Meet the Team
Core Faculty
Dr. Claudia G. Interiano-Shiverdecker
Dr. Claudia G. Interiano-Shiverdecker is a Fulbright Scholar and an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She received her master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from the University of Wisconsin-Stout and a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate (supervised by Scott Peters, PhD, LPC-S) specialized in providing bilingual counseling services to Spanish-speaking populations. Previously, she was a licensed psychologist in Honduras and worked with Spanish-speaking adolescents. Her research focuses on (a) social justice and multicultural considerations for marginalized communities, particularly the Latinx community; (b) counseling competencies to work with trauma and specific populations vulnerable to trauma; and (c) advocating for underrepresented populations in higher education. Since 2015, she has been involved in some capacity with large externally or institutionally funded projects focused on marginalized groups. Along with Dr. Romero, she has collaborated on numerous research projects focused on sex trafficking victims. Among them, Dr. Interiano-Shiverdecker led a research project to develop the Child Sex Trafficking Counseling Competencies. She has been published in peer-reviewed professional journals, co-authored book chapters, and presented numerous presentations on these topics.
Dr. Devon E. Romero
Dr. Devon E. Romero is an Assistant Professor and Doctoral Program Director in the Department of Counseling at the University of Texas at San Antonio where she also serves as the Co-Faculty Advisor for the Neurofeedback Society of UTSA, and Chapter Faculty Advisor for the Sigma Alpha Chi Chapter of Chi Sigma Iota. She has a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision, and graduate certificate in Quantitative Educational Research from the University of Alabama. She is a National Certified Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Texas with specialized experience in marriage and family counseling, child and adolescent counseling, neurofeedback, and trauma. In addition to her research collaborations at UTSA, she has an on-going research collaboration with faculty from the Department of Psychology at the University of Alabama. Dr. Romero has over a decade of experience working with and managing large federally funded projects, smaller externally funded projects, and institutionally funded research. Examples of project foci include projects focused on historically marginalized, at-risk and underserved populations including: (a) children and youth and (b) sex trafficking utilizing complementary interventions and evidence-based outcome research for informing training, research, and practice.
Affiliated Faculty
Dr. John J. S. Harrichand
John J. S. Harrichand, Ph.D., LPC-S, LMHC, NCC, CCMHC, ACS, CCTP (he/him/his) is a Canadian of Chinese and East Indian ancestry, an immigrant to Canada and the son of immigrants, who was born and raised in Guyana, South America. He is a proud International Faculty in the US and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling at The University of Texas at San Antonio. Dr. Harrichand’s scholarship centers on counselor education leadership, development, and burnout; cross-cultural counseling and minoritized populations (i.e., LGBTQIA+, immigrants, refugees, international students, sex-trafficking survivors); clinical supervision and gatekeeping; and ethical, professional, and social justice advocacy using qualitative and quantitative methodologies. He is actively involved in several professional counseling organizations including ACA, ACES/SACES, ASERVIC, AARC, CSI, CACREP, and NBCC. Dr. Harrichand is a recipient of the Chi Sigma Iota Journal of Counselor Leadership and Advocacy Outstanding Article Award, AMCD Young Emerging Leader Award, the AADA President’s Outstanding Service Award, SACES Outstanding Pre-Tenured Counselor Educator Award, and the Texas Counseling Association Professional Writing Award. In Dr. Harrichand’s downtime, he enjoys traveling and food.
Dr. Priscilla Rose Prasath
Dr. Priscilla Rose Prasath (PhD, LPC, MBA, MSc, GCSC) is an Assistant Professor of Counseling in the Department of Counseling at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Dr. Prasath graduated with a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Ohio University, Athens, Ohio. Dr. Prasath’s research focuses on studying factors that promote mental health and well-being from a positive psychological and strengths-based lens in the areas of (a) group counseling; (b) college student development; (c) creativity in teaching and counseling; (d) underserved minority and foreign-born populations; (e) leadership and career development; and (f) training curriculum and program development. The long-term goal of Dr. Prasath’s research is to impact and empower diverse communities with empirically-tested, creative, culturally responsive strengths-based practices and programs that promote overall well-being and mental health. She has written/co-written over 25 peer-reviewed journal articles and 10 books/book chapters and has presented at several international, national, and regional professional conferences on these topics. At UTSA, since 2020, Dr. Prasath directs the Strengths and Wellbeing Research Lab for graduate students in the Counseling Department. As a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas, she offers clinical mental health counseling to individuals and couples through her private practice. She is also a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach. Dr. Prasath currently serves as the Secretary of ASGW-the Association for Specialists in Group Work, which is a national professional division of the American Counselors Association.
