Director

Dave Jobes was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and he went to college at the University of Colorado (where he met his wife Colleen). He went to graduate school at American University where he worked with Dr. Lanny Berman and developed his passion for suicide prevention and research. After completing his clinical internship at the Washington DC VA Medical Center, Dave went to Catholic University in 1987 where he first worked as a staff psychologist in the CUA Counseling Center. He ultimately migrated over to the Psychology faculty full time in 1992 and became a full professor in 2002. Dave has been immersed in suicide prevention work since graduate school and recently completed his 33rd year at CUA. Dave and Colleen have been married over 30 years and they have two sons—Connor who is a first year law student and Georgetown University and Dillon who is a first year graduate student in mechanical engineering at the University of Michigan. A life-long martial artist, Dave has “retired” to kick-boxing and enjoys spending time with his family including Mickie (an overly loved Boston Terrier) and Reilly (a cat who thinks he is dog and terrorizes small to mid-size animals in the neighborhood).

Assistant Director

Dr. Jennifer Crumlish, Assistant Director of the Suicide Prevention Lab, was born and raised in New York City near Greenwich Village in the 1960’s and 1970’s which sparked her curiosity in human behavior given the colorful individuals who filled the neighborhood.  Her major in history at Georgetown University enabled her to spend her junior year at the University of Kent at Canterbury where she spent as much time as possible traveling and eating her way through Europe. During her senior year she took an introductory psychology course because it fit well into her schedule only to discover that that should have been her major all along.  Volunteering at the D.C. Hotline and training volunteers in handling suicidal callers became the first step on her way to graduate school in psychology.   Dr. Crumlish received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at The Catholic University of America in 1996. Her research work has been in mood spectrum disorders with a focus on bipolar disorder in the Biological Psychiatry Branch at the National Institute of Mental Health, in schizophrenia at Johns Hopkins University.  Dr. Crumlish’s current interests in suicide research include individuals in the military, veterans, and senior citizens.  When she’s not busy being a psychologist, Dr. Crumlish enjoys traveling, trying out new restaurants and playing tennis.

Post-Doctoral Fellow

Phoebe grew up in Maryland horse country and earned her BA in psychology from Dickinson College. After college, she spent a decade conducting psychological health research at Walter Reed and the Defense Centers of Excellence, along the way earning her MPH from USUHS. Phoebe developed a strong interest in improving mental health services through research and evaluation and recently completed her PhD in clinical psychology at American University, where her research focused on cost-inclusive analysis of suicide prevention approaches. In her spare time, Phoebe enjoys spending lots of time outside with her family and bulldog, trying out new restaurants, and traveling to places new and old.

Clinical Psychology PhD Student

Genesis obtained her B.A. and M.Ed. in Psychology from Harvard University. Her interest in the field began as an undergraduate volunteering in a domestic violence center and assisting in research on suicide and self-injury in the Nock Lab. She subsequently completed research in the Military Sexual and Interpersonal Trauma Clinic at the San Diego VA and the Child and Adolescent Mood Disorders lab at McLean Hospital. At CUA as a doctoral student, she is looking forward to conducting research on suicide prevention for youth and young adults through CAMS, in addition to continuing to examine the interplay between interpersonal processes and suicide. In her free time, she especially enjoys exploring the city and spending time with family and friends.

Clinical Psychology PhD Student

Eliza earned her B.A. in Psychology from Brown University in 2016. Eliza initially became involved in suicide prevention research while working at the Nock Lab at Harvard University during her summers as an undergraduate. After graduating, Eliza further explored her interest in suicide prevention research during her two-year position at the National Institute of Mental Health. At the NIMH, Eliza researched the development and validation of suicide risk screening tools for medical settings. As a doctoral student in the SPL, Eliza's research focuses on the application of CAMS to suicidal children and adolescents. Eliza is also interested in the relationship between cyberbullying and suicidal thoughts and behavior in youth. In her spare time, Eliza enjoys teaching group fitness classes, baking, and spending time with her kittens! 

Clinical Psychology PhD Student

Tia grew up in western Massachusetts and obtained her B.A. in Psychology and Women & Gender Studies from Florida International University. Her interest in suicide prevention research developed while working for the FIU Center for Children and Families. Her experiences there led her to the Nock Lab at Harvard University where she worked on research examining implicit cognition in Veterans of the U.S. Military as a McNair Fellow. After graduating, she moved to North Carolina to serve as the Research Coordinator of the Duke University Interdisciplinary Behavioral Research Center. During her time at Duke, she also worked on research with the Center for the Study of Suicide Prevention and Intervention. As a doctoral student, Tia is excited to research the ways in which we can leverage technology to provide accessible suicide interventions, particularly to adolescent and ER populations. Besides research, Tia enjoys hiking, concerts, dancing, and exploring the city for the best sweets.

