Education and Training

Doctoral Student in Clinical Psychology, Behavioral Medicine Area (2005-present)
Master of Science, Clinical Psychology, 2007
University of Memphis

Bachelor of Science, Psychology, 2005
Bachelor of Arts, Hispanic Studies, 2005
Summa Cum Laude
Spring Hill College (2001-2005)
Mobile, Alabama

Professional Affiliations and Memberships

Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies
American Psychological Association
American Public Health Association
Memphis Area Psychological Association
Society of Behavioral Medicine
Tennessee Psychological Association

Biographical Sketch

Joanna received her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Bachelor of Arts degree in Hispanic Studies from Spring Hill College in 2005. In the fall of 2007, she successfully defended her master's thesis entitled “Predictors of Overweight in Latino Children: Acculturation as a Moderator of the Relationship between Food Insecurity, Fruit and Vegetable Availability and Body Mass Index Percentile,” and received her Master of Science degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Memphis in 2007.

Joanna’s dissertation was a randomized clinical trial investigating the effectiveness of a brief motivational intervention for obesity treatment in college students. She completed her internship at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC. Joanna recently received her Ph.D., and began a postdoctoral research fellowship at Northwestern University in Chicago under the supervision of Dr. Bonnie Spring. Here, she is continuing her work in the area of multiple risk behavior change interventions and obesity treatment, in addition to utilizing technology (e.g., smart phones) to enhance evidence-based treatments. She is also continuing her work in the area of brief interventions and applying behavioral economic models to the treatment of obesity