Early Career Task Force

APA Division 28 Task Force

The Division 28 Early Career Task Force was established to bring together a diverse group of early career addiction scientists committed to strengthening mentorship, expanding networking opportunities, and increasing access to professional development beyond the annual meeting. The group has also been charged with establishing a standing Early Career Investigator Committee and identifying strategies to ensure opportunities are accessible and inclusive for researchers across institutions, career stages, and research areas. Together, the Task Force is working to build a stronger, more connected early career community within Division 28 and to lay the foundation for resources and programming that will continue to grow alongside the needs of its members.

 

 

Task Force Biographies

Thomas Shellenberg

I am a PhD Candidate at the University of Kentucky working under the primary mentorship of Dr. Joshua Lile. My current research uses a cross-commodity framework to describe the subjective value of substance-free activities in people with alcohol use disorder. I became involved in APA Division 28 to network with top scientists beyond annual meetings and represent other early career researchers.

 

 

 

Rafaela Fontes, PhD

I earned my Ph.D. in Behavioral Sciences from the University of Brasilia, a second Ph.D. in Psychology from Utah State University, and completed my postdoctoral training at the Addiction Recovery Research Center at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC. My research focuses on understanding decision-making and sensitivity to aversive consequences in individuals with addictions. I am currently an Early Career Psychologist Representative for APA Division 28 and I am excited about creating more opportunities for engagement of early-career researchers within the division.

 

Justin Van Heukelom, PhD

I obtained my doctorate in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Primarily informed by behavioral pharmacology and behavioral economics, my translational work aims to make a meaningful impact in reducing substance-related harms. I am currently an Early Career Psychologist Representative for APA Division 28, and I look forward to helping develop a committee that will serve the needs of early career researchers in the division.

 

 

 

 

Mia Rough, PhD

I obtained my doctorate in Neuroscience from Wake Forest University School of Medicine, where my research focused on substance use disorders, polysubstance use, and translational nonhuman primate models. I am currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Translational Neuroscience, where my work integrates behavioral pharmacology, neuroscience, and translational approaches to better understand the neurobiological and environmental factors that contribute to substance use and relapse. I am passionate about bridging preclinical and clinical research, reducing stigma surrounding substance use disorders, and supporting early career scientists within the field.

 

 

Katya Nolder, PhD

I earned my PhD in Psychology, with a specialization in Behavior Analysis, from West Virginia University, where I studied decision making and behavioral pharmacology in rodent models under the supervision of Dr. Karen Anderson. I am currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Vermont’s Vermont Center on Behavior and Health, where I work with Dr. Stephen Higgins. My research focuses on smoking cessation, behavioral interventions for medication adherence, and tobacco regulatory science.

 

 

 

 

Margaret Bedillion, PhD

I earned my PhD at Penn State University under supervision of Dr. Emily Ansell and am currently a postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University studying cannabis use with Dr. Meg Haney. My work uses ecological momentary assessment to capture cannabis use patterns in naturalistic settings with an emphasis on subjective effects.

 

 

 

Zachary Pierce-Messick, PhD

I earned my PhD at the University of Toronto studying habitual behavior and learning using rat models in Dr. Laura Corbit’s lab. I am currently a post-doctoral fellow at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in the Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit. I apply behavioral economic models to understand drug motivation and reinforcement, and am currently working on kratom-related projects.

 

 

 

 

Brandon P. Miller, MS, MA

I am a PhD Candidate in the Behavioral Economics and Addictions Neuroscience Lab within the Department of Applied Behavioral Science at the University of Kansas. My current focus is on understanding contextual factors that predict drug use and related health-behaviors, with a primary emphasis on cannabis. Given that early career researchers will eventually become the future leaders in the field, I believe it is essential to ensure they are as prepared as possible to lead fruitful careers.

 

 

Cianna Piercey

My name is Cianna Piercey and I am a fifth-year doctoral candidate in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Program at University of Colorado. I am particularly interested in understanding the acute effects associated with specific drug combinations and how individuals might mitigate risks within the context of polysubstance use. Outside of research, I am a therapist at a local substance use treatment clinic and serve in a number of professional service roles. In my down time, I enjoy making art, seeing live music, being outside, and spending time with friends and family.