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The Implementation Research Division (IRD) Lab
Meet ABCT’s Featured Lab
The Implementation Research Division (IRD) at the Baker Center for Children and Families (an affiliate of Harvard Medical School) is led by Kelsie Hanako Okamura, PhD.
We asked each of the IRD lab’s members:
- What is your primary research interest?
- If the student is or has ever been a member of ABCT:
- How has ABCT been helpful to you?
- If a student were thinking about joining ABCT, what activities would you recommend they get involved in?
Trainee Lab Members
Tessa Palafu, B.A.
What is your primary research interest?
My research interests lie in promoting the well-being of underserved populations, particularly Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, through implementation science.
How has ABCT been helpful to you?
ABCT has provided wonderful opportunities for me to connect with folks that share similar interests and contribute meaningfully to the field. Learning from them has inspired the work I do daily. Presenting at ABCT has also aided my professional development and prepared me to apply for graduate school.
If a student, postdoc, and/or postbac were thinking about joining ABCT, what activities would you recommend they get involved in (e.g., presenting at ABCT conventions, joining a SIG or committee)?
I highly recommend attending networking sessions for specific SIGs or at the general convention! It’s a great way to make connections with peers and mentors.
Summer Pascual, B.S. (Psychology)
What is your primary research interest?
I aspire to improve mental health services for underserved communities through studying the implementation of evidence-based interventions via community-research partnerships. My primary research interests are racial/ethnic disparities in youth mental health services and the community implementation of evidence-based practices for underserved youth and families.
How has ABCT been helpful to you?
Being a member of ABCT has provided me with many opportunities to network and share my research with others. The conventions are a great platform for presenting work whether it be in a poster, panel, symposium, etc. Attending presentations is also an exciting way to not only learn but also brainstorm new ideas for research projects.
If a student, postdoc, and/or postbac were thinking about joining ABCT, what activities would you recommend they get involved in (e.g., presenting at ABCT conventions, joining a SIG or committee)?
I would highly recommend joining a SIG. It’s a great opportunity to meet folks doing similar work to you and often leads to exciting collaborations. I am currently part of the DIS SIG, and I’ve met so many wonderful people who share my research interests around implementation and underserved groups. Since joining this group, I have written papers, presented symposia, and collaborated in many other ways with fellow SIG members. I have even been a part of a symposium that was put together through the DIS SIG’s matchmaking for convention presentations.
Danielle L. Carreira Ching, B.A.
What is your primary research interest?
Women and children’s mental health services, Health disparities in underserved and underrepresented communities and issues, and balancing Western evidentiary bases with cultural and indigenous knowledge and practices.
How has ABCT been helpful to you?
ABCT has helped to broaden my horizons to better inform the lens through which I view the world and the work I have done as a trainee and would like to do in the future within the field of behavioral/mental health.
If a student, postdoc, and/or postbac were thinking about joining ABCT, what activities would you recommend they get involved in (e.g., presenting at ABCT conventions, joining a SIG or committee)?
Attending and presenting at ABCT conventions as well as joining a SIG are great ways to gain exposure to a variety of work and like-minded folks who are passionate about helping people. This may be difficult to access so look for opportunities to attend virtual events or apply for student assistance.
Zoe Primack, B.S./B.A. (Psychology/Education)
What is your primary research interest?
My primary research interests include youth mental health and well-being, social-emotional development, psychosocial outcomes, and equitable practices in schools and communities.
How has ABCT been helpful to you?
ABCT has been incredibly helpful to me by offering access to cutting-edge research, useful workshops, and a network of intelligent professionals who have enhanced my understanding and application of behavioral and cognitive therapies.
If a student, postdoc, and/or postbac were thinking about joining ABCT, what activities would you recommend they get involved in (e.g., presenting at ABCT conventions, joining a SIG or committee)?
I would recommend getting involved in networking events and mentorship programs, which are invaluable for professional development, as well as joining special interest groups that align with your research interests where you can stay informed about the latest developments in your focus area.
Callum Chertavian (B.S. Psychology, exp. 2025)
What is your primary research interest?
My primary research interests include youth mental health and well-being, the effect of social media on adolescent mental health and development, and equitable access to mental health services in schools and communities.
Savannah Goshgarian-Miller, B.A. (Psychology)
What is your primary research interest?
Broadly, my research interests include improving public sector systems of care at all levels for underserved children and families, with a particular focus on addressing ethnic minority mental health disparities. My primary research interest is developing, adapting, and implementing preventative interventions in community-based settings for high-risk children, and adolescents.
How has ABCT been helpful to you?
Overall, ABCT has been an excellent opportunity to explore the diverse range of research in the field. I’ve particularly enjoyed networking with students and mentors from various labs and institutions. Additionally, attending and presenting at ABCT has greatly expanded my professional interests and continues to solidify my aspirations for graduate school.
If a student, postdoc, and/or postbac were thinking about joining ABCT, what activities would you recommend they get involved in (e.g., presenting at ABCT conventions, joining a SIG or committee)?
