Our Team

SMHC Staff

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Cheryl Gelley, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor

Dr. Cheryl Gelley completed her graduate training at the ßÙßÇÂþ»­ and has a PhD in School Psychology. Her previous work experience includes working for Hillsborough County Public Schools as a school psychologist and in private practice as a licensed psychologist. Her areas of expertise include mental health and resiliency.


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Joseph Latimer, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor

Dr. Latimer earned a Bachelor of Science (B.A.) in Psychology with an emphasis in special education at the University of Wisconsin: Eau-Claire. He completed his graduate training in the School Psychology program at the ßÙßÇÂþ»­ and a school psychology internship in Pinellas County Schools Dr. Latimer’s research interests focus on integrating multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), educational leadership and system change when addressing students’ social, emotional, and behavioral needs. 


Qunshan Zheng

Qunshan Zheng, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor

Dr. Zheng earned her PhD from the University of Florida in Special Education, with a concentration in Early Childhood Studies, and a minor in Research Evaluation and Methodology. After graduation, she worked as a post-doctoral associate at the Anita Zucker Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies at the University of Florida. Her research interests include supporting the use of evidence-based practices in early childhood education, examining the self-determination skills of young children, and identifying assessment considerations in the early childhood and special education fields.


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Tameisha Hinton, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor

Dr. Hinton earned her M.S. in community psychology from Florida A&M University and her Ph.D. from UC Santa Barbara's Counseling, Clinical and School Psychology program. She has provided counseling and academic services to youth in K-12 schools and community mental health needs for individuals across the lifespan. Dr. Hinton's areas of interest include school-based prevention and intervention programming, advocacy in education and mental health, culturally informed care, and increased representation within the field of psychology.  


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Whitney Yoder, M.S., Senior Social and Behavioral Researcher

Whitney received her B.S. at Baldwin Wallace University, Psychology/Statistics and completed an MSc degree at Utrecht University in Methodology & Statistics for the Biomedical, Behavioral, & Social Sciences. Whitney’s experience includes working as a Quality Improvement and Outcomes Specialist  at a Community Mental Health organization and as a Junior Researcher at the Vrije University of Amsterdam with a focus on research integrity. Using data to tell a story, Whitney is most passionate about translating data and outcomes to drive client-centered decision making and to improve longitudinal outcomes in the field of mental health. 


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Gregory Smith, Digital Media Specialist

Gregory attended Western Governors University where he earned a Master's Degree in instructional design, focusing on learning management technologies. Having spent the last decade serving in public education, Gregory is committed to enhancing educational excellence and student well-being through multi-media communication. He specializes in curriculum development and media content creation. 


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Alton Honors, M.A., Learning and Development Facilitator

Alton attended Brenau University where he obtained a Master's Degree in Clinical Counseling. His training background and experience includes play therapy, TF-CBT, and psycho-educational assessments. After completing clinical internships, Alton transitioned into school counseling, supporting Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Springs Elementary schools as a school counselor for the past five years. Alton’s areas of professional interest are supporting youth through enhancing mental health resilience and helping disenfranchised youth succeed.


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Juliette Bacon-Decae, Business Manager


Elle Motz

Gabrielle Motz, Marketing and Social Media Specialist

Elle earned her B.S. in Marketing from the ßÙßÇÂþ»­ and is currently pursuing her master’s in digital marketing. Her experience includes launching and managing digital media strategies for SMHC’s social media platforms, with a focus on increasing engagement and promoting mental health resources. Elle is passionate about using data-driven insights to create impactful content that supports mental health advocacy. She strives to connect digital strategies with SMHC’s mission to foster equity in mental health services for students.