Scientists and Project Directors

Melissa “Missy” Baker, MBA, CRA (she/her/hers); Scientific Grants Administrator, graduated Jacksonville University, 2010 (Mater of Business Administration).

Specialty areas: research administration; Certified Research Administrator.

Mark Campbell, MS, BS (he/him/his); Director, Eugene office and Family Coach Program, Research Economist, graduated University of Oregon, 2009 (Economics).

Specialty areas: cost analysis; clinical operations.

Sierra Castedo de Martell, MPH, PhD (she/her/hers); Assistant Research Scientist, graduated University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, 2023 (PhD, Behavioral Science, Health Economics [minor]), and 2019 (MPH, Health Promotion and Behavioral Science); University of Georgia 2010 (BA, Anthropology).

Specialty areas: economic evaluation; peer workforce; peer-driven substance use interventions; emerging adults; recovery support services; community-based participatory research; recovery quality of life.

Jason E. Chapman, PhD (he/him/his); Senior Research Scientist, graduated Drexel University, 2003 (Clinical Psychology).

Specialty areas: research design; measurement development and evaluation; statistical analysis.

Katie Clark, PhD (she/her/hers); Data Scientist, graduated George Washington University, 2A020 (Translational Health Sciences), UNC Chapel Hill, 2015 (Certificate in Survey Methodology), UNC Chapel Hill, 2013 (Public Health), and Goddard College, 2009 (Health Arts and Sciences).

Specialty areas: developing solutions for data capture and participant tracking; qualitative and quantitative research; clinical and translational science; data analytics and stewardship; survey methodology; implementation science; evidence-based healthcare innovation; substance use harm reduction and treatment; program theory and evaluation.

Gracelyn Cruden, PhD (she/her/hers); Research Scientist, graduated University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, 2019 (Health Policy & Management- Decision Science), University of Miami, 2011, and University of Miami, 2009.

Specialty areas: decision science; multi-criteria decision analysis; group decision-making; systems science; system dynamics; community engagement; policy; implementation science; substance use prevention, treatment, harm reduction; mental health promotion, treatment.

Michael L. Dennis, PhD (he/him/his); Lighthouse Institute Director, Senior Research Psychologist, graduated Northwestern University, 1988 (Psychology, Methodology and Evaluation Research with minors in statistics and management of R & D) and Macalester College, 1982 (Psychology and Political Science).

Specialty areas: methodology; program evaluation; measurement; randomized field experiments; substance use disorder (SUD) adult and adolescent treatment; integrated care across legal/welfare; health care; and behavioral healthcare; Recovery Management Checkups (RMC); Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN); technology transfer and information dissemination.

Jodie M. Dewey, PhD (she/her/hers); Research Scientist, graduated Loyola University Chicago, 2010.

Specialty areas: qualitative methods; program evaluation; medical sociology; MOUD linkage and treatment; recovery housing; criminal legal systems and involvement; transgender health.

Tess K. Drazdowski, PhD (she/her/hers); Research Scientist and Licensed Psychologist, graduated Virginia Commonwealth University, 2016 (Clinical Psychology; Developmental Psychology).

Specialty areas: clinical/developmental psychology; health services research; community based participatory research; polysubstance use; recovery support services; adolescents; emerging adults; criminal legal system involvement; training providers across service sectors; mentoring.

Barbara D. Estrada, MS (she/her/hers); Director, GAIN Coordinating Center and Software Development, graduated University of Arizona, 1993 (Management Information Systems).

Specialty areas: Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN), program evaluation; project management; behavioral health research; the intersection of research, program evaluation and practical utility of screening and assessment; successful implementation of screening and assessment.

Mark D. Godley, PhD, MSW (he/him/his); Director Emeritus, Lighthouse Institute, graduated Southern Illinois University—Carbondale, 1984, and Worden School of Social Work, Our Lady of Lake University, 1975.

Specialty areas: substance use disorder treatment and recovery management outcome research; EBP implementation research; behavioral approaches to addiction treatment; recovery monitoring and support; diffusion and implementation research; program evaluation.

Christine Grella, PhD (she/her/hers); Senior Research Scientist, NIMH Postdoctoral Fellow University of California—Los Angeles, 1986–1989 (Mental Health Services Research), University of California—Santa Cruz, PhD, 1985 (Social Psychology), and University of California—Los Angeles, BA, 1977 (Psychology).

Specialty areas: SUD treatment access and utilization; SUD treatment effectiveness; SUD and mental health comorbidity; gender and SUD treatment; longitudinal evaluation of substance use treatment and trajectories.

Susan Harrington Godley, RhD (Doctor of Rehabilitation) (she/her/hers); Emeritus, Senior Research Scientist, graduated Southern Illinois University, 1982.

Specialty areas: adolescent treatment; continuing care; development; wide-scale implementation of evidence-based treatments.

