Rehabilitation and Health Services Faculty and Staff

the RHS mission is to prepare interdisciplinary professionals who will advance equity and optimize quality-of-life outcomes in diverse communities across the nation.

Our department is comprised of community engaged academics providing an education that reaches beyond the classroom.

rhs.unt.edu
rhs@unt.edu
940.565.2488
Chilton Hall 218

Centers and Clinics

Collegiate Recovery Program
Office of Substance Misuse & Mental Health Recovery Research
Recovery to Practice
UNTWELL
UNT WISE

	Rachita Sharma, Ph.D., LPC-S, CRC Chair of Rehabilitation & Health Services Clinical Associate Professor, UNT Well Clinic Director & Program Director for Ph.D. in Health Services Rehabilitation and Health Services My research interests lie primarily in Resilience and Positive Psychology in provision of Mental Health Counseling. I am also interested in Mindfulness, provider self-care, and multicultural competencies in counseling. As a counseling supervisor I am also interested in looking at the impact of pedagogy on educational effectiveness as it pertains to self-efficacy and competency among counselors in training. Additionally, I have looked at cultural attitudes and barriers that impact help seeking behaviors in minority communities, receptiveness of veterans towards complementary and alternate medicine (CAM), and the role of culture on the experience of mental health symptoms among military personnel. Recent publications: Bang-on Thepthien, Chit Su Tinn, Rachita Sharma. (2023). Establishing the Association Between Traditional Tobacco, E-cigarette and Dual Use and Mental Health Problems Among High School Students: Results from a 2022 Behavioral Surveillance Survey. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. doi: 10.1007/s11469-023-01109-8	Rachita.Sharma@unt.edu 940-565-2795 Chilton 218K Faculty Profile
	Azzama Alia Graduate Services Coordinator Rehabilitation and Health Services	azzama.alia@unt.edu 940-565-4054 Chilton 218E
	Brenda Barrio, Ph.D. Assistant Vice President for Research and Innovation, Associate Professor Rehabilitation and Health Services disabilities, higher education, equity, access	Brenda.Barrio@unt.edu 940-369-7452 Chilton 238Q Faculty Profile
	Daren Carter III Senior Administrative Specialist Rehabilitation and Health Services	daren.carter@unt.edu 940-565-3400 Chilton 218
	Dalia Chowdhury, Ph.D., CRC, CADC, LPC Associate Professor Rehabilitation and Health Services Healthy Community Collaborative Program Mental and Physical Disability, Gender, and Violence; Trauma and addiction; Suicide and Trauma informed Healthcare; Gender and Pedagogy; Psychometry.	Dalia.Chowdhury@unt.edu 940-369-5001 Chilton 218P Faculty Profile
	Jill Denniston, M.S. RHS Internship Coordinator Adjunct Instructor Rehabilitation and Health Services	Jill.Denniston@unt.edu 940-369-5343 Chilton Hall 218
	Paula Heller Garland, M.S., LCDC Senior Lecturer & Addiction Studies Coordinator Rehabilitation and Health Services	Paula.Heller-Garland@unt.edu 940-369-5186 Chilton 218L Faculty Profile
	Crystal George, MS, LPC, CRC, CVE Employment Development Coordinator for ELEVAR Rehabilitation and Health Services	crystal.george@unt.edu 940-565-3601 Chilton 136B
	Julia Heck, PhD, MPH Associate Dean for Research Dean's Office Rehabilitation and Health Services	julia.heck@unt.edu 940-565-5061 Chilton 289A Faculty Profile
	Chisom Iwundu, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Rehabilitation and Health Services My primary research interest is focused on better understanding the social and environmental contexts that affect health, and health behaviors especially among marginalized groups.	chisom.odoh@unt.edu Chilton 238L Faculty Profile
