CEBBH - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Administrative Staff Member
• Graduate Research Assistant

Job Titles:

• FISP Trainer
• Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Medical Instructor

Dr. Banny is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Medical Instructor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University School of Medicine. She received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology and Child Development at the University of Minnesota and completed her clinical internship at Columbia University Medical Center. Dr. Banny specializes in evidence-based assessment and treatment approaches for adolescent depression, suicide, and self-harm, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Adolescents. She is involved in coordinating ASAP Center activities, including adaptation of service delivery strategies, training, and quality assurance activities.

Job Titles:

• Certified TF - CBT Trainer

Dr. Meyer is a nationally certified TF-CBT trainer and a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. She is the Executive Director of a non-profit agency devoted to the assessment and treatment of traumatized children. She is also the former Director of Mental Health at multiple Child Advocacy Centers (CAC) and an expert in trauma informed care for children. She often teaches these principles to community providers, the courts, child protection agencies, and States Attorneys. Her particular areas of expertise include child maltreatment and healthy parenting practices, and she conducts forensic assessments related to these issues. She is also often called upon to provide expert witness testimony to the courts.

Job Titles:

• FISP Trainer
• Medical Instructor

Dr. Tunno is a Medical Instructor and a Licensed Clinical Psychologist at Duke University Medical Center, the National Center for Child Traumatic Stress, and the Center for Child and Family Health. She received her doctorate in Clinical Child Psychology at the University of Kansas (KU) and completed her clinical internship at Duke University Medical Center. She received her M.S. in Applied Clinical Psychology at the University of South Carolina-Aiken. Prior to attending KU, she completed a one-year fellowship at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Violence Prevention (DVP), Prevention Development and Evaluation Branch (PDEB) where she helped develop and disseminate prevention efforts for child maltreatment and community violence. She specializes in clinical interventions for adolescents, children and families presenting with an array of behavioral and emotional difficulties, including traumatic exposure and chronic emotion dysregulation. Her research interests include public policy and advocacy for children, youth, and families, prevention of child maltreatment, resiliency factors post-traumatic experiences, the intersection between trauma exposure and high-risk behavior (e.g., suicidality), and dissemination/ implementation of evidence-based therapeutic interventions.

Dr. Byrne is an Adjunct Faculty member in the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program at George Mason University and a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Dr. Byrne earned her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from George Mason University. She completed her clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship in the Child and Family Therapy track at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, MD. She is currently an assistant professor at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, IL. Dr. Byrne specializes in evidence-based interventions for child and adolescent eating disorders, mood disorders, and anxiety disorders, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Family-Based Treatment for eating disorders.

Job Titles:

• Associate Professor
• FISP Trainer

Dr. Goldston is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, and a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Dr. Goldston has conducted longitudinal research regarding risk and developmental trajectories of suicidal behaviors among youths through young adulthood, developed interventions for substance using and suicidal teens, participated in the cross-site evaluation of the nationally implemented Garrett Lee Smith Suicide Prevention program, and written a book, published by the American Psychological Association Press, on the assessment of suicidal behaviors and risk among children and adolescents. He currently is collaborating in the evaluation of a cognitive-behavioral intervention to reduce suicidal behavior among military personnel, and is conducting research funded by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and NIMH regarding mechanisms of risk associated with suicidal behaviors. Dr. Goldston was a Co-Principal Investigator (with Dr. Joan Asarnow at UCLA) of a National Child Traumatic Stress Network Center grant to provide trainings in brief interventions for youth with suicidality and substance abuse who have been exposed to trauma, and are being seen in emergency and urgent care settings. He also participants in many other clinical research grants in the areas of youth and adult suicide.

Job Titles:

• Assistant Professor
• Assistant Professor in the Psychology at Department
• MATCH ADTC and CRA Trainer

