect on your own passions and the impact you want to have, and SBM will help guide you on your journey.
Michael Diefenbach, PhD, FSBM
SBM Impact: Guide the Organization
Title Then: (2000): Associate Member, Division of Population Science, Fox Chase Cancer Center
Title Now: (2024): Professor, Institute of Health System Science, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research; Professor, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell
Dr. Diefenbach’s journey with SBM began with inspiration from mentors Drs. Suzanne Miller and Howard Leventhal, who introduced him to his “chosen work family.” Encouraged by them, he joined the Cancer SIG where he organized pre-conference workshops (connect & contribute) at the Annual Meeting and published the results in major journals (connect & contribute).
“SBM has been instrumental for my career: my first poster and my first talk were at SBM …this organization has become my chosen work family.”
In 2008, he was elected chair of the Cancer SIG (lead & influence), where he gained leadership experience and refined his project management skills. The following year, he became co-chair of the Annual Meeting Planning Committee (govern & shape), demonstrating his ability to lead large-scale projects for SBM. He then succeeded to become program chair of the Annual Meeting in Seattle (govern & shape).
In 2012, Dr. Diefenbach took on his most meaningful role as treasurer (govern & shape), marking his entry into governance and fiscal oversight, essential for SBM’s sustainability. This position led to his election as president (govern & shape) in 2019, where he guided SBM’s direction and helped navigate the emerging COVID-19 pandemic.
Read More of Dr. Diefenbach's Journey
Even after his presidency, Dr. Diefenbach remained committed to SBM in strategic roles like the Organizational Structure Working Group chair (lead & influence) and Development Council chair (govern & shape). While engaging in these organizational tasks, he continued to contribute to the field of behavioral medicine by taking on the role as senior associate editor of Translational Behavioral Medicine (lead & influence) and was a founding co-chair of the Climate Change and Health SIG (lead & influence).
Dr. Diefenbach’s contributions exemplify a continuous dedication to behavioral medicine and SBM as its representative. His leadership journey is not a straight line, but he finds different opportunities to ensure that SBM thrives and stays relevant in a changing environment.
Scherezade K. Mama, DrPH
SBM Impact: Shape the Science
Title Then: (2008): Graduate Student, University of Texas School of Public Health
Title Now: (2024): Associate Professor, Department of Health Disparities Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Dr. Mama was introduced to SBM by her mentor, Dr. Rebecca Lee, who supported her travel to the Annual Meeting during her graduate studies, starting in 2008. Encouraged by Dr. Lee, she volunteered at the registration desk (explore & learn) in 2013 and 2014.
“I worked the registration desk and felt like a total fan girl when I would hand a senior in our field their registration envelopes. I finally got to put faces with the names I saw on manuscripts!”
In 2014, Dr. Mama expressed her desire to get more involved, and Dr. Monica Baskin encouraged her to join the Membership Council (connect & contribute), which she did. In 2015, she received SBM’s Distinguished Student Excellence in Research Award (explore & learn), a recognition of her research potential, setting the stage for future scientific impact. One year later, she became chair of the Physical Activity SIG (lead & influence), guiding scientific discussions within the field. By 2018, Dr. Mama had taken on the role of Membership Council chair (govern & shape), focusing on diversifying membership and engagement, and in 2022, she became the Scientific Education Council chair (govern & shape).
Read More of Dr. Mama's Journey
“My role as Membership Council chair was extremely meaningful because we spent a good portion of my time identifying ways we could diversify our membership and better engage different member groups. I got to spread the word about SBM and encourage folks to join our amazing organization and make it their professional home. As Scientific Education Council chair, I feel like I get to give all those people I encouraged to join SBM what they need, training-wise. It feels like I’ve come full circle!”
Dr. Mama stays further engaged by reviewing abstracts (explore & learn) and serving on the Annual Meeting Planning Committee (connect & contribute), ensuring high-impact research is featured.
Marian Fitzgibbon, PhD, FSBM
SBM Impact: Advocate
Title Then: (1988): Postdoctoral Fellow in Psychiatry, Northwestern University Medical School
Title Now: (2024): Professor of Pediatrics and Health Policy, University of Illinois Chicago; Associate Director of Population Science, University of Illinois Cancer Center, and Associate Director of the Institute for Health Research and Policy
In 1999, Dr. Fitzgibbon was nominated as the Obesity & Eating Disorder SIG chair (lead & influence), gaining early leadership experience advocating for research and policy initiatives within the OED field.
