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Lab Members
Courtney Williams, MPH, PhD
Population Research Center Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Texas at Austin
Dr. Williams is a postdoctoral scholar in the Population Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin. Given the staggering rates of death among Women/Birthing People of Color, during pregnancy and childbearing in the U.S., she is interested in understanding and improving maternal, reproductive, and family health. Racialization and racism have undeniable consequences for the health of families of color, specifically Black birthing people and their children. In her work. Dr. Williams draws upon her expertise in family, race/ethnicity, health inequities, and maternal/child well-being to address how systemic inequities influence maternal and child morbidity. She employs an intersectional and reproductive justice approach to interrogate a range of health equity topics including (1) heterogeneity in gestational and childbearing outcomes throughout the reproductive life course, and (2) the impact of sociopolitical factors on fertility and health outcomes.
Alexander Holt, MA
PhD candidate in Sociology
University of Texas at Austin
Alexander J. Holt is a PhD student in Sociology at the University of Texas at Austin. Through individual and collaborative research at the disciplinary and methodological crossroads of Sociology and Black Studies, he maps the intersectional contours of Black diasporic vulnerability and agency. His current projects mobilize theoretical, empirical, and embodied understandings of Blackness, trauma, wellbeing, and care, to reconcile past, present, and future experiences of epistemic and ontological oppression. Holt received his B.A. in Sociology with minors in French and American Ethnic Studies from Wake Forest University in 2020 and his M.A. in Sociology from UT Austin in 2023.
Shania Montúfar, MA
PhD student in Sociology
University of Texas at Austin
Shania is a PhD student in Sociology at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research lies at the intersection of demography, political sociology, immigration, and gender studies. Particularly, her research explores the experiences of Latin American migrants and their children in the United States, especially considering variations across lines of gender, generation, and family heritage. Shania is a former Ronald E. McNair and University of Michigan Summer Research Opportunities Scholar, as well as a current Point Foundation Scholar, RWJ Health Policy Research Scholar, and Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar. She is also a Graduate Student Trainee of the Population Research Center (PRC). Currently, she is examining state-level variations in Latinx mental health and their causes. Shania's research has been showcased at the American Sociological Association, Population Association of America, Sociologists for Women in Society, Midwest Sociological Society, and Southern Sociological Society.
Aigné Taylor
PhD student in Sociology
University of Texas at Austin
Aigné Taylor is a PhD. student in Sociology at the University of Texas at Austin. She is committed to addressing health disparities, analyzing patient-provider experiences, and conducting groundbreaking research that will change the trajectory of Black maternal health outcomes. Before her matriculation to the University of Texas at Austin, her co-authored research was published in Ethnicity & Health where she assisted with a project that aimed to uplift Black female college students' sexual health challenges. Taylor obtained her B.A. in Political Science and B.A. in Sociology from North Carolina A&T State University.
Francisco Rios Casas, MS
PhD student in Sociology
University of Texas at Austin
Francisco Rios Casas is a PhD student in the Department of Sociology and a PRC Graduate Student Trainee at the University of Texas at Austin. He is interested in population health and the biosocial pathways underlying health disparities. He has previously conducted research on mental health, Latino populations in the US, and disease prevention among vulnerable or minoritized populations. He has worked on evaluating the impact and effectiveness of several community-based health interventions in the United States, Central America, and West Africa. He has a bachelor’s degree in Human Biology and American Studies & Ethnicity from the University of Southern California and a master’s degree in Epidemiology from the University of Washington School of Public Health.
Jacquelyn V. Coats, MPH MSW PhD
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Duke University
Jacquelyn Coats is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Aging Center at Duke University School of Medicine. Broadly, her research interests focus on the social determinants of health and aging for African Americans. Her current research centers on examining the health consequences of psychosocial stress, including discrimination, for older African American women’s health outcomes (cognitive, emotional, and physical). She also conducts research that seeks to identify the cultural assets and protective factors that buffer stress and facilitate healthy aging for African Americans across the life course.
Jacquelyn’s prior work experience includes serving as a program evaluator for community-based participatory research programs in St. Louis, MO and Detroit, MI, on projects aimed at reducing and preventing rates of chronic disease. She was also an Evaluation Fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where she supported evaluation of intimate partner and sexual violence prevention programs. She earned her PhD in Social Work, Master of Social Work, and Master of Public Health all from Washington University in St. Louis and her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan.
Zara Houser, MA
PhD Student
Louisiana State University
Zara Houser is a PhD candidate in Sociology at Louisiana State University whose work examines the intersections of race and ethnicity, health, and digital spaces. Her scholarship bridges sociological theory with critical digital studies, contributing to broader conversations on equity, justice, and social change. Through research, teaching, and public engagement, she is committed to advancing understanding of social inequalities and expanding scholarly discourse on how digital technologies shape identities, communities, and public narratives.
