Julia Carmody is a second-year postdoctoral fellow in the Center for Adherence and Self-Management. She completed her PhD at the University of Florida and her residency at Cincinnati Children's. Her research background focused on adjustment and disease self-management in children and adolescents with obesity and inflammatory bowel disease. Her dissertation examined the impacts of condition, individual, and caregiver factors on longitudinal health-related quality of life in adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease. She is continuing her research in the pediatric inflammatory bowel disease population, examining adherence to biologic treatments. Julia is currently involved in grant writing, manuscript preparation, and data collection and analysis in the Hommel and Ramsey labs.

Julia is currently an interventionist on a randomized clinical trial aimed at improving medication adherence and symptom management in children and adolescents with asthma. She is also involved in the development of a web-based self-management portal for children with migraine. Julia conducts assessment and adherence promotion interventions for children on positive airway pressure treatment in the obstructive sleep apnea clinic.

After her postdoctoral fellowship in the Center for Adherence and Self-Management, Julia plans to obtain a position within an academic medical center that would allow her to conduct research and provide clinical services to pediatric populations.

Kate Gamwell, PhD, is a T32 postdoctoral research fellow in the Center for Adherence and Self-Management under the primary mentorship of Kevin Hommel, PhD. Kate earned her doctorate from Oklahoma State University with a specialization in pediatric and clinical child psychology. Her dissertation was the first study to empirically investigate the relationship between illness stigma, thwarted social belongingness, and depressive symptoms in youth with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Kate’s research interests include cognitive and social appraisals that impact psychosocial adjustment and outcomes in youth with chronic health conditions as well as their parents, with an emphasis on pain and treatment adherence. She is particularly interested in the parent-child dyadic relationship and identifying risk and resilience factors in underserved pediatric populations.

Kate’s clinical endeavors mirror her research interests of promoting healthy adjustment in youth and their families with particular emphasis in idiopathic, autoimmune/inflammatory, and pain related conditions (e.g., JIA, FAP, IBS, IBD, asthma). After fellowship, she hopes to continue in this line of research implementing clinically meaningful protocols to promote healthy adjustment and illness management that lend themselves to enhanced quality of life for chronically ill pediatric populations and their families.

I am currently a pediatric psychologist at Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), where I provide assessment and intervention services to youth with chronic health conditions. The training I received at the Center for Adherence Promotion and Self-Management has played an invaluable role in my career development. While a fellow, I had the opportunity to work with a number of the Adherence Center faculty, all of whom are leaders in their field. Working in the Adherence Center expanded my research and clinical skills repertoire and provided me with a new level of flexibility I could take with me on the job market. Rather than being someone who was only trained to work with one population, I had expertise that I could mold to the opportunities available at various academic institutions. In addition, during my fellowship years I was able to gain teaching experience and advanced training and mentorship on being a university professor while enrolled at the Preparing Future Faculty program at the nearby University of Cincinnati. This wouldn’t have been possible without the support of my mentors at Cincinnati Children's. They listened to what I wanted for my career and provided me with the resources to achieve my goals. Finally, thanks to the excellent mentorship and training I received from Dr. Kevin Hommel, I was able to develop and submit a successful Career Development Award proposal to the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation in my final year of fellowship. This grant has resulted in numerous publications and has created a solid foundation for my current research at CHOC. I am grateful for the investment the Adherence Center faculty made in me as well as the support they provided as I explored various career paths and opportunities.

Years in program: 2011 to 2013

Shanna M. Guilfoyle, PhD, specializes in the assessment and treatment of psychological comorbidities associated with pediatric epilepsy. Broadly, she has studied child, caregiver, and family functioning and their impact on pediatric chronic disease management and adherence across a variety of pediatric chronic conditions (i.e., obesity, transplant, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes). She has served as a clinical interventionist on multiple NIH-funded randomized clinical trials to promote pediatric self-management and medication adherence.

"This fellowship provided me with the specialized training in adherence assessment and treatment, along with developing strong research skills in the development and execution of randomized controlled clinical trials. The ability to work with multiple faculty members across a broad spectrum of pediatric chronic conditions allowed me to have a more enhanced understanding of adherence measurement and barriers that impede adherence intervention that are unique to specific populations." - Dr. Guilfoyle

Years in program: 2009-2011

Current position: Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Director of O’Grady Residency Program, in the Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH

I earned my undergraduate degree in psychology and cognitive science from the University of Pennsylvania and my doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the University of Georgia. I completed my residency in the Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology at Cincinnati Children’s, and was a member of Dr. Modi's Lab as resident and fellow.