Patrick F. Hibbard, PhD (he/him/his); Assistant Research Scientist, graduated O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs—Indiana University, 2021 (Public Management).

Specialty areas: programs/policies addressing substance use issues; criminal legal system.

Michelle Hudson, MLIS (she/her/hers); Data Scientist III, graduated University of Washington, 2008.

Specialty areas: information science; data science; information organization; quantitative research; data archiving.

Jamie Jaramillo, PhD (she/her/hers); Assistant Research Scientist, graduated Oregon State University, 2020 (Human Development & Family Studies).

Specialty areas: child welfare systems; behavioral health intervention; adolescent development; socioecological resilience; service provider-client relationships.

Rachel Kurz, JD, MA, BA (she/her/hers); Field Director, graduated the John Marshall Law School (now the University of Illinois at Chicago), 2017, Governors State University, 2011 (Political and Justice Studies), and Governors State University, 2009 (Criminal Justice).

Specialty areas: research and community outreach in public health with a focus on opioid use disorders and recovery management for vulnerable populations.

Cori Miles, MS (she/her/hers); Research Services Director, graduated Illinois State University, 2008 (Criminal Justice Sciences).

Specialty areas: process development; project management; problem solving; training; Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN); survey administration and coordination; criminal justice system.

Lora L. Passetti, MS (she/her/hers); Program Director, Evidence Based Practice Center, graduated Illinois State University, 2002 (Counseling Psychology) and Wittenberg University, 1994 (Psychology).

Specialty areas: substance use treatment; recovery support; evidence-based practice; adolescents; Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA); Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (A-CRA); Recovery Monitoring and Support (RMS); program evaluation; mutual support groups; continuing care.

Lisa Saldana, PhD (she/her/hers); Associate Director, Senior Research Scientist, and Director for the Center for Implementation Science at the Lighthouse Institute, graduated University of Missouri—Columbia, 2003.

Specialty areas: implementation science; prevention science; child welfare; intervention development; evidence-based practice; opioid and methamphetamine use intervention.

Casey Sarapas, PhD (he/him/his); Research Scientist, graduated University of Illinois at Chicago, 2016 (Clinical Psychology).

Specialty areas: clinical psychology; psychological assessment; health services evaluation; research design; statistics; data science; data visualization.

Christy K Scott, PhD (she/her/hers); Director of Lighthouse Institute, Emeritus and Research Director, Emeritus, graduated University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1992 (Personality and Quantitative Psychology, Child Development), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1986 (Personality and Quantitative Psychology, Child Development), and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1984 (Psychology).

Specialty areas: outcome monitoring; personality measurement; cognitive psychology; marriage and close relationships; educational research; child welfare; program development and management.

David A. Sharar, PhD (he/him/his); CEO, Research Scientist, graduated University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2008.

Specialty areas: workplace behavioral health and recovery; managed behavioral health; integrated care; cultural adaptation of “western” interventions; outcome measurement.

Ashli J. Sheidow, PhD (she/her/hers); Senior Research Scientist, graduated University of Illinois at Chicago, 2001 (Clinical Psychology).

Specialty areas: services research; adolescents and emerging adults; substance use; recovery support services; training and support for providers; mentoring early career investigators.

Ryan Singh, PhD, MPH (he/him/his); Assistant Research Scientist, graduated Oregon State University, 2020 (Public Health) and University of Wisconsin, 2011 (Public Health).

Specialty areas: public health–health promotion; health behavior.

Dennis P. Watson, PhD, MA, MS (he/him/his); Senior Research Scientist, graduated Loyola University Chicago, 2011 (PhD and MA, Sociology) and Indiana University, 2016 (MA, Clinical Research).

Specialty areas: qualitative and mixed methods; program evaluation; behavioral health services; recovery supports; harm reduction; implementation science.

Rosemary White Shield, PhD, CTTS, CCW; Director of the National Native Center of Excellence (NNCOE), Research Scientist II, graduated Iowa State University, 2003.

Under the leadership of the NNCOE’s National Native Advisory Council, Dr. White Shield facilitates the development and implementation of models, strategies, methods, and processes based on Indigenous strength-based ways for the Center.

William (“Bill”) White, MA (he/him/his); Emeritus Senior Research Consultant, graduated Goddard College, 1977 (Psychology/Addiction Studies).

Specialty areas: history of addiction treatment and recovery; recovery research.

Belinda M. Willis, MPH (she/her/hers); Evaluation Director, graduated Capella University, 2011 and Loyola University, 1981.

Specialty areas: evaluation studies and longitudinal studies targeting substance use and mental health treatment methods; database design/management.

Kelli L. Wright, MS, BS (she/her/hers); Scientific Grants Administrator, graduated Western Governors University, 2021 (Management and Leadership) and Western Illinois University, 2000 (Law Enforcement and Justice Administration).

Specialty areas: grant administration; project management; contracts and subawards; Institutional Review Board (IRB).