Julia Felton, PhD -
Lab Director
Dr. Felton is a licensed clinical psychologist and researcher focused on characterizing the role of environment on the development of addiction and related mental health problems across adolescence as well as developing treatments to reduce and prevent substance use disorders in youth and adults. Dr. Felton is also interested in understanding early family/neighborhood environments and parenting practices that place youth at higher rate for engaging in risky behaviors. She has served as an investigator on a number of federally-funded trials aimed at improving access to evidence-based services among individuals from historically disadvantaged communities that often face significant barriers to accessing care. As part of this work, Dr. Felton examines integrating mental and behavioral health care services into existing community and primary care settings. She collaborates with a number of community partners in Detroit and Flint, MI and across health care settings in these cities.
Ashley Kucera, MPH -
Project Manager
As a Project Manager, Ashley has had the privilege of leading research studies in a variety of areas that impact our communities. These include Alzheimer's disease, substance use, nutrition education, endobariatrics and obesity, depression, physical activity, and parenting practices. With a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master's in Public Health, Ashley’s passion is finding ways to translate clinical research into real-world interventions that benefit people's health and wellbeing. She enjoys building relationships with individuals, community members and organizations, overseeing projects from start to finish, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to achieve our goals. She believes that by working together, we can create innovative solutions that improve health outcomes and make our community stronger.
Tessa Hampton -
Research Assistant
Tessa graduated from the University of Michigan in 2021 with a BA in Psychology and began her time at Henry Ford Health in June 2021. She primarily manages Dr. Felton’s parenting studies and Train Your Brain project, but has also been part of the FOREward Together project. Tessa hopes to continue her psychology career by earning her doctorate in Clinical Psychology or Social Work. Her interests lie in understanding how adverse environments contribute to child and adolescent cognitive, behavioral, and emotional outcomes.
Logan Zelenak -
Research AssIStant
Logan Zelenak (they/them) earned their Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Wayne State University in 2021. Zelenak is a Research Project Coordinator II in the Center for Health Policy and Health Services Research at Henry Ford Health in Detroit, Michigan. At Henry Ford Health, Zelenak assists in projects focusing on adolescent mental health, suicide prevention, chronic pain and depression, and substance use. Zelenak works on Dr. Julia Felton's FOREward Together project, an evidence based behavioral activation intervention delivered by peer recovery coaches to address barriers to retention and engagement in substance use treatment at the Detroit Recovery Project Center. They also co-facilitated a training at the Detroit Recovery Project Center -- Behavioral activation for improving recoveree engagement: An introduction to an evidence-based intervention. Zelenak is particularly interested in substance use disorders, peer recovery, and trauma informed care in substance use recovery.
Jaclyn Johnson -
Research Assistant
Jacki is a Michigan State University alumna, earning a Bachelor of Science in Social Science in 2020, and a Master of Public Health Degree in 2023. Jacki has a passion for advancing health equity and researching new ways to minimize health disparities among the community. She is a research coordinator in Dr. Felton's lab, primarily assisting in her parenting projects.
GabRIELLE Krambeck -
RESEARCH STUDENT
Gabrielle is a medical student at Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine. She is also a graduate of Michigan State University, where she received her Bachelors of Physiology and has a strong background in research and bioethics. Each research project amazes her with the complexity and resilience of the mind and body. She is currently interested in pursuing a career in Emergency Medicine, where she can combine her love for research with practical application to make a positive impact on others.
Victoria Ward -
RESEARCH STUDENT
Victoria is a Loyola University Chicago undergraduate (Fall '23) working toward her BS in Psychology. She is excited to work on Dr. Felton's parenting projects this summer and hopes to continue her education by obtaining her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Her research interests include the effects of parental incarceration and interventions at the community level.
Sydney Spatafore -
Research assistant
Sydney is a student in the Counseling Psychology M.A. program at Wayne State University, and will graduate in December 2023. She graduated from Michigan State University in May 2020 with a B.S. in Psychology. Currently, she is completing her practicum internship at Children’s Hospital in Detroit. She began working in Dr. Felton’s lab in May 2023 and is involved in the returning citizens project. Sydney’s research experience focuses on parent-child interactions, childhood trauma, and family environment among high risk and vulnerable populations.
Salam Sulaiman -
Research Project CoordinatoR
Salam is a Wayne State University alum who graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in Neuroscience and a minor in Health Care Ethics. She is also a pre-med student and is interested in pursuing a career as a physician-scientist. She is interested in community-based research that aims to enhance the delivery of health services to traditionally underserved communities.