Clinical Psychology PhD Student

Irene holds a B.A. in Psychology from Clark University and a M.A. in Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University. Prior to coming to SPL, Irene had worked as a research assistant at the Laboratory for Clinical and Developmental Studies directed by Dr. Christine Cha, and at the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute under the supervision of Dr. Prudence Fisher. As a doctoral student in the SPL, Irene is eager to be engaged in numerous CAMS-related projects and to further pursue her interest in better understanding suicidal thoughts and behaviors among teens and young adults around the world.

Clinical Psychology PhD Student

Josh earned his B.S. in Psychology and B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Florida. He then went on to earn his M.A. in Psychological Science at The Catholic University of America. He has spent most of his life growing up in a large military community in Navarre, Florida and found his interest in psychology in high school. Josh decided to combine his passion for psychology with the influence of growing up in a military community into the pursuit of becoming a military psychologist or working with the VA. His research interests include military issues such as PTSD, trauma and anxiety, and suicidality. When he has down time, Josh enjoys the opportunity to relax and binge-watch shows or spend time with his friends.

Clinical Psychology PhD Student

Mary earned her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2018 with a minor in Human Development. There she became involved in research studying the effectiveness and efficacy of psychotherapy and developed a preliminary interest in suicide prevention. After graduation, she begin a two-year research assistant position at the National Institute of Mental Health studying the implementation of suicide risk screening in medical settings. As a doctoral student at CUA, she is looking forward to conducting research on interventions for youth and young adults at risk for suicide utilizing the CAMS framework. In her free time, she likes to read, play video games and spend time with her family and friends

Clinical Psychology PhD Student

Ethan is a 2020 graduate of the MA Psychological Science Program at Catholic University, where he guided the lab's Fairfax Project. Ethan has presented research at national and international conferences, including on samples of college students, active duty military, and those with severe mental illness. His research interests include examining the intersection of emotion regulation and suicidal risk. Ethan’s previous research experience includes work from the Stress & Emotion Research Lab and the Clinical Psychology Research Lab, both at American University. Additionally, Ethan supported the Dept. of Defense Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office and US Marine Corps through his work at Insight Policy Research/Westat. He is a former Obama Administration White House intern, an avid nonfiction reader, and enjoys cooking. On the weekend, you can find him hiking in rural Virginia.

Clinical Psychology PhD Student

JP earned his BA in Psychology and Spanish from Catholic University in 2018, where he was first exposed to the CAMS framework in the SPL. He spent 2 years with the Cognitive Neuroimaging Lab at Georgetown University where he conducted fMRI research related to Alzheimer's disease biomarkers and HIV-associated dementia under Dr. Xiong Jiang. Shortly into the pandemic, he dove headfirst into military research as a COVID-19 vaccine trial clinical research coordinator at Fort Belvoir. He is interested in the role of chaplains and interpersonal relations in suicide prevention. When he's not studying you can find him playing day-long board games with his wife and friends, reading Brandon Sanderson novels, and pondering the meaning behind the latest Sufjan Stevens album.

Clinical Psychology PhD Student

Marian earned her B.A. in Psychology from the University of South Florida (USF) in 2020. Eager to gain research experience, Marian volunteered at the Alliance and Suicide Prevention Lab, where she discovered her interest in suicide prevention work and went on to develop a culturally competent suicide prevention resource. Interested in large-scale prevention efforts, Marian evaluated an automated text-messaging crisis intervention as part of the National Suicide Prevention Hotline's #BeThe1To campaign. As a doctoral student in the SPL, Marian is focused on advancing our theoretical understanding of suicide and the effectiveness of available treatments (e.g., CAMS).

Clinical Psychology PhD Student

Evan grew up in South Florida and received a B.S. in Psychology from Florida State University in 2020. Evan discovered her interest in suicide prevention research while working as an office assistant in the outpatient FSU Psychology Clinic and as a research assistant in Dr. Thomas Joiner's Laboratory for the Study and Prevention of Suicide-Related Conditions and Behaviors. Following graduation, and in hopes of gaining experience with additional populations, Evan worked concurrently as a clinical research coordinator focusing on innovative bipolar disorder treatments at Massachusetts General Hospital and as a volunteer in the Nock lab at Harvard University. As a doctoral student at CUA, Evan is excited to be involved in many CAMS-related projects and to conduct research to further refine and enhance suicide risk assessment approaches. In her free time, Evan enjoys reading, spending time on the beach, and petting every dog she passes.

