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STARR Lab Team

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Meet the Team

  • Peter Colvonen, Ph.D

    Peter Colvonen, Ph.D

    PI & Associate Clinical Professor, UC San Diego Department of Psychiatry

    Dr. Colvonen is an Associate Clinical Professor at UC San Diego Department of Psychiatry, licensed clinician at the Telemental Health Clinic, and principal investigator on several grants. He is an investigator at the VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health (CESAMH) clinical research unit, chair of the Tri-Center of Excellence Sleep Research Consortium, chair of the Sleep Disorders and Traumatic Stress special interest group for ISTSS, and a National Center for PTSD affiliate. Dr. Colvonen received his B.A. from Wesleyan University and his Ph.D. from University of Illinois, Chicago. He completed his pre-doctoral internship at the University of California, San Diego/V.A. San Diego Healthcare System. After receiving his Ph.D., Dr. Colvonen completed a postdoctoral fellowship at UCSD focusing on PTSD treatments and Alcohol use disorder. He recently completed his Career Development Award project with a randomized control trial comparing CBT-I integrated with Prolonged Exposure to sleep hygiene integrated with Prolonged Exposure. His research program is to optimize treatments for Veterans with PTSD by understanding the role of sleep and sleep disorders on the mechanisms of treatment, increasing treatment efficacy, decreasing attrition, focusing on client centered treatment of complaints beyond PTSD symptomology, broadening treatments to include co-occurring disorders, and understanding the mechanisms through which change is occurring.
  • Christopher Hunt, Ph.D

    Christopher Hunt, Ph.D

    Staff Psychologist & Clinical Investigator, Center of Excellence in Stress and Mental Health (CESAMH)

    Dr. Hunt completed a Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the University of Minnesota, as well as a one-year clinical internship at the Michael E. Debakey VA Medical Center and a two-year clinical research fellowship with CESAMH at the San Diego VA. He is also a current recipient of a Career Development Award from the VA Clinical Science Research and Development branch. Dr. Hunt's research aims to better understand the mechanisms underlying the development and treatment of anxiety- and trauma-related disorders. As part of this work, Dr. Hunt conducts both experimental studies of fear conditioning and extinction as well as clinical investigations into how these principles can be used to improve exposure-based treatments for anxiety disorders and PTSD. In his spare time, Dr. Hunt enjoys spending time with his three children as well as playing or watching basketball. 
  • Jane Park, B.S.

    Jane Park, B.S.

    Research Coordinator

    Jane graduated from the University of California, San Diego in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in clinical psychology. She is enthusiastic about understanding PTSD treatment mechanisms and risk factors that may improve evidence-based interventions and functional outcomes in underserved populations. Her goal is to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology in the near future. In her spare time, she loves trying new workouts on ClassPass, traveling to new places, and exploring new cafes!
  • Kira (Abirgas) Clare, B.S.

    Kira (Abirgas) Clare, B.S.

    Psychology Technician & Secondary Research Coordinator

    Fascinated by the human mind, all things Star Wars, and the deep healing and growth that trauma-focused therapy can offer those whose lives have been impacted by trauma. Inspired by the Veterans in her family and her position in Dr. Colvonen's lab, Kira seeks to build a career as a licensed clinical therapist for the VA to continue to serve those who have served. In the distant future, she aspires to run a private practice that specializes in, but is not limited to, trauma-focused therapy. If she's not in the office she is most likely petting a dog, laying on the beach, or sipping a craft beer at the Safari Park with her husband.
  • Cailin Le

    Cailin Le

    Research Assistant

    Cailin is a third year clinical psychology major at UC San Diego. She is currently trying to pursue a cognitive science minor because they love learning about the ins and outs of how the brain works. They enjoy researching trauma because of its complexities and how a single event in one person's life can potentially affect them forever. As well, trauma affects people in many different ways and it appears in different forms which she finds very fascinating. In the future, they would love to become a clinical psychologist and work more with trauma-focused therapies. She wants to be able to help others and become the next Dr. Le in their family. When she is not working on homework or studying, you can find her at the computer playing video games or outside, going climbing and playing tennis with their friends.
  • Niranjala Yogaratnam

    Niranjala Yogaratnam

    Research Assistant

    Niranjala is a fourth year psychology major and literature minor at UCSD. She loves learning about the brain and is passionate about understanding the effects of adversity and contributing to trauma-based treatment interventions, especially catering towards marginalized and underserved communities. She also hopes to obtain her PhD in clinical psychology and become the first person in her family to achieve a doctoral degree. When not studying or procrastinating on her schoolwork, she loves reading, writing, visiting new places in San Diego, and spending just a bit too much time on Netflix and TikTok. 
  • Alexandra Higdon

    Alexandra Higdon

    Study Psychologist

    Dr. Higdon has worked in several different clinical settings, including college counseling centers, a community mental health center, a forensic private practice, and the VA Healthcare system. Her primary clinical interests include trauma-focused treatments, anxiety disorders, and OCD. Alexandra's role in research has primarily been to provide the treatments. She has witnessed trauma-focused treatments completely change peoples lives and give them their freedom back. Dr. Higdon knows there is much to learn about trauma and how to best deliver treatments, and loves being part of this dynamic process. Alexandra hopes to continuing working at the VA, focusing on trauma and anxiety disorders, and have a hobby farm with at least two Alpacas and some chickens. With her free time, Dr. Higdon most enjoys doing anything adventurous and outdoors; hiking, backpacking, road-tripping, paddleboarding, biking – you name it. She also enjoys reading and scary movies.
  • Guadalupe Rivera, B.S.

    Guadalupe Rivera, B.S.

    Previous Research Coordinator

    Lupe is a Clinical Psychology doctoral student at the Uniformed Services University (USUHS) and an Active-Duty Army Officer, training to be an Army Psychologist. She is first generation Mexican-American hoping to show young girls their dreams are achievable. Prior to being accepted into USUHS, Lupe was a Research Coordinator and Assessor at the San Diego VA for Dr. Peter Colvonen, researching trauma, PTSD treatment, sleep, and substance use. She continues to have those interests, with new interests in neuropsychology and the neurobiology of trauma. When not studying, she loves spending time with her dog, watching crime documentaries and binging Netflix series. 
  • STARR Lab Pets

    STARR Lab Pets

    Arguably the most valuable members of the team.