About
I am a behavioral neuroscientist with over 20 years of experience at the intersection of behavioral science, public health, and federal policy. I earned my Ph.D. in Psychology with a focus on Neuroscience and Behavior from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and my B.A. in Psychology from Emory University. My career has taken me from the bench to high levels of federal public health, where I served as a Program Officer at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIH), held several leadership roles at the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, and most recently served as Deputy Director for Research Translation at the CDC’s Office of Smoking and Health. In these roles, I led multidisciplinary teams, shaped science policy, oversaw regulatory research, and translated complex health science into accessible programs for the public. I pivoted to academia, returning to my behavioral neuroscience roots.
Research interests
N/A
Teaching interests
I am currently focusing on the behavioral bases of behavior (including neuropsychopharmacology, neuroanatomy, and physiological psychology) and have enjoyed teaching Introduction to Psychology.
Education
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Ph D, Psychology
— University of California, Santa Barbara (1998) The role of D1 and D2 dopamine receptors in food reinforcement