In 2004, Dr. Fitzgibbon joined the Position Statements Committee (connect & contribute), where she co-authored the first policy position statement released by SBM. She then went on to chair the Advocacy Council (govern & shape) in 2012, leading SBM in developing and disseminating health policy position statements to close the research to policy translation gaps and implementing a mentorship program for developing position statements. Many of these mentees have gone through the Mid-Career Leadership Institute (lead & influence) that Dr. Fitzgibbon founded and serves as a mentor in, moving health policy advocates forward into leadership positions.
“When health policy advocacy was introduced as something SBM members could become involved in, I was hesitant at first. Then I became aware of the potential impact of informing legislators and policymakers that SBM can be the ‘go to’ organization for evidence-based science and realized the power of SBM to more broadly support behavior change, healthy lifestyles and population health.”
Read More of Dr. Fitzgibbon's Journey
Dr. Fitzgibbon’s long history of engagement and advocacy work in SBM opened the door for her to be elected as president (govern & shape) in 2015, where she then led SBM’s Board and leadership in engaging with lawmakers to influence health-related legislation during multiple Capitol Hill visits (connect & contribute). In 2020, Dr. Fitzgibbon was formally recognized for her contributions and exemplary work in translating behavioral medicine from research to policy when she received the Health Policy Advocacy Award (connect & contribute).
After her presidency, Dr. Fitzgibbon remained deeply engaged in shaping health policy and advocating for SBM’s mission, continuing to guide others and ensuring sustained impact as first, a Development Council member (lead & influence), and then eventually the Development Council chair (govern & shape). Under Dr. Fitzgibbon’s leadership, the Jim Sallis Policy Advocacy Honor Fund was created which supports the critical role that SBM health policy ambassadors play in building relationships with policymakers in D.C.
Valerie Myers, PhD, FSBM
SBM Impact: Train and Mentor
Title Then (2004): Postdoctoral Fellow in Clinical Health Psychology, Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Title Now (2024): Director Clinical Research and Evidence Generation, Glooko, Inc.
SBM became Dr. Myers’ “professional home” during her graduate training and has been instrumental in the development and trajectory of her career ever since. Beginning with her first paper presentation at the 2004 Annual Meeting in Baltimore, SBM has continued to grow alongside her:
“While attending my first SBM conference, I remember vividly recognizing the ‘fit’ of SBM with my future goals. It was clear that regardless of career stage the culture of SBM was that everyone was there to build each other up, to inspire one another, to learn from one another, and to have fun while doing it! As my career goals and paths have changed and grown, SBM has grown with me.”
In 2011, Dr. Myers joined the Professional Advancement Council (connect & contribute), advancing SBM’s mission to support training and career development. By 2020, she became chair of the Professional Advancement Council and joined the Board of Directors (govern & shape), directly impacting mentorship programs, achievement awards, early-career initiatives.
Read More of Dr. Myer's Journey
“As a long-standing member of the Professional Advancement Council, I worked closely with various SIGs, notably the Student SIG, to foster and encourage valuable programming and opportunities to all SBM members at all career stages. I have had the privilege to co-lead several workshops and panels focused on leadership skills development at SBM annual conferences.”
In 2022, Dr. Myers mentored the inaugural recipient of the Bridging the Gap Research Award (lead & influence), Dr. Maricarmen Vizcaino, guiding the next generation of researchers as they prepare to submit larger grant proposals. Continuing her mentorship impact, Dr. Myers joined the Early Career Researcher Mentoring Program Committee (connect & contribute) and also served as an Annual Meeting poster mentor (connect & contribute). In 2024, she became an Annual Meeting topic area chair (lead & influence), personally overseeing the educational and training sessions offered at the Annual Meeting for the next three years.
“The most meaningful role SBM has given me is the opportunity to mentor others and develop my leadership skills. There is no greater honor than to be in the presence of behavioral medicine’s future leaders and scholars and be provided the chance to mutually learn from one another.”
