Principal Investigator
Professor and McIngvale Presidential Endowed Chair
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Dr. Storch serves as vice chair and head of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and oversees the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for OCD and related disorders program at the College. Dr. Storch specializes in the nature and treatment of childhood and adult obsessive-compulsive disorder and related conditions, anxiety disorders, and anxiety among youth with autism.
Assistant Professors
Assistant Professor
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Dr. Palo is a licensed clinical psychologist and assistant professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. Her clinical and research interests include the treatment of obsessive-compulsive and related disorders in children, adolescents, and adults. She also provides evidence-based treatment to individuals within the BCM OCD Program and provides clinical supervision to trainees.
Caitlin Pinciotti, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Dr. Pinciotti is a licensed clinical psychologist and assistant professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. She completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology with a Trauma Psychology focus at Northern Illinois University and completed her pre-doctoral internship and post-doctoral fellowship in the OCD and Anxiety track at Rogers Behavioral Health. She specializes in the research and treatment of individuals with OCD, trauma, and PTSD, particularly when these experiences intersect. She has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles on these topics and has treated individuals with these concerns at all levels of care ranging from outpatient to residential. She serves as the co-chair for the International OCD Foundation’s Trauma and PTSD in OCD Special Interest Group.
Assistant Professor
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
She is currently completing her doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology in Washington, DC. Her primary research and clinical interests include the nature and treatment of individuals with anxiety, OCD and related disorders.
Assistant Professor
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
He completed his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Missouri – Kansas City in 2021. As a clinician and researcher, he is focused on advancing our understanding of anxiety and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders while also providing empirically supported interventions to individuals with these conditions.
Assistant Professor
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
She completed her Ph.D. at the University of British Columbia, where her graduate research focused on cognitive and affective factors that interfere with recovery following a traumatic experience. She is continuing to engage in clinical and research work at Baylor College of Medicine.
Assistant Professor
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
She is an assistant professor in the OCD Program at Baylor College of Medicine and earned her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Loyola University Chicago. Her research is focused on factors that promote resilience for youth of color, critical consciousness, and the relationship among socio-ecological stressors, internalizing symptoms, and psychosocial outcomes for minoritized populations. She is also interested in identifying biopsychosocial correlates of OCD from a community-based approach, primarily among individuals of Latine/x and African descent.
Assistant Professor
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Dr. Wagner completed his Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin. His research and clinical interests include the assessment and treatment of obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, anxiety disorders, and posttraumatic stress disorder in youth, adults, and families. He also provides clinical supervision and training in the assessment and treatment of these conditions in a manner that is both adherent to cognitive-behavioral principles and flexible to each supervisee’s and patient’s unique needs.
Assistant Professor
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Dr. Jagannathan is a licensed clinical psychologist and assistant professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. She specializes in the evidence-based treatment of OCD and related disorders and provides clinical supervision to trainees within the OCD program. Her research broadly focuses on applications of machine learning techniques to identify and characterize transdiagnostic and mechanistic factors related to the etiology and treatment of OCD, autism, and anxiety disorders.
Erika Trent, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Dr. Trent is a licensed psychologist and assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Baylor College of Medicine. She completed her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Houston and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine. She specializes in anxiety and related disorders and OCD in youth and adults. Her research focuses on the nature of childhood anxiety disorders and relevant parental and affective factors. She also provides clinical supervision.
Adjuncts
Assistant Professor
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
The main aim of Dr. Matti Cervin's research is to better understand what causes and maintains psychopathology in children and adolescents. His research is supported by grants from the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (Forte), Stiftelsen Lindhaga, Stiftelsen Clas Grochinskys Minnesfond, HKH Kronprinsessan Lovisas förening för barnsjukvård, Region Skåne, Fredrik och Ingrid Thurings stiftelse, Södra sjukvårdsregionen, and SUS stiftelser och donationer. He have previously been supported by grants from L.J. Boëthius stiftelse, Jerringfonden, Lions Skåne, and Bror Gadelius Minnesfond. He also works as a senior clinical psychologist within the child and adolescent mental health services in Skåne.
