Samantha A. Chalker, Ph.D. - Principal Investigator

Samantha A. Chalker, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist, a mental health services researcher, and the director of the Recovery-Oriented Suicide Prevention (ROSP) Research Lab. She specializes in suicide prevention. She is particularly interested in brief intervention development and evaluation, peer-led services, suicide safety/risk assessments, and training providers in suicide risk management. Her research focuses on integrating recovery-oriented research and practice and strengths-based approaches to intervene in suicide risk, specifically for Veterans and those experiencing serious mental illness. With a focus on improving access to care, Dr. Chalker aims to expand her work to digital interventions and expand suicide prevention training access. Clinically, Dr. Chalker's specialties and interests are in delivering therapeutic suicide safety/risk assessment, management, and interventions as well as in modalities related to dialectical behavior therapy, compassion and mindfulness-based interventions, and acceptance and commitment therapy. She focuses her clinical work and research on underserved populations and those experiencing increased suicide risk, psychosis, and symptoms of bipolar disorder. Outside of work, Sam enjoys taking her dog to all the wonderful San Diego dog beaches, gardening, and learning to speak German.

Candrha Lopez, B.S. - Study Coordinator

Candrha graduated from UCLA in 2024 in Cognitive Science with a Specialization in Computing, B.S. Candrha developed her interest in severe mental illnesses (SMI) during her time at the Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience Lab, where she developed independent projects exploring the relationships between cognitive functions and social functioning in diverse, psychosis-spectrum populations under the mentorship of Dr. Katherine Karlsgodt, Ph.D. During her post-baccalaureate years, she hopes to gain exposure to various clinical presentations as well as expand her knowledge on negative symptoms to better understand treatment planning and clinical care for individuals with SMI across the lifespan. Candrha plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in hopes of working with individual with psychosis-spectrum disorders from underserved communities.

Chris Shriver, M.A. - Partner Coordinator

Chris Shriver, M.A. is a research project coordinator and has worked at the San Diego VA hospital and University of California, San Diego since 2004. His research has focused on substance use, dual diagnosis and suicide risk, specifically for Veterans. Chris has coordinated a dozen different studies and currently is working with the chief of psychology at the VA on a multi-site study assessing the effectiveness of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for veterans with a history of multiple suicide attempts. Outside of work, he enjoys dog sitting, hiking and skiing.

Jayden Soukoulis - Research Assistant

Jayden is an undergraduate student at the University of San Diego, majoring in Psychology with a minor in Entrepreneurship. Since joining the ROSP lab in January 2023, she has made significant contributions to the growth and development of our projects. In addition to this lab, she has helped do data abstraction on the CAMS suicide treatment lab for Dr. Depp at the VA. She is committed to pursuing a career in clinical psychology with an interest in researching severe mental illnesses. She is particularly interested in discovering interventions for suicide that are aided by behavioral changes, such as diet and exercise. Outside of her academic and research pursuits, Jayden is a Division 1 rower at her university and enjoys working out, doing activities outdoors and baking!

Ya-Kuan (Kuan) Wang - Research Assistant

Kuan is a senior at the University of California, San Diego. She double majors in psychology and business-economics. She’s interested in different types of evidence-based psychotherapies for mental health disorders, the concept of wellbeing and effective ways to enhance mental wellbeing. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, exploring nature, going to the beach, music, and trying out different Asian foods.

Jiajie “Lucy” Chen - Research Assistant

Jiajie is a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology at the University of California, San Diego. She has a broad interest in the field of clinical psychology, and would like to commit to pursuing a career in the field. She is passionate about exploring effective treatments and interventions to improve the well-being of individuals with mild or severe mental illnesses.

Brenna Miller - Research Assistant

Brenna is a fourth-year Business Psychology student at the University of California, San Diego, with a strong interest in neuroscience, abnormal psychology, and mental health advocacy. In addition to her academic and lab work, she also works in marketing. After earning her bachelor’s degree, Brenna plans to continue building her skill set before pursuing an MBA. Outside of school and work, she enjoys going to the gym and spending time with her dog Rey, who is the best dog in the world.

Cadance LeGrand - Research Assistant

Cadance is a fourth-year student majoring in Developmental Psychology with a minor in Global Health at the University of California San Diego. She is interested in learning more about neuropsychological and developmental disorders and how these conditions affect behavior and mental health. In the future, Cadance plans to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology in hopes of working with those who face mental health challenges. In her free time, she enjoys reading, crocheting, trying new foods, and going to the beach.

Advait Jagannathan - Research Assistant

Advait is a second-year undergraduate student at UCSD studying human biology. He has an interest in the pre-medical route, specifically in the psychology realm, with a current focus on working with veterans experiencing SMI/Smoking dependencies. In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball, listening to music, and saving cats stuck in trees.

Ankitha Ganesan - Research Assistant

Ankitha is a second-year undergraduate student majoring in Cognitive Behavioral Neuroscience with a minor in Human Developmental Science. She has a keen interest in understanding abnormal behaviors, with a particular focus on developmental disorders, criminal behavior and serious mental illnesses. She is also a passionate mental health advocate and volunteers for a crisis text line. In her free time she loves reading, going to the beach and traveling.