Vicki J. Tepper, PhD

1975-1979: BA - Psychology, Douglass College, Rutgers University

1979-1982 MS - Clinical Psychology and Mental Retardation Research, George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University

1983-1989: Ph.D. - Clinical Psychology and Mental Retardation Research George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University

Understanding chronic illness and its impact on the cognitive, emotional, and social functioning of children and youth and their families is the hallmark of my work as a pediatric psychologist. My career has been characterized by diverse experiences and opportunities that have allowed me to integrate my research interests with clinical practice to develop a model program for the care of children, youth and families living with HIV/AIDS.

My career as an independent researcher is demonstrated by the three projects for which I have been the Principal Investigator.

PACTS-HOPE was a multi-site longitudinal observational study of a cohort of perinatally HIV-infected children and a comparison group of exposed but uninfected children, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

LEGACY was a medical record review study of key clinical and socio-demographic variables of infants, children and adolescents through 24 years of age who were infected with HIV.

In 2006 I became the first person nationally and internationally to receive funding for a pediatric adherence research project within the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). This competitive award was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The project, "Pediatric Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy in the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief" was designed to address adherence to antiretroviral treatment in HIV-infected children and their caregivers in Nigeria.  I am currently the Co-PI of a NIH/National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine funded grant (1R01AT007888-01), to examine the role of mindfulness to support treatment adherence in HIV infected youth.  

As a result of my 25 years of experience in the field I have been invited to participate in the training of health care professionals in developing countries.  As a result of my expertise in working with children and families infected with and affected by HIV I have been invited to train health care professionals in South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Rwanda, Botswana and Guyana. In addition, I have been instrumental in the development of training materials and curriculum that are utilized in nine PEPFAR funded programs in Africa and South America.  I was an invited participant in the World Health Organization/UNAIDS consultation to develop guidance on counseling children and their caregivers on disclosure of HIV status in Geneva, Switzerland. I have been an invited member of two technical advisory groups (TAG) for USAID:  TAG #1 for “Equipping Parents/Caregivers and Providers to Address the Psychological and Social Challenges of Caring for HIV-positive Children”, and   TAG-2, “Transition of care, support and treatment services for adolescents living with HIV.