	Benedict Jikong (DHA) Lecturer Rehabilitation and Health Services	Benedict.Jikong@unt.edu 940-369-8277 Chilton 238R
	Bradley McDaniels, PhD, CRC Assistant Professor Coordinator of Rehabilitation Studies Program Rehabilitation and Health Services Well-being, quality of life issues, meaning and purpose, positive psychology, apathy, and psychosocial adaptation among individuals with chronic illness and disability with a particular interest in Parkinson’s disease.	bradley.mcdaniels@unt.edu 940-565-4938 Chilton 238J Faculty Profile
	Naomi Meier, DrPH, MS Clinical Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Public Health Program Rehabilitation and Health Services	naomi.meier@unt.edu 940-369-8096 Chilton 218H Faculty Profile
	Ami Moore, Ph.D., MPH, CPH Professor Rehabilitation and Health Services	ami.moore@unt.edu Chilton 218G Faculty Profile
	Elias Mpofu, Ph.D., CRC Professor Rehabilitation and Health Services My research interests coalesce around sustainable community-oriented health services; - their design, implementation and evaluation for health promotive supports across the lifespan, with an increasing emphasis on community living and participation outcomes for health older adults aging with or into disability Selected Publications: The following publications were co-authored with doctoral student Renata Komalasari and peer in RHS - associate professor Gayle Prybutok. Dr. Mpofu and Dr. Prybutok feel that it is their obligation to teach doctoral students how to publish as part of their education. Komalasari, R., Mpofu, E., Prybutok, G., and Ingman, S. (2022). Daily Living Subjective Cognitive Decline Indicators in Older Adults with Depressive Symptoms: A Scoping Review and Categorization Using Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). Healthcare, 2022, 10, 1508. Komalasari, R., Mpofu, E., Prybutok, G., and Ingman, S. (2023). Subjective Functional Difficulties and Subjective Cognitive Decline in Older-Age Adults: Moderation by Age Cohorts and Mediation by Mentally Unhealthy Days. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2023, 20, 1606.	Elias.Mpofu@unt.edu 940-565-4829 Chilton 302A Faculty Profile
	Liam O'Neill Ph.D. Associate Professor Coordinator of Health Services Administration Program Rehabilitation and Health Services Efficiency measurement in health care, data envelopment analysis, health information systems, electronic health records, big data, and Covid-19. His most recent article on risk factors among children with Covid-19 was published in Health Services Research and Managerial Epidemiology.	liam.o'neill@unt.edu 940-369-7568 Chilton 238M Faculty Profile
	Gayle Prybutok, BSN, MBA, Ph.D. Associate Professor Rehabilitation and Health Services Health communication/education; health care quality improvement, health education, Internet based health communication, health care service quality, mobile health, health disparities Selected Publications: The following publications were co-authored with doctoral student Rifat Afrin. Dr. Prybutok feels that it is her obligation to teach her doctoral students how to publish as part of their education. Afrin, R., Prybutok, G. (2022). Insights into the antecedents of cyberchondria: a perspective from the USA. Health Promotion International. 37, 1–10. Afrin, R., Harun, A., Prybutok, G., Prybutok, V. (2022). Framing of COVID-19 in Newspapers: A Perspective from the US-Mexico Border. Healthcare, 10, 2362. Afrin, R., Prybutok, G., Prybutok, V. (2022). The pathways from online health information seeking to cyberchondria: A perspective from moderated mediation. Psychiatry Research Communications 2, 2022.100069. The following publications were co-authored with doctoral student Renata Komalasari and peer in RHS - professor Elias Mpofu. Komalasari, R., Mpofu, E., Prybutok, G., and Ingman, S. (2022). Daily Living Subjective Cognitive Decline Indicators in Older Adults with Depressive Symptoms: A Scoping Review and Categorization Using Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). Healthcare, 2022, 10, 1508. Komalasari, R., Mpofu, E., Prybutok, G., and Ingman, S. (2023). Subjective Functional Difficulties and Subjective Cognitive Decline in Older-Age Adults: Moderation by Age Cohorts and Mediation by Mentally Unhealthy Days. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2023, 20, 1606.	Gayle.Prybutok@unt.edu 940-369-7820 Chilton 238P Faculty Profile
