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.
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.
Salam Sulaiman -
Research Assistant
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.