Vienna Nightingale received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Illinois Institute of Technology. Her research and clinical interests are largely in the fields of trauma and health psychology with a significant emphasis on cultural competence. Her research and clinical interventions broadly examine the impact of acute and chronic medical conditions on psychological functioning and the relationship between psychological and physical outcomes. Vienna's dissertation focused on various aspects of psychological functioning including posttraumatic growth and distress in individuals with HIV and their relationship with health outcomes. During her doctoral training, her clinical work was with various trauma populations including refugees and asylum seekers, combat veterans with both combat trauma and military sexual trauma, and individuals living with HIV.

Vienna is actively involved with the International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies where she was on the student committee and assisted in coordinating student programs at the annual meetings. Prior to graduate school, Vienna served two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ghana and collaboratively implemented a number of HIV education projects focusing on HIV education and prevention and gender equality. Vienna comes to us with domestic and international experience working with individuals with HIV. Her mentor at CIRA is Dr. Nathan Hansen.