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School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling College of Health Professions

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School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
EHABW 1.266 (Edinburg campus)
Email: rehabservices@utrgv.edu
Phone: 956-665-7036
Fax: 956-665-5237
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Faculty Bio's

Antonio Aguirre

Clinical Assistant Professor
Phone: (956) 882-5068
Email: antonio.aguirre@utrgv.edu
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Antonio Aguirre

Antonio Aguirre Jr. is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling at UTRGV. Mr. Aguirre has been teaching in the School of Rehab since 2010. He is currently teaching most of his classes at the Brownsville campus where he is the coordinator for the School’s expansion to that campus. Mr. Aguirre, as well, is finishing up his doctoral studies in Rehabilitation Counseling. Mr. Aguirre’s research interest include mental health services, transitional services, and bilingual services for the Latino demographic. Mr. Aguirre has an earned Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling, and holds a certificate school counseling. He has over 20 years of experience in the counseling and education field.

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Clinical Assistant Professor
School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
Email: antonio.aguirre@utrgv.edu
BLHSB 2.740
Phone: (956) 882-5068

Russell Armstrong

Lecturer I
Phone: (956) 665-5913
Email: russell.armstrong@utrgv.edu
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Russell Armstrong

Russell was born in Livingston Montana July 1947.   He moved with family at one year of age to housing in Mammoth Hot Springs, headquarters for Yellowstone Nat. Park.   He attended a two room elementary school at the park headquarters.  He attended middle school and high school in the small town of Gardiner, Montana where he graduated second in his class of 16.  He was active in speech and drama competing on district and state level tournaments.  He also played basketball.

He attended Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana and then transferred sophomore year to the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana where he graduated with a Bachelor Arts History and Political Science with a life time Montana Teaching Certificate.   

Armstrong was hired to teach all sections of social studies grades 7-12 in a small school in Rudyard, Montana, a wheat farming community 7 miles south of the Canadian border.  This assignment also included other duties of head basketball coach, assistant football coach and head girls track coach.   After two years of teaching he moved his wife, two children, two dogs and a cat and their 60 foot mobile home to Texas.  He traded his personal vehicle for a used mobile home truck in order to move the mobile home on his own. 

Armstrong next adventure found him planning and developing a Winter Texas Recreational Village in Pharr, Texas.   He oversaw the design, construction and operations of the 1000 site RV resort with and opening for business in November 1978.   He sold the resort in 1983 and invested his funds in the construction of a large conference center known as the El Bingo Grande and operated this business until 1989.   The facility is now owned by the City of Pharr and known as the Pharr Events Center.  

In 1991 Armstrong made the decision to return to school and moved to San Marcos, Texas graduating with a Masters of Health Care Administration May 1995.   He was then hired by the Department of State Health Services where he served in various administrative positions until his retirement June 2013.

While employed by the state now under the Health and Human services Commission, Russell  again returned to school and enrolled in the Master Rehabilitation Counseling Program at UT-PA. Graduating with MS Rehabilitation Counseling 2009.   He passed the CRC exam and the National Counselor Exam, becoming an LPC in 2010.   He has maintained his Licensed  Professional Counselor status and sees clients in his Equine Facilitated Counseling practice in Edinburg.    He also has applied and been selected for the past four academic years as full time faculty in the School of Rehabilitation.

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Lecturer I
School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
Email: russell.armstrong@utrgv.edu
EHABW 1.102D
Phone: (956) 665-5913

Eluterio Blanco

Clinical Assistant Professor / Addiction Studies Coordinator
Phone: (956) 665-5240
Email: eluterio.blanco01@utrgv.edu
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Eluterio Blanco

Eluterio (Jr.) Blanco earned his PhD in Rehabilitation Counseling and is a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor as well as a certified Master Addiction Counselor.  He has been providing counseling services to clients with Substance Use Disorders, including adolescents, adults, and special populations since 2002. He is currently a Clinical Assistant Professor in the School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley and is the Addiction Studies Program Coordinator.  Eluterio holds professional memberships with the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC), the Texas Association of Addiction Professional (TAAP), and is a Past-President of the Valley Association of Addiction Professional (VAAP).  He has also served two terms on the Board of Directors for TAAP.  He has co-authored an article on the attitudes of Mexicans Americans towards cannabis use and is his dissertation focused on professional/community stigma toward persons with substance use disorders by Mexican Americans.

