Meet the Staff

Executive Director

James Langabeer II, PhD, EdD, FAHA is a tenured full professor with joint appointments at the McGovern Medical School in both Psychiatry and Emergency Medicine, and holds the Robert Graham Professorship in Entrepreneurial Informatics at McWilliams SBMI. He is the Executive Director of the Center for Behavioral Emergency and Addiction Research.

Dr. Langabeer is a behavioral decision scientist whose research focuses on improving population and individual health outcomes through collaborations, mobile health, and implementation science. His research since 2018 has largely focused on substance use and behavioral health disorders, which has been published in all leading addiction journals. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine’s (NAM) Action Collaborative on Combating Substance Use and Opioid Crises, and previously served on the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Opioid Committee. He is a member of the Society for Addiction Medicine, American Psychological Association and is a Fellow of American Heart Association. He was previously the Vice Chair of Population Health and research in the department of Emergency Medicine.

Dr. Langabeer developed and leads the Houston Emergency Opioid Engagement System (HEROES), which has garnered national attention for its role in addressing fentanyl and opioid use disorder within the state of Texas. He also writes a popular column on behavior and decision-making for Psychology Today.

Langabeer earned his PhD in decision sciences from the University of Lancaster (England) School of Management. He is the author of multiple textbooks, including the best-selling Healthcare Operations Management: A Systems Perspective (Jones and Bartlett), and the upcoming book Essentials of Healthcare Strategy and Performance Management (Routledge Press). Dr. Langabeer served multiple years as the National Chair of the American Heart Association’s Ambulatory Quality Committee, as well as several other national quality committees for AHA. His research has been funded by SAMHSA, CDC, AHA, NIH, and the U.S. Department of Justice.

Tiffany Champagne-Langabeer, PhD, RDN, FHIMSS
Deputy Director, Center for Behavioral Emergency & Addiction Research

Dr. Champagne-Langabeer is an Associate Professor at McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics and the School of Public Health at UTHealth. She is the Director of Research for the Center for Behavioral Emergency and Addiction Research and the Heroes Program, a collaborative partnership with the Houston Fire Department, Houston Police Department, and Memorial Hermann Hospital. → Read more

Andrea J. Yatsco, PhD, CADC, LCDC
Director of Operations

Dr. Andrea Yatsco is an assistant professor and Director of Operations at the Center for Behavioral Emergency and Addiction Research, overseeing clinical research, community engagement, and direct patient care. She is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor, and a Certified Clinical Supervisor. Dr. Yatsco has worked in corrections, human services, and as adjunct faculty teaching on topics of psychology, substance use, and criminal justice.

Medical Director

Dr. Shabana Walia is the medical director for the HEROES program. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine. She completed her Emergency Medicine residency from Johns Hopkins Hospital & completed a Masters in Public Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, focusing on Biostatistics and Epidemiology.

Clinician

Maria is one of our HEROES clinicians and brings over six years of experience in the treatment of substance use disorders. She is a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) and a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who provides individual therapy to adults and adolescents seeking support with addiction, depression, anxiety, life transitions, low self-esteem, and related concerns.

Maria is deeply passionate about the work she does and considers herself an ally to individuals and families impacted by substance use. Her approach is individualized and client-centered, with a primary focus on creating a safe, supportive, and compassionate therapeutic environment where clients feel seen, understood, and genuinely cared for. She integrates evidence-based psychological, cognitive, and behavioral interventions, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and mindfulness-based approaches, to support meaningful and lasting change.

Senior Communications Specialist

Marco Bracamontes is a Senior Communications Specialist at the Center for Behavioral Emergency and Addiction Research at UTHealth, where he has worked since September 2025. He serves as communications lead for the Honor’s HEROES, Texas Integrated Community Opioid Network (ICON), and PATCH programs.

Marco holds a master’s degree in communications management from the University of Southern California. His work focuses on designing and implementing multimedia strategies to target various stakeholder audiences.

He supports research, education and clinical initiatives promoting engagement among communities experiencing substance use disorder, academics and the public at large.

