Jack Kaufman.

Jack Kaufman, M.A., is a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at UT Southwestern Medical Center and Research Lead at the We Defy Foundation, where he directs research on Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) as a mental health intervention for combat veterans with service-connected disabilities.

His clinical work sits at the intersection of veteran mental health treatment and health psychology in hospital settings. He has worked on the Consult-Liaison Psychology service at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, a Level I trauma center and one of the largest safety-net hospitals in the country, at the bedside across medicine, surgery, burn ICU, and rehabilitation. He is currently a provider at the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Metrocare, primarily treating post-9/11 veterans, service members, and their families, with a focus on depression, anxiety, and Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure for combat-related PTSD, military sexual trauma, and moral injury.

His research focuses on lifestyle interventions and complementary and integrative health practices for retired military, particularly the transition period after service. His collaboration with We Defy has produced the largest empirical study to date of the impact of BJJ on disabled combat veterans. He is Principal Investigator on four IRB-approved studies at UT Southwestern, has consulted on veteran transition research under the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, and has seven peer-reviewed publications on depression, cognition, and neuroimaging. He is an active member of the American Psychological Association's Division 19 (Military Psychology) and was a featured speaker at its national conference.

He holds a master's degree from Tel Aviv University and a bachelor's degree from the University of Florida. He trains BJJ himself and lives in Dallas, Texas.