Dr. Milena Keller-Margulis ('Dr. KM')

My research agenda evolved from my doctoral training and early work in public schools. The agenda focuses on two areas, (1) the technical adequacy and practical utility of curriculum-based measurement (CBM) in the areas of reading, math, and writing, and (2) the use of CBM to assess developmental and academic outcomes among children born preterm. This research has national and international applications given the critical need for early identification of students who are at-risk for poor academic skills and has particular relevance for the implementation of response to intervention (RTI) or multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). In addition, I am expanding my study of the application of CBM with diverse populations to include children with various learning needs.    

I am also interested in, although I do not directly study, issues related to academic motherhood and how faculty members manage family and the demands of the academy. 

Dr. Michael Matta

My research focuses on developing and validating computer-based methods for the assessment of academic skills and social-emotional behaviors of children in the school settings. Within the MTSS framework, such methods will improve the feasibility of universal screening and progress monitoring. 

Brenda Duran 

Hello! My name is Brenda Duran, and I am a third-year student in the school psychology doctoral program. I graduated from the University of Houston (Go Coogs!) in December 2018 with a B.S. in psychology with minors in human development and family studies and management. My research interests include examining the effects that family and school systems have in the overall mental health and health-related outcomes in pediatric patients with chronic illnesses and neurodevelopmental disorders with a specific focus in Hispanic youth. My hope is to be able to address the stigmatization around mental health care in minoritized communities and its subsequent health disparities. Please feel free to contact me with any questions at brendaduran010@gmail.com! 

Stephanie Navarro 

My name is Stephanie Navarro (she/her). I am a 3rd year doctoral student in the school psychology graduate program. I am originally from the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), where I obtained my B.S. in psychology and minor in addiction studies at the University of Texas RGV in 2019. My research interests are in Latino-a child development developed. I’m specifically interested in examining familial and cultural influences on children’s social-emotional development. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions – snavarr6@cougarnet.uh.edu. 

Kai Yagi

Hi! I’m Kai Yagi, a second-year doctoral student in the school psychology program. I originally from Japan but moved to Texas to pursue a master's degree in special education at the University of Texas at Austin. Following that, I worked as a behavior technician at an early intervention clinic and obtained my Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) certification. My research interests revolve broadly around autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with a specific focus on parent training and language development in young children with autism. Under the guidance of Dr. Keller-Margulis, I'm currently working on a project that examines learning loss during the pandemic among students with disabilities, using statewide testing data. Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions at kuyagi@uh.edu! 

Amanda Hut

Hello everyone! My name is Amanda, and I am a student in the 2020 cohort in the UH School Psychology program. I graduated from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) with a B.S. in Psychology. My research interests broadly include academic assessment among children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. My advisor is Dr. Keller-Margulis, and I am so excited to be a part of the PASS lab. In my spare time, I enjoy trying local coffee shops and spending time with my family and friends. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at arhut@uh.edu. 

Marianna Messerli

Hello! My name is Marianna Messerli, and I’m a second-year doctoral student in the school psychology program. I graduated from Northwestern University in 2016 before pursuing an M.Ed. in counseling psychology from the University of Missouri and an M.A. in special education from American University. I am interested in integrated care and interdisciplinary collaboration to better support children with neurodevelopmental disorders and/or behavioral/emotional disorders. My research interests include early identification and intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), social emotional development in children with ASD, and the overlap of trauma and ASD.  Please feel free to contact me at mcmesse2@cougarnet.uh.edu!

Dhwani Sanghavi

Hello! My name is Dhwani Sanghavi and I am a first-year Ph.D. student in the School Psychology Program. I am an international student from Mumbai, India. I have completed my B.A. in Psychology and M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Mumbai, India. I have also completed a specialized Master’s (M.Sc.) in Development, Disorders and Clinical Practice from the University of York, U.K. My research interests, currently, involve studying the effects of mindfulness on compassion fatigue and burnout in school psychology practitioners/students and the implications of it on their practice.

Mayson Spillman

Hello! My name is Mayson Spillman (she/her), and I am a first-year student in the UH School Psychology doctoral program. I graduated from the University of Kentucky (Go Cats!) with a B.S. in psychology and a minor in math! My research interests broadly revolve around early childhood interventions and implementing and translating them for low-income school districts. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me! mmspillm@cougarnet.uh.edu 

Mahnoor Ahmad

Hello! My name is Mahnoor Ahmad and I am a first-year student in the UH School Psychology doctoral program. Previously, I completed my B.D. in psychology with my minors of human development & family sciences and quantitative social sciences at the University of Houston (go coogs!). I then went on to complete my Master's in teaching at the University of Houston Clear-Lake. My research interests lie within identity development in the South Asian-American population, and risk and resilience factors that affect their mental health and academic outcomes. I am specifically interested in mindfulness, spirituality/religiosity, substance use, familial closeness, and parental-child relations. Feel free to email me at mahmad26@cougarnet.uh.edu!

Jeff Carter

Hello! My name is Jeff Carter (He/Him), and I am a first-year student in the UH School Psychology program. I graduated from Butler University in May 2019 with a B.A. in Psychology. I am from a small suburb outside of Chicago, IL. My research interests include examining general wellbeing in relation to various mental health diagnoses and investigating the effect of nature and outdoor environments on wellbeing and mental health. Feel free to reach out to me via email at jcarte20@cougarnet.uh.edu!

Steve Alsarraf

Hello there! I'm Steve Alsarraf, and I'm currently in my first year of the UH school psychology Ph.D. program. I recently earned my B.S. in psychology from the College of Charleston in December 2022. My research interests revolve around several exciting areas, including the impact of mindfulness on well-being and positivity, the role of motivational interviewing and self-efficacy in youth development, and strategies for promoting literacy development among dual language learners. I'm also passionate about harnessing bilingualism as a catalyst for positive change within Arabic communities. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me at salsarra@cougarnet.uh.edu if you'd like to connect or have any questions.