Faculty Advisor
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Alexandria Bauer, PhD
Dr. Bauer is an Assistant Professor at Rutgers in the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP). She also serves as a faculty mentor for the Translational Research Training in Addictions for Racial/Ethnic Minorities (TRACC) program and is on the Executive Board of the Rutgers Addiction Research Center. She received her BA in Psychology from San Diego State University, after transferring from community college. She earned both her master’s degree and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, following her predoctoral clinical internship at the Charleston Consortium in Charleston, SC. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship in Traumatic Stress and Addictions at Rutgers University Center of Alcohol & Substance Use Studies.
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Lab Members
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Ayanna Gilmore
Ayanna Gilmore is a doctoral student in the Social and Behavioral Sciences concentration at the Rutgers School of Public Health. Ayanna’s research interest is in understanding the social determinants of substance use among African American populations. Ayanna hopes to disseminate science that examines substance use through the lens of social and structural determinants as an alternative to focusing solely on individual-level factors. Ayanna is committed to taking a humane approach to her science that values the experiences and needs of historically marginalized communities. In doing so, Ayanna hopes to confront structural inequities and promote health equity. |
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Amudha Balaraman
Amudha earned her Master's in Psychology at The New School, with a concentration in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Counseling. She is now working towards a PhD in Clinical Psychology at The New School. Her research interests include mental health and treatment disparities, help seeking and service utilization, and developing culturally-informed interventions. Additionally, she is interested in working alongside underrepresented populations through partnership and community-engaged research. Amudha is transitioning from a prior career in public education, where she has over 10 years of experience in data analysis, project management, and program evaluation. She has also served as a middle school teacher. Amudha remains committed to public service and equity, and she hopes a future career in clinical psychology will continue this commitment. |
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Vincent DiGioia-Laird
After starting his career in the restaurant industry, Vincent graduated from Rutgers Camden Business School with a BA in Finance and a Minor in Political Science. After working for about 6 years in the finance world, he decided to follow his passion by helping people who currently and formerly used drugs. Vincent received his master’s in social work from the School of Social Work at Rutgers University in New Brunswick with the hope of pursuing a PhD. He has also been a peer with the Rutgers IRTS (Intensive Recovery Treatment Services) program within the New Jersey prison system. Vincent is a person with lived experience who has been advocating and working with people who use drugs for the past 25 years sharing harm-reduction techniques to help people stay as safe as possible. Vincent’s research interests are transparency and accountability in grant funding across the substance abuse field, people’s experiences with FDA-approved addiction medication and non-medication alternatives, and whether alternative treatments are beneficial for long-term physical and mental health. |
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Omorinsola Ayo-Adebanjo
Omorinsola Ayo-Adebanjo is a Rutgers sophomore pursuing a degree in economics with a minor in African Languages. However, her ultimate career goal is to be an employment attorney who defends employees against discrimination, unpaid wages, and potentially sexual harassment. Omorinsola's desire to help people, is what led her to organize the food pantry and thrift store at the Urban Health Collaborative, research non-profit organizations and student resources at the Collaborative Center for Community Engagement, and now increase access to mental health resources for communities of color at the Racial Equity, Advocacy, and Community Health (REACH) Alliance. She is interested in learning about how mental illness and trauma manifest in low-income communities of color, as well as treatment access and utilization. Outside of academic and career settings, her many interests include working out at the gym, listening to music, reading books, and watching movies. |
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Deanna Branker
I am part of Rutgers University’s Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology 4+1 program. I am currently finishing my bachelor’s degree in psychology and criminal justice while working towards my Masters in applied general psychology. My current research interest focuses on understanding the impact that stigma, prejudice, and discrimination have on African Americans, specifically when it comes to examining the role it has in social institutions within the criminal justice system. Through my research, I hope to understand how stigma can influence the mental health and behaviors of people who have been exposed to the criminal justice system and apply my findings to help promote more just policies and fight against institutional inequality. |
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Farida Mansour
My name is Farida Mansour, and I am a freshman at Rutgers University, double majoring in Political Science and Psychology on the pre-law track. I am passionate about public policy and its impact on health disparities, especially how systemic structures shape healthcare access and outcomes. This passion led me to community health work in my home country, Egypt, where I worked with underprivileged women on feminine hygiene initiatives. The REACH mission aligns with my commitment to addressing disparities in marginalized communities. In addition to my work in Egypt, I have also contributed to research focused on supporting special needs adults at RCAAS, further developing my desire to serve vulnerable populations. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to initiatives supporting mental well-being while developing the skills and experience to hopefully incite legal change in the future. Outside of academics, I am passionate about playing the piano, tennis, and philosophy! |
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Yariana Bergier
Yariana Bergier is a junior at Rutgers University pursuing a major in Psychology with minors in Africana Studies and Cognitive Science. Their research interests include the intersection of trauma and complex psychopathology. Some specific topics of curiosity include how generational trauma influences epigenetics, and how environmental factors can induce epigenetic changes that affect an individual's response to addiction. The REACH lab's mission strongly aligns with Yariana's commitment to addressing health disparities among Black and Brown communities while emphasizing cultural competency within models of interventions for substance use treatment. |
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Lab Alumni
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Mengjia Ji
Carolyn Bazan, PhD
Allyson Cameron
Brandon Wildman, MAP
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Jahnayah Bellot, PsyM
Kaan Kideys, MAP
Gurleen Parmar
Ashton Conwell
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Collaborators
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In addition to the students and affiliates listed above, we work with with a dynamic and ever-growing group of researchers, community members, mental health service providers, and individuals with lived experiences related to trauma, substance use, and other areas of mental health. Many of our community partners are associated with the Community Advisory Board (CAB) at the Rutgers Center of Alcohol & Substance Use Studies, which gives us the opportunity to work with an engaged, incredible group across multiple research projects. We are always looking for new community connections and people who can give us nuanced insight into all aspects and stages of the research that we do. Please contact us if you're interested in learning more about the CAB or collaboration interests.