Jasper Smits, PhD
Director & Professor
Jasper Smits, Ph.D., is a professor of Psychology. His research program centers on developing and validating innovative intervention strategies for anxiety and related problems. His work spans basic studies on mechanisms of change and moderators of treatment response to clinical trials evaluating novel behavioral and pharmacological interventions. A key focus of his work is to improve the efficacy and reach of exposure therapy. To this end, Dr. Smits established the international Exposure Therapy Consortium. His work also examines the interplay between anxiety vulnerability and health behaviors, particularly smoking, leading to specialized cessation treatments targeting anxiety sensitivity through exercise. Dr. Smits has published over 250 works and has been PI, Co-I, or mentor on grants totaling over $23 million from federal agencies such as the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the Department of Defense (DOD), alongside state and industry funding
Richard Brown, PhD
Research Professor
Richard Brown received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Oregon and completed his internship in clinical psychology at Brown Medical School. He was on the faculty of Rutgers University before returning to Brown, where he spent 25 years as faculty in the medical school before moving to the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. His research has been focused across a variety of areas, including the development of efficacious tobacco cessation treatments, including specialized treatments for smokers with psychiatric and substance use disorders, the efficacy of aerobic exercise in the treatment of tobacco and other substance dependence and OCD, and intervention approaches to adult and adolescent alcohol and drug abuse. Rick has published over 190 articles, book chapters, and books. He is a Fellow of the Society for Behavioral Medicine and of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. He is currently serving on the Editorial Board of Contemporary Clinical Trials.
Amitai Abramovitch, PhD
Adjunct Associate Professor
Dr. Amitai Abramovitch is a licensed psychologist and clinical neuropsychologist who received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Tel Aviv University. He subsequently completed a fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and MGH, funded by the Rothschild Family Postdoctoral Fellowship. Before joining the Department of Psychology at UT Austin, he was a faculty member in the Department of Psychology at Texas State University for 10 years. He has published over 65 peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters and serves on several journal editorial boards. His research interests include the cognitive neuroscience of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related disorders, the impact of psychopathology on cognitive function, and psychometrics. Additionally, he is interested in the transition of OCD from childhood to adulthood and the effectiveness of exposure and response prevention (ExRP) treatment for OCD in real-world private practice settings. He continues to provide empirically supported psychotherapy and neuropsychological assessments through is private practice.
Talya Leibowicz, PhD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Talya received her B.S. in Psychology from Yale University and her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from The University of Texas at Austin. She completed her clinical internship at The Counseling and Mental Health Center at UT Austin, before joining the faculty as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology. Prior to graduate school, she worked on psychosocial support interventions for refugees and first responders globally. Her research interests lie in understanding risk factors and enhancing interventions for anxiety and PTSD. Talya is also a practicing psychologist and works with patients to foster resilience and well-being in the face of anxiety, trauma, and life transitions.
Hannah Adams, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Hannah graduated from Kansas State University in 2019 with her B.S. in Human Development and Family Science. She recently completed her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at the University of Kansas. Her clinical experiences include college counseling, community mental health, and adolescent intensive outpatient work. She most recently completed her doctoral internship at the Center for Anxiety in New York, where she worked with a broad range of anxiety disorders across the lifespan, as well as PTSD in 9/11 first responders. Her training has been in CBT, DBT, and Person-Centered Therapy, with a focus on Self-Compassion. Hannah is committed to providing empirically supported interventions to a wide range of diagnoses in order to increase patients’ autonomy and well-being in the face of anxiety, trauma, grief, and other life stressors.
Marla I. Sarmiento, B. S.
Senior Research Program Coordinator
Lab Manager
Marla I. Sarmiento graduated from Texas A&M University in August 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Marla joined the Anxiety and Health Behaviors Lab in June 2023 as a Research Coordinator working on the Community-based Smoking Cessation Treatment for Adults with High Anxiety Sensitivity study and the Targeted Plasticity Therapy for the Treatment of PTSD study. In April 2025, she became the Anxiety and Health Behaviors Lab Manager and now oversees overall lab activities. Marla is interested in pursuing further education in the field of psychology, primarily working with minority and under-resourced communities with mental health disparities.