	Pam Trocki-Ables, Ph.D. ELEVAR Program Director Rehabilitation and Health Services	pamela.trocki-ables@unt.edu 940-565-3609 Chilton 136
	Justin Watts, Ph.D., NCC Associate Professor Coordinator of Rehabilitation Counseling Program Rehabilitation and Health Services Healthy Community Collaborative Program The impact of child-maltreatment among young/emerging adults, trauma, post-traumatic stress, childhood psychological maltreatment.	Justin.Watts@unt.edu 940-369-8947 Chilton 218M Faculty Profile
	Kaiqi Zhou, Ph.D., CRC, LPC-IT Assistant Professor Rehabilitation and Health Services Psychosocial adaptation to chronic illnesses and disabilities (disability acceptance, value change, disability identity), Autism Spectrum Disorder, assistive technology, and application of psychoanalysis in rehabilitation counseling.	Kaiqi.Zhou@unt.edu 940-369-7267 Chilton 218P Faculty Profile
	Ryan Appleton, M.S., CRC Associate Director of Transition Programs Rehabilitation and Health Services	ryan.appleton@unt.edu 940-369-5497 Chilton 122
	Justin Boulay, M.S. UNT WISE Instructional Designer/Program Manager Rehabilitation and Health Services	justin.boulay@unt.edu 940-369-8620 Chilton 122
	Becky Cagle, M.S., ATHS Senior Program Project Coordinator Rehabilitation and Health Services	Rebecca.Cagle@unt.edu 940-565-4407 Chilton 122
	Ticcara N. Cassell SWTCIE Senior Program Project Coordinator Rehabilitation and Health Services	ticcara.cassell@unt.edu 940-369-7515 Chilton 126
	Kaya Church Senior Administrative Specialist Rehabilitation and Health Services	Chilton 122
	Ryan Cole, M.S. CRC SWTCIE Program Director Rehabilitation and Health Services	ryan.cole@unt.edu 940-565-4422 Chilton 122
	Aracely (Ellie) Fuentes UNT WISE Sr. Program Coordinator Rehabilitation and Health Services	Aracely.Fuentes@unt.edu 940-565-4311 Chilton 122
	Lucy Gafford M.S., CRC Director, UNT WISE Rehabilitation and Health Services	lucy.gafford@unt.edu 940-891-6769 Chilton 122 Faculty Profile
	Shay Gregory Program Project Coordinator Rehabilitation and Health Services	shabnam.khorramshahi@unt.edu 940-369-7503 Chilton 122
	Christa Lim Administrative Coordinator, UNT WISE Rehabilitation and Health Services	Christa.Lim@unt.edu 940-565-4000 Chilton 122
	Jade Marth UNT ENGAGE Senior Program Coordinator Rehabilitation and Health Services Understanding best practices for supporting neurodivergent people using the neurodiversity approach and bridging the gap between the medical and social model of disability.	jade.marth@unt.edu 940-369-7939 Chilton 122
	Kellie Nix M.S., CRC Sr. Program Project Coordinator UNT WISE ENGAGE Rehabilitation and Health Services	kellie.nix@unt.edu 940-565-4000 Chilton 122
	Karina Saucedo, M.A. Program Project Coordinator Rehabilitation and Health Services	karina.saucedo@unt.edu 940-369-5307 Chilton 122
	Eralda Shyle UNT WISE Program Project Specialist Rehabilitation and Health Services	Eralda.Shyle@unt.edu 940-565-4000 Chilton 122
	Lauren Taylor, MS, CRC, LPC-A Senior Program Project Coordinator for ENGAGE Rehabilitation and Health Services	Lauren.Taylor@unt.ede 940-369-5392 Chilton 122
	Tim White Sr. Administrative Coordinator Rehabilitation and Health Services	Timothy.White@unt.edu 940-565-4000 Chilton 122F