My research interests broadly include medical self-management across stages of development, adjustment to chronic illness and neurocognitive functioning in pediatric populations. I am also interested in the development and implementation of innovative clinical interventions and am currently an interventionist on two randomized clinical trials targeting adherence and adjustment in pediatric populations.

I plan to pursue a research position in an academic pediatric hospital where research and clinical practice mutually inform one another to serve the needs of diverse pediatric populations and their families.

Years in program: 2018-2020

Leslie Favier is a second-year postdoctoral fellow in the Center for Adherence and Self-Management in addition to being a third-year medical fellow in pediatric rheumatology. She completed her undergraduate and medical degree at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and her pediatric residency at the University of Louisville. 

Leslie is currently working under the mentorship of Dr. Modi to study barriers to adherence in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. She has presented this work at several national meetings. Additionally, her fellow independent project is investigating the innovative use of musculoskeletal ultrasound as an adherence intervention tool in adolescents with arthritis.

Leslie plans to pursue an academic research position as a pediatric rheumatologist and is enthusiastic about continuing to use the skills gained as an adherence fellow in her further clinical and research work. Her future research will continue to focus on adherence optimization in the juvenile idiopathic arthritis population.

I am currently an Assistant Professor in the Section of Pediatric Rheumatology within the Department of Pediatrics at Brenner Children’s Hospital – Wake Forest Health Services. Clinically, I work with children and adolescents with rheumatologic conditions ranging from Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, more commonly known as JIA, to Childhood-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (cSLE). My research efforts center around treatment adherence in the SLE population given their diverse clinical needs and the significant barriers to treatment adherence experienced by some. Specifically, I study modifiable barriers to treatment adherence in patients with cSLE as an avenue to improve morbidity and mortality. My efforts are split evenly between both my clinical and research endeavors.

With the excellent training in research I received through the T32 Treatment Adherence Fellowship, I have begun the work of making adherence an integral part of clinical management within my department. I frequently utilize my knowledge of adherence and self-management interventions in my own clinical work and patient education efforts. Needless to say, the training has been invaluable to my current career endeavors. Also, with my research skills, I am taking advantage of pilot grant funding to begin to incorporate adherence into everyday clinical practice. Even more invaluable to me, is the mentorship I received from the faculty within the Adherence Center.

Years in program: 2017-2019

Current position: Assistant Professor – Section of Pediatric Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Brenner Children’s Hospital – Wake Forest Health Services.

I am currently in a research-focused junior faculty position at an academic medical center. My fellowship in the Cincinnati Children's Adherence Center prepared me for this role by strengthening my research skills, providing me access to high-quality studies and datasets, supporting me to spend my time conducting analyses and writing, and exposing me to emerging concepts and analytic approaches in adherence research. The targeted adherence training I received within a specific disease group gave me the foundation to establish a programmatic line of research that I am able to independently continue to build as I move beyond fellowship. In addition, the exposure I received to clinical care and research in other disease groups broadened my understanding of adherence across pediatric chronic conditions, which has allowed me to expand my research to new conditions and populations in my current position. Finally, the supportive and collegial environment gave me not only the confidence but also the network of mentors and collaborators that I needed to move from trainee to my next step as an early career professional.

Years in program: 2010-2012

Current position: Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, Huston Tx.

I am currently a clinical psychologist specializing in Gastroenterology within the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Clinically, I work with children and adolescents with a range of GI conditions and symptoms, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome, constipation/encopresis, and chronic abdominal pain/nausea. I support the IBD Center by leading a quality improvement pilot project to introduce psychosocial screening as part of routine care and through my involvement in patient education classes, monthly support groups, transition to adult care efforts, and other events. My research efforts are broadly related to psychosocial adjustment in youth with IBD.

