Julia Felton, PhD -
Lab Director
Dr. Felton is a licensed clinical psychologist and researcher focused on characterizing the role of environment on the development of addiction and related mental health problems across adolescence as well as developing treatments to reduce and prevent substance use disorders in youth and adults. Dr. Felton is also interested in understanding early family/neighborhood environments and parenting practices that place youth at higher rate for engaging in risky behaviors. She has served as an investigator on a number of federally-funded trials aimed at improving access to evidence-based services among individuals from historically disadvantaged communities that often face significant barriers to accessing care. As part of this work, Dr. Felton examines integrating mental and behavioral health care services into existing community and primary care settings. She collaborates with a number of community partners in Detroit and Flint, MI and across health care settings in these cities.
Jacki Johnson — Project Manager
Jacki is a Michigan State University alumna who holds a Master of Public Health and a Bachelor of Social Science. Her background includes work in domestic violence advocacy, youth enrichment programming in underserved communities, and initiatives focused on food and water security. These experiences shaped her interest in how environmental stressors and access to resources influence decision-making and behavior. Outside of the lab, Jacki coaches high school volleyball and enjoys playing pickup sports around Detroit in her free time.
Graduate Students
Wendy Wang — Graduate Student
Wendy is a Clinical Psychology graduate student at Wayne State University. Her research interests focus on understanding how substance use and misuse influence delay discounting and other cognitive functions in adolescents, specifically in underserved populations. Outside of her academic work, she enjoys baking, Pilates, photography, and arts and crafts.
Aanandita Bali — Graduate Student
Aanandita is a Clinical Psychology graduate student at Wayne State. Her research interests include understanding impulsivity and resilience factors in traumatized adolescents, as well as exploring adolescents’ social media use. She’s also an avid Survivor fan, enjoys weightlifting and has been knitting the same scarf over 2 years.
Zunaira Tirmizi — Graduate Student
Zunaira Tirmizi is an alumna of the University of Michigan, where she graduated with honors, earning a double major in Biology and Chemistry, along with a minor in Physics. She also holds a master’s degree in Addiction Counseling from the University of Detroit Mercy. Currently, Zunaira is pursuing a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Neuropsychology. Her clinical and research interests center on the intersection of substance use disorders and neuropsychological functioning, with a particular focus on understanding how cognitive and emotional processes impact recovery. Zunaira is passionately committed to supporting individuals struggling with addiction, especially those with co-occurring neuropsychological challenges.
Hannah Shiller — Graduate Student
Hannah is a Clinical Psychology PhD student in the lab. Her research focuses on improving access to evidence-based behavioral health care for youth, adults, and families from underserved communities. She is interested in developing, adapting, and implementing interventions that harness principles from implementation science and community-engaged research to ensure that interventions are effective, accessible, scalable, and responsive to community needs. Hannah is particularly interested in employing nontraditional models of intervention delivery, such as peer-delivered interventions, to address barriers to care and expand access to evidence-based services. She also has a strong interest in working with youth and their parents to promote positive parenting practices.
Project Coordinators
Sara Hom — Project Coordinator for Train Your Brain & AI-EFT Study
Sara is a Wayne State University alum who graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology and a minor in Asian Studies in 2025. She is on the Pre-Physician’s Assistant track and is interested in pursuing a career as a pediatric Physician’s Assistant. Some of her interests include pediatric mental and physical health, parenting styles, and substance misuse.
Quentin Todd — Project Coordinator for Train your Brain & Peer Activate
Quentin is a fourth-year neuroscience major, minoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders following the pre-medical track at Wayne State University. He has been fascinated with the brain for several years, and appreciates the psychology aspect of studying human behavior, often as it pertains to decision-making and memory, both of which involve understanding the brain in some way. He is most active in two main projects: Train Your Brain, involving youth in Highland Park, and Peer Activate, which uses a behavioral intervention for those who battle substance misuse.
Bennett Gleneski — Project Coordinator for Peer Activate
Bennett is a junior at Wayne State University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences with minors in Health Psychology and Medical Humanities. He plans to attend medical school and is interested in cardiology, with a possible focus in Med-Peds. His interests include the connection between mental health, substance use, and physical health, particularly in youth and underserved communities, and how community-based research can inform better patient care.
Salam Sulaiman — Project Coordinator for Peer Activate & Parenting Program
Salam is a Wayne State University alum who graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in Neuroscience and a minor in Health Care Ethics. She is also a pre-med student and is interested in pursuing a career as a physician-scientist. She is interested in community-based research that aims to enhance the delivery of health services to traditionally underserved communities.
Student Assistants
Christina George — Student Research Assistant
Christina is a junior at Wayne State University, majoring in neuroscience with a minor in psychology. She plans to attend medical school and is interested in pursuing a career in either women's health or neurology. Some of her interests include neurology, substance abuse, and how social and environmental factors influence health care.
