Dr. Linda Cameron-Director
Dr. Linda Cameron is a Professor of Health Psychology at the University of California, Merced. Her research focuses on developing health communications and psychosocial interventions for individuals who have or are at risk for illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. This research takes a self-regulation perspective by evaluating the cognitive and emotional processes influencing health behaviors and illness experiences. She focuses on both theoretical and applied aspects of issues in order to address the parallel goals of developing theoretically-based interventions and refining psychological theory. Her research has included the development and evaluation of psychosocial support programs for women with breast cancer and emotion-regulation programs for adults with persisting distress due to adverse childhood experiences. In her health communications research, she explores the impact of visual images and animations on responses to risk communications such as graphic warnings for tobacco products, animations promoting heart-healthy habits such as healthy diet and physical activity, information about genetic testing for disease susceptibility, and graphic information about climate change mitigation. Recent research has also focused on psychosocial determinants of attitudinal, emotional, and behavioral responses to the COVID-19 epidemic (e.g., predictors of vaccination intentions and behavior). She has served on U.S. National Cancer Institute and international working groups to promote adaptive decision making for over 20 years and contributed over 250 articles to the scientific literature. Linda Cameron CV
Kimberly Bristow
Kimberly Bristow is a fourth year at UC Merced and is pursuing a bachelor’s in Psychology and
Anthropology. She was born and raised in Merced County. Currently, Kimberly is the HCI Lab
Manager. Kimberly’s main interests are focused on the prevention and treatment of mental illness
in children and young adults. Kimberly has previously worked for a non-profit that provides
essential services to affordable housing communities. She enjoys going to see live music, theater
performances, reading, and spending time with friends and family, especially when good food is
involved.
Marisela Yepez
Marisela is currently a Health Psychology PhD Student at UC Merced. Marisela’s research
interests include culturally tailored health communications and interventions. Marisela studies
how sociocultural and familial support networks influence health behaviors and decision-
making. Marisela graduated from UC Merced with a bachelor’s degree in public health and
psychology. She previously worked as a research project manager at UC Merced’s Health
Sciences Research Institutes’, Translational Research Center, and our very own HCI Lab! In her
free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, and reading.
Adeline Nibitanga
Adeline is a third-year student majoring in Psychology and Spanish. She was born in Burundi
and grew up in San Diego, California. She is a research assistant at the HCI Lab who aspires to
become a psychiatric. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music, going on long walks, and
trying out new foods.
Filiberto Delgado-Navarrete
Filiberto Delgado-Navarrete is a UC Merced Alumni who majored in Biological Sciences and
Psychology. He was born and raised in Merced, CA. Filiberto’s research interests are mind-body
interactions, psycho-neuro-immunology, behavioral genetics, epigenetics, stress and resilience,
tobacco control, and health communications. Before Filiberto joined the lab, he participated in
the Medical Education – Livingston Community Health Center summer research program. His
research focused on identifying factors contributing to adverse outcomes in patients with
atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in a diverse rural Federally Qualified Health
Center (FQHC) population. Filiberto has previously worked at the Merced County Department of
Public Health in the Tobacco Prevention Program. He is also an active member of the A County
Counteracting Tobacco (ACCT) coalition. During Filiberto’s free time, he enjoys cooking, hiking,
listening to music, and going on spontaneous adventures with loved ones.
Giwon Kang
Giwon is a third-year student majoring in Psychology. He was born in South Korea and moved
to the United States when he graduated from elementary school. He is a research assistant at
the HCI Lab who aspires to become a graduate student. In his free time, he enjoys listening to
music, playing video games, and meeting his friends.
Jacob Shobel
Jacob Shobel is a second-year psychology student. He was born and raised in San Francisco until
coming to Merced for school. He is a research assistant in the HCI Lab and wants to focus on the
intersection between physical and mental health. In his free time, he likes to learn new
instruments and produce music.
Ross Macdonald
Ross Macdonald is a fourth year psychology and cognitive science student at UC Merced. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and has resided in California since 2014. He is interested in psychopathology and behavioral sciences. Ross has worked previously for Ramapo for Children and as an associate of the University of Glasgow. In the UC Merced community, Ross is the president of the Active Minds chapter on campus and works for College Corp in the Office of Leadership, Service and Career. He is currently preparing to earn a master’s degree in clinical psychology before pursuing a medical degree in psychiatry.