Clinical Psychology PhD Student

David is a native of northern Virginia and earned his Bachelor's degree in Politics from the University of Virginia and Master's degree in Psychology from Harvard University. Uncovering what leads to meaningful transformation has been at the center of his interests. How societies transform collectively led him to grapple with the legislative process as a community organizer in Charlottesville and Seattle and as a legislative aide at the Virginia General Assembly. Then uncovering how individuals transform personally led him to research well-being as a post-bacc research assistant with Dr. Todd Kashdan at George Mason University and research suicide prevention in his Master's work. Outside the lab, David enjoys tasting his way through DC's Best of Yelp, aspires to be an above average public speaker, and daydreams about seeing all four tennis Grand Slams live.

Clinical Psychology PhD Student

Jess grew up in northern Kentucky and received her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Cincinnati in 2018. She began studying suicidal thoughts and behaviors while working as a post-baccalaureate fellow at the NIMH on the study, “the Neurobiology of Suicide.” She completed a master’s in psychology at Louisiana State University in 2023 while working in the Mitigation of Suicide Behavior Lab. Jess is interested in examining risk factors for suicide, utilizing technological approaches to study the etiology of suicide, and the assessment and treatment of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. In her free time, Jess enjoys doing arts and craft projects and trying every new flavor of sparkling water.

Clinical Psychology PhD Student

Francesca (Frenchy), hailing from New Jersey, holds a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a Bachelor's degree in Psychological Science from Colgate University. Prior to CUA, she worked at the Child Mind Institute and Northwestern Family C.A.R.E. lab, where she contributed to community-based studies and the implementation of evidence-based interventions. She also works as a mental health coach on the IntelliCare+ skills app, which targets depression and anxiety in both rural and urban health care settings. Francesca's research interests revolve around understanding adolescent suicidality, identifying risk and protective factors, and leveraging technology for assessments and interventions. On the weekends, she enjoys productive procrastination, searching for DC’s best bagel, and thrifting for vintage finds. 

Master of Arts in Psychological Science Student

Melvin grew up in Miami, FL where his parents settled after migrating from Nicaragua. He is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps Reserve, in which he served ten years as a field radio operator/joint fires observer and has done one deployment to the middle-east. He earned his Bachelor of Applied Science in Criminal Justice from Miami Dade College and is currently a master’s student at The Catholic University of America. His research interests include suicidality and PTSD in military personnel and veterans. In his free time, he enjoys playing competitive volleyball, traveling, and eating great-tasting food. 

Master of Arts in Psychological Science Student

Malgorzata’s academic background is in clinical counseling. She received her Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from George Washington University. Currently, she is a National Certified Counselor (NCC), and Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor (LGPC) in the District of Columbia. While working in her clinical practice, she provided individual therapy to diverse vulnerable populations, including individuals who experienced homelessness, patients with criminal backgrounds, survivors of domestic violence and abuse, persons of color, people with disabilities, transgender and LGBTQ individuals. The clinical work required her to demonstrate her deep sense of acceptance and compassion for her patients, as well as to be genuine, consistent, attentive, and responsive to patient’s experiences. Prior to returning to the Catholic University and undertaking more advanced psychological courses, she worked as a clinical counselor serving patients with acute psychiatric illness in an inpatient and partial hospitalization program. Her work inspired her to utilize and complement that knowledge by conducting her current research with a more informed perspective.

Master of Arts in Psychological Science Student

Weseley Isaiah Chambers, a native of Florida, is currently pursuing his Master's in Psychological Sciences at the Catholic University of America (CUA). He earned his Bachelor's degree in Psychology from The University of Central Florida. Weseley's current research interest primarily focuses on the intersection of Mind-Body therapeutic interventions (e.g. Clinical Hypnosis), Identity Threats, and Body Regard/Disregard as they relate to suicidality. Outside of his academic pursuits, Weseley, a passionate and classically trained singer, participates in his church choir during weekends, enjoys connecting with friends, and actively engages in improv theater.

Master of Arts in Psychological Science Student

Margaret grew up in Germantown, Maryland and earned her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Maryland in 2023. She is currently a first-year master’s student at The Catholic University of America. She has also worked for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline as a Crisis Hotline Counselor since 2021. Margaret’s research interests include suicidality, mental health within the prison system, and family dynamics. Margaret enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, and going on walks.

Undergraduate Student

Luis is a Senior undergraduate student from Pinehurst, North Carolina, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychological and Brain Sciences with a minor in Marketing. Luis interned for the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) this summer, furthering his desire to advocate for mental health, mental illness, and suicide prevention, especially for his Latino community. He plans to continue his education after graduation by attending graduate school. His research interests include suicidality, healthcare disparities, mental health, and multiculturalism. In his free time, Luis enjoys reading, listening to a podcast, working out, cooking, and traveling!