Dr. Katherine McVay
Dr. Katherine McVay is an Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. She received her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision and master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from UTSA. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a National Certified Counselor. Her broad research topics include rural community counseling, ethical considerations in counseling topics, and counselor development. She has also published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at conferences in varying counseling advocacy topics.
Graduate Students
Angelina Flores
CAST Community Engagement Committee and CAST Social Media Committee
Angelina Flores is a student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Master’s Program at UTSA. She graduated from UTSA in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in psychology with a minor in wellness. She has experience working with multiple communities such as the foster care system, elderly, and the intellectually disabled. She is currently working with a fortune 500 company serving underrepresented communities. Her career goal is to work with trauma survivors and aspires to work with the FBI.
Jazmine Grant
CAST Social Media Committee
Jazmine Grant is a student pursuing her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at UTSA. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from The University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley. She has volunteered at various organizations, including CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), Good Samaritan Community Services, and CAMP (Children Association for Maximum Potential). Currently, Jazmine is an Activity Director at a Senior facility, overseeing activity planning, implementation, and assessment. Her ultimate career aspiration is to work in a youth behavioral treatment center.
Jessica Martin
Research Assistant
Jessica Martin is a master’s student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at UTSA. She has been with the CAST Research Lab for two years and enjoys learning everything she can about working with sex trafficking survivors, as well as being involved with the various CAST research projects. Jessica is currently completing her clinical mental health counseling internship with the CAST grant-funded Internship Program at Bluebonnet Children’s Center. She is excited to see how these different experiences in her master’s program will contribute to her future as a counselor.
Christine Mayorga
CAST Community Engagement Committee
Christine is a doctoral student at UTSA in the Counselor Education and Supervision program. Christine graduated from Walden University with a master’s of science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a specialization in Trauma and Crisis. Christine has worked with children and adult survivors, adults who have severe and persistent mental illness, and addiction.
Leslie Garza Mendoza
Graduate Administrative Assistant and Research Assistant
Leslie Garza Mendoza is a master’s student in the Clinical Mental Health program at UTSA. She has been involved with the CAST grant funded program for over a year as an Administrative Assistant and recently joined the CAST Research Lab as a Research Assistant. She loves learning about the biology of trauma and how to best work with clients who have experienced trauma. She is currently completing her internship at Family Violence Prevention Services and hopes to pursue a Ph.D. program to further her education and gain more experience in the field of counseling.
Lillian Pemberton
CAST Community Engagement Committee
Lillian Pemberton is a student pursuing her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She graduated from UTSA in 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Politics and Law. She has experience working with survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking, survivors of sexual violence, and children who have experienced trauma and violence. Her career goal is to work with children/adolescents who have experienced trauma.
Rahela Radu
CAST Community Engagement Committee
Rahela Radu obtained her Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Texas at San Antonio where she also received a graduate certificate in bilingual counseling. She is licensed by the state of Texas as a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor. She owns a small private practice and sees clients virtually, while also pursuing a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision. Her goal is to empower students and clients to identify their natural or developed strengths, find hope and recognize growth and change are possible. In the past, She has worked with individuals with severe mental health concerns, elderly, hospice clients, and children.
Whitney Rich
Research Assistant
Whitney Rich is a doctoral student in the UTSA Counselor Education and Supervision program. She completed her master’s degree in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at UTSA. [photo and bio coming soon]
Arianna Robinson
CAST Social Media Committee Chair
Arianna Robinson is a student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling master’s program at UTSA. She graduated from Penn State in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology focusing on Neuroscience and a minor in Biology. She has experience volunteering with underprivileged children and currently works with children in the foster care system. Her career goal is to be a child counselor and work with trauma survivors using a biopsychosocial model and creative counseling techniques in combination with neuroscience principles.
David Thompson
Graduate Research Assistant
David Thompson is a doctoral student in the UTSA Counselor Education and Supervision program. [photo and bio coming soon]
Mary Whiting
Research Assistant
Mary Whiting is a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate, supervised by Scott Peters LPC-S, who received a MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from UTSA and a BS in Marriage and Family Therapy from Brigham Young University. She has previously worked as a Research Assistant researching families through different multicultural perspectives and currently works within the CAST research lab on the START Program preparing information for a systematic review as well as creating content for counselor education and training when working with individuals who have been sexually exploited. Her counseling experience includes work with anxiety, depression, relocating, bullying, suicidality, addiction, and trauma including sex trafficking. She will begin a doctorate degree at UTSA in the fall of 2022.
