Braveheart Gillani

Braveheart Gillani graduated with his Bachelor’s in Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Houston. Post-graduation, he practiced as an offshore engineer and a project manager in the oil and gas industry. He earned his Master’s in Social Work with a concentration in mental health and domestic social and economic development and a specialization in System Dynamics from the Brown School of Social work. Braveheart’s research and advocacy are focused on sexual and gender minorities, healthy masculinity development, along with issues of racial equity and social justice. He is interested in using System Sciences and System Dynamics to understand wicked social problems, identifying integrated interventions and leverage points towards collective healing.

Recent Publications

Trani, JF., Hovmand, P., Gillani, B. (2023) Aging among Black and non-Hispanic White Older Adults: A Community-Based System Dynamics Approach to Examining Quality of Life. Systems Research and Behavior Science     

BlackDeer, A., Gillani, B., Cohen, F., & Vogel, M. (2022) A Tale of Two Mentees: Conceptualizing Academic Mentorship through Critical Systems Thinking.    Journal of Social Work Education.  

Braveheart Gillani, Prakash Ganesh, Shubham Gupta, Michelle Caster, George Matar, Gaetan Pettigrew, Rebecka Bracken, Rachel Pope. (2022) Transgender preventative healthcare-an exploratory study. International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health. https://dx.doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20222550

Mintz, L. J., Gillani, B., & Moore, S. E. (2022). Telehealth in trans and gender diverse communities: The impact of covid-19. Current Obstetrics and Gynecology Reports. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13669-022-00334-7 

Gaveras, E., Fabbre, V., Gillani, B. (2021) Understanding Past Experiences of Suicidal Ideation and Behavior in the Life Narratives of Transgender Older Adults. Qualitative Social Work

Moore, S. E., Wierenga, K. L., Prince, D. M., Gillani, B., & Mintz, L. J. (2021). Disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on perceived social support, mental health and somatic symptoms in sexual and gender minority populations. Journal of Homosexuality, 68(4), 577–591.

Prince, D. M., Ray-Novak, M., Gillani, B., & Peterson, E. (2021). Sexual and gender minority youth in Foster Care: An evidence-based theoretical conceptual model of disproportionality and psychological comorbidities. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 152483802110131.

Presentations

Moore, S.E., WIerenga, K.L., Gillani, B., Mintz, L.J., Pressler, S., & Perkins, S.  (2022). "Associations among social and structural determinants of health and covid-19 pandemic concern and vaccine hesitancy between cis-heterosexual and sexual and gender diverse US adults over the first 2 years of the pandemic. In S.E. Moore (Chair), Social and Structural Determinants of Health Implications on Health and Well-Being Across the Lifespan" [Symposium]     Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science State of the Science Conference, Washington, D.C., United States. September 16.

Gillani, B., Hovmand, P., Pope, P., Ganesh, P, Gupta, S. (2022). "Gender Affirming Care Units- Focus on Flux in Demand and Forecasting". Work In Progress Presentation at International System Dynamics Conference . Frankfurt, Germany. Virtual. July 19

Gillani, B., Novak, Meagan-Ray., Marcal, K, Fowler, P. (2022).  "Hidden Youth Homelessness – Addressing Administrative Data Limitations". Work In Progress Presentation at International System Dynamics Conference . Frankfurt, Germany. Virtual. 

Gillani, B, Crawford & Thomas. (2022). "What we can learn (and leave behind) from Bly's "Wild man": Generating a New, Healthy Masculine". American Men's Studies Association. Virtual. June 15

Gillani, B, Crawford & Thomas. (2022). "Practicing Generative Fatherhood". American Men's Studies Association. Virtual. June 15

Moore, S. E., Gillani, B., Prince, D., Perzynski, A., Dalton, J., Altinay, M., Berg, K., Einstadter, D., del Rincon, J., Weleff, J., Douglas, E., & Mintz, L. (2021). "Moving Beyond the Community Advisory Panel—Expanding Community Engagement in Health Services and Translational Research Methods." [Mini-Symposium] at United States Professional Association for Transgender Health (USPATH) 2021 Scientific Symposium, Virtual Presentation. November 5.

Prince, R-N, Peterson, E & Gillani, B. (2021). "Using Community Based System Dynamics To Explore Transitions in Care for LGBTQ+ Populations"        [Presentation Accepted but Withdrawn]. Transforming Care: Conference on LGBTQ+ and H.I.V. Health Equity.  October

Gillani, B. (2021). "Preliminary Findings for Project ADVOCATE- Supports and Barriers for Gender Affirming Surgery". TransPride Pittsburgh Health and Wellness Conference. Virtual. October.

Asher BlackDeer, A., Gillani B., Cohen, F., & Vogel, M. T.  (2021). "A tale of two mentees: Conceptualizing academic mentorship through systems thinking". Paper presentation at International System Dynamics Conference. Chicago, IL, Virtual.  July 27