Assistant Professor
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Molly J. Church, Psy.D. is a clinical psychologist at CBTeam in Lexington, Massachusetts. She received her Psy.D. in clinical psychology from William James College and completed her predoctoral internship and post-doctoral fellowship in the OCD and Related Disorders Program at the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM). Dr. Church holds a clinical assistant professor position in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at BCM. She specializes in the treatment of children, adolescents, and adults with anxiety, OCD, and obsessive-compulsive related disorders. Dr. Church’s research interests include the treatment of anxiety, OCD, and related disorders, and she has one research article published in a peer reviewed journal and two book chapters on OCD and related disorders.
Assistant Professor
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Sean Gregory, MBA, MS, Ph.D., is clinical assistant professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Baylor College of Medicine. In his career, Sean has led health economics & market access at Cognito Therapeutics, focused on development of the health economics and payer strategies to advance commercial readiness and day-one coverage across key payer types and strategic geographies for the firm’s breakthrough device therapeutic. He served as Senior Vice President, analytics & insights at Magellan Health, a division of Centene Corporation, where he led the advanced Analytics and Insights group across the Magellan enterprise. Prior to joining Magellan, he spent 10 years in academic medicine as a tenured professor and health services researcher in psychiatry, pediatrics, and health policy and management. His research focused on comparative and cost-effectiveness of behavioral health interventions and the integration of physical and behavioral health. He conducted policy analyses and program evaluations and secured over $10M in extramural funding from federal and state governments, as well as industry partners. These projects resulted on over 40 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals and numerous technical reports, which have been collectively cited over 700 times. Earlier in his career, he led marketing & business development for UnitedHealth Group’s employer-sponsored health insurance division. Sean earned his PhD and MS in Health Services Research, Policy, and Administration from the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and his MBA and BS from the College of Business at Florida State University.
Assistant Professor
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Alyssa Hertz, Psy.D is a licensed clinical psychologist at the Houston Anxiety and Wellness Center in Houston, Texas. She received her Psy.D in clinical psychology from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship in the OCD and Related Disorders Program at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Hertz is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at BCM. She specializes in the assessment and treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety-related disorders in children, adolescents, and adults. Dr. Hertz also specializes the assessment and treatment of eating disorders in adolescents and adults. Dr. Hertz utilizes evidence-based practices such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure and response prevention (ERP), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). She has written and contributed to 8 published articles, written one book chapter, and written one book review.
Katie Mangen, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Katie H. Mangen, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist at the Evidence-Based Treatment Centers of Seattle in the Anxiety Center. Dr. Mangen received her doctorate in clinical psychology at Northern Illinois University and completed her predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine in the OCD and Related Disorders Program. She holds a clinical assistant professor position in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at BCM, where she is a supervisor and research collaborator in Dr. Eric Storch’s lab. Her clinical specialty is in using evidence-based methods including cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure and response prevention to treat adults with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive related disorders. Her research is focused on factors contributing to the development, maintenance, and treatment of anxiety OCD. In this area, she has published eight peer-reviewed journal articles and two book chapters as well as having contributed to a number of research presentations.
Assistant Professor
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Samuel D. Spencer, Ph.D. is an assistant professor in the clinical psychology doctoral program in the Department of Psychology at the University of North Texas. He received a B.S. in psychology (2016) and an M.A. in clinical psychology (2018) from Minnesota State University, Mankato. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa (2023). Dr. Spencer completed his predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship in the OCD and Related Disorders Program in the Department of Psychiatry at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM). He holds an adjunct assistant professor position in the Department of Psychiatry at BCM where he continues to pursue fruitful collaborations with Dr. Eric Storch's research lab. Dr. Spencer's research interests include OCD, misophonia, cognitive-behavioral therapy, including acceptance and commitment therapy, psychotherapy process and outcome research, measurement and psychometrics, and meta-science and historical trends within psychological science. He has over 35 publications in peer-reviewed journals and serves on the editorial board of several journals.
