Principal Investigator
Martha Sajatovic, MD
Dr. Sajatovic is Professor of Psychiatry and of Neurology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. She is a researcher, educator, and clinician. Dr. Sajatovic holds the Willard Brown Chair in Neurological Outcomes and the Rocco L. Motto Professorship in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. She has over 400 peer-reviewed publications, and has received recognition for her research including the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award from the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and Investigator Awards from the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance in 2006 and 2016. Dr. Sajatovic’s research interests have focused on neuropsychiatric outcomes of brain disorders including Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, stroke, epilepsy, and Parkinson’s disease.
Molly McVoy, MD
Dr. McVoy is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (CWRU). She is the Associate Training Director of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at University Hospitals. She is a researcher, educator, and clinician with expertise in biomarkers, pediatric psychopharmacology and underserved pediatric populations. She has multiple peer-reviewed publications, is a 2020 Hartwell Individual Biomedical Research Scholar for her work on EEG and has a growing research program, in collaboration with colleagues on self-management and mind-body interventions for youth with chronic health and psychiatric conditions.
Jennifer B. Levin, PhD
Dr. Levin is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (CWRU) and a clinical psychologist at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center. She is a researcher, educator, and clinician with expertise in behavioral medicine. She has over 65 peer-reviewed publications and has received external funding from multiple sources including NHLBI, NIMH, and the AHA to support her research program, which focuses on health promotion in those with serious mental health disorders and comorbid chronic health conditions, particularly cardiovascular in nature.
Management Team
Carla Conroy: Director of Research Operations
Carla is the Director of Research Operations at the Behavioral Health Research Group and the Mood Disorders Research Program. She has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology and a master’s degree in Public Health, both from Cleveland State University. Her research interests include criminology, mood disorders and mental health as a public health issue. In her free time, Carla enjoys reading, spending time with her family (particularly her 5 nieces/nephews) and snuggling with her cat.
Clara Adeniyi: Director of Research Operations
Carrie Rogers: Project Manager
Carrie’s role includes planning, organizing, and managing the website and social media accounts for BHRG and the Cleveland Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. As a former Spanish teacher, she loves working on projects that work toward improving youth mental health. Carrie hopes to help marginalized communities receive support to thrive. She loves animals, Legend of Zelda video games, hiking, and pretending to be a T-Rex with her daughter, Olive.
Jessica Surdam: Project Manager
Jessica is a Clinical Research Project Manager at the Behavioral Health Research Group. She has a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from the University of New Hampshire, a master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Arizona, and is a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator through the Association of Clinical Research Professionals. Her research interests include health equity, the mind-body connection, community based participatory research, aging and brain health, and lifestyle medicine for the treatment and prevention of chronic illness. Professionally, she is passionate about protecting the rights and safety of research participants and ensuring data quality. Outside of work, Jessica enjoys spending time with her teenage daughter, reading psychological thrillers, beach combing, weight lifting, exploring the Cleveland Metro-Parks, attending local community events, cooking, gardening, and caring for her many many houseplants.
Data Team
Joy Yala: Data Manager
Richard Barigye: Data and Regulatory Coordinator
Richard is a data coordinator at BHRG. He loves handling data. He loves ensuring data is of high quality and integrity. He loves the whole process of handling data to dissemination of results. As the expression goes, “Data is king”. Handling Data is a gateway to kingship. Richard loves rugby, running and chess. On any given day, you will find him running along the Cleveland bridges such as the guardian bridge. He also loves participating in races. He recently did a St. Malachi race, Rock and Roll Hall of fame race, and the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day in Cleveland.
Nicole Fiorelli: Data and Regulatory Coordinator
Nicole is a data and regulatory coordinator at BHRG and is currently finishing her master's degree in psychological science at Cleveland State University. Her research interests include mood disorders, interpersonal relationships, and social psychology. Nicole's long-term goals are to earn her PhD, delve deeper into the data side of psychology, and learn a little more each day about why people do the things they do. In her free time, Nicole enjoys spending time with her friends, attending live theater, baking, painting, and going on walks with her dog.
Research Assistants
Salayna Abdallah
Salayna is a research assistant at BHRG and is also pursuing her PhD in clinical psychology. Salayna's goals are to become a clinical psychologist and direct a lab dedicated to developing well-informed and culturally sensitive interventions for individuals with chronic psychiatric conditions. In her free time, Salayna loves rollerblading, walking, and spending time with her family and friends.
Jessica Black
Jessica is a research assistant at Case Western Reserve University with the Behavioral Health Research Group, and received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology at the University of Akron. Jessica has interests in many areas of mental and behavioral health, particularly in regard to health equity and accessibility in vulnerable and/or underserved populations, as well as the intersection of mental health and physical health. Her current research projects focus on the development and refinement of behavioral and education interventions to help improve the lives of individuals with diagnosed behavioral health and/or neurological conditions. Outside of research, Jessica enjoys attending live music events and working on her several creative endeavors, which include creative writing, fiber arts, baking, and more.
Emma Church
Emma started working at BHRG as a practicum student and later became a full-time research assistant. She has earned her bachelor’s and is currently pursuing her master’s degree from Cleveland State University. Her research interests focus on the risk factors for and maintenance of internalizing disorders in adolescents. Her long-term goal is to become a clinical psychologist and contribute to the development of evidence-based interventions for internalizing disorders in adolescents.
Sally Farah
Sally is a clinical research specialist at the Behavioral Health Research Group and the Mood Disorder Research Program. Her research interests include investigating how social etiological factors, such as parenting and family interactions, affect anxiety disorders and depression in children and adolescents. She aspires to be a clinical psychologist and researcher who runs a lab that develops and implements prevention and treatment programs for vulnerable populations. Sally’s hobbies include playing volleyball, skiing, and hiking.
Edna Fuentes-Casiano
Edna Fuentes-Casiano was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. She is a Licensed Social Worker (LSW), fully bi-lingual in Spanish and has a master’s degree from Mandel School of Social Administration with a concentration on Families and Children. She has been doing research for the past 18 years on a variety of brain health topics including medication adherence in bipolar disorder, stroke risk reduction, stroke, health disparities and most recently working on the Cleveland Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (CADRC). Edna is highly accomplished in community outreach and engagement, serving as chief outreach lead in the CADRC Outreach Recruitment Engagement Core (OREC).
Gracie Howard-Griggs
Jacqueline Krehel-Montgomery
Beth Lute
Taylor Maniglia
Taylor is a research assistant at BHRG and is also pursuing her master’s in Research Methods, Measurement, and Evaluation at University of Connecticut. Her primary research interests involve vague quantifiers used in psychological measures. Her long-term goal is to own and run a research consulting firm. Outside of work and school, Taylor loves spending time with her family and friends, playing with her dog, and watching sports.
Jacqueline Marquat
Jacqueline is a research assistant at Case Western Reserve University with the Behavioral Health Research Group, and received her Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Psychology and Biology at Ohio University. Her research interests lay in the investigation for causative factors and prevention methods of mental illness development, specifically in adolescence. In her free time, Jacqueline loves spending time with friends and family as well as exploring Cleveland!
Celeste Weise
Celeste is a research assistant at BHRG with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Sociology from Kent State University. Her research interests are exploring sociological factors that negatively impact mental health and impede the effectiveness of current mental health care, and developing new interventions to address and alleviate those factors. Outside of work, Celeste loves singing in the car and watching TV and movies with her cat.