As a post-baccalaureate, I highly recommend joining a Special Interest Group (SIG) and participating in their networking events. SIGs offer a great opportunity to connect with others who share your specific passions and interests. Additionally, attending a wide range of presentations and actively asking questions can be incredibly valuable, as it may lead you to discover new research interests! Furthermore, I encourage post-baccalaureates to consider presenting at ABCT. Although it can feel intimidating, presenting can significantly boost your confidence in discussing your work!
Michelle Liu, MPH (Public Health)
What is your primary research interest?
Digital Mental Health Interventions, Implementation Science, Mental Health Disparities among Youth
How has ABCT been helpful to you?
Being an ABCT member has allowed me to connect with other postbac students who have done the most incredible research at their respective institutions. Being exposed to so many lines of work makes me so curious about the potential of our field.
If a student, postdoc, and/or postbac were thinking about joining ABCT, what activities would you recommend they get involved in (e.g., presenting at ABCT conventions, joining a SIG or committee)?
I would highly suggest folks to join as many SIGs that intrigue them!
Kelsie Hanako Okamura, Ph.D.
Kelsie Okamura (she/her) is an Implementation Researcher at the Baker Center for Children and Families, a Harvard Medical School affiliate, and a licensed psychologist. She received her BA in Psychology with Honors and PhD from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Dr. Okamura completed her predoctoral internship at I Ola Lāhui Rural Hawai‘i Behavioral Health and postdoc at the University of Pennsylvania Center for Mental Health. Dr. Okamura was both a NIMH CHIPS and TIDIRH fellow and has more than 40 peer-reviewed journal articles. She currently serves as Leader for the ABCT Dissemination and Implementation Science Special Interest Group.
The lab’s overarching mission is to improve the lives of people suffering from behavioral health disorders. The IRD believes in a community-based participatory research approach that integrates community perspectives across all phases of research design. Their method is grounded in ongoing quality improvement, and they build partnerships and collaborations foremost before generalizable knowledge. The team operates with a trauma-informed lens acknowledging the indelible impact of colonization in indigenous and often underserved populations. Health equity, not equality, centers their work which they do from various time zones across the United States.
How long have you been a member of ABCT?
I have been a member of ABCT since 2007, when I presented my first poster in the Child and Adolescent Anxiety Special Interest Group poster expo.
How often and why do you attend the ABCT convention?
I have attended the ABCT convention annually since 2007 (except for 2011 in Toronto, Canada and 2017 in San Diego, California, when I had my second son). I attend the convention to connect in-person with colleagues, collaborators, and friends, to learn about cutting edge research in behavioral and cognitive therapies, and to explore new places. I particularly enjoy leaving each convention feeling inspired and rejuvenated for the future. I like to send myself a summary email from the airport on important themes and connections to make in the future.
How do you stay current with developments in the field (research and/or practice and/or policy)?
I am very fortunate and privileged to work in a field that excites and motivates me to learn. My down time (if not with my kids) is often spent reading table of contents emails for journals that I really enjoy (e.g., Implementation Research and Practice). I tend to scroll through the abstract and then look at the reference lists to see what fascinating articles people are citing in their work. It’s a rabbit hole, really. I also stay connected with a lot of our fabulous ABCT members through the Dissemination and Implementation Science SIG. The convention really helps me to understand where people see the field heading.
How has ABCT helped you/your lab professionally (e.g., network/collaborate, stay current with developments in the field, meet prospective/former trainees)?
ABCT has been my academic home since I was an undergraduate at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. I have met some of my closest collaborators, colleagues, mentors, and friends through ABCT. It has also given me invaluable leadership skills through various service opportunities, for example, my leader role with the Dissemination and Implementation Science SIG. As with any other academic organization, the visibility of my work through conference presentations and awards helps our team recruit like-minded individuals and brings new partners.
Does your lab have any traditions? Does your lab do anything together for fun?
Our lab is unique in that we have people working in various time zones in the United States. It poses a challenge for us in connecting regularly but we have learned different ways to stay connected through messaging platforms (e.g., Slack) and routine meetings. One tradition that was started by one of our senior team members was to do “highs and lows” at the start of each meeting. We sometimes spend a lot of our hour on this, but it is important for our work to connect with each other. Birthdays are also important days for us to remember for the team. I am still learning about how to create traditions for a remote team so if you have any ideas, I very much welcome them ([email protected])!
What advice would you give prospective trainees (either in general, or to those applying to your lab specifically)?
Be human. Remember that your experiences and expertise are an artifact of those who have created the paths for you. Be humble and kind to everyone, especially those who you do not benefit from being kind to. When we search for new members to join our team, we are much more interested in your ability to relate to others, especially us. The specific technical skills are teachable, but interpersonal skills are less moldable once you are ready to join us. Be aware of your positionality, intersections, and privilege in the work you do and make sure your values and intention are in alignment with whatever experience you seek. The field is a tree, not a ladder, and there is room for everyone.
