Jessica Grace, LMSW

Jessica is the senior program manager of the TESSA project at the University of North Texas Health Science Center School of Public Health.  She is a licensed master social worker with 17 years of experience operating community programs for individuals experiencing homelessness and victims of intimate partner violence. Ms. Grace regularly facilitates trainings on trauma informed care and other resiliency based interventions, and is currently a PhD student in the Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences at TCU.

Emily Spence, PhD, MSW

Dr. Emily Spence is Associate Dean for Community Engagement and Health Equity and Associate Professor in the University of North Texas Health Science Center School of Public Health. She has served as lead evaluator or investigator for several large community initiatives associated with interpersonal violence, health coaching, poverty, mental health, health disparities, financial stability, homelessness and mentoring. She has published books, journal articles and community manuscripts in the areas of evaluation, community assets and needs, intervention development, technology use in human services, health equity, and interpersonal violence.

Shlesma Chhetri, PhD, MPH, CPH, CHES

Dr. Shlesma Chhetri is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the School of Public Health, University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC). She finished her Ph.D. in Behavioral and Community Health from UNTHSC in 2019. Community engagement, program development, implementation, and evaluation have been at the core of her doctoral training and work experiences. For the past decade, Dr. Chhetri has worked on issues related to health disparities and strategies for health promotion. She has expertise in qualitative and quantitative research. She has been a part of the TESSA program from its developmental phase and has offered data management and analysis services to the program. Aside from community engagement and research, Dr. Chhetri teaches graduate-level courses and advises Master in Public Health students through their year-long internship program.

Erika Thompson, PhD, MPH, CPH

Erika Thompson is an Associate Professor in the School of Public Health at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. She has experience in program evaluation related to health disparities projects and programs aiming to diversify the workforce. In the past four years, she served as an evaluator for the NIH-funded Texas Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19, two Office on Women’s Health funded interpersonal violence prevention programs, the NIH-funded NRMNNet, and the NIH-funded AIM-AHEAD Leadership and Administrative Core. Additionally, my research interests address sexual and reproductive health, and maternal and child health issues. 

Diamond Knight, MPH, CPH

Diamond Knight is a 2022 Master of Public Health graduate from the University of North Texas Health Science Center with a concentration in maternal and child health. During her time at UNTHSC, Diamond was able to gain valuable experience as an intern with the Technology Enhanced Screening and Supportive Assistance (TESSA) program. Within TESSA, she was able to create and evaluate a targeted health intervention program for adolescents. Diamond looks forward to seeing the bystander program implemented and continuing to work on behavioral interventions in the future as a public health practitioner. 

Riley Mullahy, MSW

Welcome Bringing in the Bystander participants. My name is Riley, and I am a recent graduate from TCU with my Master of Social Work. During my time with UNTHSC I had the ability to collaborate with others to help create the Bringing in the Bystander training. I hope you both enjoy and learn while participating in this training and use the content to become an active bystander. Thank you for participating.

Jenny Terry, LPC

I have worked for over the past 10 years at ACH child and Family Services helping clients in many different states of crisis to provide immediate care and stabilization. My focus has surrounded young adolescents and helping prepare for independence as well as provide co/self- regulation as they work through whatever current crisis they are dealing with. I have a MS in Counseling and currently work as a therapist for youth ages 10-17 who are in an emergency shelter in Tarrant County. I have also facilitated the Bringing in the bystander groups with adolescents who are at risk and or vulnerable youth.

Celina Ruiz, LMSW

Celina is a former Health Advocate with the UNTHSC TESSA project.