Randi Beth Singer, PhD, CNM
Assistant Professor
Department of Human Development Nursing Science
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Contact
Building & Room:
820 NURS
Address:
845 S. Damen Ave., MC 802, Chicago, IL 60612
Office Phone:
Email:
About
Randi Singer, PhD, MSN, MEd, CNM, RN is an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Nursing. Dr. Singer obtained her BA from Clark University, her MSN from Vanderbilt University and her PhD from Widener University. A CNM with a background in human sexuality, social justice and equity education for healthcare providers, Singer’s research and practice have focused on how reproductive and sexual health education through an equity lens can reduce health disparity for vulnerable and marginalized populations such as LGBTQIA+ patients, sex workers, and Black adolescent girls . Although Singer has been teaching graduate nursing students at University of Illinois Chicago since 2018, she has been working in higher education since 2012 and has taught at Georgetown University, University of Pennsylvania and DePaul University Schools of Nursing. In collaboration with stakeholders, community members and Howard Brown Health, Randi Singer (PI) is currently funded by the National Institute for Nursing Research to facilitate community empowered HIV/STI prevention interventions in Chicago, IL.
Selected Grants
National Institute of Nursing Research K23, Centering Those Engaged in Transactional Sex: A PrEP Innovation for Getting To Zero, PI
Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation, “Centering” and Empowerment: The Road to Reducing HIV and STIs in Chicago’s Sex Worker Community, PI
Steans Center, DePaul University, Community-based Service Learning Fellowship, PI
Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy, “Centering” and Empowerment: The Road to Reducing HIV and STIs among Black Sex Worker in Chicago, PI
DePaul University, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Grant, PI
Selected Publications
Singer, RB., Crooks, N., Johnson, AK., Smith, A., Wesp, L., Singer, R.M., Karczmar, A., Stamps, J., Pardes, B., Patil, C., Matthews, A., Culturally safe nursing care for Black sex workers in the greater Chicago area, 2020-2021. American Journal of Public Health. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2022.306836 (Accepted 3/8/2022)
Singer, RB., Crooks, N., Green, N., Stamps, J., Singer, R.M., Patil, C., Matthews, A.K. (2022) Ballroom Icons and the Power to Promote COVID-19 Vaccination for Black and Brown LGBTQ+ Individuals. American Journal of Public Health. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2021.306581
Singer, R.B., Crooks, N., Abboud, S., Patil, C., (2022) Engaging Vulnerable Populations in Community Based Participatory Research: Lessons Learned, Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action. Accepted for Summer 2022 publication. doi:
Singer, RB., Johnson, AK., Crooks, N., Bruce, D., Karczmar, A., Mkandawire-Valhmu, L., Sherman, S., (2021) “Feeling Safe, Feeling Seen, Feeling Free”: Combating stigma and creating culturally safe care for sex workers in Chicago. PLOS ONE.
Singer, R .B., Crooks, N., Gelbort, J., Lenon, P. (2021), Nursing Student – Led Health Education. Sage Open Nursing. doi: 10.1177/23779608211029070
Singer, R., Crooks, N., Johnson, A.K., Lutnick, A, Matthews, P. COVID-19 Prevention and Protecting Sex Workers: A Call to Action. Arch Sexual Behavior 49, 2739–2741 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-020-01849-x
Neely, J., Eddins, A., Lesure, N., Real, R., Dee, D., Singer, R.M., Crooks, N., Singer, R.B, (2021) Privacy or the lack thereof and its implications for dignity and mobile COVID-19 testing. Sage Open Nursing. doi: 10.1177/23779608211029096
Crooks, N., Singer, R.B. & Tluczek A. (2020). Black female sexual development across the life course: Impact of intersectional identities and historical contexts. Advances in Nursing Science. doi: 10.1097/ANS.0000000000000332
Mukerjee, R., Wesp, L., Singer, R.B., Menkin, D.,(2021) Clinician’s Guide to LGBTQ Care: Social Justice and Cultural Safety in Sexual, Reproductive and Primary Health. Springer Publication.