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 281-793-8577

Research Coordinator

Yvanna Hubbard is a Research Coordinator with the HEROES team at the Center for Behavioral Emergency and Addiction Research.

Peer Support Specialist

Johnny is a state certified Recovery Support Peer Specialist and accredited Mental Health Peer Specialist. He is an advocate for individuals with Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders, and supports evidence-based care with Medication Assisted Treatment. Johnny entered long-term recovery in 2019 and his personal experience informs a deeply compassionate approach to always helping the next person suffering. He possesses exceptional listening and interpersonal skills from coaching and mentoring participants to discover their own path. He uses motivational interviewing to understand participants and build a rapport to help individuals cope with challenging emotions, face limiting beliefs, and set boundaries that protect their sobriety. Johnny’s passion is to deliver inspiration and hope to guide others battling the disease of addiction to disconnect from their inner critic, find a healthy balance in their lives, and reconnect with their inner wisdom.

Peer Support Specialist

Kelly is a state-certified Recovery Support Peer Specialist. She is in long-term recovery from opioid use disorder (OUD) and is passionate about helping individuals who suffer from OUD.

Advanced Practice Provider

Advanced Practice Provider with over 10 years of clinical experience in Emergency Medicine and Virtual/Telehealth settings. Experienced in the evaluation, diagnosis, and management of both acute and chronic conditions across diverse patient populations. Known for delivering high-quality, patient-centered care in evolving clinical environments.

Senior Program Manager - Non Research

Jessica is an award-winning Social Worker, National and State certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist. She has collaborated with juvenile specialty courts, family courts, and criminal courts. Her advocacy for recovery programs over punishment has successfully helped others establish a life in long term recovery, decrease recidivism, and decrease the number of children sent to foster care, meanwhile, reuniting families that have been separated due to substance use disorder. She is a powerful recovery community leader who thrives for innovative change to create purpose in our broken system to help others heal while delivering the message of hope.

Peer Support Specialist

As a dedicated Recovery Support Peer Specialist, Crystal is passionate about helping individuals on their journey toward healing and sobriety. Crystal’s own lived experience has shaped her commitment to fostering hope and resilience in others. Having overcome personal challenges, she understands the complexities of addiction and the transformative power of connection. She strives to provide unwavering support, empathy, and encouragement to those grappling with substance use disorder.

Senior Program Manager - Research

Meredith O’Neal is a Senior Program Manager at the Center for Behavioral Emergency and Addiction Research at UTHealth, where she has worked since March 2019. She serves as program lead for the Texas Integrated Community Opioid Network (ICON), providing statewide infrastructure and operational support for community-based opioid and behavioral health response efforts.

Meredith holds a Master’s degree in Cultural/Medical Anthropology and a Master of Business Administration. Her work focuses on designing and implementing sociocultural and public health research initiatives and developing community-centered programs that support underserved populations, particularly individuals experiencing substance use disorder and mental health challenges.

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 713-416-7708

Michelle Alezano is a Community Health Liaison serving the Liberty County and Cleveland area at the Center for Behavioral Emergency and Addiction Research at UTHealth, where she joined the team in March 2026. In her role, she advances the Texas Integrated Community Opioid Network (ICON) by building strong partnerships with local stakeholders, increasing access to opioid prevention resources, delivering substance use education, and helping connect individuals and families to recovery support services and evidence-based treatment.

Michelle earned her Bachelor of Science in Community Health from Texas A&M University. She is deeply committed to reducing barriers to care and empowering communities through education, collaboration, and compassionate outreach. Her work focuses on helping individuals and families navigate pathways toward stability, recovery, and improved quality of life.

Community Health Liaison

Valerie Adames is a Certified Community Health Worker from Victoria, Texas, and serves as a Community Health Liaison with Texas Integrated Community Opioid Network (ICON) at UTHealth Houston. She supports Victoria County and the surrounding Golden Crescent region by connecting individuals and organizations to prevention, risk reduction, and recovery resources, and by providing education on substance use risks, overdose prevention, and recovery pathways.