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Clinical Assistant Professor / Addiction Studies Coordinator
School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
Email: eluterio.blanco01@utrgv.edu
EPOB14 RM 1.101A
Phone: (956) 665-5240

Elizabeth Chavez-Palacios

Clinical Assistant Professor
Phone: (956) 665-3734
Email: elizabeth.palacios@utrgv.edu
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Elizabeth Chavez-Palacios

Dr. Elizabeth Chavez-Palacios is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the School of Rehabilitation at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley. She earned her Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology (2006) from University of Texas Pan America in Edinburg, TX, and her Doctorate of Philosophy (2013) in Rehabilitation Counseling from University of Texas Pan American in Edinburg, TX.  She is a Licensed Professional Counselor – Supervisor and has been providing counseling services in the private sector for over 13 years with an expertise in the treatment of individuals with psychiatric disorders and substance abuse.  She is also a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and a Certified Clinical Military Counselor.  Dr. Chavez-Palacios serves as the Masters in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling (MRC) Program Coordinator, the MRC Program Clinical/Field Experience Coordinator and has served on the School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling Leadership Team for 4 years.  Her research interests and activities include issues of comorbidity (I.e., psychiatric disorders and substance abuse), dementia disorders, cultural competence, clinical supervision, counseling education and employment issues of people with disabilities.

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Clinical Assistant Professor
School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
Email: elizabeth.palacios@utrgv.edu
EHABW 2.320
Phone: (956) 665-3734

Roy Chen

Professor
Phone: (956) 665-3590
Email: roy.chen@utrgv.edu
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Roy Chen

Dr. Roy Chen received a doctorate in Rehabilitation Counselor Education from Michigan State University. He has published extensively in rehabilitation, allied health, counseling, and education journals. He also has presented regularly at international, national, and regional conferences. Roy has a wide array of research interests including psychosocial aspects of disability, career development, multicultural counseling, neuromuscular and neurological disorders, employment of people with disabilities, psychiatric rehabilitation, gerontology, special education, and addiction studies. 

Roy has decades of experience in teaching undergraduate, master, and doctoral level courses. His specializations include research methods, case management, psychology of disability, multiculturalism, vocational rehabilitation, medical aspects of disability, and career counseling. He especially enjoys mentoring and collaborating with doctoral students on research projects. Roy was educated in three countries and had worked as a financial analyst in the banking and finance sector for many years before switching his career track to rehabilitation counseling.

Education

  • Graduate Certificate 2009, Illinois Institute of Technology
  • PhD 2006, Michigan State University
  • MS 1998, California State University at Los Angeles
  • MBA 1994, Azusa Pacific University, California
  • BS 1989, University of Southern California


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Professor
School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
Email: roy.chen@utrgv.edu
EHABW 1.302
Phone: (956) 665-3590

Rene Gonzalez

Professor
Phone: (956) 665-2672
Email: rene.gonzalez@utrgv.edu
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Rene Gonzalez

