Meet the Team
Our team is committed to advancing the health, wellness, and performance of first responders through research, collaboration, and evidence-based training. Get to know the investigators and study team members leading Project FiRST.
Principal Investigators
Clinical Psychologist
Professor of Psychiatry
Renaissance School of Medicine
Stony Brook University
Dr. Gonzalez oversees recruitment and enrollment for the New York site.
Adam Gonzalez, PhD
Dr. Gonzalez is a clinical psychologist and Director of the Mind-Body Clinical Research Center at Stony Brook University. His work focuses on understanding how stress, thoughts, and emotions affect both mental and physical health. He has extensive experience in evidence-based approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and stress management. Through his research, Dr. Gonzalez aims to develop and evaluate practical training programs that can better support first responders in their day-to-day work and overall well-being.
Rebecca Schwartz, PhD
Research Psychologist
Associate Professor
Feinstein Institute for
Medical Research
Northwell Health
Dr. Schwartz oversees data management and analysis.
Dr. Schwartz is a research psychologist whose work focuses on how trauma impacts mental health, particularly in communities that have experienced large-scale or ongoing stress. Her research is centered on better understanding how people respond to trauma and how we can improve access to care and support. She is especially interested in translating research findings into practical approaches that help individuals cope, recover, and build resilience—including those working in high-stress roles like first responders.
Anka Vujanovic, PhD
Clinical Psychologist
Professor
Department of Psychological
& Brain Sciences
Texas A&M University
Dr. Vujanovic oversees recruitment and enrollment for the Texas site.
Dr. Vujanovic is a clinical psychologist at Texas A&M University, where she leads the Trauma and Stress Studies Center and the First Responder Consortium. Her research aims to better understand how people respond to trauma and to develop practical, evidence-based approaches that can improve care and support. She has worked closely with a wide range of populations, including first responders, and is dedicated to creating tools and programs that can make a meaningful difference in high-stress professions.
Co-Investigators
Brittain Mahaffey, PhD
Clinical Psychologist
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
Renaissance School of Medicine
Stony Brook University
Dr. Mahaffey is a clinical psychologist with expertise in women’s mental health, anxiety, and stress-related conditions. Her work focuses on understanding stress and mental health challenges in high-risk populations and developing more effective, practical treatments. She has a particular interest in supporting groups who face ongoing stress in their roles, including first responders, and is committed to helping translate research into tools that can make a meaningful difference in everyday life.
Molly McCann-Pineo, PhD
Clinical Epidemiologist
Senior Director of Clinical Research
Northwell Health
Dr. Molly McCann-Pineo PhD MS is a clinical epidemiologist by training and currently serves as the Senior Director of Clinical Research for the Emergency Medicine Service Line at Northwell Health (Manhasset, NY). Her research program largely focuses on clinical care for mental and behavioral health disorders among occupational and general cohorts within the prehospital and emergency medicine context. Specifically, her most recent work aims to understand the occupational and personal experiences of pregnant and postpartum EMS clinicians. Dr. McCann-Pineo is also a licensed New York State Emergency Medical Technician.
Study Team Members
Our study team members oversee study activities and participant support across all sites in New York and Texas. Our research coordinators serve as the primary contact point for study participants and are here to answer questions and provide support throughout your participation in Project FiRST.
Colt Hardwick, BS
Texas
Research Coordinator
Colt earned his Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University in 2025. He joined the team with a strong interest in improving understanding of PTSD and related challenges among first responders. With five years of experience as a volunteer firefighter, Colt brings a firsthand perspective to his work and is committed to supporting participants throughout their involvement in the study and helping ensure their experiences are represented in meaningful, real-world ways.
Katherine Lemus, BS
Texas Research Assistant
Katherine earned a Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience and a minor in Psychology from Texas A&M University in 2026. Through teaching and research experiences centered on psychological assessment, ethics, and neuroscience, Katherine developed an interest in the intersection of neuroscience and clinical psychology. In the future, Katherine hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a focus in neuropsychology and contribute to research that advances the understanding of neurological and psychological conditions across the lifespan.
Olivia McLeron, MA
Olivia graduated from Vassar College in 2024 and earned her master’s degree in psychology from Stony Brook University in 2025. Her interests include harm reduction, improving access to evidence-based support, and translating research into practical resources that can be used in real-world settings. She brings a community-oriented perspective to Project FiRST and helps ensure that the study remains organized, accessible, and responsive to the needs of its partners and participants.
New York
Research Coordinator
Data Management Coordinator
Laura Ryniker, MPH
Laura is a public health educator and research professional focused on advancing health and wellness in diverse communities. With an MPH in Community Health Education, she applies her expertise in teaching research methodologies at Hofstra University and managing epidemological studies as a Senior Project Manager at Northwell Health. Laura's work involves addressing mental health needs, coordinating trauma-informed care initiatives, and developing educational interventions that contribute to public health, informed by her peer-reviewed publications.
New York
Research Coordinator
Angel Zou, MPH
Angel earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Stony Brook University and received her Master of Public Health with a specialization in Biostatistics from New York University. Before joining the team, Angel worked as a research program coordinator with the World Trade Center Health Program in Commack, New York, where she supported cognitive research involving 9/11 responders and FDNY firefighters. Her research interests include infectious disease modeling and machine learning. She aspires to become a biostatistician, appliyng data-driven research and statistical analysis to advance public health.