Lab Members

S‌teven Safren, Ph.D., ABPP

I joined the Department of Psychology at the University of Miami in the Fall of 2015 after 18 years working in the Harvard Medical School system at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), where I was the founding Director of the current Behavioral Medicine Service and track Director of the Behavioral Medicine Internship track. During this time I was also an Affiliated Investigator at Fenway Health where I led studies related to HIV prevention for men who have sex with men (MSM). I am a clinical health psychologist with expertise in health-related behavior change and a particular focus on psychosocial (mental health and substance use) comorbidities related to HIV prevention and treatment in both domestic and international settings. I have been PI or protocol chair of 12 federally funded studies (via NIMH, NIDA, and NIAID), and, in addition to studies where I am PI, I have regularly served as co-PI, co-investigator, or mentor on studies related to HIV prevention and treatment.

I work with other medical illnesses, and I work on cognitive behavioral approaches to managing adult and adolescent ADHD. My international studies have been via the NIAID-funded AIDS networks (i.e. HIV Prevention Trials Network - HPTN, and the AIDS Clinical Trials Network -ACTG), which span multiple countries, via my own NIH-funded studies, and via the work of my mentees K and R level funded studies in India and Africa. Much of my work on HIV focuses on prevention and treatment with men who have sex with men (MSM), though I have worked extensively with other populations including individuals with depression and those who have struggled with substance use disorders. Finally, during my time at MGH, I worked on studies of cognitive-behavioral therapy for ADHD in adulthood and adolescence.

Currently, my funded work includes a preliminary study involving treating syndemics (intertwined psychosocial problems such as depression, childhood sexual abuse, substance use, interpersonal violence) in HIV-infected individuals with uncontrolled virus, a study on HIV prevention in men who have sex with men in two sites in India, and an effectiveness study on treating depression and improving adherence in HIV-infected individuals in South Africa who have failed first line antiretroviral therapy. Anticipated future studies, based on prior collaborative pilot work, involve pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) adherence in high risk MSM, interventions to reduce crystal meth and increase safer sex (condoms or PrEP) in MSM who use crystal meth, and additional studies addressing syndemics in individuals with HIV and uncontrolled virus.

Pronouns: he/him/his

For my full CV (as of December 2024), please click: CV - Dr. Steven Safren

Marc Puccinelli, Ph.D.‌

Clinical Assistant Professor

Marc earned his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Miami in 2017, prior to joining the HPAC lab as a post-doctoral researcher. Marc also earned his M.Ed. from the University of Miami. His clinical and research interests include addressing mental and physical health disparities by improving the efficacy and effectiveness of manualized interventions. Marc is also interested in cultural factors and comorbidities that may impact treatment response among underserved and minority populations. Prior to and during his graduate training, Marc worked on a number of clinical trials investigating experimental family therapy models for adolescent drug abusers. His dissertation focused on one of these models, and explored the treatment and moderator effects of acculturation and acculturative stress among Hispanic participants in South Florida. His clinical experience includes counseling newly diagnosed cancer patients at the Cancer Support Community, and conducting child and adolescent assessments and intervention at the Mailman Center for Child Development. Marc also completed practica training and a subsequent doctoral internship at the Miami VA medical center in the clinical health psychology track.

Pronouns: he/him/his

Audrey Harkness, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

School of Nursing and Health Sciences (SONHS)

Audrey completed her postdoctoral fellowship in the HPAC lab at the University of Miami. Prior to this, she earned her Ph.D. in Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2016. Audrey is currently Associate Professor in the School of Nursing and Health Studies and Director of the Equitable Implementation Science Core of the Center for HIV and Research in Mental Health (CHARM). Overall, her work is focused on promoting positive mental and physical health for sexual and gender minorityindividuals and communities. She has worked as a project director for the Miami site of the ESTEEM project for three years, and also collaborates on other ongoing HIV-prevention and treatment research in the HPAC lab and at UM. As PI of the REACH Equity Team, she is also conducting a new line of research which seeks to better understand and address barriers and facilitators to engaging Latino sexual minority men in HIV-prevention (i.e., HIV testing, PrEP, PEP) and behavioral health services.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Norik Kirakosian, M.S.

