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Our Research Team

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Director/Principal Investigator

ldmedina_headshot_2.jpg Dr. Luis D. Medina is a bilingual and bicultural, licensed clinical psychologist and cultural neuropsychologist. He received his B.A. in psychology from Yale University and his M.S. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology / neuropsychology from the San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology. Dr. Medina completed his clinical predoctoral internship at the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center (geropsychology track) followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in adult clinical neuropsychology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. As a member of the University of Colorado Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center, he carried out postdoctoral research in cognitive aging and neurodegenerative disease. Dr. Medina is Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Houston, where he directs the Collaborative on Aging Research and Multicultural Assessment (CARMA). He is also the director of the NIH-funded Engaging Communities of Hispanics/Latinos for Aging Research (ECHAR) Network, a multi-site collaborative effort to address the limited diversity in aging research samples. His research examines the cultural neuroscience of cognitive aging, particularly in the context of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD), as well as the clinical assessment and diagnosis of ADRD in underrepresented populations.

Lab Coordinator

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Kasey J. Escamilla graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in Psychology and a minor in Chinese. During her time at UT Austin, Kasey was a research assistant for the Mechanisms Underlying Neurocognitive Aging Lab. Her research interests include cultural neuropsychology and the intersection of culture, cognition, and aging. She is specifically interested in identifying risk and resilience factors for cognitive decline in Hispanics and Latin Americans (H/Ls). She hopes to conduct research that contributes to minimizing health disparities in brain health and improving neuropsychological assessment in culturally diverse populations. In the future, Kasey hopes to pursue a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology.

In her free time, Kasey enjoys tending to her houseplants, gaming, hanging out with her cat Dino, and reading fantasy novels.

 

Graduate Students

Andrea Ochoa is a fifth-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program at UH and belongs to the Neuropsychology concentration. Before graduating from UH with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a minor in Biology, she served as a research assistant at the Developmental Neuropsychology Lab and completed a senior honors thesis under the mentorship of Dr. Paul Cirino. Currently, she is interested in brain-behavior relationships and functional outcomes in clinical populations, particularly those involving acquired brain damage and neurodegenerative diseases. She has the goal of helping address these subjects from an intersectional perspective and promote culturally-competent approaches to the biopsychosocial model of behavioral health, especially as it regards empirical overlaps of cognition, culture, and aging. 

In her free time, aside from venturing into the diverse food and entertainment options that thrive in Houston, she enjoys subversive television and comedic journalism shows. She also loves reading; if you find her invested in a book, it is likely to be a fantasy novel, a memoir, or any work written by Dr. Oliver Sacks.
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Michelle Martinez is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program at UH and belongs to the Neuropsychology concentration. She graduated from Dartmouth College in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience and minors in Anthropology and Bioethics. Her research interests include: cultural neuropsychology, Alzheimer’s disease, biomarkers, and social determinants of health. More specifically, she is interested in taking an interdisciplinary approach that focuses on community engagement and research dissemination to help promote brain health in minoritized communities.

In her free time, Michelle likes to take care of her plants, collect vinyl records, and hang out with her family and her dog. She also enjoys watching horror movies, traveling, baseball, and listening to music.

Joshua M. Garcia is a third-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program at UH and belongs to the Neuropsychology concentration. He graduated from UH with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a minor in Human Development and Family Studies. He was born in Dallas, Texas, grew up in Northern Virginia, and attended high school in Buenos Aires, Argentina before moving to Houston, Texas. During his undergraduate studies, Josh served as the Officer of Academic Affairs for his local Psi Chi Honor Society chapter and assisted in research with the Anxiety and Health Research (AHRL) Laboratory. Josh also participated in various research training programs at UH (HERESURFPURSPharis) and was a STAR-U 2020 Scholar at Columbia University. His experiences have inspired a career of advocacy within the interdisciplinary fields of empirically based health care, in the specific role as a cultural neuropsychologist and data analyst.

