Current Students

Dr. Uche Stanley Chukwuemeka’s research centers on adolescent mental health, pain perception, and behavioral risk factors, with a focus on how psychological and environmental variables influence emotional regulation and help-seeking behaviors among youth. His doctoral work examines the relationship between pain perception, medication attitudes, and mental-health outcomes among college students, aiming to identify early predictors of distress and improve intervention strategies. More broadly, his interests include preventive public health, cultural determinants of well-being, and the integration of digital and community-based frameworks to enhance access to mental-health support for underserved adolescents.

My research interests are: Exploring the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on the mental health, academic outcomes, and overall well-being of Black college students.

Jeremy Gayles’ interests in psychology center on understanding social gender norms around masculinity and femininity and their impact on mental health. He aims to explore how these often invisible expectations shape behavior, identity, and psychological well-being in both harmful and beneficial ways.

Cyenna Garrett is a doctoral student in the Clinical Adolescent Psychology program at Prairie View A&M University. She received her Bachelors of Arts in Psychology from California State University, Fresno and her Masters of Science in Child development from San Diego State University. Her primary research interests focus on how adverse childhood experiences and trauma influence cognitive and emotional functioning, as well as child and adolescent mental and behavioral health. She aspires to become a licensed clinical psychologist dedicated to serving low-income and underserved population.

My research focuses on the intersections of trauma, adolescent development, and forensic psychology. I am particularly interested in problematic sexual behaviors, pornography use and addiction, and the role of social media in shaping identity and coping. I also will explore assessment practices to better understand and address the needs of justice-involved youth.

T. Renae Johnson is a pre-doctoral intern in PVAMU’s Clinical Adolescent Psychology program. She is currently training at a private practice that specializes in neurodevelopmental assessments. Her research interests focus on neurodevelopmental processes, mental health disparities, and trauma in underrepresented communities, with a commitment to advancing culturally responsive care for youth and families.

Jasmine Major, LCSW is a fourth-year Clinical Adolescent Psychology doctoral student at Prairie View A&M University. She specializes in working with children and adolescents and her theoretical orientation is integrative play therapy. Her research interests include developing and implementing evidence-based mental health curricula featuring play therapy interventions for use in school settings.

Juan Luis Mba Nchama is a Prairie View A&M University bachelor’s graduate, a Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP), and a student in the Clinical Adolescent Psychology Program. His research focuses on adolescents and adults affected by sexual trauma, anxiety, depression, and stress, with additional interests in paraphilias, psychological assessment, social and school psychology.

Jesse Nemmons’ clinical focus within Clinical Child Psychology examines how developmental trauma and systemic stressors influence neurodevelopment and emotional regulation, as well as how organizational systems, assessment practices, and institutional bias affect mental health identification, diagnosis, and intervention processes.

Feyisayo Ogunlana is a doctoral student in the Clinical Adolescent Psychology program at Prairie View A&M University. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Minor in Multicultural Gender and Women’s Studies at Texas Woman’s University. Her research areas of interest include racial/ethnic mental health disparities, racial socialization, race-based traumatic stress, child and adolescent trauma, juvenile justice, womanism, culturally responsive clinical practice, education justice, and policy advocacy. She aspires to become a socially responsible licensed clinical psychologist who uses her position to practice and shape public policy that rectifies injustice and reforms the systems sustaining health disparities, inequities, and social injustice in vulnerable, marginalized, low-income, and under-resourced communities of color.

​​​​​​​Giacomo Tiznado is a doctorate student in the Clinical Adolescent Psychology program at Prairie View A&M. He received his Bachelor of Science in Psychology at Sam Houston State University in 2023. He has experience working in a community behavioral healthcare, providing case management and psychosocial rehabilitation to individuals with severe and persistent mental illness. His research interests include religious and social coping, personality disorders, and intimate partner violence. Alongside being a student, he is also a member of the PVAMU Coordinated Community Response Team (CCRT), an interdepartmental initiative to prevent and respond to Domestic and Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking (DVSAS) through policies, training, advocacy, and collaboration.

Alaina L. Warrior is a third-year Clinical Psychology doctoral candidate whose work orbits the intersection of mental health, equity, and community care. Her clinical interests include trauma, juvenile justice, psychological assessment, and evidence-based interventions for underrepresented and court-involved populations. She has worked across residential treatment, community mental health, and university training clinics, grounding her approach in culturally responsive practice and a deep commitment to accessible services.

Alaina’s career goals center on becoming a licensed clinical psychologist serving marginalized communities through clinical practice, training, and program development. She aims to build and strengthen community-embedded mental health initiatives while contributing to the diversification of the psychology workforce. Beyond clinical work, she is passionate about social justice and policy reform, particularly in areas where mental health, structural inequity, and the legal system converge. Alaina hopes to use her expertise to advocate for systemic change and evidence-informed policy that uplifts underserved communities.