Fifth-Year Graduate Student

Norik is a fifth-year graduate student in the University of Miami Clinical Psychology PhD Program, in the Health track, with a concentration in Quantitative Psychology. They received a B.S. in Psychology with minors in Behavioral Neuroscience and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Northeastern University. Before joining HPAC, Norik worked with the Behavioral Medicine Program at the Massachusetts General Hospital, supporting a portfolio of domestic and global HIV prevention and care studies. At HPAC, Norik primarily coordinates the iNpower project, an implementation science project aiming to implement cognitive behavioral therapy for adherence and depression within HIV primary care clinics in Cape Town, South Africa. Norik’s research focuses on understanding the effects of trauma and marginalization-based stress, particularly as they relate to sexual health and suicide risk related disparities impacting trans communities. As part of their clinical training, Norik has participated in practica at the UM/Jackson Health System Center for Behavioral Medicine and the UM Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, working with clients, patients, and other persons served living with chronic health conditions, including HIV and cancer.

Olivia Chen, M.S.

Fifth-Year Graduate Student

Olivia is a rising fifth-year Clinical Health Psychology Ph.D. student at UM. She earned her B.S. in Statistics and Psychology with Highest Honors and a minor in PPE from UNC Chapel Hill. Before graduate school, she worked with individuals living with sickle cell disease at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, which sparked her passion for serving marginalized populations with chronic illness. Her research explores how trauma, depression, and intersectional identities affect health behaviors and outcomes. She also conducts sleep-related research and has delivered CBT for insomnia to diverse groups, including veterans and cancer patients. Olivia is additionally interested in psychometrics, particularly cross-cultural validation and measure shortening to improve assessment efficiency.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Juan A. Esquivel Mendoza, M.S.P.H.

Fourth-Year Graduate Student

Bharat Bharat, M.A., M.S.

Fourth-Year Graduate Student

Bharat is a fourth-year graduate student in the Health Track of the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program. He graduated from the University of South Florida (USF) with an M.A. in Psychological Sciences and a graduate certificate in Data Analysis. His earned his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Boston University with a concentration in Technology Innovation. His research interests revolve around LGBTQ+ mental health, resilience, collective and individual self-esteem, intersectionality, implementation science, and developing new interventions aimed at preventing HIV and bolstering resilience in marginalized communities, especially for queer people of color. He is the study coordinator for the Center for HIV and Research in Mental Health’s (CHARM) Clinic Archive Project, managing several consent-to-contact databases for participant recruitment: one for community members at risk for HIV and the other for the people living with HIV and in care at the University of Miami/Jackson Health System Adult HIV clinic. 

Pronouns: he/him/his

Lisa Yuwen Hu, B.S.

Third-Year Graduate Student

Lisa is a third-year graduate student in the Adult Track of the Clinical Psychology, Ph.D. program. She earned her B. S. in Psychology from the University of Toronto in 2021. She has also volunteered with community mental health organizations in Canada, such as Mood Disorders Association of Ontario and Kids Help Phone, which inspired her commitment to clinical research that benefits underserved populations. Broadly, her research interests include minority stress, discrimination, and health disparities. Throughout her graduate career, she aims to examine how stressors unique to sexual minority individuals of color impact health outcomes and access to health care. In addition, she is interested in exploring the influence of culture on treatment response and substance use outcomes in underserved and marginalized communities.   

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Alexandra Porras, B.A.

Research Associate

Alexandra (Alex) graduated from Florida International University in 2023 with a B.A. in Psychology. She began working at the University of Miami in the HPAC lab as a Research Associate. In 2025, Alex joined the Center of HIV and Mental Health Research (CHARM) as Coordinator for the Equitable Implementation Science core. Alex’s research interests focus on sexual and gender minority mental health and well-being, specifically addressing health disparities among queer subgroups, the impact of minority stress on romantic relationships, and the effectiveness of LGBTQ+ affirmative therapies. She is committed to advancing her educational career by pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology in the near future.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Hanna Vasconcello, B.A.

