Vanessa Boudewyns

Dr. Vanessa Boudewyns is a senior scientist in RTI International’s Center for Communication & Media Impact, specializing in social psychology, consumer decision making, and media effects research. She brings nearly 20 years of experience integrating theories of information processing, behavior change, and message effects into health and risk communication research. Across over 20 FDA-funded studies, she has developed and validated survey instruments; conducted experimental studies; performed literature reviews; and employed focus groups, in-depth and cognitive interviews, eye-tracking methodologies, and surveys to help inform FDA’s regulatory decision-making and communication strategies. Her expertise spans experimental and quasi-experimental design, survey methodology, sampling and recruitment methods, quantitative and mixed-method data collection and analysis, content analyses, and systematic literature reviews and meta-analyses.

For over a decade, Dr. Boudewyns has also contributed to research focused on HIV prevention and testing. She currently serves as the lead evaluator for national HIV/AIDS social marketing campaigns for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), promoting informed decision-making and behavior change across the HIV prevention and care continuum.