Dr. Rene Gonzalez, is an Associate Professor in the School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Dr. Gonzalez obtained his doctoral degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC). He teaches undergraduate, masters and doctoral courses. Dr. Gonzalez was appointed to the Rehabilitation Council of Texas by Governor Rick Perry. The Rehabilitation Council of Texas (RCT) advocates for people with disabilities in the vocational rehabilitation process to ensure Texans with disabilities have access to an effective vocational rehabilitation service delivery system leading to employment. Dr. Gonzalez has clinical experience in providing psychotherapy/counseling for, predominantly, Latino/Hispanic with various disabling conditions to attain and maintain employment and/or attending post-secondary training. Dr. Gonzalez’ areas of expertise include: virtues and character strengths, resilience, psychosocial adaptation to chronic illness and disability, and vocational rehabilitation outcomes. Dr. Gonzalez co-authored several peer-reviewed publications relative to virtues and character traits, resilience, positive psychology, and psychosocial adaptation to chronic illness and disability. Dr. Gonzalez also authored and co-authored peer-reviewed publications relative to rehabilitation outcomes for individuals with substance use disorders, older persons with diabetes, older stroke survivors, and caregiver burden and Hispanic caregiving. In the area of grants, Dr. Gonzalez served as Principal Investigator for a grant funded through a cooperative agreement between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) and Morehouse College as the administrative coordinating body. In addition, Dr. Gonzalez served as Co-PI of an RSA long-term training grant.

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Professor
School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
Email: rene.gonzalez@utrgv.edu
EHABW 1.268
Phone: (956) 665-2672

Noreen Graf

Professor
Phone: (956) 665-7344
Email: noreen.graf@utrgv.edu
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Noreen Graf

Noreen Graf, Rh.D. is a Professor in the School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.  Dr. Graf has over 20 years of teaching experience, focusing on counseling skills and research courses.  Her research areas include trauma, disability and spirituality, positive psychology, and veteran’s adjustment.

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Professor
School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
Email: noreen.graf@utrgv.edu
EHABW 2.314
Phone: (956) 665-7344

Saara T. Grizzell

Assistant Professor / Graduate Clinical Coordinator / MS Program Coordinator
Phone: (956) 665-3050
Email: saara.grizzell@utrgv.edu
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Saara T. Grizzell

Dr. Saara Grizzell has extensive field experience in both private and public rehabilitation settings. She has facilitated many groups in neuro-orientation, psychoeducation, and addictions recovery and has worked for decades in the field of vocational rehabilitation, both as a rehabilitation counselor and forensics evaluator. Her published research interests include: Group counseling; Acquired Brain Injury; Progress monitoring; and Quality Assurance. Dr. Grizzell is working as an associate professor in the School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling at University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley. In addition, she is currently serving as board President of the Rehabilitation Program Evaluation Network (RPEN), a national organization serving the needs of program evaluators in the public and private sectors. Dr. Grizzell is also serving as an associate editor for Contemporary Research in Disability and Rehabilitation, an open-access peer-reviewed journal.


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Assistant Professor / Graduate Clinical Coordinator / MS Program Coordinator
School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
Email: saara.grizzell@utrgv.edu
EHABW 1.132
Phone: (956) 665-3050

Dr. Sandra Hansmann

PhD Program Coordinator / Professor
Phone: 956-665-5108
Email: sandra.hansmann@utrgv.edu
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Dr. Sandra Hansmann

Dr. Sandra Hansmann received her B.S. in Behavioral Sciences at Concordia University Texas and her M.Ed. and Ph.D. from the Dept. of Special Education Rehabilitation Counselor Education Program at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Hansmann has been a member of the faculty since 2005. She has served as principal investigator and director of several federal grant projects and coordinator and director of two academic units and university offices. Dr. Hansmann’s current interests are focused on progressive practices in online counselor education, digital professionalism, social media in counseling, and women’s issues in the areas of disability and gender-based discrimination and violence.

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PhD Program Coordinator / Professor
School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
Email: sandra.hansmann@utrgv.edu
EMASS 1.168
Phone: 956-665-5108

Rommel Johnson

Assistant Professor
Phone: 956-665-5255
Email: rommel.johnson@utrgv.edu
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Rommel Johnson

Rommel Johnson, PhD., LPC, CAADC, CRC, NCC

Dr. Rommel Johnson is an Associate Professor in the School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley. Dr. Johnson holds a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Western Michigan University and Master of Arts degrees in Community Counseling and Youth Ministry from Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan. Dr. Johnson  is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the States of Michigan and Texas and is Board Certified in General Counseling (NCC), Addiction Counseling (CAADC) and Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling (CRC). Dr. Johnson has over 14 years of broad counseling experience and has worked with clients of many diverse backgrounds and presenting problems, both within the United States and internationally.

