Justin Lerner earned a PhD in social welfare at New York University Silver School of Social Work. His dissertation examined health care utilization among transgender people in the 2015 United States Trans Suvey. He holds a master’s degree in public administration from New York University, an MSW from Washington University in St. Louis and a BA in psychology from Washington University.

At University of Washington, Lerner teaches courses on social justice and equity as well as anti-oppressive clinical classes focused on working with individuals, families, and groups. He also works with the intergroup dialogue undergraduate program at the UW School of Social Work. He has co-authored several articles on social justice for transgender people and on creating a social justice agenda in the classroom. Additionally, Lerner works in a social justice group therapy practice that focuses on providing anti-oppressive counseling that creates healing and resilience.

His previous work in the community includes seven years as assistant director at the Goddard Residential College at New York University. He also worked as the LGBTQ outreach and engagement program director at the Jewish Community Center in Washington, D.C., was a therapist in the day program at So Others Might Eat (SOME), and served as a policy fellow for the State of Maryland.