Sidra Tamim — Student Research Assistant
Sidra is a senior at Wayne State University, majoring in neuroscience with a minor in chemistry. She plans to attend medical school and hopes to pursue a career in either anesthesiology or pediatrics. Some of her interests include memory, brain development, and learning more about how the brain affects behavior and overall health. She enjoys studying neuroscience and hopes to use both research and patient care to make a positive impact on others.
Paris Rankin-Greene — Student Research Assistant
Paris is a senior at Wayne State University majoring in Public Health with a minor in Health Psychology. Her interests include infectious diseases, addictive behaviors, and community health. She hopes to pursue a career in research, particularly in a laboratory or center focused on infectious diseases and health behaviors. Outside of academics, Paris enjoys baking sourdough bread, listening to music, and trying new restaurants.
Rhutvi Patel — Student Research Assistant
Rhutvi is an undergraduate student at Wayne State University majoring in Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience. She is interested in pursuing a career in medicine. Her experiences have helped her appreciate the connection between research, patient care, and the community, and she hopes to use these perspectives to help improve health outcomes. Her research interests include substance use, seizures, and neurological outcomes. Outside of work and school, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, and making coffee and matcha.
Eshal Usman — Student Research Assistant
Eshal is an undergraduate student at Wayne State University majoring in Public Health and on the Pre-PA track. She is interested in pursuing a career in Women's Health or Cardiology. Some of her interests include Social Work and Adolescent Mental Health.
Volunteers
Julia Yakibchuk — Volunteer
Julia is currently a second year at Wayne State University Majoring in Psychology and Minoring is Forensic Investigation. She is currently working as a BCBA for kids with autism and striving to one day become a Forenisc Psychologist. Some of her interest include detective work, mental health, and substance abuse.
Sira Sowe — Volunteer
Sira is an undergraduate student at Wayne State University majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Psychology on the pre-medical track. She is interested in pursuing a career in neurology. Her interests include adult mental health and neurological conditions that influence behaviors.
Rachel Hakim — Volunteer
Rachel is an alumna of Wayne State University (WSU). She has worked in the environmental science industry for over 10 years and is returning to WSU to pursue a degree in social work. When she is not volunteering, she enjoys outdoor activities and spending time with family and friends.
Anastasia Lichmanova — Volunteer
Anastasia is a second-year medical student at Michigan State University with an interest in neuropsychology. Before medical school, her work as a nurse shaped her passion for medicine and patient care. She is interested in research that connects discovery with advocacy and meeting daily needs of communities. Outside of school and work, Anastasia enjoys painting, hiking, and reading.
Rayan Akhdar — Volunteer
Rayan is a University of Detroit Mercy alumna, earning a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Psychology and Leadership in 2025. Rayan has graduated from the master's program at the University of Michigan-Dearborn in May 2026. Rayan has a love for biking, hiking, hanging out with her friends, listening to music, and exploring nature. Rayan has a passion for understanding how scarcity shapes the way individuals think about their future and how these cognitive processes relate to risky behaviors and health disparities.
Titus Elchelberger — Volunteer
Titus is a transfer undergraduate student in his junior year at Wayne State University majoring in Psychology with a minor in Communications. He is interested in pursuing a career in lab work while specializing in OCD and depression. He spends his free time running a club focused on introspection through creative writing, and composing music.
Olivia Sitto — Volunteer
Olivia is an undergraduate student at Wayne State University majoring in Psychology with a minor in Biology. She is interested in pursuing a career in medicine and hopes to become a physician. Her experiences working in healthcare and serving her community have shaped her interest in the connection between psychology, medicine, and patient care. Her research interests include child and adolescent mental health, health disparities, and the ways social and psychological factors can influence health outcomes.
Sharon Punnoose — Volunteer
Sharon is a fourth-year undergraduate student at Wayne State University double majoring in Biological Sciences and Neuroscience. She is on the pre-medical track and is interested in oncology and neurology. Some of her interests include child and adolescent development and understanding how social environments and stressors shape health and behavior.
Ernest T. Ford Recreation Center — Train Your Brain
https://www.highlandparkmi.gov/community/ernest-t-ford-recreation-center/
Community Director: Sue Norander
Hazel Park Recreation Center — Train your Brain
https://www.hazelpark.org/i_want_to/facility_rentals.php
Community Director: Amanda Taylor & Jodie Crosthwaite
Salvation Army Conner Creek — Train Your Brain
https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/mi/detroit/conner-st-corps/
Community Director: Mrs. Nash & Captain King
Detroit Recovery Project — Behavioral Activate
https://www.recovery4detroit.com/
Community Director: Dr Andre Johnson Dwayne Dean & Andria Walker
Peer Coach: Daniel Macdonald
New Light Recovery Center — AI Episodic Future Thinking Pilot Study
Community Director: Zunaira Tirmizi & Jena David