MIRECC / CoE

Highlights from Our Anchor Sites

Our affiliates in Houston, Little Rock, and New Orleans work hard to promote mental health education, research, and treatment locally and nationally. Here are some highlights of their accomplishments over the past three months.

Houston

Dr. Laura Marsh Named One of Houston’s TOP 25 Women of 2025 – Mental Health Heroes

Congratulations to Dr. Marsh, the executive director of the Mental Health Care Line at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center. She was recognized as one of Houston’s TOP 25 Women of 2025-Mental Health Heroes at an event hosted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Dr. Marsh leads one of the largest VA Mental Health programs in the nation and she aims to break down barriers to mental health care for Veterans so that they receive the care they deserve. She is also a professor of psychiatry and neurology at Baylor College of Medicine.

Dr. Sara Nowakowski Awarded American Pistachio Growers Grant

Dr. Nowakowski was awarded a two-year grant award for $295,529 from American Pistachio Growers (APG). The grant, "Improving Sleep Quality in Midlife Women," starts 9/1/2025 and ends 8/31/2027. Dr. Nowakowski is a multiple principal investigator/co-investigator on the grant (Baylor College of Medicine is subcontracted). Her collaborator is Dr. Emily Lantz who is faculty at University of Texas Medical Branch in the Department of Nutrition and Health Behavior.

Dr. Anthony (Tony) Ecker Received Norton Rose Fulbright Award

Congratulations to Dr. Ecker for receiving the Norton Rose Fulbright Award in Teaching and Evaluation from Baylor College of Medicine. This award is given to Baylor College of Medicine faculty members with a record of excellence in teaching and evaluation of learners as demonstrated by superior quality, quantity, and breadth of activities.

New Orleans

Dr. Chelsea Ennis Received Early Career Award

Dr. Ennis received the Early Career Award from the Louisiana Psychological Association for her work promoting the integration of clinical science and practice through her clinical work and research. In particular, she is a champion for the dissemination of evidence-based psychotherapies (EBP) for anxiety and PTSD, training hundreds of providers within and outside the VA in various EBP protocols for these conditions. In addition, she has been highly productive in terms of research. Dr. Ennis has published dozens of peer-reviewed manuscripts and frequently serves as a local site investigator for multi-site clinical trials.

Last updated: July 21, 2025