I have been fortunate to utilize the excellent training and research skills acquired through the T-32 fellowship in my current endeavors. I frequently utilize my knowledge of adherence and self-management interventions in my clinical work and patient education efforts. In fact, my participation in studies utilizing telehealth adherence interventions during fellowship will suit me well as our GI Psychology group pilots a program using video visits to increase adherence to treatment recommendations for patients with constipation using. My experience with independent study development during fellowship has also allowed me to begin to develop new multidisciplinary collaborations with research projects in a different medical specialty. In addition to the excellent opportunities and training provided to me during fellowship, I really value the mentorship and collegiality by the Adherence Center and greater BMCP faculty.

Years in program: 2016-2018

Current position: Clinical Psychologist – Gastroenterology Specialty, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

Lisa Ingerski, PhD, ABPP, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA. She provides clinical care to youth followed by the pediatric neuro-oncology program at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Current research focuses on measurement of neurobehavioral outcomes and development of interventions to optimize quality of life and adherence of youth with brain tumors. The two-year fellowship in the Adherence Center provided the opportunity to collaborate with early career psychologists and to function, in large part, as a junior faculty member. Participation in rich and varied research and clinical activities as a postdoctoral fellow provided a solid foundation from which to begin an academic career in pediatric oncology.

Years in program: 2008-2010

Current position: Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine; Pediatric Psychologist, Aflac Cancer & Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

I currently serve as a clinical psychologist within the Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute, working with patients to improve coping with the demands of having a chronic illness, improve their adherence to treatment, educate parents, and teach non-pharmacological strategies to assist with pain management. Through this role, I provide clinic-based, outpatient, and inpatient services and am also involved with both research and Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute program development. During my fellowship within the Adherence Center, I contributed to a study working to improve the transition from pediatric to adult care among young adults with sickle cell disease with the goal of improving patient adherence/self-management and disease outcomes. I continue to collaborate in this area with Dr. Lori Crosby and look forward to developing quality improvement projects within the Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute to improve psychological care for patients with hematologic and immunologic disorders. My fellowship within the Adherence Center provided me with specialized treatment in adherence assessment and treatment and helped her to further develop strong research skills. This fellowship had many benefits including dedicated mentors across domains, excellent didactics addressing issues of professional development, manuscript / grant development, adherence research methodology, intervention, measurement, and clinical service development. I found following fellowship that I was well-prepared for a position in an academic medical center and will continue to use the skills provided to develop our clinical service using patient-reported outcomes to measure success.

Years in program: 2012-2013

Current position: Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology and Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute at Cincinnati Children's

My fellowship provided a range of training opportunities to strengthen my clinical and research skills in preparation for my faculty position. Specifically, innovative research studies expanded my knowledge of telehealth interventions, instrument development and validation, and novel clinical assessment methodologies (e.g., tablets and apps). Participation in the Psychology Research Group (PRG) as well as grant and manuscript preparation activities enhanced my scientific writing and increased my knowledge about the funding process. Weekly Adherence Center didactics provided the opportunity to learn about cutting-edge research and interventions in the field and professional development issues. Department and hospital-wide fellows’ seminars provided additional training in professional development, including how to successfully transition from postdoc to faculty. The cohort-based model of training in Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology was an added strength of the overall postdoctoral program, allowing me to cultivate strong and supportive peer relationships. Overall, I greatly enjoyed, benefited from, and appreciated the training that I received.

Years in program: 2012-2013

Kimberly Klages, PhD, is a first-year NIH T32 postdoctoral fellow in the Center for Adherence and Self-Management under the mentorship of Dr. Ahna Pai. She earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Memphis and completed her residency in behavioral medicine through the O’Grady Residency Program in Psychology in the Department of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology at Cincinnati Children’s. Kim’s research interests broadly include examining risk factors associated with poor quality of life and psychosocial adjustment difficulties among youth with cancer. She is particularly interested in the development and implementation of integrative and alternative therapies to reduce pain and fatigue in survivors of pediatric cancer. After completing fellowship, Kim plans on pursuing a faculty position in a pediatric academic medical center where she can continue her line of research and provide evidenced based clinical care to youth with chronic health conditions and their families.

