Lab Alumni

Reagan Fitzke – Doctoral Student, Clinical Psychology, University of Colorado Colorado Springs

Reagan was the PEARL’s first lab manager and an integral part of the team from 2020 until 2023, when she accepted her admission into the Clinical Psychology PhD program at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, under the supervision of Dr. Colin Mahoney. She graduated from Colorado State University in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Clinical/Counseling Psychology and a minor in Applied Statistics. Her research interests include the effects of trauma in at-risk populations on the manifestation of PTSD, substance use behaviors, and various other mental health disorders. She is also interested in behavioral interventions and improving clinical treatment outcomes for these communities. View Reagan’s CV here.

Keegan Buch – Doctoral Student, Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program

Keegan was one of the PEARL’s lab managers from 2022 until 2024, when he accepted his admission into the Clinical Psychology Joint Doctoral Program at San Diego State University/UC San Diego, under the supervision of Dr. Keith Horvath. He graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. His research interests include the etiology of alcohol use disorder and other substance use disorders within sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations. He is broadly interested in expanding upon research regarding SGM substance use as well as the treatment of substance use disorders within the SGM community. View Keegan’s CV here.

Daniel S. Lee, Ph.D., LCSW – Postdoctoral Scholar, Research Associate, USC Keck School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Dr. Daniel Lee is a postdoctoral research associate at the Keck School of Medicine. Prior to completing his Ph.D. in social work at USC, he worked for LA County’s Department of Mental Health, delivering evidence-based interventions to ethnic minority communities. His research examines psychosocial and developmental factors associated with mental and behavioral health in adolescents and young adults with histories of multiple traumas, including early life adversities. His interests also include digital interventions to address treatment engagement and improve behavioral health outcomes.

Nina Christie, Ph.D., MPH – Postdoctoral Scholar, University of New Mexico, Center on Alcohol, Substance Use, and Addictions

Nina completed her Ph.D. in 2023 at USC in the Brain and Cognitive Science area in Psychology. Her research interests include the role of social connection in substance use disorders, specifically opioid use disorder. She is particularly invested in working with vulnerable populations including people who inject drugs, individuals experiencing homelessness, and youth. Nina spent a large portion of her time as a Ph.D. student studying policy and public health, focusing specifically on the availability and utilization of harm reduction services. More broadly, Nina aims to understand mental health and promote positive health habits among all individuals, regardless of health status. She is currently a postdoctoral scholar at the Center on Alcohol, Substance Use, and Addictions at the University of New Mexico.

Colin Ring, M.A. – Doctoral Student, Clinical Psychology, Loma Linda University

Colin Ring graduated with his B.A. in psychology from the University of Southern California, an M.A. in psychology from Loma Linda University, and is currently a 3^rd year clinical psychology PhD student at Loma Linda University. His research interests include substance use disorders and addiction with a focus on alcohol, tobacco, electronic cigarettes, alternative nicotine products, cannabis, and cannabis vape devices. He is also interested in the development of interventions targeted at substance use disorders, including harm reduction strategies and relapse prevention strategies, as well as the barriers to treatment and risk factors among vulnerable populations. View Colin’s CV here.

Jennifer Wang, M.D. – Resident Physician

Jennifer Wang graduated with her M.D. from the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.

Shaddy Saba, Ph.D.

Shaddy Saba graduated with his Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Southern California.