Contact Us

Dr. Roger Zoorob, M.D., MPH, FAAFP is the Richard M. Kleberg, Sr Professor and Chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) in Houston, Texas. Dr. Zoorob's special interests are alcohol, tobacco, and opiate use disorders. Besides substance use disorders, Dr. Zoorob’s research includes cancer prevention, evidence-based practice, antibiotic stewardship, health disparities policy and practice, and provider training on addressing behavioral health in the clinic setting. Dr. Zoorob is currently the PI of five grants awarded by HRSA, SAMHSA, and NIAAA, three of which relate to substance use disorders. He is the President of the Annals of Family Medicine Board of Directors and the author of more than 100 publications and book chapters.

Dr. Alicia Kowalchuk, DO, FASAM is an Associate Professor with BCM’s DFCM and board certified in both family and addiction medicine. She is medical director of three programs providing treatment and other services to Houston-area community members impacted by substance use and substance use disorders. Additionally, she has current and past research and programs funded by the CDC, NIAAA, NIDA and SAMHSA and numerous peer-reviewed publications.

Dr. Kiara K. Spooner, DrPH, MPH, CHES provides expertise in Academic Detailing and is an Assistant Professor in DFCM at BCM. She is an experienced educator, researcher, epidemiologist and Certified Health Education Specialist who has previously served in a related role, as a trainer of healthcare professionals for a CDC-funded FASD Practice and Implementation Center (PIC) and High Impact Project aimed at integrating alcohol screening and brief intervention into primary care settings. Dr. Spooner’s research is centered on patient-provider communication quality, eHealth technologies, and the reduction of health disparities among racial/ethnic minority and underserved populations.

Dr. Sandra Gonzalez, PhD, LCSW provides expertise in Academic Detailing and Qualitative Evaluation and is an Assistant Professor and Licensed Clinical Social Worker in DFCM at BCM in Houston, TX. Dr. Gonzalez has over 16 years of experience in clinical and academic settings with roles as a practicing clinician, researcher, and educator. She is the Director of Behavioral Health for the Baylor Family Medicine Faculty Group Practice and the Director of Operations for the department’s Center for Primary Care, Prevention, and Population Health where she is involved in overseeing many of the department’s research and grant initiatives.

Dr. Maria C. Mejia, MD, MPH, FACPM provides content expertise and serves as a workshop presenter for this program. She is an Associate Professor with BCM’s DFCM and is board certified in both preventive and addiction medicine. She provides treatment for patients with substance use disorders and is a Providers Clinical Support System (PCSS) MAT waiver training instructor. Dr. Mejia has current and past funding from NIH, CDC, SAMSHA, and CPRIT.

Dr. Larissa Grigoryan, MD, PhD provides expertise in Program Evaluation and is an Assistant Professor in the DFCM at BCM and the Veterans Affairs Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety (IQuESt). She obtained her PhD in epidemiology from the University of Groningen in The Netherlands and completed a Primary Care Research fellowship at BCM in Houston, Texas. Dr. Grigoryan uses her expertise in epidemiology to design and analyze experimental, quasi-experimental and observational studies in primary care, with funding from NIH, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and VA Health Services Research and Development Service.

Jose G. Gonzalez, LCSW, CCH, DCN provides RGV program oversight. He holds a B.A. degree from Stanford University, a Master’s of Science degree in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin and is licensed in Texas as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. He is also an ordained deacon serving the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville. Since 1983 he has dedicated his professional career to clinical and prevention services in mental health and substance use disorder services along the Texas-Mexico border. He currently holds the position of Chief Executive Officer since 2001 at Behavioral Health Solutions of South Texas (BHS), a non-profit for prevention, intervention, treatment and research serving Region 11 of south Texas.

Monica Hernandez Sanchez, LCSW-S, ACPS, PSS, CCTSA serves as Program Manager for the RGV. She earned her Bachelor of Social Work degree in 1998 and a Master of Science in Social Work in 2000 from the University of Texas-Pan American now UTRGV. She is credentialed as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and board approved supervisor, Peer Specialist Supervisor and Advanced Certified Prevention Specialist in the State of Texas, Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist in Addiction, and Internationally Certified Prevention Specialist. Monica has served as Deputy Director with BHS for two years and eleven years as a BHS Director of Programs.

Blanca Martinez, MA, LCDC serves as the RGV-based Program Director and Academic Detailing Supervisor. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 2009 and a Master’s of Arts in Clinical Psychology in 2015 from the University of Texas Pan American. She is credentialed as a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor, Peer Specialist Supervisor, and Licensed Professional Counselor-Intern. Blanca has served as Director of Clinical Programs with BHS for 4 years. Her work experience includes the mental health services delivery for adults and youth and a current focus on intervention, treatment, and recovery programs with the substance using population.

Kylie Schaper, MPH, CHES® serves as Program Coordinator and is a Research Operations Associate in the DFCM at BCM. She previously worked at the City of Houston Health Department (HHD) as a public health educator and as the administrative lead for the HHD Laboratory COVID-19 testing team. She became a Certified Health Education Specialist and interned at the Brazos County Health department before graduating from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in Community Health in 2018. Kylie graduated from the University of Texas Health Science Center with a Master of Public Health in Community Health Practice in May 2022.

Noelia Flores, MPH is an Academic Detailer with BHS in the RGV. Noelia is a Rio Grande Valley native, born in Harlingen and raised in Donna. She studied at the University of Texas at Austin and worked for pharmaceutical companies after completing her Bachelor's degree in human biology. Her passion for public health led Noelia to acquire a Master's Degree in Public Health Policy from the University of Washington in Seattle in 2018. Noelia has extensive volunteer experience ranging from health care settings to animal shelters.

Lisa Webb, LCDC is an Academic Detailer in the DFCM at BCM. She is an experienced SUD clinician, having practiced as a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) for 12 years. Ms. Webb attended the University of North Florida and obtained a BA in Psychology. Before joining Baylor, she was a case manager in the Adult Clinical Services department facilitating SUD treatment in an outpatient setting at a prominent Houston hospital.