Dr. Kelly Clary’s (Project Director) research program includes exploring and documenting developmental and cultural factors/causes and consequences related to high-risk health behaviors, particularly substance use among at-risk populations (e.g., adolescents, Veterans). Further, she works to develop/create, implement, and evaluate culturally informed and evidence-based interventions to reduce health disparities (e.g., substance use, suicide). In 2021, she completed the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Center for Health Equity Research Program; a research-intensive training to enhance the readiness of early-career faculty at minority-serving institutions to conduct community based, social, and health behavior research. Related, she co-led first year alcohol prevention programming at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where over 9,000 students completed the in-person training over 2 months. To date, she has successfully led and co-led more than 10 funded grant projects ranging from $1,500 to $1,885,787. These research projects have been funded from a variety of entities including Texas State University, University of Illinois Veterans Center, American Psychological Foundation (APF), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). She has published over 25 peer-reviewed articles, mentored more than 20 students and presented more than 35 peer-reviewed conference presentations. Her clinical social work background includes working as a crisis social worker and assessment intake social worker at an inpatient psychiatric hospital and emergency department in Illinois. She was responsible for completing assessments for youth and adults for substance use inpatient rehabilitation, medical detox, inpatient mental health, and outpatient mental health services. She has extensive clinical training in motivational interviewing along with practice implementing brief interventions for substance use and mental health.
Dr. Erica Nason is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at Texas State University. She is a clinical psychologist and held positions at the Albuquerque VA Medical Center and the South Texas Research Organizational Network Guiding Studies on Trauma and Resilience (STRONG STAR) consortium prior to joining Texas State. Her primary clinical and research expertise is trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder, with secondary interests in substance use and utilizing social networks to improve mental health outcomes for at risk populations. She currently has research funding from the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) supporting these research interests. Through her work, she is also passionate about training the future generation of researchers through collaboration and mentorship.
Dr. Megan Rogers is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Texas State University. She completed her BA in Psychology at North Carolina State University, her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Florida State University, and her predoctoral clinical internship at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University. After completing a postdoctoral research fellowship at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, Dr. Rogers joined the Department of Psychology at Texas State University. Dr. Rogers’s research primarily focuses on understanding and improving the assessment of risk factors for suicidal thoughts and behaviors, with an emphasis on the phenomenology, etiology, and assessment of acute suicidal crises. She also specializes in applying novel methodologies and advanced quantitative methods to better understand mental health, substance use, and suicide risk/prevention. For the purposes of this project, Dr. Rogers is serving as the data analyst. In addition to her position as an Assistant Professor and her role on this project, Dr. Rogers serves as a co-chair of the Suicide Research Symposium.
Dr. Ty S. Schepis is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Texas State University, a Faculty Fellow at the Texas State University Translational Health Research Center, and an Affiliate Member of the Center for the Study of Drugs, Alcohol, Smoking and Health in the School of Nursing at the University of Michigan. He received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in 2006 from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Yale School of Medicine, and joined the Texas State University faculty in 2009. His research examines substance use across the lifespan, with a particular focus on prescription drug misuse and on polysubstance use. He has over 110 peer reviewed publications in journals including Addiction, International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, JAMA, JAMA Pediatrics, and Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and his research has influenced both policy (e.g., updated FDA package insert for stimulant medication) and treatment guidelines (e.g., ASAM/AAAP Clinical Practice Guideline on the Management of Stimulant Use Disorder). As Principal Investigator, he has received five awards from the US National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) totaling over $2.5 million, and he has been a Co-Investigator on awards from NIDA, the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the US Food and Drug Administration.
Anastasia Gumatay is a Master of Social Work student, Graduate House of Representatives student member, and Paul D. Coverdell fellow at Texas State University. After receiving a BA in Psychology from St. John’s University, she worked in the Philippines as a Peace Corps Volunteer at a physical therapy center for children with disabilities. With experience in direct support care and advocacy, Anastasia has worked in a variety of different settings including child welfare, education, mentorship, and health care. Through these roles, she has developed a strong interest in preventing and healing trauma on both a clinical and systemic level. As a graduate research assistant, some of her tasks for this project include outreach, data collection and analysis, and compiling resources for community awareness. After graduation, Anastasia plans on becoming a trauma-informed care and neurodiversity-affirming clinical school-based social worker.
Taylur Loera is a graduate student in the MAPR program at Texas State University. Taylur graduated from Texas A&M University-San Antonio with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. As a research assistant, Taylur has contributed to projects focused on improving health equity and increasing access to resources for underrepresented communities. Her work in these areas has sparked her passion for combining psychology and data analysis to identify and address disparities in healthcare. After completing her master’s degree, Taylur plans to earn her PhD in clinical psychology.
Stephanie is a senior at Texas State University majoring in Psychology and Sociology with a minor in Business. She plans on pursuing a master’s degree in clinical psychology. Her research interests include interpersonal relationships and substance misuse. In the fall, Stephanie plans on beginning her internship at the Austin Discovery School supporting students and their social emotional needs.
Scarlett Gransee is a second-year student in the MAPR Program at Texas State University. Scarlett graduated from Tulane University with a BS in Psychology and Neuroscience. Prior to her work as a graduate research assistant for the FESTA Program, she worked as a research assistant in substance use clinical trials at UT Health San Antonio and as a crisis counselor for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Her research interests include substance use, suicide, and help-seeking. After graduating from Texas State University, Scarlett plans to pursue a doctoral degree in clinical psychology.