 

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2nd Lieutenant (2Lt) Devante Williams graduated from Alabama State University with a B.S. in Rehabilitation Services with a concentration in Addiction Studies, and minors in Psychology and Aerospace Studies in May 2021. He was also commissioned out of his university’s Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) program into the United States Air Force Reserves under the Biomedical Sciences Corps in May 2021. He is a UH Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student on the adult track and joined the Collaborative on Aging Research and Multicultural Assessment (CARMA) lab in November 2023. His research interests include investigating protective factors and prevention for anxiety, depression, and stress-related disorders in Black and military populations. He is broadly interested in neuropsychological constructs that outline the basis for said protective factors.
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Alexa S. Gonzalez is a second-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program at UH and belongs to the Neuropsychology concentration. She graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience and Behavior. Before coming to UH, she worked as a research assistant at the University of Miami’s ALS Center and then completed a Master of Science in Psychology at Villanova University. Currently, her research interests include cultural neuropsychology, early detection of memory decline in Hispanic/Latin American individuals, and neuroimaging. She has the goal of advocating for racially/ethnic diverse populations through assisting in the formulation and validation of culturally-sensitive neuropsychological assessments and aims to integrate factors of diversity and social justice into the field of clinical psychology.

In her free time, she enjoys learning about the food scene in Houston and taking walks around Hermann Park with her partner and her dog, Chewy. She also enjoys dancing, cooking, and adding her own twist to new cookie recipes.

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Christopher A. Krause is a first-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program at UH and belongs to the Neuropsychology concentration. He graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a concentration in Behavioral Neuroscience. Before coming to UH, he worked concurrently as a psychometrist in the University of Chicago Medical Center’s Neuropsychology clinic, and as a research assistant at Rosalind Franklin University. During his undergraduate studies, Chris participated in the SROP at Northwestern University, which deeply contributed to his passion for work in service to ethnoracially diverse populations. His current research interests include cultural neuropsychology, the cognitive effects of aging, acquired brain injury (e.g., traumatic brain injury), and culturally sensitive neuropsychological assessment tools and normative data.

In his free time, Chris enjoys exploring new breweries and coffee shops, tending to his plants, hiking or running, and appreciating art in its many forms (e.g., museums, live music, theatre, etc.).

 

 

Research Assistants

 

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Lauryn Dulany is a senior majoring in Psychology with a double minor in Biology and Spanish. Outside of her time as an undergraduate research assistant, she serves as Historian for University of Houston’s chapter of the Psi Chi Honor Society. After graduating, she plans to pursue a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology. Her research interests include cultural neuropsychology, cognitive development, and social influences on health and resilience. In her free time, Lauryn enjoys dancing, tending to houseplants, playing with her cat Margo, and reading the latest fantasy novels.

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Alison Peters has earned her bachelor's in psychology from the University of Houston and is hoping to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology. Alison has lived in a couple of cities in Texas, but Houston is by far her favorite. Outside of academics, she enjoys live music, trying new food, spending time in nature, and petting her cats.

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Sarah Rizvi is a senior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Health. After graduating, she aims to pursue a PhD in Clinical Neuropsychology. She was born and raised in Texas and is of Pakistani origin. Sarah is also a part of different organizations within UH. Her interests include various research subjects including sleep, anxiety, personality, and cognition. She has also completed research in PURS, SURF, and currently a Senior Thesis under the guidance of Dr. Medina. In her free time, she loves to read novels, sing, and learn new instruments, watches numerous shows, and socializes. However, most of the time you will find her nose stuck in a book.

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Jordan Russell is a junior majoring in Psychology and minoring in Honors Medicine and Society. Jordan is also a research assistant for the RESTORE Laboratory at the University of Houston. After graduating, she aims to pursue a PhD in Clinical Neuropsychology. Her research interests include Alzheimer’s and related dementias, cognition, memory, and early detection in Alzheimer’s and related dementias diagnoses. Jordan grew up in Butte, Montana, and has lived in Texas for 5 years now. In her free time, she loves to read, walk her dogs, and spend time with her many cats.

 

   

Previous Team Members

 

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Mirna Luz Arroyo Miranda, JD, DrPH
Postdoctoral Scholar

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Stephanie Torres, PhD
Doctoral Student

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Carlos Fuentes
Undergraduate RA

 

Anoushka Gokhale Undergraduate RA
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Sharon John
Undergraduate RA

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Ayesha Khan
Undergraduate RA

mayes_headshot_2022.jpg Janay Mayes
Post-Baccalaureate RA
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 Yenifer L. Morales Undergraduate RA

mosby,-keisjon_headshot.jpg Keisjon Mosby Undergraduate RA jai-sehgal---resized-headshot.png Jai Sehgal
Undergraduate RA
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Karla Silos
Undergraduate RA

hannah-stamps-headshot-032019.jpg Hannah Stamps Undergraduate RA tesfamariam,-orit_headshot.jpg Orit Tesfamariam Undergraduate RA
james-wang3.jpg James Wang
Post-Baccalaureate RA