Charity Lackey
Co-President
Charity is a fourth year Ph.D. student in the School of Nursing but longtime Tar Heel. She received her bachelor’s degree from UNC School of Nursing and is currently working as a nurse within the women’s hospital. Her research interests are centric to improving maternal and child health outcomes especially for Black women, with a more specific focus on how mental illness may play a role in the health of this community. Fun fact, she brought two siblings and a cousin to UNC with her #familyaffair!
lacklack@live.unc.edu
Gaby Alvarez
Co-President
Gabriella is a fifth-year doctoral student in the Department of Psychology & Neuroscience. As student in the Social psychology area, she studies the role of the brain-body connection in responses to stress in under-resourced populations. Ultimately, she is interested in documenting the societal and psychophysiological factors underlying disparities in mental and physical health disparities. She is a Coral Springs, Fla. Native.
alvarezg@live.unc.edu
Metika Ngbokoli
Secretary
Metika is a fifth-year graduate student in the Behavioral and Integrative Neuroscience Program. Her primary research area of interest focuses on investigating the neurobiology of drug addiction and how decision making is affected. In addition to research, she is also passionate about science outreach and wants to help increase the visibility of Black women in STEM. Metika received her undergraduate degree from Connecticut College and she is originally from Yonkers, NY.
mngbokol@live.unc.edu
Aliyah Griffith
Treasurer
Aliyah is a third-year Ph.D. student in the marine science department. her primary research focus is investigating natural disturbances, such as hurricanes, and their impacts on the growth of coral reefs throughout the Caribbean. Aliyah received her bachelors of science in Marine and Environmental Science from Hampton University. She is a Prince George’s County, Maryland native.
Aliyahg@live.unc.edu
Shaun Jones
Moriah James
Co-Service Chair
Moriah James is a 3rd-year doctoral student in Anthropology. After receiving her B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Maryland, College Park, she worked at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture as well as the Prince George’s African American Museum and Cultural Center. Alongside her interests in museums, Moriah’s current research focuses on African American heritage preservation and the intersections of class and race.
mojames1@live.unc.edu
Xavier Bonner
Co-Programming Chair
Xavier, a Morehouse College undergraduate and fourth-year graduate student in the Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, currently studies how HIV-1 viral proteins become incorporated into human cells. In the future, he aims to lead a team of researchers that study acquired diseases. In his free time, Xavier enjoys hiking and mentorship opportunities. He is looking forward to serving as the 2021-2022 Programming Co-chair.
xxavier@live.unc.edu
André Martin
Co-Programming Chair
André Martin is a fourth year Marketing doctoral student at Kenan-Flagler Business School. His holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science Engineering from University of Texas at Arlington and a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology. André was a software engineer and program manager in his past life. He brings his interest and experience in emotional intelligence, team building, and problem-solving to the BGPSA as its program chair. He is a native of the Caribbean island of Dominica (not Dominican Republic lol).
Andre_Martin@kenan-flagler.unc.edu
Khristopher Nicholas
Public Relations Chair
knicholas@unc.edu
April Highlander
Co-Social Chair
April is a fifth-year graduate student in clinical psychology. Her research interests include evidence-based treatments for children with behavior disorder and family oriented approaches to identifying vulnerability and protective factors for young children. She is also interested in research and professional opportunities that are aimed at better serving diverse and under-served populations. She received her undergraduate degree from West Virginia University. She is a Union, West Virginia native.
april_highlander@unc.edu
Maku Orleans-Pobee
Co-Social Chair
Maku is a fifth-year graduate student in clinical psychology in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. Her research interests include examining psychosocial interventions for first-episode psychosis, as well as studying racial/ethnic disparities in schizophrenia treatment (e.g., differences in diagnostic rates, access to care, and treatment outcomes). Maku is a Christchurch, New Zealand native but grew up mostly in Northern Virginia, and she received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from The College of William and Mary.
makuop@unc.edu
Ricky Burgess
Political Advocacy Chair
rickyb@live.unc.edu