Amber Rieder is a recent graduate of McMaster University's Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Graduate Program, in Ontario Canada (2019). Amber is currently a Global Mental Health Postdoctoral Associate at the Duke Global Health Institute and Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, under the mentorship of Dr. Eve Puffer, Dr. Lauren Franz, and Dr. Geraldine Dawson. Amber is interested in accessible approaches to mental health assessment and intervention across diverse settings. Amber's primary research interests are focused on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), intimate partner violence, and the subsequent intergenerational transmission of risk. Amber is interested in the development of accessible mental health in underserved communities and the role of community-based parenting and family strengthening programs. Amber's approach to development, implementation, and evaluation of mental health programs is through a Community Based Participatory lens. Amber is currently leading a systematic review of ACEs measurement approaches in LMICs. Amber is interested in the formative/qualitative development, culturally-anchored contextualization, and validation of mental health assessments for diverse populations. Amber has focused on the use of technology-assisted mental health assessment and intervention strategies to improve equity and open access to mental health assessment, intervention, training, and monitoring.

At Duke, Amber is currently working on assessment development, intervention development and implementation, and intervention evaluation, across three research programs:

In her role as a postdoc with Dr. Geraldine Dawson, Amber is collaborating on the implementation and evaluation of the SenseToKnow, an app-based screening assessment for early detection of biological risk markers in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Amber is also currently engaged in mixed-method research with both Dr. Puffer and Dr. Franz to evaluate parent-mediated and lay-provider intervention models for the treatment of ASD (Community-Early Start Denver Model; South Africa; Dr. Franz), to reduce harsh parenting practices (Parents Make the Difference; Liberia; Dr. Puffer), and to improve family problem-solving, communication, and overall wellbeing (Tuko Pamoja; Kenya; Dr. Puffer). Amber is currently co-leading a vertically integrated student and faculty team, along with Drs. Puffer and Proeschold-Bell, The Coping Together Program. Coping Together is a DHGI-funded & Bass Connections initiative that aims to co-develop— in collaboration with child- and family-serving community organizations in the Durham region— a family mental health and wellbeing intervention program with three arms: SMS, Individual Family Therapy, and Group Family Therapy. The aim of this community-based initiative is to co-develop a therapeutic family strengthening program that is contextually relevant to diverse populations in Durham and surrounding area, through strong community partnerships. The Coping Together program approach is aimed at improving accessibility within communities, utilizing the experience and wisdom of community organizations, and build capacity to support and sustain the program through trained CHWs or peer providers, as we continue to navigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.