Research Team
Director
Cecelia Valrie, PhD
Dr. Cecelia Valrie is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at VCU with a primary affiliation with the Health Psychology PhD Program and a secondary affiliation in the Clinical Psychology PhD program, Child/Adolescent concentration. She is also affiliated with the Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. Dr. Valrie received her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She was a faculty member in the Department of Psychology at East Carolina University for 11 years before joining the faculty at VCU in 2017.
Her research program focuses on improving the health and well-being of people living with sickle cell disease (SCD) as well as youth and young adults. Dr. Valrie uses health and developmental psychology techniques and theories to study persistent pain, sleep, and health outcomes. She is also focused on testing and improving the implementation and dissemination of effective interventions to improve health outcomes for people living with SCD, youth, and young adults. Dr. Valrie’s research has been funded by numerous agencies, including the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), and the American Society of Hematology. Her work has been published in a variety of scientific journals, including the Journal of Pediatric Psychology, the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, the Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Pediatric Blood and Cancer, Sleep Medicine, and American Psychologist. Dr. Valrie is committed to the translation of her research, with a focus on collaborating with healthcare providers, community members and groups, individuals living with SCD, youth, young adults, and their families to create programs that can work in health care, community, school, and home settings.
"Even a soul submerged in sleep is hard at work and helps make something of the world." - Heraclitus
Graduate Research Assistants
B. Sloan Crawford, MS, MA
Sloan is a 4th year graduate student in the Health Psychology Doctoral Program. She received her BS in Psychology from Old Dominion University. She continued her education at Regent University where she received an MS in Psychology and an M.A. in Practical Theology. Sloan’s interests include exploring the biopsychosocial factors that influence SCD health outcomes. She is also interested in identifying the triggers of chronic pain in adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with SCD and disrupting the transition from acute to chronic pain. Her overall research objective is to develop interventions to improve the self-management of chronic illness and quality of life of individuals with SCD.
"A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor" - FDR
M. Clara Hartman, BS
Clara is a 1st year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program. She received her BS in Psychology from the University of Cincinnati. She was previously a clinical research coordinator at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Clara’s interests include sleep and pediatric chronic and sickle cell pain.
“I’ve learned that people will forget that you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel” – Maya Angelou
M. Clara Hartman Curriculum Vitae
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Sophia Jusino
Sophia Jusino is an Applied Psychology major with a minor in Biology. Her goal is to become a neurologist and aid others in managing and treating disorders of the brain and nervous system. To achieve this goal, she will be pursuing higher education to gain more knowledge and have the ability to seek experiences closer to the field. Outside of her goals, her passions involve digital illustration, baking, and gaming.
"Take the time to enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things." Robert Brault.
Maya Heron
Maya Heron is a HPEX (Health, Physical Education, and Exercise Science) major with a concentration in Health Science and a minor in General Business. She previously worked as a research assistant at the Mindful Living Institute, where she contributed to research examining the correlation between COVID-19 and spike protein. With her experience in data collection and research, she is eager to combine her passion for health and business to pursue opportunities that bridge the gap between healthcare innovation and business management.
“If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough." - Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Samantha Joyce
Samantha Joyce is an HPEX (Health, Physical Education, and Exercise Science) major with a concentration in Health Science and a minor in Psychology. Her ultimate goal is to become a Physician Associate specializing in neurology, with a particular focus on treating and managing chronic pain in athletes. Samantha is passionate about understanding the complexities of pain and developing strategies to improve the quality of life for those affected. Outside of her professional aspirations, Samantha enjoys playing sports, hiking, and experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.
“You can't put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get.”
- Michael Phelps
VCU Graduate Alumni
Jelaina Shipman-Lacewell, MA, PhD
Dr. Shipman-Lacewell earned her PhD in Health Psychology in 2024. Her dissertation was titled "The role of sleep and social-ecological supports in the association between racial discrimination and cardiometabolic risk in Black youth." Dr. Shipman-Lacewell's first position after graduating is as a Postdoctoral Fellow in the "Multidisciplinary Research Training to Reduce Inequalities in Cardiovascular Health (METRIC)" T32 at Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health.
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Angela Pascale, PhD
Dr. Pascale earned her PhD in Health Psychology in 2023. Her dissertation was titled "Examining allostatic load as a biological mechanism linking childhood adversity and pediatric pain." Dr. Pascale's first position after graduating is a Research Analyst in the Clinical Nursing Research Team at Press Ganey, a leading Human Experience healthcare improvement company centered on reducing patient suffering.
Mona Quarless, MEd, PhD
Dr. Quarless received her PhD Health Psychology in May 2022. Her dissertation was titled: "Shared decision making in adolescence: The role of race and health status." Dr. Quarless' first position after graduating is the Provider Engagement Manager in the office of the Chief Medical Officer at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.