Undergraduate Student

Abby is a Senior undergraduate student from Centennial, Colorado, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, with a Minor in Philosophy. She plans to continue her education after graduation by attending graduate school and hopes that through her work, she can continue to raise awareness for mental health and suicide prevention. When she isn’t busy with schoolwork, Abby enjoys skiing, cooking, and catching nightly airings of Jeopardy!

Undergraduate Student

Kate is a Junior undergraduate student from Syracuse, New York, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Brain Sciences with a minor in Biology. She worked this past summer at Crouse Hospital in Syracuse as a Cardiac Care Technician and hopes to build a career as a Physicians Assistant in the future. Kate is interested in the connections between physical and mental health and holistic medicine. She enjoys cooking, service in her community, as well as relaxing with a good book or hiking in the woods.

Undergraduate Student

Taylor is a junior undergraduate student from Middletown, Delaware, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Brain Sciences. After graduation, she plans on working in law enforcement or fire and EMT. When she isn't pursuing her degree or being the tech lead for the Office of Event and Conference Services she loves to read, train for a half marathon, and try out new cafes.

Research Associate

Tom is a graduate of the Master of Arts in Psychological Science Program. He received a B.A. in psychology and a B.A. in Business Technology Administration from the University of Maryland Baltimore County in 2018. He has been interested in psychology since his senior year of high school. At UMBC he worked in the PULSE lab investigating how to best aid minority groups in STEM achievement in college. He is especially interested in substance use and its relation to suicide. He enjoys watching almost any movie as well as all forms of Baltimore sports.

Research Associate

Maheesha Mudannayake grew up in Bethesda, Maryland and completed her undergraduate studies at Salisbury University with a B.A. in Psychology and Conflict Analysis and Dispute Resolution with a minor in Communications Arts. During her undergraduate career she was heavily involved on campus as a Resident Assistant, as a Senator of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee in the Student Government Association, a Fulton School of Liberal Arts Ambassador, and a Senior Career Peer. She was also a senior researcher in a Racism and Coping Lab that looked into race dialogue and race induced traumas. Maheesha was also the research director in the Environmental Global Trust Lab where she assisted in writing policies, conducting in depth research on carbon emission technologies, and contacted governmental officials in the United Nations and other related global governmental organizations. She is a graduate of the Catholic University of America's Psychological Science Master’s Program while also working as a Learning Specialist for Disability Support Services and is excited to start exploring CAMS associated projects in order to further her understanding of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. 

Research Associate

Danny received his B.A. in Psychology at Cornell University in 2015. Post-college, he spent a year as a fellow in the CRTA program at the National Cancer Institute, and then over 3 years working on a congressionally mandated longitudinal research study concerning traumatic brain injuries in military populations for the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center on Walter Reed's campus. He is a graduate of the MA of Psychological Science program, and worked part-time in the Office of Disability Support Services also at Catholic University. In his free time Danny enjoys watching movies, pretending he likes running, cooking, and volunteering for a crisis line.

Research Associate

Joseph grew up in rural New York, Missouri, and China, where his parents worked as English professors for over two years. He is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, in which he served for four years as an active-duty infantryman. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Psychology from George Mason University, and is currently a second-year master’s student at The Catholic University of America. His research interests include suicidality and PTSD in military personnel and veterans. In his free time, he enjoys playing guitar, piano, and hanging out with his cat, Clementine. 

Research Associate

Ben grew up in Springfield, Virginia and earned his B.A. in Psychology from the Virginia Military Institute in 2021. He is currently a second-year master’s student at The Catholic University of America. Having come from a military family and being active in sports, Ben’s research interests include suicidality and suicide prevention in the military, as well as mindfulness. In his free time Ben enjoys soccer, tennis, cooking, playing video games with his friends, and watching movies.

Research Associate

Megan was born and raised in SoCal and earned her B.S. in Clinical Psychology from UC San Diego in 2016. Her dream is to become scientist-practioner - researching suicide prevention and treatments, providing clinical care, and reducing mental health inequities for military, Veteran, and diverse populations. In pursuit of this, Megan has contributed to clinical research at the VA San Diego, Veterans Medical Research Foundation, UCSD, and NIMH from 2013 to 2018. Since 2018, Megan has been involved in research at WRNMMC, where she is also currently working in the suicide prevention lab of Dr. Holloway at USUHS. During her free time, she loves working out, running, all things outdoorsy, hiking, live music, and being with her friends and family.