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. She is also director of the Culture, Race, and Health Transdisciplinary core of the VCU Institute for Inclusion, Inquiry, and Innovation, an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, and serves as a co-Director of Research for the VCU Center for Cultural Experiences in Prevention. 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) and Black youth. Dr. Valrie uses health and developmental psychology techniques and theories to study persistent pain, sleep, and health inequities. She is also focused on testing and improving the implementation and dissemination of effective interventions to improve health outcomes and promote health equity for people living with SCD, Black youth, and their families. 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, Black youth 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 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
Jelaina Shipman-Lacewell, MA
Jelaina is a graduate student in the Health Psychology Doctoral Program. She received her BA in Psychology, BS in Criminal Justice, and MA in Clinical Psychology at North Carolina Central University. Broadly, her interests are in examining biopsychosocial, socio-environmental factors that influence cardiometabolic health outcomes for Black individuals, with a special interest in adolescents and young adults (AYA). Specific factors of interest include racism, sleep, community support, and environmental resources. Her research aims to inform culturally-relevant prevention and intervention programs to reduce health disparities.
“In our work and in our living, we must recognize that difference is a reason for celebration and growth, rather than a reason for destruction.” – Audre Lorde
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Isha Kamara
Isha Kamara is an HPEX (health, physical education, and health science) major with a minor in Psychology. Her hope for the future is to work as a physical therapist for people with disabilities. She plans to pursue a higher education after graduation to help advance her career. Her passions involve photography, cooking, and reading.
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” - Eleanor Roosevelt
Raida Rahman
Raida is a senior Psychology major focusing on the pre-medicine track. She is dedicated to gaining acceptance into medical school and preparing for a Ph.D. program in clinical psychology. Her research interests center around the impact of cultural backgrounds on effective therapy. Ultimately, she aspires to become a therapist and representative for her community. Currently, she is actively contributing to research at the Green Lab and collaborating with the HD lab to deepen her understanding of psychological dynamics.
"If you only have a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail." Abraham Maslow
VCU Lab Alumni
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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.