Tara M. Moore, B.A.
Research Program Coordinator
Clinical Assessment
Tara M. Moore, pronounced Tar-uh, graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in May of 2022 with a B.A. in Psychology and English and a Texas teaching certification in English Language Arts and Reading 7-12. After graduation, she briefly worked as a high school teacher before pivoting careers and joining the Anxiety and Health Behaviors Lab as a research coordinator for the COâ‚‚ Biomarker study. She now administers the clinical assessments for the PTSD and COâ‚‚ Biomarker study and acts as site manager for the lab, Exposure Therapy Consortium, and the Mechanistic Behavioral Research Consortium. Her main research interests include mood disorders and the micro and macro effects of racialized trauma in the African American community, with the hope of establishing more holistic clinical interventions for minorities experiencing stress-related conditions and health disparities. She is applying to Clinical and Counseling Psychology PhD programs this cycle (Fall '26).
Abigail Winskowicz, B.A.
Research Coordinator
Abby graduated from Auburn University in December of 2022 with a B.A. in Psychology. Prior to joining the Anxiety & Health Behaviors Lab, Abby worked as a Mental Health Associate at San Marcos Treatment Center, a residential psychiatric treatment center. She also spent time as a Research Assistant in the Juvenile Delinquency Lab at Auburn University. Abby currently works as a research coordinator for the Anxiety & Health Behaviors Lab in a study examining tobacco cessation in hospitalized psychiatric patients. Her research interests include trauma and substance use. Abby plans to pursue a doctoral degree in clinical psychology.
David Flynn, B.A.
Research Coordinator
David Flynn graduated from Colorado College in 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in Integrative Design and Architecture. Following roles in advertising and hospitality, he completed a year of post-baccalaureate psychology coursework at Columbia University, where he studied cognitive neuroscience, abnormal psychology, statistics, and behavioral research methods. David joined the Anxiety and Health Behaviors Lab in June 2025 as the research coordinator for the COâ‚‚ Biomarker study. David's research interests include substance use, affective disorders, and behavioral interventions for their treatment. He is particularly interested in identifying protective factors that reduce the risk of substance misuse and support long-term recovery. He is excited to further develop his clinical research experience as he prepares to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology.
Inés Iriondo, B.A.
Research Coordinator
Inés graduated from Rice University in May of 2025 with a B.A. in Cognitive Sciences. Prior to joining the Anxiety & Health Behaviors Lab (AHBL), Inés worked as a research assistant at the Mood, Memory, and Aging Lab, where she investigated the impact of emotion regulation on memory through behavioral mnemonic discrimination tasks. Inés joined the AHBL in June 2025 as a Research Coordinator and currently works on the Community-based Smoking Cessation Treatment for Adults with High Anxiety Sensitivity Program (STEP3) study. Her research interests include studying the risk factors for substance abuse, specifically within minority communities. Inés plans to strengthen her research skills to pursue a graduate degree in clinical psychology.
Victoria Ficara, B.S.
Research Coordinator
Victoria Ficara graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in May 2024 with a B.S. in Biology and a Field of Study in Psychology. Prior to joining the Anxiety & Health Behaviors Lab (AHBL), she worked as a Patient Care Technician in the Medical/Surgical unit at St. David’s Medical Center, where she provided direct support to patients and clinical staff in a fast-paced hospital setting. Victoria joined AHBL in April 2025 as a Research Coordinator and currently works on the Targeted Plasticity Therapy for the Treatment of PTSD study. Her research interests include trauma, anxiety disorders, and fear extinction-based learning. She is currently focused on strengthening her research skills in preparation for pursuing graduate education in psychology.
