Director

Michael Zvolensky, Ph.D.

Dr. Zvolensky is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Psychology at University of Houston and Director of the Research on Emotion, Substance Use Treatment Outcomes, Rehabilitation, & Empowerment (RESTORE) Laboratory. He has published over 1000 peer-reviewed articles and books/book chapters on the co-occurrence of anxiety and stress-related psychopathology with substance use disorders, health behavior problems, and physical illness (e.g., chronic pain). He has been involved in over 70 NIH grants as PI, Co-PI, or co-investigator. His research program has received awards from numerous organizations, including the American Psychological Association, Anxiety and Depression Association of America, College on Problems of Drug Dependence, Association for Advancement of Cognitive and Behavior Therapy, and Association of Academic Health Centers. (Google Scholar)

Co-Directors

Lorra Garey, Ph.D.

Dr. Lorra Garey is a Research Associate Professor at the University of Houston. She earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Houston. Her primary research interests focus on elucidating and attenuating health disparities by examining the interplay between substance use and psychological vulnerabilities and addressing malleable risk factors, including tobacco use, in the context of transdiagnostic interventions. Within this model, Lorra is particularly interested in the efficacy of brief, personalized feedback interventions to reduce tobacco use, alcohol use, and symptoms related to anxiety and depression among smokers with co-occurring psychopathology and tobacco dependence. (Google Scholar)

Brooke Redmond, Ph.D.

Director of Obesity and Eating Behavior Research

Dr. Brooke Redmond is the Director of Obestity and Eating Behavior Research and a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Houston. She earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Houston. Her research interests focus on innovative and integrative treatment methodologies aimed at improving health behaviors (e.g., emotional eating, physical inactivity). Specifically, she is interested in transdiagnostic vulnerabilities (e.g., anxiety sensitivity, distress intolerance) that may underlie these problematic health behaviors. (Google Scholar)

Justin Shepherd, Ph.D.

Director of Digital Health

Dr. Justin Shepherd is the Director of Digital Health and a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Houston. He earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Houston. He has charted a line of work focused on risk and protective factors of addictive behavior in relation to clinically relevant treatment and health-related outcomes. His work aims to elucidate malleable mechanistic factors (e.g., anxiety sensitivity, pain-related anxiety) that underlie relations between nicotine/tobacco use and mental and physical health outcomes. (Google Scholar)

Pre-Doctoral Graduate Students

Brienna Fogle, M.A.

Ms. Brienna (Meffert) Fogle is a fourth-year doctoral student in the clinical psychology program at the University of Houston. She graduated with honors from the University of Kentucky in May 2016 with a B.S. in Psychology, a B.A. in English, and a minor in Biology. She completed her M.A. in Psychology in May 2023. Her research interests primarily focus on the comorbidity of trauma and substance use. She is also interested in understanding the impact of transdiagnostic risk and maintenance factors on the development and maintenance of co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder, substance use, and related disorders. (Google Scholar)

Neha Pathak, M.A.

Ms. Neha Pathak is a fourth-year doctoral student in the clinical psychology program at the University of Houston. She graduated from the University of South Florida with a B.A in psychology in 2018 and received her M.A in psychology from the University of Houston in 2024. Her research interests focus on the etiology and predictive factors of aggression, specifically psychopathy and externalizing psychopathology. Within this area, she is interested in understanding how psychopathic traits, transdiagnostic factors, and social norms maintain violent behavior.

Pamella Nizio, M.A.

Ms. Pam Nizio is a third-year doctoral student in the clinical psychology program at the University of Houston. She completed her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Houston with a minor in Human Resource Management. Her research interests focus on transdiagnostic mechanisms relevant to the onset, persistence, and resolution of substance use and mental illness, and the development of integrated treatment methods for addiction and psychopathology that are both highly accessible and use methodology that allows for personalization (e.g., mobile phone-based, computer-based, ecological momentary assessment [EMA]). (Google Scholar)

Jillian Robison, B.A.

Jillian Robison is a second-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of Houston. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Oklahoma in 2019. Her research focuses on the interplay between social determinants and overall health outcomes, with an emphasis on identifying transdiagnostic vulnerability factors that may contribute to adverse health outcomes. She is also interested in developing innovative interventions that target malleable risk factors. (Google Scholar)

Ava Jones, B.A.

Ava graduated from Northwestern University with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Global Health. Her research interests include studying the effect of psychological stress on addiction, mental health, and physical health. Within this area, she is interested in exploring the systemic and individual risk factors that contribute to psychopathology and addiction. (Google Scholar) 

Laboratory Coordinator

Katie M.K. Pereira, M.S.