Singer, R.B., Crane, Lemay, Omary (2019) Improving the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavioral Intentions of Perinatal Care Providers Toward Childbearing Individuals Identifying as LGBTQ: A Quasi-Experimental Study. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 50(7), 303-311 doi 10.3928/00220124-20190612-05
Service to Community
2022 Reviewer for UIC Awards for Creative Activity
2022 Search Committee Associate Dean for Research
2021/22 Southside Health Advocacy Resource Partnership
2021/22 Oklahoma Maternal Health Taskforce
2021/22 Health Science Student Mental Health: University Senate Taskforce
2021/22 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Ad Hoc University Senate Committee
2021 Peer Reviewer Culture, Health and Sexuality
2021 Peer Reviewer Archives of Sexual Behavior
2021 Peer Reviewer Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health
2020 HDNS department faculty representative for building committee
2020 Peer Reviewer JMWH, Journal for Nursing Education, Journal of Homosexuality
2019 Peer Reviewer JMWH, Journal for Continuing Education in Nursing
2017/18 Community-based Service-Learning Committee Member
2017 Philadelphia Trans Health Conference External Peer Reviewer
2017-19 External Peer Reviewer for Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health
2017 DePaul Athletics Mock Interview Night
2017 HESI Practice Test & Case Study Training, RFU
2017 Community Engagement Seminar, DePaul University
Notable Honors
2015, Gender and Women's Studies, Triota Honor Society
2005, Honor Society, Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society of Nursing
2004, Nursing Scholar, Vanderbilt University
Education
Clark University BA 05/1998 Communication Culture
Vanderbilt University MSN 12/2004 Nurse-Midwifery
Widener University MEd 05/2014 Sexuality Education
Widener University PhD 05/2015 Human Sexuality
DePaul University Fellowship 08/2018 Community Service Learning Research
Licensures and Certifications
Illinois RN License #RN560103, valid through 05/31/2024
Illinois APN License #209014152, valid through 5/31/2024
American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB) (2005-2024) #11772
Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner NCC Certified (2005-2008) # 104318173
Limited Third Trimester OB Ultrasound Certification (2005, 2011)
Basic Life Support
Neonatal Resuscitation
Professional Memberships
American Public Health Association
Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality
American Nurses Association
American Midwifery Certification Board
National League for Nursing
Selected Presentations
2022 Centering and Empowerment: The Road To Reducing HIV in Chicago’s Sex Worker Community. Midwest LGBTQ+ Health Symposium. September 15, 2022, Chicago, IL.
2022 Centering and Empowerment: The Road To Reducing HIV in Chicago’s Sex Worker Community. The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality. November 4, 2022, Vancouver, Canada. Accepted for presentation
2022 Centering Around PrEP for Public Health Nurses: The Road To Reducing HIV in Chicago’s Sex Worker Community. American Public Health Association. November 9, 2022, Boston, Massachusetts.
2020 Portable Privacy: The Effort of a Mobile COVID-19 Testing Team to Protect the Dignity of Its Patients. Jen Neely, Dani Dee, Amani Eddins, Naomi Leasure, Raquel Real, Randi B. Singer, UI Health 10th Annual Quality & Safety Fair (Winning Entry). December 9, 2020, Chicago, IL.
2019 Community Empowerment: The Road to Reducing HIV among Sex Workers in Chicago. July 22, 2019 National Sexual Health Conference, Chicago, IL
Research Currently in Progress
I am excited to be part of an interdisciplinary team that has forged a partnership with Howard Brown Health and Southside Health Advocacy Resource Partnership. Funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research, our team is aligned through our various work with sexually, economically and racially marginalized populations and a shared interest in facilitating research that builds capacity and supports health equity for under-resourced populations. We share a breadth of experience ranging from scientific medicine to public health to epidemiology to nursing to anthropology in order to address the HIV prevention needs of sex workers in Chicago through a community empowerment approach. The literature acknowledges that community empowerment approaches have succeeded in lowering HIV transmission rates among sex workers in other countries and we aim to improve access to HIV prevention care in Chicago through our community empowered PrEP navigation work.