PhD Forthcoming Graduates
| EMILY BEEBE | ARUNIMA BHATTACHARJEE | SEAN BURR | JODY GARDNER | GREGORY GOMEZ |
| AGNES HO | UMAIRA KHAN | TIERRA MURRAY | TANYA ROLLINS | CHELSEA SANCHEZ |
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EMILY BEEBE, MSWPERSONAL STATEMENT Emily Beebe (she/her) blends her background in research with survivor advocacy. Her research focuses on racial and gender injustices, policy change, trauma, and systems abolition through an intersectional lens. Motivated by her experience as a survivor advocate, she supported clients navigating various systems, including child welfare, criminal justice, and healthcare. RESEARCH INTERESTS
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ARUNIMA BHATTACHARJEE, MSWPERSONAL STATEMENT I have interdisciplinary training in social work, international relations with a focus on human rights, trauma and mental health, and global health policy. My methodological experience is in quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research. These include survey and data analysis, logistic regression, interviews and focus groups, thematic analysis, program evaluation, and community-engaged research. I have also worked on research involving refugees and migrants, torture and human rights, cancer caregiving and digital mental health, community mental health, and violence and exploitation. I am particularly interested in conducting multidisciplinary and collaborative research,
specifically at a tenure-track faculty position, postdoctoral fellowship, and research
or policy position. RESEARCH INTERESTS
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SEAN BURR, MSW, LCSWPERSONAL STATEMENT Sean K. Burr, MSW, LCSW, is a doctoral candidate at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work and a licensed clinical social worker. His research focuses on suicide prevention and intervention, with particular attention to the socioeconomic, structural, and psychological factors that contribute to suicide risk. His broader research interests include mental health stigma, help-seeking and access to behavioral health services, and clinical social work education and training in evidence-based mental health practice. His previous research has examined digital interventions for suicide prevention, public stigma toward mental illness and suicide, and the intersection of mental health, culture, and access to care. Sean’s dissertation, Financial Stress and Suicidal Desire in Midlife: Testing Psychological Pathways Within the Three-Step Theory of Suicide, examines how subjective financial threat and acute economic hardship are associated with suicidal desire and suicide capability among adults in midlife. Grounded in the Three-Step Theory of Suicide, his research tests whether psychache, hopelessness, and belongingness help account for associations between financial stress and suicidal desire, while also examining whether financial stress is related to suicide capability among individuals with and without a history of suicide attempt. Through this work, he aims to advance understanding of suicide risk by integrating psychological processes with the financial and socioeconomic conditions that may shape vulnerability to suicidal thoughts and behavior. As both a researcher and practicing clinical social worker, Sean is particularly interested in translating suicide research into meaningful improvements in clinical practice, prevention, and social work education. His goals are to: (1) advance understanding of socioeconomic and structural contributors to suicide risk, (2) develop and evaluate accessible and evidence-based approaches to suicide prevention and intervention, and (3) strengthen the preparation of social workers and other mental health professionals to respond effectively to suicide and complex mental health concerns. Sean’s research is informed by more than a decade of clinical social work practice across community, hospital, and public-sector mental health settings. He seeks to build a program of scholarship that integrates research, clinical practice, and education while contributing to suicide prevention efforts that are responsive to the social and structural conditions affecting individuals, families, and communities. RESEARCH INTERESTS
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JODY GARDNER, MSWPERSONAL STATEMENT Jody's research focuses on sexuality and intellectual disability, specifically the intersection between the two and the implications of negative perceptions from caregivers. Jody is interested in developing and implementing a progressive sexual health curriculum to enhance the quality of life among this population, decrease the prevalence of abuse and exploitation, and sexually offending behaviors. Jody's scholarly agenda is informed by her work in residential settings for adults labeled with I/DD and co-occurring mental health diagnoses, as it became apparent during that time that there was a sizable gap in services related to the sexual well-being of these individuals. RESEARCH INTERESTS
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GREGORY GOMEZ, MSWPERSONAL STATEMENT Gregory Gomez, LCSW, M.Ed. (he/him) is a doctoral candidate in the Graduate College
of Social Work at the University of Houston. His research examines the ambiguous loss
and disenfranchised grief experienced among children with incarcerated parents. RESEARCH INTERESTS
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AGNES HO, MSW, LCSWPERSONAL STATEMENT Oi Yee Agnes Ho, MSW, LCSW (she/her), is a first-generation college graduate and doctoral student in the Graduate College of Social Work at the University of Houston. Her research focuses on improving mental health outcomes among emerging adults in college settings. She has a broad background in clinical mental health interventions and community-engaged programming, with experience in survey research and secondary data analysis related to student well-being. Agnes's research agenda is informed by more than a decade of direct social work practice focused on college student mental health and well-being. She serves as a Co-Principal Investigator for Rice University’s administration of the National College Health Assessment (NCHA), a campus-wide survey that examines students’ health-related behaviors, experiences, perceptions, and concerns. Agnes is particularly interested in using survey data to examine socio-ecological factors and barriers that may contribute to mental health outcomes, loneliness, health disparities, and community well-being, especially among socially marginalized and economically disadvantaged student populations. Her long-term goal is to identify and predict factors associated with mental health outcomes and to develop targeted interventions and support systems that promote mental health, well-being, and recovery among emerging adults. RESEARCH INTERESTS
