Kate Okker-Edging
- Doctoral Student
Kate Okker-Edging’s research centers around digital/emerging technology and mental health, with the goal of improving mental health for youth/young adults and LGBTQ+ people. She also conducts research at the intersection of tobacco use and mental health.
Kate Okker-Edging is a doctoral student at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. She focuses on how digital technologies/resources such as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and AI-driven mental health chatbots can be leveraged to improve mental health outcomes. She is particularly interested in youth/young adults and LGBTQ+ mental health communication.
Okker-Edging received an M.P.H. and an M.A. in Journalism (concentration in Strategic Communication) from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She has a B.A. in International Relations and Arabic from Tufts University. Prior to Annenberg, she worked as a researcher at Fors Marsh, where she conducted research on health communication campaigns and messaging.
Education
- B.A., Tufts University, 2016
- M.P.H., University of Missouri-Columbia, 2020
- M.A., University of Missouri-Columbia, 2021
Selected Publications
Research in Brief: Perspectives of LGBTQ+ Youth on Anti-Vaping Messages in Social Media
To understand how to reduce vaping among LGBTQ+ youth, Annenberg researchers spoke to young Americans about anti-vaping messages on social media.
Kate Okker-Edging on Video
Okker-Edging discusses her research on mental health communications like 988 and chatbots, particularly their effects on marginalized populations.