Suzannah Creech, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the Dell Medical School of the University of Texas at Austin and a Research Psychologist at the VA VISN 17 Center of Excellence at the Central Texas VA which spans Austin-Temple-Waco. She’s also a faculty affiliate of the Addictions Research Institute at the Steve Hicks School of Social Work. 

Rahel Pearson, Ph.D., is a research psychologist for the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System Center of Excellence. She received her doctorate in clinical psychology at the University of Texas at Austin in 2019. There, her work focused on the genetic and environmental etiology of depression. She completed her clinical internship and postdoctoral training in the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System. Dr. Pearson’s research program aims to optimize depression prevention and intervention efforts within the VA, with a special focus on improving functional outcomes for Veterans with depressive symptoms. She is interested in internet-delivered interventions, which can potentially reach underserved Veterans who might not be a good candidate for traditional therapeutics. Her work is funded by the  Department of Veterans Affairs.

Allison Metts, Ph.D. is a post-doctoral research fellow with the Veterans Health Administration at the VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans under the mentorship of Dr. Suzannah Creech. Dr. Metts completed her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles under the mentorship of Dr. Michelle Craske. She completed her APA-accredited clinical internship at the Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System (Austin VA Outpatient Clinic). Her research focuses on monitoring risk for and enhancing resilience against depression and anxiety. She has researched this topic in veteran and non-veteran samples through the study of various factors, including stress, social support, and emotion regulation. Dr. Metts plans to use her research to inform future accessible interventions designed to increase resilience in veterans. Clinically, Dr. Metts specializes in treating depression, anxiety, trauma, and disordered eating using evidence-based treatments (e.g., CBT, ACT, DBT). As a post-doctoral clinician under the supervision of Dr. Creech and Dr. Rahel Pearson, Dr. Metts serves as a clinician for Strength at Home Parents.

Emma Harris is a Senior Research Assistant for Dr. Suzannah Creech's Strength at Home - Parents RCT at the VISN 17 Center of Excellence. Emma graduated with a Bachelor's in Psychology with a Minor in Poverty Studies and Social Justice from Baylor University in 2023. Her research interests include trauma psychology, particularly as it relates to equitable access to mental healthcare, family relationships, and evidence-based practices.

Kathryn T. Roe, BA, is a navy veteran and is on the research staff at the VHA VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans. She completed her Bachelor's degree in Psychology at the Hawaii Pacific University and is currently completing her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Ms. Roe is interested in the impact of trauma and PTSD on veterans’ mental health.

Coming soon!

Anmol Desai, MPH, is a Research Associate in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Dell Medical School. Anmol earned her Master of Public Health from Columbia University in Epidemiology and Global Health and her Bachelor’s from The University of Texas at Dallas in Biology and Criminology. She has over 5 years of experiencing working in public health research, program implementation, health systems strengthening, workforce development and health equity in infectious diseases and substance use among vulnerable populations. Her interests are in reducing burden of disease, improving health programs and systems efficacy through human-centered design. Anmol helps coordinate research logistics, data management, and implementation support for Suzannah Creech’s Stress First Aid research study and Strength at Home – Parents RCT.

Jake Samora is a doctoral student in the Steve Hicks School of Social Work and is a Research Associate with the SFA project. Jake has over 4 years of experiencing working in research and implementation support roles with substance use and harm reductions service providers. Jake’s research interests center on examining the intersections of substance use, HIV wellness, and overdose risk among sexually diverse populations (i.e., LGBTQA+). Jake intends to use his professional experience and doctoral studies post-graduation to identify a research agenda aimed at better outcomes for people who use drugs and their service providers. Jake primarily assists the SFA project with data analysis, outreach, and implementation support.

Juliette Rau, MSW, is the Senior Research Program Coordinator for the Stress First Aid research study led by Dr. Suzannah Creech at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Dell Medical School. Juliette earned her Master of Social Work from Columbia University and her Bachelor’s degree in Politics from the University of Virginia. Her research interests focus on addressing systemic barriers that affect the well-being of children and families. She aims to promote more equitable access to resources, support, and opportunities that foster healthy family dynamics and improve outcomes for future generations.