Charles Jonassaint, PhD, MHS
SBM Impact: Build Community
Title Then (2006): Graduate Student in Clinical (Health) Psychology, Duke University
Title Now (2024): Associate Professor of Medicine and Assistant Professor of Social Work and Clinical and Translational Science, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Dr. Jonassaint’s journey with SBM began in 2008 as an Annual Meeting student volunteer (explore & learn), an early role that provided insights into SBM’s culture and helped him build foundational community engagement skills.
In 2016, Dr. Jonassaint became chair of the Digital Health SIG (lead & influence), leading a group dedicated to advancing the emerging field of digital health and fostering a community of professionals and researchers. By 2018, he joined the Annual Meeting Planning Committee (connect & contribute), contributing again in 2021 and 2023. Through these roles, Dr. Jonassaint enhanced SBM’s community engagement by planning and executing impactful programs.
“As a black psychologist working in a medicine department in the U.S., it is easy to feel isolated and alone. SBM has given me a place of belonging both professionally and personally and has made it possible for me to thrive as an academic. I want to ensure that SBM continues to extend its reach and serves as the professional home for an increasingly diverse population of scientist and practitioners interested in behavioral medicine.”
Read More of Dr. Jonassaint's Journey
In 2019, Dr. Jonassaint joined the Diversity Institute Steering Committee (connect & contribute), helping to drive inclusion initiatives within SBM, deepening his commitment to an inclusive organizational community. Building on this dedication, he joined a fundraising organizer group (explore & learn) in 2021 to establish the Monica Baskin Diversity Institute for Emerging Leaders, strengthening community bonds and support for diversity.
In 2023, Dr. Jonassaint helped organize the Pittsburgh local meetup (connect & contribute), bringing members together to network and build connections. Later that year, his leadership journey culminated in his election as a member delegate on the Board of Directors (govern & shape), representing the voice of SBM membership. In this role, Dr. Jonassaint facilitates communication between leadership and the broader membership, ensuring members feel connected and heard.
Linda Trinh, PhD, FSBM
SBM Impact: Communicate Science
Title Then (2013): Postdoctoral Fellow in Kinesiology & Physical Education, University of Toronto
Title Now (2024): Associate Professor, Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education, University of Toronto
Dr. Trinh first started volunteering with SBM in 2017 when she joined the Physical Activity SIG advisory board (connect & contribute). Reflecting on her first role:
“I was enthusiastic about building an interdisciplinary community interested in advancing physical activity promotion. I wanted to be part of the leadership team that recognizes exceptional members and organizations that make innovative and important contributions to the advancement of physical activity, as well as preparing early-stage investigators for success in their careers.”
In 2019, Dr. Trinh became co-chair of the Physical Activity SIG (lead & influence), leading discussions and initiatives related to communicating scientific research in the physical activity field. Such initiatives included launching the inaugural PA SIG Newsletter (connect & contribute) in her first year as co-chair, where she established a new platform for sharing scientific updates and fostering communication within the SIG. Over the next few years, Dr. Trinh continued to engage broader audiences in scientific discussions by leading multiple webinars (connect & contribute), and co-authoring a policy position statement (lead & influence), translating science into practical public policy recommendations, a crucial aspect of science communication. She was also involved in launching SBM’s first-ever Stride for Science Run/Walk (connect & contribute) during the 2022 Annual Meeting in Baltimore, and the event has now become a major component of SBM’s Giving Campaign.
Read More of Dr. Trinh's Journey
In 2021, Dr. Trinh accepted the role of SBM’s Outlook editor (govern & shape), directly affecting how research and information is shared with members, ensuring transparency and engagement. During her time as Outlook editor, Dr. Trinh also published several Outlook and Healthy Living articles (explore & learn), leading public health communication efforts by ensuring that evidence-based research reached a wide audience. In 2025, Dr. Trinh will join the Board of Directors as chair of the Publications Council (govern & shape).
“I have been an avid reader of Outlook and Healthy Living articles and I’m a strong advocate for getting our research out to the community. This fueled my passion to volunteer as Outlook Editor to engage SBM members with opportunities and challenges to strengthen behavioral medicine research, identify systemic barriers to equity and inclusion at every level, as well as innovative research or teaching practices in our community.”