I am currently associate professor with joint appointments in the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Health, and the Division of Gastroenterology. I work with the Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) team, with my time spent evenly between clinical work, research, and program development. I provide clinic-based and outpatient psychological services to youth with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, and conduct clinical research that focuses primarily on adherence to medical regimens, psychosocial screening, and transition to adult care. I am also involved in program development, with focus on the development of an adherence monitoring protocol for all patients seen in the GI Clinic and the development of a standard care transition program that assists youth with IBD in transitioning from pediatric to adult health systems. I am also heavily involved in the ImproveCareNow Collaborative Network, with leadership positions spanning adherence and transition/transfer initiatives across 100+ pediatric ICN centers. My fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s offered me specialized training in models of translational research, adherence intervention, measurement, and methodology, and clinical program development; skills which make me uniquely poised to make novel contributions to the field of pediatric adherence research and clinical practice.

Years in program: 2008-2010

Current position: Associate Professor and Clinical Psychologist, Division of Developmental and Behavioral Health and Division of Gastroenterology, Children’s Hospital- Kansas City, MO.

Meghan McGrady completed her PhD at the University of Cincinnati and her residency at Cincinnati Children's.

Years in program: 2012

Amy Noser is a first-year NIH T32 postdoctoral fellow in the Center for Adherence and Self-Management under the primary mentorship of Dr. Hommel. She earned her doctorate in clinical psychology at the University of Kansas and completed her residency at Cincinnati Children's. Her primary research interests include the novel uses of technology to assess, facilitate, and promote self-management and adherence to medical regimens in pediatric chronic conditions. In particular, she is interested in use of technology to develop and deliver interventions that adapt over time to the patient’s changing status and circumstances with the goal to address their need for support with their medical regimen, whenever it may arise. After completing fellowship, Amy plans to pursue a faculty position in an academic medical center that will allow her to continue her research and clinical work with youth and families managing chronic illnesses.

I am currently a pediatric psychologist in the Pediatric Transplant Center and the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. My role includes clinical care of youth undergoing solid organ transplant and their families, as well as program development and quality improvement efforts to improve adherence and psychosocial functioning pre-, peri-, and post-transplantation.

The training I received during fellowship helped me solidify a foundation of clinical research skills that I will continue to use as I work with the Transplant Center to assess and improve behavioral and psychosocial outcomes. I also developed an expertise in pediatric adherence and self-management measurement and intervention that will be critical for my clinical work in this population. Through my independent research endeavors, I gained important experience collaborating with medical teams that I have carried through to my current career. I sincerely appreciate all of the mentorship that I received from various faculty throughout fellowship, and look forward to continuing to collaborate with them for years to come.

Years in program: 2018-2020

Current position: Pediatric Psychologist, The Transplant Center, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 

Rachelle Ramsey, PhD, is an assistant professor of pediatrics within the Center for Health Technology Research and Division of Behavioral Medicine & Clinical Psychology at Cincinnati Children’s. She currently serves as the clinical psychologist in the Difficult-to-Treat (DTT) clinic within the Division of Pulmonary Medicine. She specializes in the assessment and treatment of poor adherence and self-management behaviors in adolescents with asthma. Her research background focused on cognitive variables that influence the transactional relationship between parent and child adjustment to chronic conditions. She has served as a clinical interventionist on multiple NIH-funded randomized clinical trials to promote pediatric self-management and medication adherence for a variety of chronic conditions, including epilepsy, inflammatory bowel disease, and asthma. Her long-term goal is to develop a technology-assisted, stepped-care, adherence-promotion intervention for adolescents with asthma.

"The Adherence Center fellowship provided me with the specialized training in adherence assessment and treatment and allowed me to gain strong research skills in the development and execution of randomized controlled clinical trials. Working with multiple faculty members across a broad spectrum of pediatric chronic conditions also provided me with a comprehensive understanding of adherence assessment and treatment that I now bring to my own line of research in pediatric asthma." - Dr. Ramsey

After completing fellowship, I accepted a clinical faculty position in the Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology at Cincinnati Children's. While my day-to-day activities primarily involve provision of direct clinical care to patients and families, I also collaborate with psychology and medical colleagues on clinical research projects, coordinate program development opportunities, and provide clinical supervision for psychology trainees. I attribute much of my success with obtaining this position to opportunities from completing the T32 fellowship in the Adherence Center. One of the best features of this fellowship was the ability to customize my training program with the support of the faculty. This allowed me to participate in the right balance of research, clinical work, and other activities to help me be an attractive candidate for the jobs I wished to pursue. Faculty members actively sought out opportunities that fit my interests, even if it was not directly within their current scope of research. I also valued the support of my Scholarly Oversight Committee (SOC), which was a multidisciplinary group to help me shape my professional “story” and guide me through the process of applying for a faculty position. Additionally, it was inspiring to be amongst a group of faculty members, fellows, research coordinators, and other team members that are conducing cutting-edge research in the field of adherence, using technological innovations, and successfully navigating the NIH grant process. Despite their own busy (and productive!) schedules, the Adherence Center faculty assured that my training was a priority…it made all the difference!

