Our Team
SMHC Staff
Cheryl Gelley, Ph.D., Project Director
Dr. Cheryl Gelley completed her graduate training at the University of South Florida and has a PhD in School Psychology. Her previous work experience includes working for Hillsborough County Public Schools as a school psychologist and in private practice as a licensed psychologist. Her areas of expertise include mental health and resiliency.
Joseph Latimer, Ph.D., Project Director
Dr. Latimer earned a Bachelor of Science (B.A.) in Psychology with an emphasis in special education at the University of Wisconsin: Eau-Claire. He completed his graduate training in the School Psychology program at the University of South Florida and a school psychology internship in Pinellas County Schools Dr. Latimer’s research interests focus on integrating multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), educational leadership and system change when addressing students’ social, emotional, and behavioral needs.
Kristen Mahony-Atallah, Ph.D., Project Director
Dr. Mahony-Atallah completed her Ph.D. in School Psychology from Duquesne University in 2022, where her graduate research efforts focused on academic interventions to promote writing and mathematics fluency in elementary-aged students. Currently, she is the Project Director for an IES Efficacy Grant, overseeing a multi-site evaluation of the Well-Being Promotion Program (WBPP). Her research interests are centered around developing academic interventions informed by positive psychology, specifically addressing interconnected challenges in academic skills, mental health, and educational disparities, with a focus on marginalized populations, including individuals with disabilities.
Tameisha Hinton, Ph.D., Project Director
Dr. Hinton earned her M.S. in community psychology from Florida A&M University and her Ph.D. from UC Santa Barbara's Counseling, Clinical and School Psychology program. She has provided counseling and academic services to youth in K-12 schools and community mental health needs for individuals across the lifespan. Dr. Hinton's areas of interest include school-based prevention and intervention programming, advocacy in education and mental health, culturally informed care, and increased representation within the field of psychology.
Whitney Yoder, M.S., Senior Social and Behavioral Researcher
Whitney received her B.S. at Baldwin Wallace University, Psychology/Statistics and completed an MSc degree at Utrecht University in Methodology & Statistics for the Biomedical, Behavioral, & Social Sciences. Whitney’s experience includes working as a Quality Improvement and Outcomes Specialist at a Community Mental Health organization and as a Junior Researcher at the Vrije University of Amsterdam with a focus on research integrity. Using data to tell a story, Whitney is most passionate about translating data and outcomes to drive client-centered decision making and to improve longitudinal outcomes in the field of mental health.
Gregory Smith, Learning Designer and Media Specialist
Gregory attended Western Governors University where he earned a Master's Degree in instructional design, focusing on learning management technologies. Having spent the last decade serving in public education, Gregory is committed to enhancing educational excellence and student well-being through multi-media communication. He specializes in curriculum development and media content creation.
Alton Honors, M.A., Learning and Development Facilitator
Alton attended Brenau University where he obtained a Master's Degree in Clinical Counseling. His training background and experience includes play therapy, TF-CBT, and psycho-educational assessments. After completing clinical internships, Alton transitioned into school counseling, supporting Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Springs Elementary schools as a school counselor for the past five years. Alton’s areas of professional interest are supporting youth through enhancing mental health resilience and helping disenfranchised youth succeed.
Juliette Bacon-Decae, Business Manager