Virginia Gil-Rivas, PhD, is a Professor of Psychology and Director of the Health Psychology Ph.D. Program at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Her work has aimed to address the needs of marginalized and underserved populations. In particular, guided by the socioecological framework her research has centered on: 1) the development, implementation, and evaluation of brief lifestyle interventions that are culturally and contextually appropriate and 2) factors that contribute to health and wellbeing among individuals exposed to major negative life events. She has published her work in high impact peer-review journals and has served as a member of two editorial boards. 

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Lab Director

Rachel Uri is a fifth-year graduate student in the Health Psychology Ph.D. program (clinical track) and a practicum student at Myers Park Internal Medicine. She is primarily interested in how conditions of poverty and deprivation influence mental health, health behaviors, and chronic disease (particularly type II diabetes). Rachel's dissertation will emphasize primary care providers' perspectives on stigma related to type 2 diabetes, focusing on a qualitative examination and initial scale development to capture and assess stigma in healthcare environments. Her thesis research focused on the health impact of stigma relating to food insecurity and economic status, and how this stigma may act as a barrier to food bank/food pantry use among individuals living with food insecurity. Rachel hopes to eventually work as a psychologist in an integrated primary care setting, while also engaging in participatory and applied research aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of the communities with which she works.

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Graduate Research Assistant 

Tran Tran (she/her/hers) is a fourth-year graduate student in the Health Psychology Ph.D. program (clinical track). Her research interest broadly is eating disorders among ethnic minorities and weight discrimination. Currently, her research focuses on exploring how body weight and health concerns are expressed in Vietnamese households, and how weight-talk can affect young Vietnamese women’s health. She is also interested in how to improve multicultural and social justice counseling competencies within clinical practice. In her free time, Tran loves dancing and cooking new recipes.

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Graduate Research Assistant

Lia Bauert is a third-year graduate student in the Health Psychology Ph.D. program (clinical track). Her research interests generally focus on the efficacy and accessibility of technology-based eating behavior interventions evaluated with a biopsychosocial lens and the communication of health information. She is currently interested in how intuitive eating is communicated on TikTok and investigating content creator characteristics that impact the messages shared on the platform. She is also interested in implementing technology-based interventions in conjunction with traditional therapy practices. When she is not studying, Lia enjoys walking her dog and eating at trendy food spots.

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Graduate Research Assistant

Kayla Taft is a second-year graduate student in the Psychology Masters program, and plans to apply for the Health Psychology Ph.D. program (clinical track) in the Fall. Her research interests include disordered eating as well as mood disorders, namely Bipolar Disorder, and hopes to explore these topics through the lens of ethnic minorities and working class folks living in urban settings. She plans to explore how various life settings contribute to symptom progression of these disorders in order to expand on existing research for intervention. In her free time, Kayla enjoys cooking, making ceramics, and tending to her house plants.

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Graduate Research Assistant

Mackenzie is a first year graduate student in the Health Psychology Ph.D. program (clinical track). Her research interest broadly includes chronic illness and gastrointestinal diseases, namely Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), among adolescents and young adults. She plans to explore the transition of medical care from pediatric to adulthood among chronic illness patients and how self-advocacy can contribute to improved patient-provider relationships and health outcomes. In her free time, Mackenzie likes to exercise, read, and explore the city of Charlotte.

 

Graduate Research Assistant