Assistant Professor
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Jordan T. Stiede, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist at the Center for Anxiety Disorders in Brookfield, Wisconsin. He received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Marquette University and completed his predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship in the OCD and Related Disorders Program in the Department of Psychiatry at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM). Dr. Stiede holds a clinical assistant professor position in the Department of Psychiatry at BCM. He specializes in the assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, and adults with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive related disorders, including OCD, generalized anxiety and worry, Tourette’s syndrome, social anxiety, panic attacks, separation anxiety, phobias, trichotillomania (hair-pulling), and excoriation (skin-picking). He utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure and response prevention (ERP), comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (CBIT), and habit reversal training (HRT). Dr. Stiede has also been engaged in clinical research focused on the assessment and treatment of anxiety and related disorders and has published 25 original research articles in professional peer-reviewed journals; three book chapters; and co-edited one book.
Postdoctoral Fellows
Postdoctoral Fellow
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Ryan McCarty is a postdoctoral fellow in the OCD Program at Baylor College of Medicine. He earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Florida and completed his predoctoral internship at the Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center. His research focuses on better understanding factors influencing the development, presentation, and treatment of OCD and anxiety across the lifespan, with a particular focus in mental health stigma. His clinical foci are in the assessment and treatment of OCD, anxiety, and trauma-based disorders, and he utilizes treatments including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Prolonged Exposure (PE), and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT).
Robert Zhou, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
He is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Baylor College of Medicine with the OCD Program. He completed his Ph.D. In Clinical Psychology at the Ohio State University. He provides evidence-based treatment across the lifespan, specializing in OCD, anxiety, and depressive disorders. His research aims to examine mechanisms associated with depressive treatment outcomes and methods to enhance treatment efficacy and effectiveness.
Journa Njoh, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Journa Njoh, Ph.D., is a Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Fellow in the OCD and Related Disorders Program at Baylor College of Medicine. She received her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Houston and completed her predoctoral internship within the same program at BCM. Dr. Njoh specializes in the evidence-based assessment and treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety-related disorders across the lifespan, with particular expertise in perinatal OCD. Her research interests included examining the mechanisms through which biopsychosocial stressors contribute to internalizing symptoms and mental health disparities in marginalized and perinatal populations.
Liya Mammo, Psy.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Liya Mammo is a postdoctoral fellow at Baylor College of Medicine with the OCD program. She completed her PsyD in clinical psychology at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL and completed her predoctoral internship in the OCD program at Baylor College of Medicine. Her clinical and research interests include the treatment of OCD and anxiety disorders across the lifespan.
Chase Love, Psy.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Chase Love is a postdoctoral fellow in the OCD Program at Baylor College of Medicine. He completed his PsyD in clinical psychology at the University of La Verne and his predoctoral internship in the OCD Program at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Love specializes in the assessment and treatment of obsessive-compulsive and related anxiety disorders across the lifespan, providing evidence-based interventions including exposure and response prevention (ERP) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). His research interests include clinical interventions for obsessive-compulsive disorder and improving the delivery of evidence-based treatments for OCD.
Research Coordinators
Dayan Berrones, B.A.
Research Coordinator
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Rice University. She currently serves as a research coordinator for the LATINO Study at Baylor College of Medicine. Her work focuses on the genetics and presentation of OCD in Latin/Hispanic populations. Her research interests also include the role of trauma in the development of psychopathology and the impact of minority stress on these processes. She plans to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology while maintaining her commitment to community outreach. Her goal is to conduct research that addresses the needs of underrepresented communities and to disseminate mental health knowledge in a manner that is accessible not only to academic audiences, but also to the broader community.
Vanessa Zavala Cruz
Research Coordinator
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Vanessa received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her primary research interests include anxiety-related disorders, depression, how adverse experiences shape mental health, and the accessibility of mental health resources within underserved communities. She is interested in examining factors that may influence the course of psychopathology and well-being within Latinx individuals and families, such as risk and resiliency. Her research focus aims to break cycles of intergenerational trauma and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health care. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and work to improve mental health outcomes in Latinx communities.
Simone David, B.A.
Research Coordinator
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Simone earned her dual degree in Psychology and Criminology with minors in Philosophy and Communication Studies from the University of Miami. Her current research interests include transdiagnostic risk factors for broad psychopathology, behavioral dysregulation, and externalizing disorders. She is also interested in the overlap between the legal system and psychology. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology with a focus on forensic populations.
Research Coordinator
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Kate received her Bachelor of Science in psychology with a concentration in clinical psychology from Boston College. Her research interests include the effects of early life adversity and childhood trauma, the cognitive and neural effects of trauma, and the treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. In clinical psychology.