Years in the program: 2014-2016

Current position: Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center

I am currently an assistant professor within the Divisions of Developmental and Behavioral Sciences and Gastroenterology at Children’s Mercy Hospital. My work is primarily focused on the assessment and management of barriers to adherence and the allocation of treatment responsibility in patients with liver disease or transplantation. I also serve as the clinical psychologist on the multi-disciplinary liver transplant team, helping to establish standards for psychosocial care and providing clinic-based adherence promotion services and consultation to patients and their families.

The unique training opportunities afforded by this fellowship were critical in preparing me for my current position. My diverse experiences in research and clinical activities during fellowship have allowed me to apply my skills in adherence assessment and intervention to a new pediatric population, and have helped guide my efforts in integrating psychosocial services into routine liver care. I will always be grateful to the faculty for their support and mentorship, and for giving me the skills and confidence necessary to navigate this next step in my professional development.

Years in program: 2013-2015

Current position: Assistant Professor, Divisions of Developmental and Behavioral Sciences and Gastroenterology, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO

Christopher Siracusa obtained a Bachelor of Arts in psychology at Ohio University, received his MD at The American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, and completed his residency training in general pediatrics at Akron Children’s Hospital.

Current position: Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children's

I am currently an assistant professor within the Pediatric School Psychology doctoral program at Psychology Department at East Carolina University. My research is primarily focused on qualitative and quantitative approaches to understanding healthcare transition in youth with chronic illnesses (e.g., epilepsy). I teach graduate and undergraduate classes in the psychology department and have worked to establish a clinical practicum for doctoral students within a pediatric specialty clinic for endocrinology and nephrology care. The unique training opportunities, excellent mentorship, and the ability to hone my research skills in an area of study during this fellowship were key in preparing me for my current position.

My diverse experiences in research and clinical activities during fellowship have allowed me to immediately build my research program and craft graduate level coursework and supervision of clinical experiences for my doctoral students. Additionally, I am able to apply the world-class approaches and research I learned at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center to an area of the country where pediatric psychology and adherence work is highly appreciated but has limited exposure to the training or experts. I continue to collaborate with and seek formal and informal guidance from the fellowship faculty and am grateful for their support and mentorship during my fellowship. I feel very well-prepared for success in this faculty position, and am certain the training I received during my fellowship contributed to my competitiveness and ultimate success in gaining this position.

Years in program: 2016-2018

Current position: Assistant Professor, Pediatric School Psychology Program, Department of Psychology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC

Rachel Sweenie, PhD (pronouns: she/her/hers) is a first-year NIH T32 postdoctoral fellow in the Center for Adherence and Self-Management under the primary mentorship of Dr. Rachelle Ramsey. She earned her bachelor’s degree in human biology and psychology from the University of Kansas. She spent three years as clinical research assistant with the Behavioral Diabetes Research Team at Children’s National Hospital and served two years in the Peace Corps as a community health volunteer in eSwatini prior to pursuing graduate study. Dr. Sweenie earned both her master’s and doctoral degrees in psychology from the University of Florida and completed her clinical internship in pediatric psychology at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. She is broadly interested in psychosocial issues in pediatric chronic illness, with a current focus on adherence and health equity in pediatric asthma. She plans to pursue a career in academic medicine after completing her fellowship, with a focus on the development as well as the equitable dissemination and implementation of evidence-based interventions that address adherence and self-management among diverse pediatric populations.

