(Top Row: From left to right, Chance Dow, Dr. Rory Pfund, Blaine Stiglets, Dr. Jim Whelan;
Middle Row: From left to right, Matt Andersland, Marcos Lerma, Noah Anderson, Natasha Bourgoin, Bre'Anna Free, Dr. Ginger Whelan;
Bottom Row: From left to right, Rachelle Kromash, Ji wan Son, Halle Smith, Shelby Whalen, Adrianna Valencia, Dr. Meredith Ginley, Esther Hudson)
Gambling Lab People
Who We Are
Our staff at TIGER consists of three directors (Dr. Whelan, Dr. Pfund, & Dr. Ginley) that are faculty at UofM and ETSU, administrative personnel, and students that provide therapy to gambling clients and conduct gambling research. Please see below for more information on specific staff members.
James P. Whelan, PhD. Research Professor in the University of Memphis and Executive Director of the Tennessee Institute for Gambling Education and Research (TIGER). For over 20 years, TIGER has operated a treatment clinic for individuals with gambling disorder and a research lab dedicated to exploring problem gambling prevention, assessment, and treatment. Dr. Whelan has published widely on important questions related to gambling disorder. He has served in various capacities to increase awareness of research-based responsible gambling. He was also the recipient of the 2022 Scientific Achievement Award from the International Center for Responsible Gambling. Currently, TIGER is developing a comprehensive system of care for Tennesseans (https://thegamblingclinic.com/) experiencing gambling-related problems and for people concerned about their loved one’s gambling. Email: jwhelan@memphis.edu
Dr. Rory A. Pfund is a Research Assistant Professor at The University of Memphis and the Clinic & Research Director at the Tennessee Institute for Gambling Education and Research (TIGER). He is broadly interested in psychotherapy process and outcome research for addictive behaviors. Dr. Pfund currently serves as an Associate Editor for Addiction and a Consulting Editor for Psychology of Addictive Behaviors. His research has been supported by grants from the International Center for Responsible Gaming and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Email: rapfund@memphis.edu
Abby McPhail, M.S. (University of Aberdeen, 2018) is a fifth-year student in the clinical psychology doctoral program at The University of Memphis. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from University of Aberdeen in 2017. Her research interests center on the interaction of cannabis and gambling. Email: amcphail@memphis.edu
Marcos Lerma, M.A. (University of Texas at El Paso, 2021) is a third-year student in the clinical psychology doctoral program at The University of Memphis. He received his Bachelor of Science in Psychology from University of Texas at El Paso in 2017. His research interests center on self-exclusion and social media and gambling. Email: mlerma@memphis.edu
Adrianna J. Valencia, BS (University of Central Florida, 2021) is a second-year student in the clinical psychology doctoral program at The University of Memphis. Her research interests center on examining underlying risk factors for gambling disorder among underrepresented and marginalized populations. Email: adrianna.valencia@memphis.edu
Matthew D. Andersland, M.S. (University of Louisiana at Lafayette, 2023) is a first-year student in the clinical psychology doctoral program at The University of Memphis. His research interests include mindfulness and co-occurring substance use with gambling. Email: mndrslnd@memphis.edu
Esther Hudson, BA (University of Memphis, 2022) is the Systems Coordinator for TIGER. She operates day-to-day functions and manages TIGER's current grant. Email: asutton3@memphis.edu