Before joining UTHealth Houston in 2025, Valerie worked with Texas A&M University College of Nursing as a Maternal Child Health Navigator for the Golden Crescent Management of Opioid Risk in Mothers (GC-MOMS) program, supporting mothers affected by or at risk for substance use. Valerie is deeply rooted in the community she serves and is committed to reducing barriers to care and supporting individuals and families as they navigate pathways to stability and recovery.

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 361-281-4126

Community Health Liaison

Mary Boone is a Community Health Liaison II at the Center for Behavioral Emergency and Addiction Research at UTHealth, where she joined the team in July 2023. She supports Texas Integrated Community Opioid Network (ICON) efforts in Southeast Texas, working with community partners to strengthen local opioid and behavioral health response.

Mary is a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor with clinical experience in medication-assisted treatment (MAT/MOUD), drug intervention programs, and residential and outpatient treatment settings. She is committed to connecting individuals and families to services and organizations that support recovery and improve quality of life.

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 409-925-0305

Clinician

Diana is a Licensed Master Social Worker and Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor with over 27 years of experience in the chemical dependency field. Her background includes inpatient and ambulatory medical detoxification, as well as residential and outpatient treatment settings. For more than a decade, her work has focused on individuals with co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders across both residential and outpatient programs.

Diana has dedicated her career to supporting men, women, and families affected by mental health and substance use challenges. From 2021 to 2025, she worked with the Houston ER Opioid Engagement System (HEROES), and she currently serves as a counselor with the Texas Integrated Community Opioid Network (ICON). Both programs are housed within the Center for Behavioral Emergency and Addiction Research at UTHealth Houston, where she brings extensive clinical experience to community-based opioid response and recovery support efforts.

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 713-486-2032

Community Health Liaison

Brandie is a Community Health Liaison at the Center for Behavioral Emergency and Addiction Research at UTHealth, where she joined the team in February 2023. She supports Texas Integrated Community Opioid Network (ICON) efforts in Central Texas, working with community partners to strengthen local opioid and behavioral health response.

Brandie brings frontline experience across residential treatment, medical detoxification, and outpatient treatment settings, as well as experience as a CPS liaison and family crisis advocate, teaching nurturing parenting classes. She also brings lived experience related to substance use disorder and mental health as a caregiver to multiple family members, which informs her person-centered, empathetic approach to community work and her commitment to supporting individuals and families in building skills and resources for stability and recovery.

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 512-627-7942

Research Coordinator

Payton Lykes is a Research Coordinator and Counselor at the Center for Behavioral Emergency and Addiction Research at UTHealth Houston, where she has worked since January 2025. Payton supports multiple research initiatives focused on substance use disorder, behavioral emergencies, and mental health, including community-based and statewide efforts.

Payton holds a Bachelor of Social Work from The University of Texas at Austin. Her work includes coordinating research initiatives, supporting data collection and analysis, engaging with participants and community partners, and providing counseling-informed support. With experience spanning research coordination and direct client support, Payton is committed to advancing evidence-based practices that improve access to behavioral health services and support long-term stability and recovery.

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 512-627-0124

Texas ICON

Edward is a state-certified Mental Health Peer Specialist who uses his lived experience to connect people to the hope that only self-determined people in recovery can give. Using his MHPS training along with over a decade of community activism, Ned's primary goal is to connect individuals to the hope that there is a place for all of us to find peace, dignity, and satisfaction in a life of recovery.

Community Peer Advocate

Yamilieth is a state-certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist. She is in long-term recovery since 2012, she uses personal experience to support individuals with living with substance use disorder. She helps participants set healthy boundaries, cope with emotions, and find hope on their path to recovery.

Peer Support Specialist

Stacey Soto is a Peer Support Specialist with Texas ICON at the Center for Behavioral Emergency and Addiction Research.