Katie Pereira earned her B.S. in Psychology and Neuroscience from Virginia Tech and her M.S. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research interests include understanding the interplay between individual differences in health disparities, trauma, and emotion regulation, and the connection to substance use and other health-risk behaviors. She is also interested in accessibility of health promotion interventions, such as mobile and community-level mental healthcare for under-resourced populations (e.g., justice-impacted).  

Study Coordinators

Rodrigo Castillo Avilés, B.S.

Rodrigo graduated from the University of Houston with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Spanish. His research interests include exploring how psychological distress related chronic diseases and substance use affects the brain and contributes to addiction. He is currently focused on the intersection of health and social factors, specifically developing interventions for addiction and mental disorders.

Linh Dinh, B.S.

Linh graduated from the University of Houston with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Human Development and Family Studies. His primary research interest focuses on developing interventions for addiction that are easily accessible and personalized (e.g., ecological momentary assessment [EMA], mobile phone-based app, etc.). Additionally, he is also keen on investigating the intersection between psychological vulnerabilities and substance use disorders, particularly how stress, anxiety, and depression influence substance misuse behaviors and vice versa. Linh plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in the future.

Angelica Duran, B.S.

Andrea Rodriguez, B.S.

Andrea graduated from the University of Houston with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Biology. Her research interests include developing and refining culturally tailored interventions for minority communities affected by health disparities, particularly the Hispanic and Latino communities. Additionally, she is interested in exploring trauma responses with a particular focus on substance use, through a cultural lens. In the future, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.

Andrew Brooks, B.A.

Andrew graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Economics and a minor in Finance. His research interests include investigating the comorbidity and development of mood and substance use disorders from a neurological and behavioral perspective. Andrew plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, so he can combine contemporary interventions with traditional modes of therapy.

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Nadeja Lewis, B.S.

NaDeja is a proud University of Houston alumna, having earned her B.S. in Human Resource Development in 2020. Driven by a passion for health. She began her post-baccalaureate studies in Psychology in 2023. Her primary research interests center on neuropsychology, with a focus on trauma exposure. NaDeja wants to aid in advancing industry-standard psychological assessments. Looking ahead, NaDeja plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in Neuropsychology.

Manvi Srivastava

Manvi Srivastava is a sophomore student at the University of Houston majoring in Biochemical/Biophysical Sciences and minoring in Medicine and Society. Her research interests include substance abuse and the visual cognitive processes associated with schizophrenia. Upon graduation, she seeks to get her MD to become a forensic psychiatrist. 

Theodore Hart

Cameron "Theodore" Hart is a junior at the University of Houston pursuing a B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Education. His research interests include how substances, primarily alcohol and certain drugs, impact individuals in social situations such as hangouts and parties, along with how parent's substance abuse can have a traumatic effect on children. He is planning to pursue a PhD in Child Development Psychology.

LAB ALUMNI

Luke Heggeness, Ph.D.

Dr. Luke Heggeness is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Houston. He earned his doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Kent State University. Dr. Heggeness' research broadly focuses on health difficulties related to substance misuse, depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress. His research predominantly examines drug and alcohol use, and modifiable transdiagnostic vulnerabilities (e.g., rumination, distress tolerance), within an emotion regulation framework. In particular, Dr. Heggeness aims to elucidate clinically relevant correlates, consequences, and explanatory mechanisms of affect-driven substance use behaviors to help address health disparities. (Google Scholar)

Duckhyun Jo, Ph.D.

Dr. Duckhyun Jo is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Houston. He earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. His research interests focus on mechanisms of change that underlies cognitive behavioral therapies (e.g., ACT), with a focus on how the modifiable transdiagnostic processes apply to psychopathology and health behavior problems. His research employs a range of methodologies, including network analysis, item response theory, data-driven approaches (e.g., Bayesian methods, machine learning), and large language models (e.g., AI-based treatments) to enhance understanding and effectiveness of interventions. (Google Scholar)

Ashley Ruiz, B.S.

Ashley graduated from Arizona State University with a B.S. in Psychological Sciences and a minor in Organizational Leadership. During her undergraduate studies, she served as a research assistant for the Arizona Twin Project, which investigated the genetic and environmental contributions to child and adolescent physical and health. Her research interests include trauma exposure, PTSD, substance use, maladaptive coping behaviors and their associated comorbidities. Additionally, she is interested in how factors may influence these variables within trauma therapy, addiction therapy, and other treatment modalities. Ashley plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in the future. 

Jessica Thai, B.S.

Jessica graduated from the University of Houston with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Health. She is interested in investigating transdiagnostic vulnerabilities, comorbidities, predictive factors, and maintenance factors surrounding substance use. She is also interested in developing accessible health behavior interventions. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in the future. (Google Scholar)