Lauren Szulczewski, PhD, is an assistant professor of pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s within the Division of Behavioral Medicine & Clinical Psychology. Her current role is a clinical psychologist within the Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute, working with children and their families to address adjustment and assist in promoting optimal management of chronic and acute illnesses. Within this position, she serves families both in the inpatient and outpatient settings and is also involved in program development and research. During her fellowship she coordinated and conducted intervention sessions for a randomized-control study that was aimed to improve adherence outcomes for adolescents and young adults who had undergone kidney transplantation. Additionally, Lauren worked on several program development projects throughout Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute and obtained additional formal training on quality improvement methodology. She continues to collaborate with her primary mentor on other research studies and is now able to implement further program development as a member of the Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute interdisciplinary team. Lauren’s fellowship prepared her for her position in an academic medical center by providing her with strong skills in the treatment of children with chronic conditions and their families, as well as built her understanding and utilization of research methodology and implementation. Finally, the emphasis on identifying personal career goals and professional development during fellowship helped her to better understand her own values as a psychologist, as well as promote relationships with mentors and other trainees that have already and will continue to support Lauren’s goals throughout her career.

Years in program: 2013-2015

Current position: Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology

Desireé Williford, PhD, MPH (she/her/hers) is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics within the Center for Treatment Adherence and Self-Management and Division of Behavioral Medicine & Clinical Psychology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. She also holds a joint appointment with the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Dr. Williford earned her PhD in Psychology and MPH in Health Policy, Management and Leadership in 2021 from West Virginia University.

Dr. Williford is a proud Afro-Latina-Indigenous woman, pediatric psychologist, behavioral scientist, and community advocate specializing in health equity in pediatric adherence and self-management science. Dr. Williford’s work emphasizes community-engaged approaches to the design, implementation, and cultural adaptation of evidence-based interventions, tools, and programming for youth with diabetes and their support systems. She is particularly interested in applications of social justice; diversity, equity, inclusion; and strengths-based principles to behavioral diabetes research and developing novel methods for assessing and intervening upon social determinants of health in pursuit of equitable improvements in health outcomes.

“The Adherence T32 Fellowship provided me with specialized training in adherence and self-management science that allowed me to confidently enter my current research position. I received excellent training in the development and execution of randomized controlled trials, grant/manuscript writing, and had the opportunity to conduct an independent project which served as pilot data for my first NIH application. The personalized nature of the fellowship afforded me opportunities to pursue leadership, research, and training which emphasized health equity and inclusion and expanded my understanding of social determinants of health in the context of chronic disease management. I also had cross-discipline training with the Division of Endocrinology and opportunities to learn about health equity improvement science and quality improvement initiatives across the hospital system through the CCHMC Health Equity Network. These opportunities were pivotal to solidifying my line of research, integrating my training across pediatric psychology and public health, and fundamentally shifted my overall approach to behavioral science.” – Dr. Williford

Years in Program: 2021-2023
Primary Mentors: Avani Modi, PhD & Lori Crosby

I am currently an Assistant Professor within the Division of Public Health, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, and an investigator at the Huntsman Cancer Institute. My fellowship at Cincinnati Children's Center for Adherence and Self-Management was critical in preparing me for my current and future work. The fellowship allowed me to tailor my training to my needs and interests, and thus allowed me to publish and collect data on, and to work with multidisciplinary clinical teams across illness populations. The breadth of these experiences gave me maximal flexibility when applying for jobs. Also, the mentorship I received through the fellowship from faculty in the Adherence Center and throughout Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology was top-notch. The faculty not only provided multiple opportunities to develop my clinical and research skills, but also excellent career development mentorship. The skills I developed in adherence assessment and intervention, collaborations with multidisciplinary teams for clinical care and research, and navigating professional issues, helped me to transition smoothly into my new position and to start a program of research in a new area.

Years in program: 2011-2013

I received my PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where I had the privilege of working with W. Hobart Davies, PhD, as my mentor. I completed my pre-doctoral internship at Cincinnati Children's, which provided valuable clinical training. From 2022 to 2024, I was an NIH T32 postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Adherence & Self-Management, mentored by Avani Modi, PhD, and Lori Crosby, PsyD. My research focuses on the lived experiences of adolescents and young adults with chronic health conditions, particularly how to promote self-management, health competence, and health-related quality of life during their transition from pediatric to adult-focused health care.

Currently, I am a tenure-track assistant professor in the Clinical Psychology Program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. In this role, I teach, continue my research on health care transitions, and provide clinical supervision and research mentorship to students.

The research, clinical, and professional development training I received while on fellowship in the Adherence Center was instrumental in preparing me to be an independent scientist-practitioner. The faculty in the Adherence Center were all incredibly supportive of my career goals and guided me in tailoring my fellowship training experience and building professional connections to help me achieve those goals.