overview

• I am a clinical health psychologist with expertise in psycho-oncology and am particularly interested in adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivorship. As such, my program of research focuses on the development, evaluation, and implementation of interventions that improve psychosocial wellbeing and health outcomes among AYA cancer survivors. Much of my work uses interventions that can be delivered remotely to ensure their scalability and reach. Currently, I am the PI of an NCI-funded study in which my team has taken an iterative user-centered design approach to develop an engaging digital tool to help AYA cancer survivors cope with symptoms of depression. This tool draws from topline evidence-based interventions for treating depression (e.g. cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness) and is tailored to the needs and preferences of AYA cancer survivors. We will soon launch a full factorial trial to determine which intervention components (or combination of components) will yield the maximum improvement in depressive symptoms in this population. In addition to this ongoing work, my research interests include: (1) developing and testing interventions for AYA cancer patients and survivors that target additional outcomes such as clinical trial participation, social connection, and transitioning from treatment to survivorship; (2) devising equitable implementation and dissemination strategies to ensure that efficacious psychosocial interventions reach the AYA cancer patients and survivors who need them most; and (3) expanding access to psychosocial care for cancer patients and survivors in eastern North Carolina.