Institute for Translational Research Education in Adolescent Substance Use (ITRE)

ITRE Scholar Graduates: Current Positions

Post-Doctoral Fellows

• Amanda Hunter, Northern Arizona University
• Amanda Weston – University of South Florida
• Enya Vroom – University of Florida
• Shaylynne Shuler – University of Connecticut

Federal Government

• Amanda Sharp – Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• Jennifer Winston (Delva) - Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• Monica Rousseau – DHHS, Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA)
• Terrell Jackson - DHHS, Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA)
• Sara Beth Wolicki – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

University Faculty

• Aldenise Ewing – Ohio State University
• Amanda Weston – University of South Florida
• Amy Armstrong-Heimsoth (department Chair)– Northern Arizona University
• Humberto Lopez Castillo – University of Central Florida
• Shalay Jackson – Florida State University
• Sharlene Smith – Assistant Professor - University of South Florida
• Stacy Grundy – Indiana University
• Suzanne McWilliams – Northern Arizona University
• Vicky Lynn – University of South Florida
• Vinita Sharma – Boise State University

Alumni Quotes

(Obtained in 2022)

The connections and experiences I had working with my community partner has really opened up a lot of understanding and awareness for me in terms of navigating  work and interacting with different communities, especially ones that have been disadvantaged and have been disproportionately affected by political, social, all of that types of concerns, and just kind of opening my perspective on their lives and what needs to be done and how I can support those communities and families.

I think that was a really great insight for me to open my eyes to how important it is to work directly with communities. I don’t think I would have been able to do that without being connected with a community partner such as we were through the [ITRE] program and learning from them, and learning how we go about doing this type of research and the importance of helping these communities in a way that’s amplifying their voices and hearing from them rather than just kind of using them for research purposes.

I learned more than I ever thought that I would during the [ITRE] certificate program. I definitely use the skills I learned every single day with my current job, and I'm a lot more confident in those skills. I'm able to complete things faster, and have the knowledge to complete them independently so I'm very thankful.

[After completing the ITRE program] I just feel even more confident and comfortable in saying okay now I know that I can go to this pocket of research to support my reasoning in why I'm thinking the way I am, why I'm choosing to engage in these interventions the way I am, or why I'm asking certain questions as it relates to participating in a team and supporting my reasoning for why I'm doing what I'm doing essentially in my work.