Dr. Johnson has worked as an Adjunct faculty member at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan as well as a mental health counselor in the Counseling and Testing center on the campus. Dr. Johnson has presented on various topics at several regional and national counseling conferences and is a member of the American Counseling Association, the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, the Michigan Counseling Association and the North Central and Southern Associations for Counselor Education and Supervision.

Dr. Johnson's research interests include exploring brain neuroplasticity in addiction and recovery, and understanding issues of race, social justice, disability and mental health within Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Latino/a immigrants.

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Assistant Professor
School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
Email: rommel.johnson@utrgv.edu
EPOB 14 room 1.101F
Phone: 956-665-5255

Cahit Kaya

Assistant Professor
Phone: 956-665-5244
Email: cahit.kaya@utrgv.edu
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Cahit Kaya

Assistant Professor
School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
Email: cahit.kaya@utrgv.edu
EHABW 1.102A
Phone: 956-665-5244

Jeong Han Kim

Associate Professor
Phone: 956-665-7038
Email: jeong.kim@utrgv.edu
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Jeong Han Kim

Jeon Han Kim, Ph.D., CRC. is an Associate Professor in the School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Dr. Kim earned his M.S. and Ph.D., in rehabilitation psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Dr. Kim is the founder of Virtue-Based Psychosocial Adaptation Model (V-PAM). In comparison to traditional theories in psychosocial adaptation to chronic illness and disability (CID) that often focus on examining innate psychological disposition such as personality, Dr. Kim’s virtue model views adaptation to illness and disability as a positive by-product of having endured adversities while transforming them into insightful opportunities for renewal. Thus, adaptation is not only influenced by innate dispositions, but also heavily influenced by one’s pursuit of excellence and committed after the onset of disability.

Dr. Kim has a solid refereed journal publication, convention presentation, editorial activity, and grant-getting record. As a researcher with exceptional skills in statistical analyses, his qualifications are highlighted in the following areas: 1) years of solid experience in research methods, inferential and descriptive statistics, designing and executing social, behavioral, and cognitive research; 2) extensive quantitative research skills and experience using various statistical analysis tools; 3) extensive experience in questionnaire design, data acquisition, analysis, and interpretation; and 4) extensive experience in managing and collaborating with cross-functional teams to execute multiple projects in a timely manner. He has served as principal investigator or co-investigator on multiple research projects which have together received approximately $6 million in funding. He is well known for his work in positive psychology application within the rehabilitation counseling framework.

Dr. Kim has also collected extensive clinical experience via independent living, long-term health care under the Medicaid/Medicare Waiver program, state/federal vocational rehabilitation and VA hospital mental health/addiction/work therapy clinics.

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Associate Professor
School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
Email: jeong.kim@utrgv.edu
EHABW 1.306
Phone: 956-665-7038

Irmo Marini

Professor
Phone: (956) 665-7035
Email: irmo.marini@utrgv.edu
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Irmo Marini

Dr. Irmo Marini is a Professor in the School of Rehabilitation at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley. He earned his master’s in clinical psychology from Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Canada, and his Ph.D. in Rehabilitation from Auburn University in Alabama. Dr. Marini earned two outstanding faculty research awards at Arkansas State, three more faculty research awards at Pan-American, two outstanding teaching awards at Pan-American, and one service award. On a national level, Dr. Marini was the recipient of the 2009 Distinguished Career in Rehabilitation Education award by the National Council on Rehabilitation Education, and a year later received the 2010 James F. Garrett Distinguished Career award in rehabilitation research by the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association. He was also voted the National Council on Rehabilitation Education’s 2013 recipient of the Rehabilitation Educator of the year award. He also received the Patricia McCollom distinguished career award in life care planning research in 2015. To date, he has published over 85 peer-reviewed journal publications, 40 book chapters, and co-authored and co-edited 7 books on counseling and rehabilitation counseling psychology related topics. Dr. Marini is former President of the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association and former Chair of the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification. Dr. Marini has maintained a forensic life care planning and vocational expert private practice since 1994.