Dr. Sanchez is an Assistant Professor in the Psychology at Department at George Mason University and a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Dr. Sanchez received a Ph.D. in Child-Clinical psychology in 2020 from Florida International University, a clinical internship with a focus on multicultural trauma services at University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, and post-doctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania focused on implementation science and community engaged practices. Dr. Sanchez has particular expertise in culturally responsive care for youth with anxiety, trauma, and OCD. She serves as a clinical supervisor for GMU doctoral students' work with children, adolescents, and families at Center for Psychological Services. Dr. Amanda Sanchez is an Assistant Professor in the Psychology Department (Clinical Psychology Program) at George Mason University. She earned her PhD in Clinical Science at Florida International University in 2020. Dr. Sanchez's research utilizes implementation science methods and frameworks to reduce inequities in engagement in and access to quality mental healthcare for minoritized youth and families. More specifically, her work focuses on 1) examining and addressing structural and systemic barriers to engagement and care delivery, 2) testing the implementation of innovative mental health supports in children's natural environments, and 3) increasing the cultural responsiveness of mental health services and systems. In this vein, her work has focused on using cultural assessment to inform case conceptualization and treatment planning and identifying effective culturally responsive strategies that address specific cultural and contextual challenges (e.g., racism/discrimination, acculturation, housing/food insecurity) and strengths (e.g., racial/ethnic identity, community support, spirituality). She has received NIH funding to test the effectiveness of a cultural assessment tool in the context of low-resourced community mental health centers. She has also been funded by the International OCD Foundation to co-develop a toolkit to support culturally responsive practice (Revamping Evidence-based Strategies to Promote Effective Culturally responsive Treatment: RESPECT Toolkit) for community clinicians who provide mental health services to culturally diverse youth and families. She is currently a Mentor in the George Mason Mentoring for Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence (MARIE) Program. She has over 20 peer reviewed publications, multiple book chapters, 27 scientific conference presentations as well as numerous invited talks. She has received awards from NIH, APA, and the International OCD Foundation.

Job Titles:

• Center Director
• Director of the Center for Evidence - Based Behavioral Health
• Professor of Psychology

Christianne Esposito-Smythers, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology and Director of the Center for Evidence-Based Behavioral Health at George Mason University. She is also a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Dr. Esposito-Smythers completed her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Virginia Tech, a clinical internship at the West Virginia University School of Medicine, and two Post-Doctoral Fellowships at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, one in child/adolescent mental health and one in Alcohol and Addiction Studies. Dr. Esposito-Smythers has particular expertise in the treatment of adolescent suicidality, depression, and substance abuse. She is a clinical supervisor for GMU clinical psychology doctoral students' work with children, adolescents, and families at the GMU Center for Psychological Services. She supervises graduate students in the provision of cognitive behavioral therapy for youth experiencing suicidality, non-suicidal self-injury, depression, anxiety, behavioral difficulties, and substance abuse. Dr. Christianne Esposito-Smythers is a Professor of Psychology (Clinical Psychology Program) and Director of the Center for Evidence-Based Behavioral Health (CEBBH) at George Mason University. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology (Child Track) from Virginia Tech in 2000. Dr. Esposito-Smythers' research interests include the dissemination and implementation of culturally responsive evidence-based behavioral health interventions in community-based settings. She is also interested in the development and testing of cognitive-behavioral, family-focused, interventions for adolescent suicidal behavior, substance abuse, and other co-occurring conditions. Additionally, she studies mechanisms that underlie improvement in the context of these interventions. Her research has been funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIMH, NIAAA, NICHD/Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDs), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of Women's Health, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. She is an author on well over 100 publications and 130 national/international presentations. She has also served as a member of the Scientific Advisory Council for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, an expert panelist for meetings sponsored by federal agencies focused on reducing youth suicide and alcohol abuse in our nation, and a member of multiple scientific review groups for NIMH. Dr. Esposito-Smythers uses her clinical research expertise to improve the lives of youth and families in her local community. She leads the CEBBH training consortia which offer training in culturally responsive evidence-based assessment and intervention to clinicians and clinical supervisors in community settings. She is also a member of the Faculty HUB for Project ECHO, an arm of the Virginia Mental Health Access Program (VMAP), whose mission is to increase access to mental health services for youth in Virginia through primary care/pediatric practices. Additionally, she chaired her local Fairfax County Youth Suicide Review Team and participates in Fairfax County workgroups dedicated toward improving access to evidence-based practices for youth and families. Her community-based work has been recognized via the "2019 George Mason University Earl C. Williams Presidential Medal for Social Impact" and a "County of Fairfax Team Excellence Award." Center for Evidence-Based Behavioral Health 4400 University Drive Fairfax, VA 22030

Job Titles:

• Associate Professor

Dr. Debora Goldberg is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Administration and Policy at George Mason University. She received a Ph.D. in Health Related Sciences/Health Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2008, a M.H.A. from Xavier University in 1993, and a M.B.A. from Xavier University in 1992. She is a mixed methods researcher with an emphasis on use of survey and qualitative research methodologies in context of implementation science work. Her research focuses on organizational development and transformation in primary care and community settings, and supporting the health and well-being of the health workforce. Dr. Goldberg has received millions in funding from multiple organizations to support her work such as the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Dr. Goldberg has more than 40 publications in peer reviewed journals and books. She regularly speaks at public health and health services research conferences. Before entering academia, she worked in healthcare management consulting serving commercial and government clients. She is also proud to be a returned Peace Corps volunteer ('95-'97) who worked with the Ministry of Health in Guyana as a National Health Planner.

