Faculty and Staff
Latifa S. Abdelli, MS, Ph.D.
Lecturer
Health Sciences
Location: HS II
Room: 210L
E-mail: latifa.abdelli@ucf.edu
Areas of Specialty:
- Stem cells in tissue repair and regeneration
- Role of Gut-Brain axis in health and disease
Kim Anderson, Ph.D., MSSW, LCSW
Professor
Social Work
Location: HS I
Room: 212
E-mail: kim.anderson@ucf.edu
Phone: 407-823-5201
Areas of Specialty:
- Life Trajectories of Children Exposed to Domestic Violence across the Lifespan
- Economic and Health Inequity in Communities of Concentrated Disadvantage
- Methodologies: Community-Based Participatory Research, Mixed Methods, Qualitative (Grounded Theory, Narrative, Thematic Analysis)
Abigail Anderson, PT, DPT, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Exercise Physiology & Rehabilitation Science, Physical Therapy
Location: HS I
Room: 271
E-mail: Abigail.Wilson@ucf.edu
Areas of Specialty:
- Quantitative Sensory Testing
- Mechanisms of Rehabilitation Interventions for Musculoskeletal Pain
- Treatment Stratification by Underlying Mechanism
- Pain Phenotypes
Bethany Backes, Ph.D., MSW, MPH
Associate Professor
Social Work
E-mail: Bethany.Backes@ucf.edu
Areas of Specialty:
- Violence Against Women
- Multidisciplinary responses to victims
- Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence
- Stalking
- Sexual Violence
- Victim Help-Seeking
- Program evaluation
Gesa Barto, BFA
Autism Disorders Specialist
Center for Autism and Related Disabilities
Location: Research Pavilion
Room: 365
E-mail: gesa.barto@ucf.edu
Phone: 407-823-6001
Morris Beato, PT, DPT, GCS, NCS
Clinical Associate Professor
Physical Therapy
Location: HS I
Room: 270
E-mail: Morris.Beato@ucf.edu
Phone: 407-823-1864
Areas of Specialty:
- Stroke rehabilitation
- Neuromotor Interventions for Neurologic Conditions
- Parkinson's Disease Rehabilitation
Susanny Beltran, Ph.D., MSW
Assistant Professor, Center Co-Director
Center for Behavioral Health Research and Training, Social Work
Location: HS I
Room: 247
E-mail: Susanny.Beltran@ucf.edu
Phone: 407-823-4662
Areas of Specialty:
- End-of-life care
- Health literacy and health promotion
- Health care disparities among racial/ethnic minority older adults
- Qualitative research
- Gerontology education
Melissa Bermudez, MSW, LCSW, LICSW
Director of the Center for Professional and Community Education, Instructor
Social Work
Location: HS I
Room: 224
E-mail: Melissa.Bermudez@ucf.edu
Phone: 407-823-4655
Areas of Specialty:
- Intimate Partner and Power-Based Violence / Trauma
- Military personnel and Veterans
- Culturally inclusive care and services
