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Principal Investigator
Nev Jones, PhD. Nev is an associate professor in the Pitt School of Social Work and an interdisciplinary mental health services research with formal training in continental philosophy, community psychology, psychiatric rehabilitation and medical anthropology. Nev has published widely on the sociostructural determinants of mental health/disability, SMI and SMI-focused services, the peer support workforce and the involvement and leadership of individuals with personal experience of psychiatric disabilities in research.
PathLab Staff
Dr. Daniel Hyung Jik Lee. Research Associate
Daniel is a Research Associate at the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work. He earned his Master of Social Work (MSW) from Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. His research interests center on racial and ethnic disparities in mental health, with a particular focus on Asian and Latino populations. He is also interested in the mental health and well-being of children involved with child and youth services (CYF). At Pitt, Dr. Lee contributes to a National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)-funded research project and several community-based initiatives, including the Allegheny County Jail Needs Assessment and a study on the utilization of human services in Allegheny County.
Jessica Engel, BA, CPRS. Communications and Outreach Manager
Jessica is a writer of fantasy genre fiction as well as a costume jewelry designer. She earned her Bachelor of Art in English with a concentration in creative writing from George Mason University. Jessica is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist in MD who specializes in first episode psychosis care for young adults. She has created and facilitated workshops to improve the wellbeing of individuals. In her free time, she likes to play RPG video games and craft collage art.
Callie Bennet, MSW. Research Coordinator
Callie is a recent MSW graduate from the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work. They received their Bachelor of Science in Counseling from Lesley University. Callie worked in various clinical settings including inpatient, residential, and outpatient mental health before pursuing a research career in 2023. Their research interests include autism, trauma and development, self-harm, suicidality, and clinical education.
Sophia Shieh. Research Coordinator/Doctoral Collaborator
Sophia earned her MSc in Education and Developmental Psychology from the University of Oxford and her BA in Applied Psychology and Human Development, with minors in Philosophy and Medical Humanities, from Boston College. She has worked on peer-support integration projects and served as a mental health worker at McLean Hospital, conducted public health research on accessibility and structural determinants of health through a National Science Foundation internship, and contributed to trauma-informed child welfare and juvenile justice systems projects at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Informed by her own lived experiences of multiple system involvement, Sophia is deeply committed to research that centers lived experience and employs participatory action frameworks to promote equity in service delivery.
Michelle J. Okyere, B.S. (she/her). Research Coordinator
Michelle recently earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. Michelle has had many motivators to be an advocate for human rights and social justice, including her own lived experience at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities, insightful undergraduate classes spanning philosophy, psychology, sociology, and religion, and her research experience in the areas of weight stigma, mental health disparities, and college-student mental health. Michelle aspires to earn her PhD in social work to continue to uplift communities that have historically and continually been overlooked in healthcare settings, through collaborative research and advocacy. She also loves mentoring others and hopes to be an inspiration that it is possible to pursue the career of one's dreams, regardless of mental health experiences, pathways into academia ("traditional" or non-traditional) and stigmatizing experiences within many spaces in society.
Eidolon Kelly. Research Coordinator
Eidolon is pursuing a degree in clinical research coordination through Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona. He is interested in research pertaining to community models of care and public mental health. Outside of work, he enjoys being outdoors, reading and trying new foods.
Doctoral Students
Shannon Pagdon, BA (she/they). Shannon is a doctoral student at the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work. Her research explores how lived experience and participatory methods can transform early psychosis care, drawing on user/survivor research and mad studies perspectives. With a background in peer support, Shannon is committed to advancing equity, voice, and collaboration across mental health systems. She is the co-creator of Psychosis Outside the Box and currently serves as Vice President of Lived Experience Research within IEPA: Early Intervention in Mental Health. Outside of work, Shannon enjoys reading, hiking, baking, and sewing.