Dr. Jennifer Sumner is a clinical psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She is the Director of the Sumner Stress Lab at UCLA, and her program of research lies at the intersection of the psychological and physical health consequences of trauma exposure. The work of the Sumner Stress Lab examines how experiences of trauma and severe stress relate to accelerated aging and risk for chronic disease, with a particular focus on cardiovascular disease—the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Additionally, Dr. Sumner investigates how acute cardiovascular events may serve as potentially traumatic events that can impact both the psychological and cardiovascular health of patients. The goal of this research is to ultimately develop targeted interventions to offset risk for adverse mental and physical health after traumatic experiences. Dr. Sumner received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Pomona College and her Masters and PhD in Clinical Psychology from Northwestern University. She completed her predoctoral internship program at the Charleston Consortium (Traumatic Stress Track) and received postdoctoral training as an Epidemiology Merit Fellow at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.