I am the co-director of the Targeting Health disparities through Research, InnoVation, and Equity (THRIVE) Lab, which focuses on (a) improving access to mental health services, (b) identifying youth at-risk for developing mental health problems following exposure to adversity, (c) understanding mechanism of resilience after trauma exposures, and (d) leveraging community strengths to promote the wellbeing of marginalized youths and families.

I use cutting-edge statistical methods to improve our understanding of factors contributing to inequitable access to youth mental health services (MHS) among marginalized communities. I am particularly interested in improving access to youth prevention programs and MHS among Latinx youths and families. My research program seeks to reduce health disparities by (a) leveraging advanced statistical approaches (e.g., machine learning, network models) to improve scientists’ ability to identify youths at-risk for developing emotional and/or behavioral problems (i.e., internalizing and/or externalizing problems, substance use), (b) understanding mechanisms underpinning caregiver help-seeking behaviors in response to youth mental health problems, (c) pinpointing opportunities to integrate evidence-based interventions into youth support service formats that caregivers may find less stigmatizing, and more accessible (e.g., telepsychology, primary care, schools), and (d) developing measures to support research and clinical practice with underserved populations.

I work with original and extant data collected at the local, national, and international levels. I have expertise in extracting insights from big data using machine learning techniques supported by high-performance computing. In addition to my ongoing work, I will be establishing a community-based participatory research program to form partnerships with local leaders/organizations to develop knowledge and interventions that address challenges experienced by marginalized communities within Knox County. I will also continue to engage with collaborators within the U.S. and abroad to pursue research seeking to end mental health disparities among Latinxs through improved access to prevention and intervention programs.