Dr. Irmo Marini's research interests include psychosocial aspects of disability, forensic rehabilitation research issues, attitudes toward disability, spinal cord injury issues, social injustice, oppression and disability, and positive psychology.


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Professor
School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
Email: irmo.marini@utrgv.edu
EHABW 1.310
Phone: (956) 665-7035

Diana Mendez

Lecturer II
Phone: (956) 665-5110
Email: diana.mendez@utrgv.edu
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Diana Mendez

Diana Mendez is a Full-time Lecturer in the School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling and has been teaching for UTPA and UTRGV since 2011. Her university responsibilities include: developing Deaf Concentration courses as well as Addiction Track courses and providing instruction to undergraduates. Mrs. Mendez conducts research in the areas of deafness, addiction, and supervision for LPC-interns. Mrs. Mendez provides guest lecturers and presentations on state and local levels in areas of mental health disorders and deafness. Mrs. Mendez has over 30 years’ experience working with the Deaf and hard of hearing and continues to service this underserved community as a Licensed Professional Counselor -Supervisor in private practice.

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Lecturer II
School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
Email: diana.mendez@utrgv.edu
EHABW 1.102B
Phone: (956) 665-5110

Fidencio Mercado

Interim Director / Clinical Associate Professor / Undergraduate Coordinator
Phone: (956) 665-3074
Email: fidencio.mercado@utrgv.edu
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Fidencio Mercado

Mr. Mercado is a Clinical Associate Professor with the School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling at UTRGV. He also serves as the Associate Director for the School and Undergraduate Coordinator. Mr. Mercado earned his Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling from UTPA in 2003. He has been a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) since 2006 and a Licensed Professional Counselor since 2018 (LPC-Intern since 2015). He has clinical experience working as a professional in Addictions/ Mental Health Counseling. His work has been primarily with Hispanic adolescents, young adults, adults and their families. He currently teaches undergraduate courses related to Addictions and has research interests in addictions, spirituality, ethics and multicultural concerns. He has served as the Chapter President of the Valley Association of Addiction Professionals (VAAP), a chapter of the Texas Association of Addiction Professionals. Mr. Mercado has been trained and certified in Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT). He is also the PI of the Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) sub-award grant with UT Austin. The grant is federally funded through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for the South-Southwest Region of ATTC.

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Interim Director / Clinical Associate Professor / Undergraduate Coordinator
School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
Email: fidencio.mercado@utrgv.edu
EHABW 1.130
Phone: (956) 665-3074

Eva Miller

Professor
Phone: (956) 665-5270
Email: eva.miller@utrgv.edu
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Eva Miller

Eva Miller, Ph.D., CRC is a Professor in the School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and a licensed psychologist.  Dr. Miller has 15 years of teaching experience and over 20 years of experience providing psychological services for adults and their families.  Her specialty areas include geropsychology, chronic illness and mental disorders, and supervising pre- and postdoctoral psychology residents.  Her research areas include caregiver burden; aging and employment; and physician assisted dying, and end-of-life issues.


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Professor
School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
Email: eva.miller@utrgv.edu
EHABW 1.132
Phone: (956) 665-5270

Kim Nguyen-Finn

Lecturer II / Expressive Arts Coordinator
Phone: (956) 665-7041
Email: kim.finn01@utrgv.edu
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Kim Nguyen-Finn

Kim Nguyen-Finn, PhD, LPC-S, has been a mental health counselor since 1998 and is a Texas Licensed Professional Counselor Board-approved Supervisor. Aside from serving as a lecturer in the School of Rehabilitation Counseling and Services, she provides individual, family, and couples counseling for a wide range of issues, including anxiety disorders, OCD, depression, trauma resolution, and gender identity, in private practice. Currently, Dr. Finn also serves as supervising consulting counselor for UTRGV’s Office for Victim Advocacy and Violence Prevention, and is an expert witness for domestic violence and sexual assault cases. Dr. Finn was raised in a military household and earned her doctoral degree from UTRGV’s Rehabilitation Counseling program and Master’s of Arts in Educational Psychology from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

