About the Clinical Health Faculty

Primary Faculty

Heather E. Gunn obtained her PhD from University of Utah in Clinical Health Psychology. She completed her internship at Rush University Medical Center and postdoctoral training at University of Pittsburgh. She has expertise in interpersonal theory and behavioral sleep medicine. Her research is focused on social influences on health, and particularly sleep. She studies family relationships and their association with sleep, and cardiovascular health. Her research has been supported by the Sleep Research Society Foundation. She teaches Behavioral Medicine (undergraduate), a writing seminar on sleep (undergraduate) and supervises a sleep rotation and basic practicum (graduate level). Contact information for Dr. Gunn is in our faculty directory.

Jenny M. Cundiff, PhD, received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Health Psychology from the University of Utah in 2014, subsequently completing two years of postdoctoral training in Cardiovascular Behavioral Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. Her research examines if and how our social lives contribute to poor health. Much of her work has been focused specifically on biopsychosocial mechanisms (e.g., stress physiology, social interactions) linking lower social status to poor health. Her work has been funded by the American Psychological Association and Division 38 (Health Psychology). Contact information for Dr. Cundiff is in our faculty directory.

Matthew R. Cribbet, PhD, received his doctoral training in Clinical Health Psychology from The University of Utah. He completed an APA approved pre-doctoral internship at The University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and a post-doctoral fellowship in Sleep Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. His research interests include understanding the pathways linking stress, sleep and social factors (social support, relationship quality) to cardiovascular disease risk. He is also interested in understanding the mechanisms linking early life adverse experiences such as abuse and neglect to physical health. Dr. Cribbet serves as an associate editor for the journal Behavioral Medicine. Contact information for Dr. Cribbet is in our faculty directory.

James. C. Hamilton, PhD (Retiring), received his doctoral training in behavior therapy and behavioral medicine at Case Western Reserve University (PhD 1986). His current research interests center on the motivational factors that contribute to unexplained medical symptoms, as observed in functional somatic syndromes, somatoform disorders, and especially factitious disorder. His graduate teaching responsibilities include supervision of the basic psychotherapy practicum, graduate courses in behavior therapy and behavioral medicine, and coordination of the internal medicine practicum experience. Contact information for Dr. Hamilton is available in our faculty directory.

Secondary Faculty

Rebecca S. Allen, PhD, received her PhD from Washington University in St. Louis in 1994. She is Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology and coordinator of the geropsychology concentration. Dr. Allen’s primary research and clinical interests are interventions to reduce the stress of family and professional caregivers for older adults with terminal and chronic illness. She has published journal articles and book chapters on advance care planning, end-of-life issues, effective behavioral interventions in long-term care, depression, and everyday problem solving. Dr. Allen is a Fellow and an At-Large member of the Behavioral and Social Sciences Executive Committee of the Gerontological Society of America. She teaches Clinical Psychology of Aging, Lifespan Development, Beginning and Geropsychology Practicum, and undergraduate statistics. Contact information for Dr. Allen is available in our faculty directory. 

Martha Crowther, PhD, MPH, received her PhD from Duke University in 1998 and her MPH from Yale University in 1992. Dr. Crowther’s research and clinical interests are in geropsychology. Her primary research examines the nature, impact, and consequences of custodual grandparenting as well as designing effective interventions to reduce stress in this population. Additionally, she has explored the relationship between spirituality, mental health, and well-being across the life span. She has published journal articles and book chapters on psychology and aging, cultural competency in research and clinical practice as well as caregiving. Dr. Crowther is the incoming Director of Clinical Training and coordinator of the PhD/MPH program. Contact information for Dr. Crowther is available in our faculty directory.

Lynn Snow, PhD, received her PhD in clinical psychology from Texas A&M University in 1998. She is Associate Professor of Psychology in the clinical geropsychology concentration. Dr. Snow’s main research interests are in the area of improving quality of care in nursing home residents, particularly topics of the evaluation and management of pain in residents with dementia, and the process of nursing home organizational change. She is also interested in developing and evaluating assessments and treatments of other psychological disorders in persons with dementia (especially depression, agitation/aggression, and quality of life). Contact information for Dr. Snow is available in our faculty directory.  

Affiliated Faculty

Nancy Rubin, PsyD, received her PsyD from the University of Denver in 1990. Dr. Rubin is an Associate Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at University Medical Center. Her area of interest is physician-patient relationships.

James D. Geyer, MD, is board certified in neurology and sleep medicine. He is an active clinical/research collaborator with the Sleep Research Project (Professor Lichstein).

John Burkhardt, PsyD