Research Coordinator
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Jolie earned her Bachelor of Arts with departmental honors in Psychology and Cognitive Science from Case Western Reserve University, where she was also a four-year member of the varsity volleyball team. Her research interests include the presentations and treatments of anxiety and neurodevelopmental disorders in children and young adults. She is also passionate about reducing stigma and increasing the accessibility of treatments. Jolie plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in the future.
Research Coordinator
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Rachel graduated with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and Public Health Studies with a minor in East Asian Studies from Johns Hopkins University. Along with her passion for mental health advocacy and stigma reduction, her research interests include adolescent mood/anxiety disorders and suicidality. In the future, she plans to pursue further doctoral studies related to adolescent mental health.
Danqi Li, B.A.
Danqi earned her Bachelor of Arts with honors in Psychology, along with a minor in Film Studies, from Vassar College. Her research interests center on the psychosocial well-being of marginalized groups, including individuals with chronic illnesses and ethnoracial minorities. She is passionate about advancing mental health equity in underrepresented communities and plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical or Counseling Psychology.
Abbie Linhardt, B.A.
Research Coordinator
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Abbie received her Bachelor of Arts in psychology with a minor in Spanish from Miami University in May of 2025. Her research interests include family systems in which one or more children have a mood or anxiety disorder, parental cognitions and behaviors regarding youth mood/anxiety disorders and treatment, as well as responses to treatment across different stages of adolescence. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology.
Research Coordinator
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Hannah received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her current research interests include treatment of anxiety disorders and OCD in child and adolescent populations. In the future, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.
Research Coordinator
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Prajna graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and minor in History from Trinity University. Her research interests include trauma and mood/anxiety disorders in children. She is also passionate about developing and improving accessibility to evidence-based treatments. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology.
Research Coordinator
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Regan earned Bachelor of Arts degrees with honors in Psychology and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from the University of Kansas. Their research interests include the cognitive effects of trauma in children and adolescents, LGBTQ+ affirmative care, sleep disorders, and the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Regan is passionate about research that addresses health disparities and serves underrepresented and marginalized communities. They plan to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.
Iasha Williams, B.A.
Research Coordinator
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Iasha received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Poverty, Justice, and Human Capabilities from Rice University. Her current research interests include anxiety-related disorders, emotion regulation, and trauma in children and adolescents. Along with these areas, she is particularly interested in research efforts that aim to address equity and accessibility for historically underserved and underrepresented populations in the field of psychology. She hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology with the aim of serving child and adolescent populations.
Zijia Zhang, B.S., B.A.
Research Coordinator
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Zijia recently graduated from University of California, Los Angeles with a double major in Psychology and Statistics. Their research interests focus on the mechanisms underlying youth anxiety and depression, particularly how these conditions interact with social functioning and emotion regulation. They are especially interested in applying advanced computational methods to better understand these processes and guide intervention design. They hope to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical or Counseling Psychology, with the goal of developing scalable, personalized, and culturally sensitive mental health interventions.
Research Coordinator
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Joanna earned her Bachelors of Arts in Psychology with honors from Johns Hopkins University in May of 2024. Her research interests primarily focus on the development of anxiety and depression during adolescence, as well as genetic and environmental factors that may contribute to individual differences in resilience. She plans on pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology with the hopes of working with adolescents and young adults.
Judith Fuentes, B.S.
Research Coordinator
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Judith received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Spanish from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. She is currently working on research related to depression, anxiety, and trauma. She is interested in the intersection between OCD and culture. Judith plans to obtain a doctorate degree in clinical psychology.
Jazzmine Ward, B.S.
Research Coordinator
Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Jazzmine earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychological Science from the University of Arizona. Her research interests include understanding the intersections of trauma and OCD and how adverse experiences impact the development of psychological disorders. She is also passionate about understanding mental health care disparities in BIPOC communities and intends to explore the impact mental health stigmas within those communities affect seeking treatment. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology.
Administrative Coordinator
Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
She is also the training program coordinator within the department. Long-term, she is interested in furthering her education and becoming a licensed therapist, with particular focus in the treatment of individuals with OCD and anxiety related disorders. She is also enthusiastic about research and has a special interest to improve patient care and outcomes among individuals with mental health concerns.