Our Team

THRC Staff and Researchers

THRC STAFF

Headshot of Dr. Melinda Villagran

Dr. Melinda Villagran

Executive Director, Professor

mvilla@txstate.edu
512-245-4044

Headshot of Marsha Burney

Marsha Burney

Director, Community Relations  

mb78@txstate.edu
512-245-3539

Headshot of Andrea Estrada-Boren

Andrea Estrada-Boren

Administrative 
Assistant III

ae12@txstate.edu 
512-245-4899

Headshot of Ridge Finn

Ridge Finn

System Support Specialist II

ridge.finn@txstate.edu
512-408-9206

Headshot of Tate Fissel

Tate Fissel

Graphic Artist I

t_c281@txstate.edu  
 

Headshot of Cody Gould

Cody Gould

Community Health Research Associate

cjg166@txstate.edu
410-428-2314

Headshot of Katy Henrick

Katy Henrick

Project Manager

Kmh222@txstate.edu  
512-408-0098

Headshot of Lauren Lee

Lauren Lee

Research Associate

lel51@txstate.edu  

Headshot of Valerie Medina

Valerie Medina

Online & Digital Media Coordinator

valerie@txstate.edu
512-408-9741

Headshot of Abbi Mott

Abbi Mott

Assistant Director

abbi@txstate.edu 
512-245-1356

Headshot of Kim Renfro

Kim Renfro

Grant Writer

kimmarie@txstate.edu 

Headshot of Dr. Rodney Rohde

Dr. Rodney Rohde

Associate Director for Engagement, Professor

rr33@txstate.edu 
512-245-3500

Headshot of Jessica Schneider

Jessica Schneider

Director, Resilience Research Programs

jaschneider@txstate.edu  
512-408-4201

Headshot of Shelby Snead

Shelby Snead

ECHO TXST Manager & Program Specialist

shelbysnead@txstate.edu 
512-408-8665

Headshot of Maria Tomasso

Maria Tomasso

Doctoral Research Assistant

met48@txstate.edu

Headshot of Emily Valentine

Emily Valentine

Administrative 
Assistant III

emily.valentine@txstate.edu   
512-245-0444

THRC Researchers

Headshot of Dr. Daniel Carter

Dr. Daniel Carter

Associate Professor, School of Journalism & Mass Communication

Headshot of Dr. Carolyn Chang

Dr. Carolyn Chang

Grant Director, Academic Services

Headshot of Dr. Kelly Clary

Dr. Kelly Clary

Assistant Professor, School of Social Work

Headshot of Dr. Josh Daspit

Dr. Josh Daspit

Associate Professor, Department of Management

Dr. Merritt Drewery

Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Sciences 

Headshot of Dr. Elizabeth K. Eger

Dr. Elizabeth K. Eger

Associate Professor, Department of Communication Studies

Headshot of Dr. Elizabeth Ekren

Dr. Elizabeth Ekren

Research Associate, Translational Health Research Center

Dr. Wilson Espinoza Chavez

Assistant Professor, Department of Engineering Technology 

Headshot of Dr. Li Feng

Dr. Li Feng

Professor, Department of Finance and Economics

Headshot of Dr. Billy Fields

Dr. Billy Fields

Associate Professor, Department of Political Science

Headshot of Ms. Kym Fox

Ms. Kym Fox

Professor of Practice, School of Journalism & Mass Communication

Dr. Shadi Maleki

Geospatial Data Scientist, Translational Health Research Center

Headshot of Dr. Sujata Mandal

Dr. Sujata Mandal

Assistant Professor of Instruction, Ingram School of Engineering 

Headshot of Dr. Matt McAllister

Dr. Matt McAllister

Assistant Professor, Department of Health and Human Performance

Headshot of Cassaundra Melgar C'De Baca

Cassaundra Melgar C'De Baca

Research Fellow, Translational Health Research Center

Headshot of Dr. Francis A. Méndez Mediavilla

Dr. Francis A. Méndez Mediavilla

Professor, Department of Information Systems and Analytics

Headshot of Dr. Vangelis Metsis

Dr. Vangelis Metsis

Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science

Headshot of Dr. Erica Nason

Dr. Erica Nason

Associate Professor, School of Social Work 

Headshot of Dr. Eduardo Pérez

Dr. Eduardo Pérez

Professor, Ingram School of Engineering

Headshot of Dr. Jessica Perrotte

Dr. Jessica Perrotte 

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology 

Headshot of Dr. Ryan Peterson

Dr. Ryan Peterson

Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry 

Headshot of Dr. Megan Rogers

Dr. Megan Rogers

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology 

Headshot of Dr. Ty Schepis

Dr. Ty Schepis

Professor, Department of Psychology

Headshot of Dr. Jelena Tesic

Dr. Jelena Tesic

Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science

Headshot of Dr. Damian Valles Molina

Dr. Damian Valles Molina

Assistant Professor, Ingram School of Engineering

Headshot of Dr. Nicole Wagner

Dr. Nicole Wagner

Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural Sciences

Headshot of Dr. Steve Whitten

Dr. Steve Whitten

Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry 

Headshot of Dr. Jie Zhu

Dr. Jie Zhu

Assistant Professor, School of Family and Consumer Sciences