Job Titles:

• Research Fellow

Dr. Jessica Huntt is a postdoctoral research fellow at George Mason University in the Center for Evidence-Based Behavioral Health. She received her B.S. from Old Dominion University in 2015, her M.A. from St. John's University in 2019, and her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from St. John's University in 2023, with a specialty in Child Psychology. Her program of research focuses on delivery of and access to evidence-based treatments for trauma survivors. She is particularly interested in the use of technology to facilitate treatment-seeking. Dr. Huntt is currently the Principal Investigator on a longitudinal randomized controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of a technology-delivered intervention to target barriers to treatment-seeking among sexual assault survivors. Dr. Huntt's dissertation project was awarded a 2022 American Psychological Foundation (APF)/ COGDOP Graduate Research Scholarship. She received the Savin Scholar Award in 2022 from the Devereux Institute of Clinical & Professional Training & Research Professionals. Clinically, Dr. Huntt has significant experience conducting therapy and psychological testing with youth and adults across a variety of settings. These include private practice, outpatient clinics, hospitals, a residential treatment facility, and an executive functioning coaching program.

Job Titles:

• Assistant Professor of Childhood Studies

Dr. Julia Shadur is an Assistant Professor of Childhood Studies in the School of Integrative Studies and in Human Development and Family Science at George Mason University. She is also an Affiliate Faculty member in the Department of Psychology at George Mason. She earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2013. Dr. Shadur's program of research focuses on the intergenerational transmission of addiction and emotion dysregulation, and examines both basic and prevention research questions regarding the development of emotion regulation among young children with caregivers who have substance use disorders. Her research is grounded within the frameworks of developmental psychopathology and developmental science, and her work explores the multifaceted factors that impact emotion regulation and risk-taking behaviors across development. She focuses on the contextual, family, and parenting factors that impact young children with caregivers with substance use disorders. She has over 22 peer reviewed publications and book chapters, 37 scientific conference presentations as well as numerous invited talks. Her work has been funded by NIH and she received a Faculty Research Development Award at George Mason

Job Titles:

• Department Chair and Professor of Psychology

Dr. Keith Renshaw is Department Chair and Professor of Psychology (Clinical Psychology Program) at George Mason University. He received his Ph.D. from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 2003. Dr. Renshaw specializes in anxiety, stress/trauma, and interpersonal relationships, with a particular focus on the experiences of service members/veterans and their families. More recently, Dr. Renshaw has focused on the development, evaluation, and promotion of scalable mental health care. In particular he, is focusing on (a) culturally-responsive community-level mental health promotion (e.g., mental health literacy), (b) stepped care models of mental health care that include paraprofessionals delivering lower levels of care, and (c) dissemination and implementation of culturally-sensitive, evidence-based treatments within community agencies. He has received over $3 million in extramural funding, has over 90 peer-reviewed publications and given more than 150 conference presentations as well as numerous invited talks. Dr. Renshaw has also won multiple teaching awards, including the Distinguished Mentor Award from the American Psychological Association's Division of Military Psychology (2021) and the Teaching Excellence Award from George Mason University (2015). He has also held numerous leadership positions at Mason, including Chair of the Faculty Senate, Faculty Representative to the Board of Visitors, Chair of the Faculty Matters Committee, and a member of the Senate Executive Committee. In 2020, Dr. Renshaw led the formation and launch of the Military, Veterans, & Families Initiative at Mason, and operates as the Director of this initiative. This work seeks to leverage Mason's resources as the largest and most diverse public research university in the region to serve the military and veteran population at Mason, in the surrounding region, and beyond.