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Lecturer II / Expressive Arts Coordinator
School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
Email: kim.finn01@utrgv.edu
EHABW 1.136
Phone: (956) 665-7041

Cameron Ortega

Lecturer II / Wellness Center Director
Phone: 956-665-7036
Email: cameron.ortega@utrgv.edu
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Cameron Ortega

Cameron Lacy Ortega, LPC-S, LCDC is a lecturer with the School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling. She is also the School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling Center Clinical Director. Ms. Ortega currently teaches undergraduate courses in additions and expressive arts.  Ms. Ortega earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2005 and her Master of Science in rehabilitation counseling in 2009. Ms. Ortega has been a mental health counselor since 2012 and is a Texas Licensed Professional Counselor Board-approved Supervisor. In addition, Ms. Ortega is a licensed chemical dependency counseling since 2010. Her work has been primarily with person who have a substance use disorder and a co-occurring mental health disorder. She currently serves as the secretary for the Valley Association of Addition Professions (VAAP), a board member for Palmer Drug Abuse Program (PDAP), and the co-advisor for the Aspiring Substance Abuse Professions (ASAP) student club.

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Lecturer II / Wellness Center Director
School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
Email: cameron.ortega@utrgv.edu
EHABW 1.266
Phone: 956-665-7036

Bruce Reed

Professor
Phone: (956) 665-3151
Email: bruce.reed@utrgv.edu
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Bruce Reed

Dr. Bruce J. Reed received his PhD from the University of Northern Colorado in 1993 and has been on the faculty since then. Dr. Reed’s areas of interest include grant writing, administration and leadership, academic program development, supported employment, mentoring, and assistive technologies.


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Professor
School of Rehabilitation Counseling & Services
Email: bruce.reed@utrgv.edu
EHABW 1.126
Phone: (956) 665-3151

Belinda Rivas

Clinical Assistant Professor
Phone: (956) 665-3591
Email: belinda.rivas@utrgv.edu
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Belinda Rivas

Belinda Rivas is a Clinical Assistant Professor (non-tenure track) with the School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling and has been teaching undergraduate courses since 2006.  Belinda Rivas earned her Master of Science degree in Counseling from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Texas. She has completed her course work for PhD in General Psychology teaching track and is currently all but Dissertation. She is currently a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). She has a special interest in research supported practices in mental illness management and recovery, family and patient psychoeducational, psychosocial skills training, cognitive behavioral counseling, community treatment, integrated treatment of co-occurring disorders, ethical practices, and motivational interviewing.

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Clinical Assistant Professor
School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
Email: belinda.rivas@utrgv.edu
EHABW 1.330
Phone: (956) 665-3591

Blanca Robles

Lecturer III / Retention Coordinator
Phone: (956) 665-2132
Email: blanca.robles@utrgv.edu
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Blanca Robles

Ms. Blanca Robles earned a Bachelor's in Psychology and a Master's in Rehabilitative Services from UTPA. Before her work, at UTRGV her professional experiences come from working as an Employment Specialist, Social Security Benefits Counselor, Medical and Vocational Case Manager in the private sector, and mental health contract work at a local independent school district. She has been teaching for the school since 2011 and with the university since 2006. She is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor, for which she supervises interns in professional practice. In addition, Ms. Robles is highly involved in community service and proudly serves as a board member at a local non-profit agency serving people with disabilities.

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Lecturer III / Retention Coordinator
School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
Email: blanca.robles@utrgv.edu
EHABW 2.130
Phone: (956) 665-2132

Barbara Schoen

Associate Professor
Phone: (956) 665-5107
Email: barbara.schoen@utrgv.edu
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Barbara Schoen

Dr. Barbara Schoen is an Associate Professor in the School of Rehabilitation at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley. Dr. Schoen received her doctorate in Rehabilitation Counselor Education from Michigan State University in 2010 and is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC). Her research interests include social justice, community outreach and psychosocial adjustment to disability. Prior to her doctorate, Dr. Schoen completed a two-year Advanced Training Fellowship funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research through the University of Michigan’s Model Spinal Cord Injury Care System (2003-2005), where she led a project funded through the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation investigating the needs of and providing resources to rural consumers with SCI. Because of her continued work in that area, the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL) presented her the 2009 Earl Walden Award for Outstanding Achievement in Rural Advocacy.