Research Associate

Hanna graduated from Wake Forest University in 2023 with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Sociology. During her undergraduate studies, she gained valuable experience as a research assistant in a lab focused on adolescent-parent relationships. Hanna is passionate about pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in child and adolescent mental health. She is particularly interested in addressing the public health needs of marginalized youth.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Taveion Neasman

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Taveion is a senior at the University of Miami, double majoring in biology and Africana studies with minors in psychology and chemistry. He is passionate about advocating for marginalized communities and fighting healthcare disparities through psychosocial research and medicine. Taveion is very involved with UM's LGBTQ center, serving as a Pride Ambassador, aiming to increase education on queer-specific topics to fellow undergraduates interested in a healthcare career. Further, he is currently the student life chair on the University's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee. After graduation, Taveion plans to attend medical school to further advocate for inclusivity in medicine and healthcare.

Pronouns: he/him/his

Mariana Montenegro Duarte

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Mariana is a junior at the University of Miami double majoring in Psychology and Computer Science and minoring in LGBTQ+ Studies. She is passionate about advocating for BIPOC and sexual minorities in the healthcare field and hopes to be able to further research of underrepresented and understudied communities throughout her career. Aside from her involvement in the HPAC lab, she works at the South Florida Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Lab as a research assistant. After graduation, she plans on furthering her education with a Ph.D in Clinical Psychology.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Ange-Gabrielle Bontemps

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Ange-Gabrielle Bontemps is a senior at the University of Miami majoring in Health Science with minors in Psychology, Public Health, and Dance. She is on the pre-med track and a Division I student-athlete on the Sunsations dance team, where she brings discipline, energy, and passion to every performance. She is actively involved in the Black Student-Athlete Association, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Minority Women in Medicine, where she advocates for representation, faith-based leadership, and equity in healthcare. Her research interests focus on the intersections of cultural identity, mental health, and health promotion in underserved communities. After graduation, she plans to attend medical school to become a physician who blends clinical excellence with compassionate advocacy and culturally informed care.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Daniel HA Maya, B.S.‌‌‌

Research Support

Daniel completed his B.S. in Psychology at the University of Colorado Denver in 2019. He worked as a Research Associate for the HPAC Lab from 2019-2021 and the REACH Equity Team from 2021-2023. Since then, he has transitioned to the Division of Biostatistics at the University of Miami, where his work still focuses on HIV prevention and treatment among sexual and gender minorities. Daniel is interested in pursuing a career in biostatistics to improve his data science skills and further contribute to HIV prevention and treatment research.

Rosana Smith-Alvarez Chinigo, M.S. Ed.

Manager, Research Support

Rosana is a graduate from the University of Miami (2017, B.A. in Psychology; 2023, M.S. Ed in Mental Health Counseling). She worked as a Research Associate in HPAC Lab from 2017-2020. Rosana is now working as the Manager of Research Support of CHARM’s Administrative Core, as well as a liaison between the CHARM and HPAC teams. Rosana has a particular interest in HIV prevention and care, social determinants of health, and mental health disparities among sexual, gender, racial and ethnic minority populations. Rosana also works with the HPAC Lab as a study therapist and independent assessor on various studies.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Kyle J. Self, B.S.

Study Therapist and Neuropsychological Assessor

Kyle is a doctoral candidate in the Counseling Psychology program at the University of Miami and has collaborated with the HPAC Lab since 2022. His work as a Study Therapist involves Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adherence and Depression (CBT-AD) on the TRIDENT study and group-based Cognitive Behavioral Stress Management (CBSM) on the SMARTManage study. He also conducts psychodiagnostic assessments and neuropsychological testing with TRIDENT participants.

Pronouns: he/him/his

Ivan Ivardic, M.S. 

Brooke G. Rogers, Ph.D.

Christopher Albright, B.S.

Tomás Delgado Jr., B.A.‌‌‌

Daniel Mayo, B.S.

Joey Waknin, B.A

Tiffany R. Glynn, Ph.D.

Jasper S. Lee‌, Ph.D.

Satyanand Satyanarayana, J.D.‌‌‌‌

Megan Jones, MPH

Nicolas Cardenas, B.S.

Noelle A. Mendez, Ph.D.

Jasmyn Sanders, Ph.D.

Kaitlyn Carino, B.S. 

Emma Tishler, B.S.

Sean Halbert, B.A.

Lindsey Bartoletta, B.S.

Kemeria Baraso, B.S.

Elijah Velasquez, B.A.

Alex Moro, B.A.

Kima Bormey, B.A.

Hunter Bass, B.S.

Marco Porter, B.S.

Nathalie Schwart

Elliott Weinstein, Ph.D., MPH