Job Titles:

• Associate Professor

Dr. Lauren Kuykendall is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology (Industrial Organizational Program). She received her Ph.D. in Industrial Organization Psychology from Purdue University in 2015. Dr. Kuykendall conducts research in the areas of employee well-being, burnout, and work-nonwork balance. Her line of research extends the reach of evidence-based practice for mental health to the workplace setting. Dr. Kuykendall is a Senior Scholar at Mason's Center for the Advancement of Well-Being and Chair of the Students and Academia subcommittee (Visibility committee) of the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP). She also serves on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Business and Psychology where she was named a Reviewer of the Year in 2019. Dr. Kuykendall received the 2021 University Teaching Excellence Award with special recognition for High Impact Teaching from George Mason University.

Job Titles:

• Assistant Professor

Dr. Leah Adams is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology (Clinical Psychology Program) and in the Women & Gender Studies program at George Mason University as well as the Associate Director of Clinical Training for the Clinical Psychology program. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from George Mason University in 2014. Dr. Adams' research and clinical interests focus on howpeople adapt to health adversity, especially chronic illness and/or acquired disability following injury. In this arena, her work covers a range of illnesses and injuries (e.g., chronic pain, HIV, brain injury, spinal cord injury) as well as a range of populations (e.g., older adults, racially and ethnically minoritized people, people involved in the criminal legal system). Dr. Adams' research also focuses on healthcare experiences and outcomes for members of minoritized and/or marginalized communities, with an emphasis on improving equitable care. Dr. Adams has 39 peer-reviewed publications, multiple book chapters, and has given 48 oral and poster presentations at conferences, as well as numerous invited talks in various settings (e.g., hospital, community agencies, advocacy organizations). Her work has appeared in the media via television, podcasts, and newspapers. Dr. Adams has received funding for her research from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institute on Aging, National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation, and the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation. She is an Editorial Fellow for the journal, Rehabilitation Psychology, serves on the editorial board of Behavioral Medicine, and is an invited member of the editor's advisory group on structural racism for the journal Psychiatric Services. Dr. Adams has held several appointed and elected leadership positions within Division 22 (Rehabilitation Psychology) of the American Psychological Association. She was awarded one of two Commonwealth of Virginia early career ("Rising Star") Outstanding Faculty Awards in 2022. This award is given by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), and awardees are drawn from faculty across all of Virginia's private and public colleges and universities, across all disciplines and areas.

Job Titles:

• Assistant Professor

Dr. Natasha Tonge is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology (Clinical Psychology Program). She received her Ph.D. from Washington University in St. Louis in 2020. Dr. Tonge's current research is focused on trust/mistrust in patient-provider relationships, specifically for mental health service delivery and in healthcare contexts. She is interested in studying how to best assess mistrust and fear of negative evaluation in patient-provider relationships when mental health is a potential treatment target as well as how trust in the patient-provider relationship is influenced by context. With regard to the latter, she studies whether the type of treatment delivery (e.g., mHealth, telehealth, face-to-face) or type of provider relationship (e.g., nursing, physician, social worker, psychologist) influence patient-provider trust. Understanding how those with minoritized and/or stigmatized identities (e.g., racial/ethnic minorities, sexual/gender minorities, serious mental illness) experience trust in the patient-provider relationship is also central to her research program.

Job Titles:

• Assistant Professor

Dr. Olga Kornienko is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology (Applied Developmental Program). She earned her Ph.D. in Family and Human Development from Arizona State University. Her research examines developmental, cultural, psychological, and biological antecedents and consequences of peer social networks. She is particularly interested in how social network structure and dynamics promote and constrain adolescent and young adult outcomes across multiple domains, including psychological adjustment, ethnic-racial identity development, intergroup peer relationships, and biological processes, which underpin stress, social status, and immunity. Dr. Kornienko's current research focuses on understanding the role of peer ethnic-racial socialization as well as the benefits and challenges of intergroup connections (i.e., across race and ethnicity) in the networks of diverse youth. She also investigates the role of cultural assets (e.g., ethnic-racial identity development) and social network resources for adolescent development and health as they transition into and navigate college. She has 35 peer reviewed publications, six book chapters, 69 scientific conference presentations as well as numerous invited talks. Her work has been funded by the Spencer Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. She serves on the editorial boards of Developmental Psychology and Journal of Youth and Adolescence.