While at The University of Texas at El Paso (2010-2017) Dr. Schoen was the Principal Investigator of projects funded through The National Institute of Health, National Library of Medicine and Department of Education totaling over $1,000,000. She served as a consultant and subject matter expert responsible for rural based content development for a Technical Assistance Center-Targeted Communities Grant, administered Project HIGHER (a program providing graduate students as coaches to students with intellectual disabilities enrolled in certificate programs). Dr. Schoen was recently funded by the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities to identify strengths and challenges encountered by the Rio Grande Valley individuals with intellectual disabilities. She has numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals and presented at local, state, and national conferences. Finally, Dr. Schoen has taught courses including, Cognitive, Behavioral and Psychological Aspects of Disability, Counseling Special Needs Populations, Career Development, Substance Abuse, Group Counseling, Medical Aspects of Disability and Grant Writing.

 

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Associate Professor
School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
Email: barbara.schoen@utrgv.edu
EHABW 1.304
Phone: (956) 665-5107

Ralf Schuster

Lecturer II
Phone: 956-665-3044
Email: ralf.schuster01@utrgv.edu
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Ralf Schuster

Ralf Schuster, Ph.D., M.Ed., BPsycSc, CRC, has a Bachelor‘s Degree in Psychology from James Cook University as well as from San Diego State University. He graduated with a Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Auburn University and a Ph.D. in Counselor Education (Concentration Mental Health and Rehabilitation Counseling) from East Carolina University. He enjoys inspiring students to become researchers and educators and appreciates teaching courses in interviewing and helping skills, human lifespan development, counseling theories, behavioral statistics, diagnosis and assessment, professional counseling practices, rehabilitation counseling, research in rehabilitation, rehabilitation services, and substance abuse counseling. His research interests are focused on the treatment of alcohol use in older adults, the empirical evaluation of the validity of common practices used in clinical mental health and rehabilitation counseling, and the imaging techniques used in cognitive neuroscience. He is also involved in comprehensive statistics-driven research projects in rehabilitation counseling.

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Lecturer II
School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
Email: ralf.schuster01@utrgv.edu
EHABW 1.266
Phone: 956-665-3044

Denise Silcox

Clinical Associate Professor
Phone: (956) 665-8077
Email: denise.silcox@utrgv.edu
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Denise Silcox

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Denise Silcox's faculty profile

Clinical Associate Professor
School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
Email: denise.silcox@utrgv.edu
EHABW 1.102C
Phone: (956) 665-8077

Veronica Umeasiegbu

Associate Professor
Phone: (956) 665-2949
Email: veronica.umeasiegbu@utrgv.edu
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Veronica Umeasiegbu

Dr Veronica I. Umeasiegbu is an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, USA. She has master’s degrees in physical therapy (University of Nigeria – 2006) and Rehabilitation Counseling (University of Pittsburgh, USA – 2009). She obtained her Ph.D. degree in Rehabilitation Counseling Education, Research and Policy in 2013 from the University of Kentucky, USA.

 Dr Umeasiegbu was a 2008 intern with the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. She is the recipient of the 2017 New Career in Rehabilitation Education Award from the National Council on Rehabilitation Education.

Dr Umeasiegbu’s research interests include health disparities and social determinants of health in disability and chronic illness; community participation and quality of life for people with disabilities; self-advocacy and resilience in spinal cord injury, and health outcomes research.

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Veronica Umeasiegbu's Faculty Profile

Associate Professor
School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling
Email: veronica.umeasiegbu@utrgv.edu
EHABW 1.314
Phone: (956) 665-2949
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