Leah McMahon, Fifth Year
M.A., University of Texas - Austin
Leah McMahon received her B.S.A. in Human Development and Family Sciences from the University of Texas at Austin. After graduating, she worked with Dr. Robert Leeman, Dr. Megan McVay, Dr. Nichole Scaglione, and Dr. Liana Hone within the Department of Health Education and Behavior at the University of Florida, focusing on developing digital health interventions for at-risk populations. Her research interests include identifying mechanisms that influence lasting symptom improvement in therapy for anxiety and related problems.
Bryan McSpadden, Second Year
B.S., University of Texas - Austin
Bryan McSpadden received his B.S. in Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin and worked as a research coordinator for two years in the Anxiety and Health Behaviors Lab. During this period, he primarily assisted on a project that aimed to identify biomarkers of treatment non-response in individuals diagnosed with anxiety and anxiety-related disorders. He later changed roles in the lab when he was accepted into the University’s Clinical Psychology PhD program as one of Dr. Smits’ graduate students. His research interests include the augmentation of basic extinction learning processes to enhance exposure-based psychotherapeutic treatments for anxiety and related problems.
Tessa Whitham
Senior Research Assistant
Tessa Whitham is a senior Psychology major with a minor in Italian Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. After graduating, she plans to work in a post-baccalaureate research position and then pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Her main interests include the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders and the impact/efficacy of CBT and other psychological therapies. Through her work as a research assistant for the COâ‚‚ Biomarker study in the Anxiety and Health Behaviors Lab, Tessa hopes to discover more about research practices and enhance the skills necessary to conduct independent research in the future. She is currently conducting her honors thesis within the lab under the supervision of graduate student Leah McMahon.
Bennett Giere
Research Assistant
Bennett Giere is a sophomore Public Health major at the University of Texas at Austin. After graduating, he plans to attend medical school and pursue a career in pediatrics. His research interests focus on the mental health and development of children and young adults, as well as improving treatments for mental health and neurological disorders in children. As a research assistant in the Anxiety and Health Behaviors Lab, Bennett is currently working on the COâ‚‚ Biomarker study, where he hopes to strengthen his research skills and gain experience that will prepare him for a future career in medicine.
Sanjana Putta
Research Assistant
Sanjana Putta is a sophomore Biology major with a minor in Business at the University of Texas at Austin. She is currently a research assistant in the Anxiety and Health Behaviors Lab and is exploring the effects of creatine augmentation on extinction learning and mental health. Sanjana’s research interests lie in the intersection of health and advocacy, with a focus on understanding how systemic barriers can shape mental health outcomes in marginalized communities. Through her work in the lab, she hopes to expand her knowledge of clinical research and gain skills that will support her future career. After graduating, she plans to pursue medical school and continue advocating for equitable health outcomes in underserved populations.
Suhani Vasa
Research Assistant
Suhani Vasa is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Austin. She is pursuing a B.S. in Honors in Advanced Human Development and Family Sciences with a Pre-Health Certificate. She is currently a research assistant in the Anxiety and Health Behaviors Lab, working on the COâ‚‚ Biomarker study. Suhani’s research interests specifically lie in examining the influence of mental health on the body, as well as studying generalized anxiety disorders, such as OCD, in children and young adults. She is also interested in assessing various psychological treatments and their effectiveness on different mental health disorders. Through her experience in the lab, Suhani aims to expand her knowledge of clinical research and develop her patient-care skills. In addition to being a research assistant, she will begin working on her honors thesis this year. After graduating, she plans to pursue a Master's in Physician Assistant Studies and work as a physician assistant in the mental health field.
Jocelyn Perez
Research Assistant
Jocelyn is a third-year Psychology major with a minor in Statistics and Data Science at the University of Texas at Austin. She has completed a certificate in Forensic Science and is part of the Bridging Disciplines program, concentrating in patients, practitioners, and cultures of care. She currently works as a research assistant on the COâ‚‚ Biomarker study in the Anxiety and Health Behaviors Lab, where she continues to develop skills in research and data analysis. Her interests include cognitive processing and the lived experiences of marginalized communities, with a focus on how cultural and systemic factors influence the way people experience and receive care. After graduating, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and lead research projects that prioritize accessibility in mental health to benefit diverse and underrepresented populations.
