Jason Schmidt Avendaño
Personal Bio
Jason Schmidt Avendaño proudly represents his Latinx and LGBTQIA+ communities as a Panamanian and fluent Spanish speaker. While his professional work focuses on research, advocacy, and social impact, his personal passions reflect a deep love for creativity, music, and self-expression. A professional singer, Jason performs in opera productions and records demos for record labels. He also works in ghost recording, lending his vocals and melodies to songs that may eventually be picked up by artists. Witnessing how a song transforms when an artist makes it their own has been one of the most rewarding aspects of this work. Beyond music, Jason expresses his creativity through sewing and upcycling fashion. He enjoys making his own clothes from thrifted garments and unconventional materials like blankets, curtains, and repurposed textiles, turning forgotten fabrics into unique, wearable pieces. An avid lover of the outdoors, Jason spends his free time practicing yoga, paddleboarding, and playing with his dogs. He is also passionate about beach volleyball and has set a personal goal to win a semi-pro tournament by 2026. Whether training for competition, gliding down a trail, or floating on the water, he values moments that allow him to slow down and connect with the world around him. At his core, Jason is passionate about blending creativity, culture, and community. Whether through music, fashion, or research, he embraces curiosity and innovation, always seeking new ways to bring artistry and purpose into his work and life.
Education
Jason Schmidt Avendaño, M.A. (He, Him, El), is a Ph.D. Candidate in Social Neuroscience at the University of South Florida, with a background in Psychology and Vocal Performance from Stetson University. His research examines how chronic emotional experiences of both pride and prejudice shape emotional regulation at the neural level in LGBTQ+ individuals. While the minority stress model has extensively explored the external effects of stigma, Jason’s work focuses on the underexamined internalized factors influencing emotion regulation. By using electroencephalography (EEG) and Event-Related Potentials (ERPs), he maps overt neural responses to emotional stimuli, identifying markers that reflect both resilience and vulnerability. His work bridges cognitive neuroscience and social psychology to shed light on how Queer Joy, familial bonds, and Intersectional identity contributes to LGBTQ+ well-being, with implications for social policy and therapeutic interventions that enhance resilience while mitigating the impact of systemic bias.
As one of the most funded graduate researchers at USF, Jason has secured over $62,000 in competitive research funding. His awards include the USF University Graduate Fellowship, the USF St. Pete Graduate Student Research Collaboration Award, and the American Psychological Foundation Roy Scrivner Memorial Research Grant. Beyond his research, he has received specialized training through invited workshops at Vanderbilt University, Brown University, and Ohio State University, enhancing his expertise in empirical research methods and leadership development.
Jason has presented his research at national and international conferences, expanding the implications of his findings for both academic and applied settings. Committed to public science communication, he actively engages in translating complex scientific ideas into accessible knowledge through podcasts, radio, and social media takeovers. His work aims to advance equity-focused neuroscience, providing insights into the intersection of neural, psychological, and social factors that shape LGBTQ+ individuals' experiences.
Employment
Jason Schmidt Avendaño, M.A. (He, Him, El), is a People Science & Social Impact Researcher with expertise in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), social neuroscience, and workforce development. As a Ph.D. Candidate in Social Neuroscience at the University of South Florida, he applies data-driven insights to behavioral healthcare, organizational culture, and social impact strategies. His work blends Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI), data analytics, and applied consulting to develop innovative solutions that address systemic inequities and drive inclusive, evidence-based decision-making in organizations.
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Jason’s diverse industry experience spans consulting, nonprofit leadership, and academic research in DEI, People Science, and Data Analytics. He has held pivotal roles at Advocates for Human Potential (AHP), the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and his own nonprofit, Threads of Inclusivity. Through these positions, he has provided strategic consulting on DEI initiatives, led workforce development projects, and conducted large-scale research on behavioral health, conservation equity, and inclusive hiring practices.
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His technical expertise includes survey development & analysis (Qualtrics), data analytics (R, SPSS, SAS, & Python), qualitative data mining, and statistics & data management. He has designed and implemented behavioral research experiments, developed comprehensive DEI training programs, and advised on workforce development strategies to create more equitable learning and working environments.
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Jason is also a skilled science communicator, heritage Spanish speaker, and inclusive communication facilitator with experience presenting research at national and international conferences, podcasts, and media platforms. His career is driven by the goal of bridging research, policy, and practice to create lasting social impact.