• I received my B.S. in Psychology from Michigan State University and my Ph.D. in Psychology and Social Behavior from the University of California, Irvine (major specialization: Health Psychology; minor specialization: Quantitative Methods). I completed my post-doctoral training at the Health Policy Research Institute in the School of Medicine at the University of California, Irvine.  I then joined the Psychology Department at Rutgers University, Camden and became a core faculty member of the Health Sciences Department (formerly center).  I am the Founding Director of the Graduate Program in Prevention Science. I am also an Affiliate Member of the Hub for Aging Collaboration in the School of Social Work at Rutgers University.
• I am a health psychologist and gerontologist whose primary research interest involves how relationships with family members, friends, and health care providers can help or hinder the engagement in health behaviors. I have a secondary interest in the link between physical and mental health more broadly (including topics such as body image and stress). I am interested in examining these ideas in diverse populations, such as individuals with chronic illness, older adults, racial/ethnic minorities, sexual minorities, and individuals with disabilities. I seek to not only understand these processes better, but also to develop evidence-based intervention strategies to promote physical, mental, and social health.
• I am currently an Associate Editor for the Journal of Health Psychology. I was the founding Deputy Editor for the “Psychophysiological Processes of Stress” section of Stress & Health and was a Section Editor of the Encyclopedia of mental health (3^rd edition).
• Recent awards I’ve received: Faculty Scholar-Teacher Award, Rutgers University (2024); Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Research and Creative Activity, Rutgers University, Camden (2024); Top 10% Reviewer for past 3 years (2^nd place), Health Psychology (2024)

See publications here.