Research Core Staff
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Our Mission & Vision
The mission of the Rocky Mountain MIRECC is to study suicide with the goal of reducing suicidal ideation and behaviors in the Veteran population. Towards this end, the work of the Rocky Mountain MIRECC is focused on promising clinical interventions, as well as the cognitive and neurobiological underpinnings of suicidal thoughts and behaviors that may lead to innovative prevention strategies.
The vision of the Rocky Mountain MIRECC is to increase information and treatment options available to Veterans, their families and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) so that care decisions and care provided are aimed at decreasing suicide risk.
Contact Us
If you have questions or comments, please reach out to us via email: RockyMountainMIRECC@va.gov.
Staff
Research Core
Research Director
Nazanin Bahraini, PhD (she/her)
Director and Clinical Research Psychologist, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Email: Nazanin.Bahraini@va.gov
Publications: PUBMED | Google Scholar
Principal Investigators
Rachel Sayko Adams, PhD, MPH (she/her)
Health Services Researcher, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Email: Rachel.Adams6@va.gov
Publications: PUBMED
Sean Barnes, PhD (he/him)
Acting Director of Education and Clinical Research Psychologist, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Phone: 720-723-6560
Email: Sean.Barnes2@va.gov
Publications: PUBMED | Google Scholar
Lauren M. Borges, PhD (she/her)
Director of Training and Clinical Research Psychologist, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Phone: 303-916-0128
Email: Lauren.Borges2@va.gov
Publications: PUBMED | Google Scholar
Diana Brostow, PhD, MPH, RDN (she/her)
Clinical Research Nutritionist, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Email: Diana.Brostow@va.gov
Publications: PUBMED | Google Scholar
Bryann DeBeer, PhD (she/her)
Director of VA Patient Safety Center of Inquiry - Suicide Prevention Collaborative & Clinical Research Psychologist, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Phone: 254-297-3108
Email: Bryann.Debeer@va.gov
Publications: PUBMED | Google Scholar
Claire A. Hoffmire, PhD (she/her)
Epidemiologist, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Email: Claire.Hoffmire@va.gov
Publications: PUBMED
Ryan Holliday, PhD (he/him)
Clinical Research Psychologist, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Phone: 720-723-6573
Email: Ryan.Holliday@va.gov
Publications: PUBMED | Google Scholar
Adam Kinney, PhD, OTR/L (he/him)
Research Health Science Specialist, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Email: Adam.Kinney@va.gov
Publications: PUBMED | Google Scholar
Julie Kittel-Moseley, PhD
Epidemiologist, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Email: Julie.Kittel-Moseley@va.gov
Publications: PUBMED | Google Scholar
Dr. Kittel-Moseley is an epidemiologist and health science specialist with over 10 years of experience in suicide prevention research and research with Veterans. Their research primarily focuses on identifying non-mental health risk factors for suicide, particularly suicide prevention among those with serious medical conditions, such as cancer, as well as sexual and gender diverse Veterans. Identifying these risk factors can help to inform upstream suicide prevention efforts.
Lauren Krishnamurti, PhD
Anthropologist, Health Science Specialist, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Phone: 412-654-0528
Email: Lauren.Krishnamurti@va.gov
Publications: PUBMED | Google Scholar
Dr. Krishnamurti is a medical anthropologist and experienced health services researcher who first came to the VA as a postdoctoral fellow in 2020. Her research prioritizes using qualitative methods to inform and improve suicide prevention services for historically underserved Veteran populations, particularly women Veterans. She is honored to be a member of the ASPIRE Lab and is committed to improving suicide prevention for all Veterans, in and outside the VA.
Meredith Mealer, PhD
Investigator/Regulatory Liaison, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Phone: 720-723-4864
Email: Meredith.Mealer@ucdenver.edu
Lindsey L. Monteith, PhD (she/her)
Clinical Research Psychologist, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Email: Lindsey.Monteith@va.gov
Publications: PUBMED | Google Scholar
Dr. Monteith’s research focuses on understanding how to prevent Veteran suicide in diverse Veteran populations, including women Veterans, survivors of interpersonal violence, and Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Veterans. She believes it is critical to listen to Veterans about their lived experiences and preferences to ensure that our suicide prevention initiatives are responsive to their needs and contexts. She is honored to co-lead the ASPIRE lab and looks forward to learning from Veteran research participants to understand how to prevent suicide among Veterans who have less commonly been included in suicide prevention research.
