She received her Ph.D. in developmental psychology from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Wheaton College. Dr. Udell completed a postdoctoral fellowship in HIV prevention research at the HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University. Her research focuses on the role of culture and context in promoting sexual health, and in preventing sexual risk behaviors among adolescents of color. Dr. Udell is also engaged in University and community collaborations adapting interventions for socially at-risk adolescents living in impoverished communities.