Adolescent Interprofessional LEAH Fellows

Statement:
I first heard about the LEAH Fellowship from Professor Brown as I began to consider UTMB’s MS/DI program and immediately was intrigued. As someone who is interested in working in eating disorders, this seems like an incredibly unique way to gain experience in the field. Not only would I be stretched in my knowledge of nutrition, but also the opportunity to collaborate on an interdisciplinary team is extremely valuable.

Education:
Texas A&M University, B.S., Nutritional Sciences, 2023 

Hobbies:
Reading, pickleball, trying new restaurants, going on walks, and baking.

Statement: 
I'm interested in multi-disciplinary work, especially with adolescents and learning more about leadership responsibilities in an academic medical center.

Education:
University of Denver, B.A., Psychology and Molecular Biology, 2011
University of Texas School of Public Health, M.P.H., Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, 2013
Texas A&M University, M.S., Clinical Psychology, 2021
Texas A&M University, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, 2023

Hobbies: 
Spending time outdoors, reading (silly and serious works), trying new restaurants, watching funny TikToks, listening to music, and singing in my car.

Statement:
I am interested in the LEAH fellowship because my goal is to be a change agent for policy related to access to sexual and mental health care for adolescents in foster care. As such, I know that I require more experience and training in advocacy, interdisciplinary teamwork, and public speaking/ education. The LEAH fellowship can help me towards that goal.

Education:
Kenyon College, B.A., Psychology, 2014
Eastern Michigan University, M.S., Experimental Psychology 2020
University of Texas School of Public Health, Ph.D. Candidate, Health Promotion & Behavioral Science, 2020-present

Hobbies:
Rock climbing, reading romance novels, and embroidery.

Statement:
While many aspects of the LEAH Fellowship are exciting to me, I'm particularly interested in the opportunity to look at health holistically. I believe this is key to a comprehensive awareness of both mental and physical health, as well as to preventative measures. I'm excited to work with other disciplines, and to discuss and research together. I hope that the work we do together will emphasize how necessary it is that these various fields communicate and learn how connected they really are when it comes to both mental and physical health.

Education:
Queens University of Charlotte, B.M., Music Therapy, 2017
Music Therapy Board Certification, 2018
University of Houston, Graduate College of Social Work, M.S.W., spring 2024

Hobbies:
Playing with my dog (he loves to catch his frisbee), listening to audiobooks and podcasts, playing piano, hiking and walking outdoor, spending time with friends over coffee.

Statement: 
I am a current nurse on the floor that works alongside young adults in the adolescent program daily. Though this has been rewarding and allowed me to build relationships with the patients, I want to additionally work alongside experts in adolescent medicine to propose research that will greatly impact this population. Working with experts would allow me to actively participate in creating research early in my PhD journey.

Education: 
Cizik School of Nursing at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), B.S., Nursing, 2022
Cizik School of Nursing at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Ph.D. Candidate, 2023-present

Hobbies:
Working out, cooking/baking, church, binge watching Dance Moms with my cat Blue (haha)!