Job Titles:

• Clinical Professor of Psychology

Dr. Mehlenbeck is a Clinical Professor in the Psychology Department at George Mason University, Director of the GMU Center for Psychological Services, and a Licensed Clinical Child and Adolescent Board Certified Psychologist. Dr. Mehlenbeck completed her doctoral training at the University of Memphis. She completed her internship at the University of California San Diego Consortium (child track) and her post-doctoral training at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Dr. Mehlenbeck specializes in working with youth with co-occurring medical conditions and mental health conditions, and their families, using family systems and cognitive-behavioral approaches to treatment. She is a clinical supervisor at the GMU Center for Psychological Services. Committed to the Scientist-Practitioner Model, Mehlenbeck engages in clinical work, teaching and research, with a multidisciplinary focus. She has trained medical students, psychology interns and fellows, pediatrics and psychiatry residents and fellows, and developmental behavioral pediatricians. Dr. Robyn Mehlenbeck is a Clinical Professor of Psychology (Clinical Psychology Program) and the Director of the Center for Community Mental Health at George Mason University. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from The University of Memphis in 1998, and completed her post-doctoral fellowship at the Medical School of Brown University. Her research has focused on weight management for Latino youth and families, and working with children with Type I Diabetes. She works on interdisciplinary teams, including with faculty from CPH and CEHD. She is also working to develop and implement a Stepped Care Model for Behavioral Health to help increase access to culturally responsive evidence-based care for the community, in both English and Spanish. Dr. Mehlenbeck has several publications and has presented nationally and internationally in the areas of pediatric obesity, eating disorders, Type I Diabetes and also on interdisciplinary training. She served as President for the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (SDBP). She is a reviewer panel member and mentor reviewer for the Journal of Pediatric Psychology, and the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Dr. Mehlenbeck has a strong commitment to the community, serving on committees across Fairfax County and Northern Virginia. She is currently participating on a state wide committee (VMAP) to increase access to mental health services for children throughout the state through pediatric practices. Dr. Mehlenbeck is Board Certified in Child and Adolescent Psychology (ABPP), a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (Division 54, Society of Pediatric Psychology) and a recipient of a 2021 Jack Wood Award for Town-Gown Relations, George Mason University.

Job Titles:

• Associate Professor in the Psychology at Department
• Associate Professor of Psychology

Dr. Fischer is an Associate Professor in the Psychology at Department at George Mason University and a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Dr. Fischer completed her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Kentucky, and her internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Following her postdoctoral fellowship, Dr. Fischer was a faculty member at the University of Georgia, where she directed a Dialectical Behavior Therapy program for adults and adolescents. Dr. Fischer's areas of clinical expertise are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for adults with Borderline Personality Disorder, DBT for adolescents with suicidal behavior, and the treatment of eating disorders. She supervises clinical psychology doctoral students in the application of cognitive behavioral and dialectical behavior therapy at the George Mason University Center for Psychological Services. She also work ed in private practice for 6 years. Dr. Sarah Fischer is an Associate Professor of Psychology (Clinical Psychology Program) at George Mason University. She received her Ph. D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Kentucky in 2006. Her program of research focuses on how trait impulsivity influences pathology such as binge eating, bulimia nervosa, and substance abuse, as well as on how this trait influences loss of control over behavior in specific environmental contexts. She is also interested in eating disorder treatment research. She was recently awarded $1.4 million from the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Women's Health, to adapt and disseminate a transdiagnostic cognitive behavior treatment for adolescents with Bulimia Nervosa in community settings. Her work has also been funded by National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Drug Abuse, and the National Eating Disorder Association. Dr. Fischer has over 80 peer reviewed publications, authored multiple book chapters, and has given more than 100 conference presentations as well as multiple invited talks. She has also served on the Editorial Board for multiple journals, including Behavior Therapy, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Eating Behaviors.

Job Titles:

• Professor

Dr. Seth Kaplan is a Professor in the Department of Psychology (Industrial Organizational Program). He received his Ph.D. in Industrial Organization Psychology from Tulane University in 2006. Dr. Kaplan conducts research in the areas of employee well-being, positive psychology interventions, organizational change and development, virtual work, and team effectiveness. His line of research extends the reach of evidence-based practice for mental health beyond a psychotherapy context to workplace settings. Dr. Kaplan also holds particular expertise in measurement, program evaluation, and statistics. His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the Army Research Institute, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and National Association of City and County Health Officials. Dr. Kaplan has over 60 peer reviewed publications, multiple book chapters and technical reports/white papers, over 125 conference presentations, and multiple invited talks and media appearances. He is currently finishing a book for the Stanford University Press on how effective teams handle crises. Dr. Kaplan is a Fellow in the American Psychological Association (APA)and the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP). He is also the Associate Editor for Journal of Business and Psychology.