Teodor T. Postolache, MD
Visiting Clinical Research Psychiatrist, Senior Investigator, Rocky Mountain MIRECC, Baltimore MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs
Baltimore, MD
Email: Teodor.Postolache@va.gov
Publications: PUBMED | Google Scholar
Daniel Reis, PhD (he/him)
Clinical Research Psychologist, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Phone: 720-857-5770
Email: Daniel.Reis2@va.gov
Publications: PUBMED
Joseph Simonetti, MD, MPH (he/him)
Clinician Investigator, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Email: Joseph.Simonetti@va.gov
Publications: PUBMED | Google Scholar
Postdoctoral Fellows
Ashley Griffith, PhD (she/her)
Postdoctoral Fellow, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Email: Ashley.Griffith2@va.gov
Publications: PUBMED | Google Scholar
Dr. Ashley Griffith is a licensed clinical psychologist who joined the Rocky Mountain MIRECC as Advanced Psychology Postdoctoral Fellow in 2022 after completing her Ph.D. in Clinical Health Psychology. Her research interests have centered around understanding barriers and facilitators to accessing mental health care among service members and Veterans for almost 10 years. In the ASPIRE Lab, she is exploring barriers and facilitators to engaging in suicide prevention strategies among LGBTQ+ Veterans, with an emphasis on transgender and gender diverse Veterans. She also brings an interest in understanding how rurality, region, and safety behaviors influence firearm ownership and suicide risk and prevention. As a researcher and spouse of a service member, she is committed to understanding how we can adapt suicide prevention programming to meet the needs of LGBTQ+ Veterans.
Research Clinicians, Staff and Other Investigators
Meghan Barnhart, MS
Health Science Specialist, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Phone: 720-648-1722
Email: Meghan.Barnhart@va.gov
Eve Casiano (she/her)
Research Assistant, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Phone: 720-723-3522
Email: Evelyn.Casiano@va.gov
Christe'An Iglesias, MA (she/her)
Health Science Specialist, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Phone: 720-723-6556
Email: Christean.Iglesias@va.gov
Hope Mertens, BA
Research Assistant, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Phone: 720-857-5626
Email: Hope.Mertens@va.gov
Joseph Mignogna, PhD
Clinical Research Psychologist, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Phone: 405-269-6866
Email: Joseph.Mignogna@va.gov
Publications: PUBMED | Google Scholar
Theresa Morano, MS (she/her)
Health Science Specialist, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Email: Theresa.Morano@va.gov
Theresa Morano has been working for the VA for eight years in various research capacities. Having the privilege of working within several different research locations, her personal aim is to listen, learn, and validate the experiences of each and every Veteran with whom she has contact. She is honored to be working at the Rocky Mountain MIRECC within the ASPIRE lab, which focuses on suicide prevention among underrepresented or underserved Veterans.
Morgan Nance, MA (she/her)
Senior Professional Research Assistant, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Phone: 720-723-4868
Email: Morgan.Nance@va.gov
Carly Rohs, MPH (she/her)
Health Science Specialist, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Phone: 720-202-3475
Email: Carly.Rohs@va.gov
Carly is a trained qualitative analyst, working within the VA for the last five years. She is humbled and honored to learn from Veterans and advocate for them in suicide prevention research. She is interested in informing the gaps in care and research from the lived history and experiences of all Veterans who participate in the ASPIRE studies. She is honored to be part of the Rocky Mountain MIRECC, specifically the ASPIRE Lab.
Joanna R. Sells, PhD
Project Director and Clinical Research Psychologist, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Email: Joanna.Sells@va.gov
Shalomi Shelton, MS
Research Assistant, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Email: Shalomi.Shelton@va.gov
Jane Stanton, LCSW (she/her)
Clinical Social Worker, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Email: Jane.Stanton@va.gov
Kelly A. Stearns-Yoder, MS (she/her)
Laboratory and Research Program Director, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Phone: 720-415-1717
Email: Kelly.Stearns@va.gov
Publications: PUBMED
Suzanne Thomas, MA (she/her)
Health Science Specialist, Rocky Mountain MIRECC
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, CO
Phone: 720-723-6555
Email: Suzanne.Thomas4@va.gov
Suzanne is a health science specialist who has worked with Veterans in research studies within the Rocky Mountain MIRECC for the past 7 years. She is grateful for the opportunity to listen to, learn from, and support Veterans in this research. In doing this, the intent is to enhance Veteran mental health and safety, and ultimately end Veteran suicide. She believes that this research will help to implement better care and support for all Veterans, and she is thrilled to be a part of it.
Last Updated 17 June 2025
