About Our Team.A group of established researchers working together to shape the field of comorbid PTSD/AOD treatments.
|
Over 20 years of work.This team of researchers have been working together for two decades, and are passionate about bringing this project to fruition. The team believes strongly in the possibility of this study to provide powerful answers for a variety of vulnerable populations
|
Our Institutions.Center of Alcohol Studies at Rutgers University
The City College of New York Medical University of South Carolina RTI International |
Investigative Team
Denise Hien, Ph.D., ABPP
|
Antonio Morgan-Lopez, Ph.D.
|
Sudie Back, Ph.D.
|
Therese Killeen, Ph.D., APRN-BC
|
Teresa López-Castro, Ph.D.
|
Sonya Norman, Ph.D.
|
Lesia Ruglass, Ph.D.
|
Lissette Saavedra, Ph.D.
|
Skye Fitzpatrick, Ph.D.
|
Chantel Ebrahimi
Research Coordinator
Chantel Ebrahimi completed her BS in Psychobiology at UCLA in 2015. After graduating from UCLA, she worked on the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study as the lead research assistant and recruitment coordinator. There, she developed an interest to study the impact of community trauma and substance use on urban youth and young adults. She is completing her MA in Psychology at The New School. Her research interests include: community mental health, addiction. historical trauma, and psychotherapy interventions. Her master’s thesis examines the impact of historical trauma on psychological well-being among young adults.
Scientific Advisory Board
Debra Kaysen, Ph.D.
|
Mark McGovern, Ph.D.
|
Katherine Mills, Ph.D.
|
Ismene Petrakis, Ph.D.
Scientific Advisory Board
Scholars
![]() Kaitlyn Panza, Ph.D.
Kaitlyn Panza, Ph.D. is a postdoctoral fellow on the Interprofessional Advanced Fellowship in Addiction Treatment at the VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS). Her primary mentor is Sonya Norman, Ph.D. Dr. Panza earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from Arizona State University and completed her predoctoral internship at the VASDHS/UCSD Psychology Internship Training Program. Broadly, her research interests focus on developing and evaluating concurrent treatments for PTSD and SUD. Additionally, her research involves studying developmental antecedents and course of PTSD and SUD and exploring how interpersonal relationships and exposure to trauma contribute to the development and maintenance of these disorders. Her dissertation research, funded by NIDA, examined trajectories of substance use (tobacco, marijuana, alcohol) and high-risk sexual behavior throughout young adulthood, and subsequently investigated the effects of early trauma, and peer and family factors, on the trajectories of these behaviors. |
![]() Sheila V. Patel, Ph.D.
Sheila V. Patel, PhD, is an Implementation Scientist in the Community Health and Implementation Research Program in the Behavioral Health Research Division at RTI International. She completed her doctoral training in health services research with a concentration in implementation science in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Gillings School of Global Public Health. Broadly, Dr. Patel’s research focuses on the evaluation and implementation of health interventions and policies in a variety of contexts. Through this work, Dr. Patel has gained expertise in psychometric assessment, systematic review methods, and mixed-methods data collection and analysis. Her topical expertise includes mental and behavioral health and vulnerable populations such as youth and young adults. |
![]() Tanya Saraiya, Ph.D.
Tanya Saraiya, Ph.D., is a NIDA T32 postdoctoral fellow in the Addiction Sciences Division in the Department of Psychiatry at the Medical University of South Carolina where she has the pleasure to work with Dr. Sudie Back. She graduated with her doctorate in clinical psychology from Adelphi University in 2020 under the incredible mentorship of Dr. Denise Hien. In graduate school, she also had the opportunity to be an R25 fellow in the TRACC program. Tanya is interested in refining and extending trauma and addiction treatments to meet the needs of diverse patients with complex presentations. When she's not working, you can find her outside, practicing yoga, or chilling with friends & family. |

Alina Shevorykin, Ph.D., LMHC
Alina Shevorykin, PhD, LMHC is a post-doctorate associate in the Research on Addictive Disorders (ROAD) lab at the City College of New York, as well as Senior Program Coordinator at the Translational Research Training in Addictions for Racial/Ethnic Minorities At The City College of New York, Columbia University Medical Center and Rutgers University (TRACC-RU) program, and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor specializing in trauma and couples counseling.
Her primary areas of research include the link between trauma exposure and substance use (especially cannabis use and tobacco dependence), cognitive impairments in cannabis users, and racial/gender health disparities, as well as the development of effective prevention strategies and mental health treatments.
Alina Shevorykin, PhD, LMHC is a post-doctorate associate in the Research on Addictive Disorders (ROAD) lab at the City College of New York, as well as Senior Program Coordinator at the Translational Research Training in Addictions for Racial/Ethnic Minorities At The City College of New York, Columbia University Medical Center and Rutgers University (TRACC-RU) program, and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor specializing in trauma and couples counseling.
Her primary areas of research include the link between trauma exposure and substance use (especially cannabis use and tobacco dependence), cognitive impairments in cannabis users, and racial/gender health disparities, as well as the development of effective prevention strategies and mental health treatments.