Job Titles:

• Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Training in the Clinical Psychology Program
• Director of Clinical Training for the Clinical Psychology Program
• MATCH ADTC Trainer

Dr. Chaplin is an Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Training in the Clinical Psychology Program at George Mason University. She is also a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. She received her Ph.D. in Child-Clinical psychology in 2003 from Penn State University. She completed post-doctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania from 2003-2006. She then joined Yale University, where she completed one year as a post-doctoral associate. Dr. Chaplin has particular expertise in the treatment of youth emotion dysregulation and behavioral difficulties. She is a clinical supervisor for GMU doctoral students' work with children, adolescents, and families at the GMU Center for Psychological Services. Dr. Tara Chaplin is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of Clinical Training for the Clinical Psychology Program at George Mason University. She received her Ph.D. in Child-Clinical psychology Penn State University in 2003. Dr. Chaplin's research interests focus on developing family-focused interventions to improve emotional functioning and prevent risk behaviors and psychopathology in adolescents. She also studies the role of emotional arousal, emotion regulation, and sex differences in the development of risk behaviors (such as substance use) and of psychopathology (such as depression, anxiety, and conduct problems) during adolescence. She is interested in the role of the family context and parenting in shaping adolescents' emotional development and their development of psychopathology. Dr. Chaplin's research incorporates multiple bio-behavioral methods, including self-reports of emotional experience, observational measures, cardiovascular measures such as heart rate variability, neuroendocrine measures such as HPA Axis, and fMRI. Dr. Chaplin has been awarded millions in federal funding from the National Institutes of Health and other organizations. She is currently conducting an NIH funded randomized controlled trial to test the effects of a mindfulness intervention for highly stressed parents to reduce stress, improve parenting, and prevent adolescent risk behaviors and psychopathology symptoms. A second NIH study is also underway that examines parent-adolescent interactions, adolescent emotion-related physiology and brain function, and the development of substance use and psychopathology symptoms from early to middle adolescence. Dr. Chaplin has over 60 peer reviewed publications as well as multiple book chapters, and has given more than 90 conference presentations and multiple invited talks. She is on the editorial board for Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology and is a consulting editor to Emotion.

Job Titles:

• Program Coordinator
• Program Coordinator for the Center for Evidence

Emma Palmer is a Program Coordinator for the Center for Evidence-Based Behavioral Health. She handles Center administrative functions, with focus points on The Northern Virginia Regional and Fairfax Consortia for Evidence-Based Practice (NVRC-EBP & FC-EBP). Her interest in psychology began when she was an undergraduate studying criminal justice.

Dr. Calton is an Adjunct Faculty in the Clinical Psychology Doctoral program at George Mason University and a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Dr. Calton earned her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from George Mason University. She completed her clinical internship at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and then finished a post-doctoral fellowship in child trauma at The Tree House Child Advocacy Center of Montgomery County, MD (The Tree House). After fellowship, Dr. Calton worked as a staff psychologist, clinical supervisor, and Director of the Clinical Psychology Internship Program at The Tree House. She is currently in private practice. Dr. Calton specializes in delivering evidence-based trauma-focused assessments and treatments to children and families. Dr. Calton is certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), and has formal training in Alternatives for Families: A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (AF-CBT).

Job Titles:

• Administrative Staff Member
• Graduate Research Assistant

Job Titles:

• CPT Trainer

Job Titles:

• Administrative Staff Member
• Graduate Research Assistant

Dr. Leibowitz (she/her) is an Adjunct Faculty member in the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program at George Mason University (GMU) and a Licensed Clinical Psychologist based in Maryland. Dr. Leibowitz received her BA in psychology from Tufts University and her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from George Mason University. She completed an American Psychological Association accredited internship and two years of fellowship at the Kennedy Krieger Institute at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Leibowitz is currently in private practice in Baltimore, MD and also remotely supervises GMU doctoral graduate students. Dr. Leibowitz has worked in a variety of medical and mental health settings providing interventions, consultation, and assessment with children, adolescents, and young adults. She specializes in assessing and delivering evidence-based interventions to children and adolescents with anxiety, mood, behavioral, attentional and sleep concerns across ages.

Job Titles:

• Administrative Staff Member