Meet the Research Team

Julie Wagner, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator

Dr. Wagner is a licensed clinical health psychologist who is committed to reducing complications of diabetes through clinical research. She is particularly interested in the effects of psychological states on diabetes. Her studies ask the basic question: “How do mental experiences get under the skin and damage the blood vessels in people with diabetes?” In her personal time, Julie enjoys hiking and bird watching with her husband, meditating, playing with her cat, and participating in religious education activities at her temple.

Gina Abbott, Ph.D.
Project Coordinator

Gina Abbott is a licensed clinical psychologist. She has experience providing psychological care to people with diabetes. Her research interest is how parental attachment in childhood influences later mental health and medical outcomes in adults. 

Sophia Belay, M.S.
Doctoral Candidate, Research Assistant

Sophia is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Psychology at the University of Connecticut. She is interested in the effects of depression and other psychological issues on health-related behaviors among underrepresented groups. In her personal time, Sophia enjoys kayaking and spending time with her family.

Bobbie Bowman, B.S., R.T., R.D.M.S., R.D.C.S.

Bobbie started her career in the radiologic sciences and then studied ultrasonography at Yale New Haven Hospital. She went on to obtain her B.S. degree and has been at UConn for three and a half years. She is the lead sonographer in the Echocardiography Laboratory at the UConn Health Center and enjoys research, teaching and working in the clinical setting. Personal time is spent with family and friends, hiking, gardening and reading.

Lisa Budris, M.S.
Research Assistant

Lisa is the newest member of our team. She has a B.S. in psychology and a M.S. in research and statistics from Southern Connecticut State University, and is pursuing her M.P.H. at UConn. Before coming to the Heath Center, she was involved in several clinical trials with the National Institute on Drug Abuse where she worked in substance abuse clinics. In her spare time, Lisa enjoys going to the gym, cooking and traveling.

Cheryl Henderson, Psy.D.
Consultant

Dr. Henderson is the president of Henderson & Associates, a firm that specializes in organizational development and transition management. Cheryl brings to the team expertise in qualitative research, especially conducting focus groups and key informant interviews, and interpreting qualitative data. She has provided consultation to other UConn research, including a church-based weight management program for African American women. She lives in New Haven with her four legged fur kid, a chocolate Labrador Retriever, Bosko.

Mariola Smialek
Research Nurse

Mariola Smialek is a registered nurse. She was born and raised in Poland and has been living in the U.S. since 1989. Her nursing experience includes working with patients with various medical and cardiac problems in clinical and research settings. In her private life, Mariola likes to spend time gardening, cooking, painting and meditating with her husband.

Howard Tennen, Ph.D.
Investigator

Dr. Tennen is a clinical psychologist who studies stress, coping and health, and the lingering effects of depression on subsequent health status. He is particularly interested in the daily dynamics of stress, coping and health behaviors, and examining this dynamic process in real time as it unfolds in people’s everyday lives.

Willliam B. White, M.D.
Investigator

Dr. White is a hypertension specialist, board-certified in internal medicine, clinical pharmacology and clinical hypertension. He founded the Clinical Trials Unit at the University of Connecticut in 2000 and serves as its medical director. His research investigates hypertension, clinical pharmacology of antihypertensive drugs, and cardiac safety of non-cardiac drugs. In his spare time, Dr. White enjoys walking his West Highland Terrier, and recently celebrated the arrival of a new baby girl!