External Collaborators
Dr. Jordan E. Elliot
Dr. Jordan E. Elliott graduated with her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision and master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from UTSA. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor, and a National Certified Counselor. She currently counsels individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, childhood trauma, and long-term recovery from substance use disorders. She also works with LGBTQ+ young adults who have experienced homelessness, substance use disorders, and trauma. She has presented nationally on the correlation between substance use and trauma, medication-assisted treatment, and ethics in addiction counseling. Her research interests include moral distress in professional counseling and counselor education, substance use disorders, re-traumatization, counseling sex trafficking survivors, and intimate partner homicide.
Emily Surratt
Emily Surratt is a graduate of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Master’s program at the UTSA. She specializes in trauma populations, neurofeedback, and research. Emily is passionate about working with victims and survivors of trauma. She believes in helping them find their voices after having had them taken for so long and sees research on this vulnerable population as an incredible step in the right direction. Emily hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in mental health so she can better serve those who have experienced trauma by contributing clinical and research work in the field.
Kendra Smith
Kendra Smith is a graduate of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at UTSA. She has a passion for research and is a research assistant with the CAST lab where she is focusing on qualitative data. It is her goal to pursue a PhD so that she may be an expert in the mental health field and continue contributing to research. Kendra has a desire to work with underserved populations. She believes that advocacy is essential to being a good counselor and is a part of best practice. Kendra also believes that being heavily involved in professional organizations is an important part of living out an individuals’ professional identity; Kendra serves as Past President of her local Chi Sigma Iota chapter.
Contributors by Research Project
Counselors Experience with Sex Trafficking
- PI – Dr. Interiano-Shiverdecker
- Co-PI – Dr. Romero
- Project Research Assistant – Katherine McVay
- CAST Research Assistant – Kendra Smith
- CAST Research Assistant – Emily Satel
Mental Health Experiences of Sex Trafficking Survivors in the United States
- PI – Dr. Interiano-Shiverdecker
- Co-PI – Dr. Romero
- Co-PI – Dr. Harrichand
- Graduate Research Assistant: David Thompson
- CAST Research Assistant: Jessica Martin
Social Determinants of Health with Sex Trafficking Survivors in the United States
- PI – Dr. Harrichand
- Co-PI – Dr. Interiano-Shiverdecker
- Co-PI – Dr. Romero
- Co-PI – Dr. Prasath
- CAST Research Assistant: Kendra Smith
Post-traumatic Growth Among Sex Trafficking Survivors in the United States
- PI – Dr. Prasath
- Co-PI – Dr. Interiano-Shiverdecker
- Co-PI – Dr. Harrichand
- Co-PI – Dr. Romero
- CAST Research Assistant: Leslie Garza-Mendoza
A Scoping Review of Theories and Models in Treating Sex Trafficking Clients
- PI – Dr. Prasath
- Co-PI – Dr. Romero
- Co-PI – Dr. Interiano-Shiverdecker
- CAST Research Assistant – Whitney Rich
- CAST Research Assistant – Mary Whiting
Development of Child Sex Trafficking Competencies for Counselors: A Delphi Study
- PI – Dr. Interiano-Shiverdecker
- Co-PI – Dr. Romero
- Doctoral Research Intern – Jordan Elliott
Child Sex-Trafficking Survey of School Counselors in Texas
- PI – Dr. Romero
- Co-PI – Dr. Interiano-Shiverdecker
- Project Research Assistant – Dr. Katherine McVay
- Manuscript Co-Author – Dr. Brenda Jones
Child Sex Trafficking and the Impact of COVID-19 in Texas Schools
- PI – Dr. Romero
- Co-PI – Dr. Interiano-Shiverdecker
- Project Research Assistant – Dr. Katherine McVay
- Manuscript Co-Author – Dr. Brenda Jones
Content Analysis of Sex Trafficking Instruments
- PI – Dr. Interiano-Shiverdecker
- Co-PI – Dr. Romero
- Project Research Assistant – Aneesa Anderson
- Manuscript Co-Author – Dr. Nancy Castellon
A Review of Child Sex Trafficking Instruments
- PI – Dr. Romero
- Co-PI – Dr. Interiano-Shiverdecker
- Project Research Assistant – Nancy Castellon
- Manuscript Co-Author – Dr. Julie Strentzsch
Counselors Against Sex Trafficking 