Jordyn Patterson
PhD Student
University of Southern California
Jordyn Patterson is a PhD student in the Department of Sociology at the University of Southern California. Her research interests lie at the intersection of race and gender, with a particular focus on Black women, controlling images, and health and well-being. Her work aims to better understand how popular and institutionalized images shape the lived experiences of Black women, as well as how Black women resist, redefine, and navigate these representations. Her current research explores Strong Black Womanhood across different life course stages, social class positions, and parental statuses among Black women. Her research has been presented at the Pacific Sociological Association and the California Racial Equity Commission. She is a Du Bois & Wells-Barnett Scholar and a former Ronald E. McNair Scholar and Rains Research Scholar. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and African-American Studies from Loyola Marymount University.
Victoria Kayode
Undergraduate Research Assistant
University of Texas at Austin
Victoria Kayode is a senior undergraduate student working towards a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with minors in Sociology and African and African Diaspora Studies. After taking Dr. Erving’s Social Inequality class and observing ISHER lab meetings in the spring, she decided to pursue her Departmental Honors in Psychology thesis under the ISHER lab. This project will combine her research interests in psychology, sociology, and Black women’s health disparities. Victoria is also working as an undergraduate research assistant in the ISHER Lab and the Advanced Qualitative Research Lab. Outside of academics, Victoria is involved both on and off campus. She is the marketing director for an on-campus disability justice organization, On the Moov, she’s a SHARE Specialist and Co-facilitator for the Longhorn SHARE Project, and she’s on Fine Lines, an adult creative dance team. In the future, she aims to combine her academic and creative passions in her professional life as a therapist running her own private practice.
Averiana Davis
Undergraduate Research Assistant
University of Texas at Austin
Averiana Davis is a senior at the University of Texas at Austin, getting her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Healthcare Innovation and Reformation. She is currently a research assistant with the ISHER lab. On top of doing research, she volunteers with Black Mamas ATX to improve Black women’s wellness throughout Austin. She also volunteers as a student assistant with the University Health Services Gynecology Clinic. After graduation, Averiana wants to get her PHD in Public Health and work to improve Black women’s reproductive care.
Previous Research Assistants
KJ Davidson-Turner, PhD
KJ Davidson-Turner, PhD
KJ Davidson-Turner, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Southern California
KJ Davidson-Turner was a research assistant during AY 2023-2024 when she was a PhD student in Sociology at the University of Texas at Austin. KJ received her PhD in Sociology and Demography from the University of Texas at Austin in 2025. KJ Davidson-Turner is currently a postdoctoral
Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Southern California
KJ Davidson-Turner was a research assistant during AY 2023-2024 when she was a PhD student in Sociology at the University of Texas at Austin. KJ received her PhD in Sociology and Demography from the University of Texas at Austin in 2025. KJ Davidson-Turner is currently a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Southern California. She draws upon both biological and sociological perspectives to better understand health disparities and age-related diseases at a population-level. Specifically, her research focuses on how stress and other social factors impact women’s hormonal health, aging transitions, and later life health outcomes. .
Ashlyn Mikanda
KJ Davidson-Turner, PhD
KJ Davidson-Turner, PhD
BA in Sociology and Social Work
University of Texas at Austin
Ashlyn Mikanda graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2024 with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work with a minor in Sociology. She was a research assistant with the ISHER lab during AY 2023-2024 and summer 2024. The reason Ashlyn started working with Dr. Erving was b
BA in Sociology and Social Work
University of Texas at Austin
Ashlyn Mikanda graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2024 with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work with a minor in Sociology. She was a research assistant with the ISHER lab during AY 2023-2024 and summer 2024. The reason Ashlyn started working with Dr. Erving was because she took her Social Inequality sociology class and was intrigued by the work that Dr. Erving was doing with Black women. Upon graduation, Ashlyn is interested in working to improve Black women’s reproductive health.
Jocelyn Berry
KJ Davidson-Turner, PhD
Jocelyn Berry
BA in Sociology
University of Texas at Austin
Jocelyn Berry graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2024, earning her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in Law, Justice, and Society. During her time at UT, she volunteered with many campus organizations, including Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and the Texas
BA in Sociology
University of Texas at Austin
Jocelyn Berry graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2024, earning her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in Law, Justice, and Society. During her time at UT, she volunteered with many campus organizations, including Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and the Texas Black Women Wellness Organization to name a few. Having a keen interest in political advocacy and a desire to increase the number of minority voters in Texas, she is also a Volunteer Deputy Registrar in Travis County. Joclyn worked with the lab during AY 2023-2024. She is currently enrolled in law school at the University of Houston. She aspires to become a Civil Rights attorney and a research professor of law.