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UMAIRA KHAN, MSWPERSONAL STATEMENT Umaira Khan, LMSW (she/her) is a PhD candidate in the Graduate College of Social Work at the University of Houston and doctoral fellow with the Council of Social Work Education Minority Fellowship Program. She brings an interdisciplinary approach to her research, practice, and teaching, with professional experience spanning multiple sectors, including child welfare, education, and community-based mental health. She has clinical experience working with young adults in therapeutic foster care as well as several years in NYC public schools supporting students identified with emotional and behavioral disorders. Currently, Umaira provides clinical services to women impacted by intimate partner violence, serving a primarily Muslim immigrant and refugee community in Houston, Texas. Umaira’s dissertation explores how young adults make meaning of their experiences with school discipline and disability, utilizing Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. For the past several years, she has worked on a randomized trial to develop a community-based intervention that aims to improve mental health outcomes among formerly homeless youth. Umaira has taught graduate and undergraduate level courses as an adjunct instructor at the University of Houston’s Graduate College of Social Work and New York University’s Department of Teaching and Learning. Her teaching approach draws upon critical frameworks and incorporates multiple modes of disseminating content as well as differentiating learning opportunities for students. Broadly, Umaira’s research interests include mental health among youth and young adults, immigrant and refugee communities, and those impacted by intimate partner violence. Her work aims to develop and implement culturally-sustaining interventions and policies to address barriers faced by these populations. RESEARCH INTERESTS
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TIERRA MURRAY, MSW PERSONAL STATEMENT My research focuses on the experiences of Black college women with bidirectional dating violence, with particular attention to help-seeking, advice-giving, and bystander intervention. Throughout my doctoral journey, I have remained committed to bridging research, clinical practice, and teaching to better serve Black women, young adults, and communities impacted by interpersonal violence and mental health challenges. I am especially grateful for the mentorship, opportunities, and support I have received throughout my time at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. RESEARCH INTERESTS
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TANYA ROLLINS, MSWPERSONAL STATEMENT Tanya Rollins received her BS in Psychology from Texas A&M University in 1990 and her MSW from Texas State University-San Marcos in 2007. She retired from the child welfare system after thirty years. She worked in roles as an investigator, intake specialist, intake supervisor, training specialist, training manager, and disproportionality manager. In her role as the Child Protective Services Disproportionality Manager for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, she was charged with examining the racial and ethnic disparities in the child welfare system while working with internal and external partners to eliminate the disparities. She was instrumental in the implementation of the Knowing Who You Are project in Texas. She has presented at numerous national, regional, and state conferences on poverty, child welfare, racial and ethnic identity, and disparities in the child welfare system. Ms. Rollins had the honor of working with Austin community leaders while participating in Mayor Steve Adler’s Task Force on Institutional Racism. She was recognized by the Austin Urban League and TexProtects Child Protection Roundtable for her advocacy work. She is a co-founder of the Travis County Race Equity Collaborative and a member of the Texas Taskforce for LGBTQI+ Youth in Care. She is committed to engaging with individuals, communities, and organizations in efforts designed to confront oppressive systems and hold systems accountable for harm. RESEARCH INTERESTS
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CHELSEA SANCHEZ, MSWPERSONAL STATEMENT Chelsea Sanchez is a doctoral candidate at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. She is also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Board-Approved Supervisor in Texas with a decade of experience serving individuals and communities impacted by trauma. She earned both her Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work degrees from Baylor University’s Garland School of Social Work. Throughout her clinical career, Chelsea has worked extensively with immigrant and refugee populations, survivors of child maltreatment, individuals affected by disasters, and survivors of human trafficking. Her professional experience spans direct clinical practice, program development, interdisciplinary collaboration, and workforce training. She has trained victim service professionals and volunteers in national and international settings on trauma-informed care and has led advocacy response efforts in partnership with law enforcement agencies that resulted in the identification and recovery of human trafficking survivors. Committed to advancing the next generation of social workers, Chelsea has served as a field instructor for MSW students across Texas and has taught social work courses at Baylor University and the University of Houston. She has also presented at regional conferences and professional coalitions on strengthening collaborative partnerships to improve service delivery for vulnerable populations. Her program of research examines how trauma exposure influences the well-being of both individuals who experience victimization and the professionals who support them. Through her scholarship, she seeks to advance trauma-informed social services and mental health interventions that promote resilience, workforce sustainability, and equitable outcomes for trauma-affected communities. RESEARCH INTERESTS
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