Senior Program Manager - Research

Sarah is a senior program manager at CBEAR. She supports the leadership team across all CBEAR projects. Sarah oversees the center's data and is actively involved in research and the PATCH program. She holds a BS in chemical engineering and spent the first part of her career working in oil and gas as a technical safety engineer. In 2016, she transitioned to clinical research and has worked with many different populations, including pediatrics, breast cancer patients, and stroke survivors. Sarah joined CBEAR in 2022 and is pursuing a PhD in health promotion and behavioral sciences. She has a strong interest in improving mental health and substance use outcomes for all individuals.

Research Assistant Professor

Dr. Christine Bakos-Block, PhD, LCSW-S, is a Research Assistant Professor at the McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics and a faculty member with the Center for Behavioral Emergency and Addiction Research (CBEAR). Her work focuses on integrating behavioral health, emergency medicine, and data science to expand access to evidence-based addiction and mental health care, particularly for underserved communities. Dr. Bakos-Block leads and evaluates large-scale, community-engaged initiatives that leverage EMS, peer recovery, and telehealth to improve treatment engagement and outcomes across Texas.

Senior Statistician

Mary Lou Cardenas, MD, Dr.PH is a graduate from the University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston, School of Public Health with a doctoral degree focused on Health Services Organization, and postdoctoral training in Biostatistics. Senior Statistician with vast experience in health care information analysis and synthesis, interested in project management. Successful tenure in an academic environment working closely with top leaders in addiction medicine and emergency medicine. Specific research experience in health services research, leukemia, cervical cancer, bladder cancer, and cancer care supporting areas such as Palliative Care and Intensive Care. Integrity, discipline, and vision have been key drivers in expertly inspiring confidence and ensuring the highest level of productivity among collaborators. Known for exceptional follow-through and collaborative style with colleagues. Excels at forging new partnerships with clinical researchers both nationally and internationally.

Research Coordinator

As Research Coordinator, Audrey Lopez assists the HEROES team with their research, grant funding, and operational pursuits. Audrey holds a dual Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration and Business Administration from the University of Houston-Clear Lake and she is currently working on her Doctoral Degree in Health Informatics at the University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston. Audrey has worked within the field of Healthcare Administration since 2006, and her professional interests include improving health services within underserved health populations.

Post-doc

Francine Vega is a Ph.D. candidate in Healthcare Management and Policy with an MS in Speech-Language Pathology. Her healthcare leadership experience includes over 15 years of healthcare leadership positions within the healthcare continuum. Francine's expertise includes leadership development, coaching, staff training, organizational management, marketing, strategic planning, budgeting and finance, and consulting. Francine has successfully engaged in community outreach programs and collaborative strategies to develop several patient care initiatives including many projects that have resulted in new development and growth within the healthcare organizations she has led. Francine's background in healthcare management sparked her interest in healthcare delivery policy and research. Her research interests include health systems science, health policy law analysis, and the impact of healthcare policy.

Research Assistant

Rakshitha Vijendra is a public health professional and foreign-trained physician with an MBBS degree and a Master of Public Health from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. She currently works as a Research Assistant, following her experience as a Graduate Research Assistant, contributing to clinical and public health research initiatives.

Rakshitha’s background in medicine and public health informs her interest in advancing research to improve population health and healthcare outcomes, with a particular focus on behavioral health and the integration of emerging technologies into healthcare.

Research Coordinator

Simone Hull is our Research Coordinator, providing novel insight to ensure our program runs smoothly and successfully. She has an undergraduate degree in psychology and a Master's in Philosophy, focusing on Ethics in Mental Health Care.

Associate, Licensed Paramedic

Dan Cohen, MS, LPC-A, LP, recently retired after working with Williamson County EMS in central Texas for nearly 21 years where he served in the field and later as a Clinical Captain and administrator. His ongoing desire to improve the mental health of his peers has led to a new career. Dan now provides education and counseling services to first responders and healthcare providers through the PATCH program at UT Health Houston. Dan also serves the same cohort through TEEX (Texas A&M). He hopes the counseling work and EMS-specific research will enrich the lives of all first responders. He holds a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.