Our Team
SMHC Staff
Cheryl Gelley, Ph.D., Assistant Research Professor
Dr. Cheryl Gelley completed her graduate training at the ͬÐÔÁµÉ«Çé 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.
Joseph Latimer, Ph.D., Assistant Research 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 ͬÐÔÁµÉ«Çé 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.
Tameisha Hinton, Ph.D., Assistant Research 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.
Qunshan Zheng, Ph.D., Assistant Research 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.
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.
Amanda March, Ph.D., NCSP – Project Director
Dr. March earned her Ph.D. in School Psychology from the ͬÐÔÁµÉ«Çé, specializing in organizational and systems change consultation. She completed a postdoctoral research fellowship with the Florida Problem Solving/Response to Intervention (PS/RtI) Project and the Florida Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) Project. She is passionate about building educators' capacity to support all students and bringing research to meaningful practice through data-based decision-making. March’s expertise falls within the intersection of high-quality professional learning, program evaluation, and individual, small-group, and systems-level consultation.
Mary Beth Foti, M.A., CSC – Mental Health Content Specialist
Mary Beth attended the State University of New York at Oswego where she obtained a master's degree in Mental Health Counseling, and Certificates of Advanced Study in both Play Therapy and School Counseling. Her previous work experience includes working as a school counselor and community mental health provider. Mary Beth’s areas of professional interest include working with children in the foster care and adoption systems, suicide prevention and crisis intervention, and supporting counselor education.
Austin Cole, Ph.D., NCSP – Post-Doctoral Fellow
Dr. Cole earned his M.A. in School Counseling from Southern Adventist University in 2014 and completed his doctoral training in School Psychology at the University of South Florida. He has over 10 years of experience providing counseling and mental health services in K–12 settings. Dr. Cole’s interests include achievement motivation, the accessibility of accelerated curricula, educational policy advocacy, and the application of Motivational Interviewing and Self-Determination Theory to support student engagement and well-being in schools.
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.
Rishidhar Reddy Garlapati, M.S., Application Developer II
Rishidhar Reddy Garlapati earned a Master of Science degree in Computer Science from the ͬÐÔÁµÉ«Çé. Rishi supports the design, development, and maintenance of software applications for Center projects and research. His technical expertise spans software engineering and application development and he is particularly interested in leveraging data and technology to advance education, research, and innovative solutions that create a meaningful impact on people's lives.
Sanjana Ashtaputre, M.S., Application Developer II
Sanjana earned her M.S. in Computer Science from the ͬÐÔÁµÉ«Çé. In her current role, Sanjana designs, develops, and supports software solutions that enhance operational efficiency and improve service delivery. Prior to joining SMHC, she gained valuable industry experience as a Software Engineer at Deloitte and Bosch. With a strong foundation in software development and problem-solving, Sanjana is passionate about building scalable, user-centered systems that use technology to support efficient workflows and data-driven solutions.
Lisa Bryant, Administrative Specialist
Lisa Bryant is a seasoned administrative specialist with 20 years of expertise in administration, operational logistics, and organizational support. She is dedicated to strategic operational management, financial efficiency, and enhancing organizational effectiveness.
Gabrielle Motz, Marketing and Social Media Specialist
Elle earned her B.S. in Marketing from the ͬÐÔÁµÉ«Çé 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.