Our Team
Anu Asnaani, Ph.D., Principal Investigator
Anu Asnaani, Ph.D., is a licensed Clinical Psychologist who currently is the Principal Investigator of the Treatment Mechanisms, Community Empowerment, and Technology Innovations (TCT) laboratory and an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, UT, USA. She was previously an Assistant Professor at University of Pennsylvania from 2013-2018 and Associate Director of the Center for Treatment and Study of Anxiety from 2017-2018, which is a world-renowned research powerhouse for PTSD, OCD, and anxiety disorders. She completed her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Boston University from 2007-2013, and her clinical internship from the Brown Alpert Medical School from 2012-2013. Her research focuses on understanding the underlying mechanisms to improve treatments for fear-based disorders such as anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder in diverse local and global community settings.
Dr. Asnaani is particularly interested in expanding our understanding about how basic emotion processes (such as how we regulate strong emotions in the face of stressful life events) can be targeted to reduce negative impacts on mental health, and how we can do this for a greater diversity of individuals from a range of backgrounds and countries. To date, Dr. Asnaani has published over 75 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on this area, including her recently published book (Asnaani, 2023) on integrating cultural humility principles into evidence-based care with Oxford University Press. Clinically, Dr. Asnaani has provided therapy to several hundred patients using cognitive behavioral therapy over the past decade, and has been the primary supervisor for over 25 therapists whom she has trained to treat a variety of mental health issues including anxiety/mood disorders, PTSD, substance use disorders, and personality disorders. Dr. Asnaani has also been invited to deliver over 20 workshops and trainings for hundreds of mental health professionals such as lay counselors, social workers, advocates, and first responders, typically in the areas of recognizing and treating mental health dysfunction for providers in high schools/colleges, prison systems, community mental health programs, primary care settings, and graduate programs in clinical psychology both in the U.S. and elsewhere (e.g., Sweden, Japan, and the Caribbean).
Graduate Students
Brooke Franklin – Graduate Student
I’m Brooke! I’m originally from Morgantown, West Virginia, and I earned my B.S. in psychology and human developmental sciences from UC San Diego. My research interests primarily surround the intersection of physical and mental health and understanding how we can better prevent physical and mental illness (especially anxiety, depression, and chronic physical illnesses, such as diabetes). I am passionate about examining how lifestyle behaviors (ex. exercise), relationships, and mind body interventions can be leveraged to improve mental and physical health outcomes! I’m also passionate about dissemination and implementation!
Manny Gutierrez Chavez – Graduate Student
I'm Manny! Originally from San Diego, California, I graduated from the University of California, San Diego, with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Clinical Psychology. While at UCSD, I developed a strong interest in the interactions between ethnicity, mental, and physical health. I’m excited to explore these relationships with the TCT lab!
Kiran Kaur – Graduate Student
Hi! I’m Kiran, a fifth-year clinical psychology graduate student under the mentorship of Dr. Asnaani. I’m from Los Angeles, and I love coffee, doing yoga, and sleeping. I received my Bachelor of Science in psychology at the University of California, San Diego, and my Master of Science in clinical psychology at California State University, Fullerton. I am passionate about studying the intersectionality between race/culture, emotion regulation, and psychopathology
Research Staff
Tatiana Leroy – Research Associate/Lab Manager
Hi, I'm Tatiana! Originally from Russia, I'm now enjoying everything Utah has to offer. I'm currently in the "application marathon" for a Clinical Psychology PhD program (fingers crossed!). I’ve earned two bachelor's degrees, one in Business Administration from Southern New Hampshire University and one in Psychology from Utah Valley University. I'm passionate about all things psychology, especially anxiety and stress coping, emotion regulation, and mindfulness-based interventions. I'm thrilled to be a part of the TCT Lab, where I get to help push the boundaries of psychology and what we know, one study at a time!
Cadence Jones – Research Assistant
I am from Utah and currently completing my Bachelor’s degree. I knew I wanted to study psychology from a young age. The human experience and the human mind have always fascinated me. I am enthusiastic about participating in research and gaining valuable skills and experience. I love that there is so much to discover in the field of psychology, and I am excited to contribute.
Jackson Webb Hunter – Research Assistant
Hi, my name is Jackson and I go by he/him/his pronouns. Having graduated in 2023 with a Bachelor’s in Psychology from the University of Utah, I’m making strides to become a clinical psychologist and a researcher of clinical psychology. My interests lie in cultural competence and extending the benefits of applied psychology to underrepresented populations, taking the frameworks of effective treatment methods and tailoring them to better suit underserved demographics.
Josie Hahn – Research Assistant
My name is Josie, and I am currently completing an Honors Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. While I love all things Psychology, I’m particularly interested in Clinical Psychology and both fear-based disorders as well as eating disorders. I am excited to continue to gain new knowledge and experiences in the research process!
Kate Mayer Williamson – Research Assistant
Hello everyone! My name is Kate, and I’m an undergraduate psychology student working towards my bachelor’s and, hopefully, graduate school! Since my first psychology class in high school, I’ve felt connected to psychology with curiosity, enthusiasm, and fulfillment. I hope to contribute as much as I can to this lab, and further the community, as well as learn from everyone in it.
Rachel Johnson – Research Assistant
Hi! I’m Rachel, and I am a junior undergraduate at the University of Utah. I am a double major in Psychology and Acting. These two majors have been helpful in allowing me to research and explore the inner workings of behavior and the mind in humans. I have a special interest in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder as well as other anxiety-related disorders and am looking forward to gaining experience in a research environment in order to improve the lives of people who deal with these disorders.
Photos
TCT LAB (2024-2025)
TCT LAB (2022-2023)
TCT LAB (2021-2022)
TCT LAB (2020-2021)
TCT LAB (2019-2020)
TCT Lab Alumni
- Michael Wasser (undergraduate RA: 2021-2023; post-baccalaureate lab manager/study coordinator: 2023-2024)
- Julissa Gonzalez (undergraduate RA; 2023-2024)
- Nina Zavala Gonzalez (undergraduate RA; 2022-2023)
- Leila Tatarevic (undergraduate RA; 2022-2023)
- Caleb Woolston (undergraduate RA; 2022-2023)
- Kabita Chhetri (undergraduate RA; 2022-2023)
- Rosalia Samuel (visiting post-baccalaureate scholar; 2021-2023)
- Kent Hinkson (Graduate Student; 2020-2022)
- Monique Chantelle Aguirre (visiting post-baccalaureate scholar; 2021-2022)
- Jiayu Gao (undergraduate RA; 2021-2022)
- Angela Pham (undergraduate RA; 2019-2022)
- Jasmine Moretz (undergraduate RA; 2021-2022)
- Sami Soufi (undergraduate RA; 2021-2022)
- Ifrah Majeed (research coordinator; 2019-2021)
- Ally Askew (undergraduate RA; 2019-2021)
- Tracey Tacana (undergraduate RA; 2019-2021)
- Will Tanguy (undergraduate RA; 2020-2021)
- Rachel Cole (undergraduate RA; 2019-2020)
- Hongku Lee (undergraduate RA; 2019-2020)
- Kaitlin Curtis (undergraduate RA; 2019-2020)