.svg?iar=0&hash=F6049510E33E4E6D8196C26CCC0A64A4){kind=logo}
/hfh-logo-main--white.svg?iar=0&hash=ED491CBFADFB7670FAE94559C98D7798){kind=logo}
Meet Our Team
Director
Christopher Drake, PhD
Dr. Christopher L. Drake is the Director of Sleep Research for Henry Ford Health and a Professor of Medicine at Michigan State University. Renowned for identifying "sleep reactivity" as a predisposition to insomnia, his recent work focuses on preventing depression through behavioral sleep treatment. Dr. Drake has authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications with continuous NIH funding since 2004. A former National Sleep Foundation Chairman and recipient of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Pioneer Award, he currently serves as the Insomnia Section Editor for Principles and Practice of Sleep Medicine. View a complete list of Dr. Drake’s published work in My Bibliography or view his Henry Ford profile here.
Founder
Thomas Roth, PhD
Thomas Roth, PhD is founder of the Sleep Disorders and Research Center at HFH, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychiatry at Wayne State University School of Medicine, and a Clinical Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychiatry at the University Of Michigan College Of Medicine in Ann Arbor. Some of Dr. Roth’s notable positions include President of the Sleep Research Society, Founding President of the National Sleep Foundation, Chairman of the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research Advisory Board of the National Institutes of Health, and member of the Board of Directors of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies. In addition, he is the former chairman of the World Health Organization’s worldwide project on sleep and health. His areas of interest include sleep loss, sleep fragmentation, and deviation from sleep processes including pharmacological effects and sleep pathologies. Dr. Roth has received the National Sleep Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award, a Distinguished Research Award from the Sleep Research Society, and the Nathanial Kleitman Award from the Academy of Sleep Medicine. He has authored over 850 publications throughout his career.
Thomas Roth, PhD is founder of the Sleep Disorders and Research Center at HFH, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychiatry at Wayne State University School of Medicine, and a Clinical Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychiatry at the University Of Michigan College Of Medicine in Ann Arbor. Some of Dr. Roth’s notable positions include President of the Sleep Research Society, Founding President of the National Sleep Foundation, Chairman of the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research Advisory Board of the National Institutes of Health, and member of the Board of Directors of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies. In addition, he is the former chairman of the World Health Organization’s worldwide project on sleep and health. His areas of interest include sleep loss, sleep fragmentation, and deviation from sleep processes including pharmacological effects and sleep pathologies. Dr. Roth has received the National Sleep Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award, a Distinguished Research Award from the Sleep Research Society, and the Nathanial Kleitman Award from the Academy of Sleep Medicine. He has authored over 850 publications throughout his career.
Principal Investigators
David Kalmbach, PhD
David Kalmbach, PhD is Co-Director of the HFH Perinatal Sleep Health Institute. He is a clinical psychologist and completed his postdoctoral residency at the University of Michigan Medical School in Behavioral Sleep Medicine and Perinatal Mental Health, after which he completed a 3-year fellowship in sleep research funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. He has received funding for research in insomnia, cardiometabolic disorders, psychiatric illness, and the treatment of sleep disorders in pregnant and postnatal women. He is a world-leading expert in perinatal sleep and mental health, and developed a mindfulness-based sleep program for pregnant women with insomnia. Dr. Kalmbach also leads research examining the relationship between sleep and suicide, and has published on how insomnia therapeutics may play a role in mitigating suicide-risk. Presently, Dr. Kalmbach is conducting an NIMH-funded clinical trial evaluating cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness-based sleep programs for pregnant women. View a complete list of Dr. Kalmbach’s published work in My Bibliography or view his Henry Ford profile here.
David Kalmbach, PhD is Co-Director of the HFH Perinatal Sleep Health Institute. He is a clinical psychologist and completed his postdoctoral residency at the University of Michigan Medical School in Behavioral Sleep Medicine and Perinatal Mental Health, after which he completed a 3-year fellowship in sleep research funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. He has received funding for research in insomnia, cardiometabolic disorders, psychiatric illness, and the treatment of sleep disorders in pregnant and postnatal women. He is a world-leading expert in perinatal sleep and mental health, and developed a mindfulness-based sleep program for pregnant women with insomnia. Dr. Kalmbach also leads research examining the relationship between sleep and suicide, and has published on how insomnia therapeutics may play a role in mitigating suicide-risk. Presently, Dr. Kalmbach is conducting an NIMH-funded clinical trial evaluating cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness-based sleep programs for pregnant women. View a complete list of Dr. Kalmbach’s published work in My Bibliography or view his Henry Ford profile here.
Philip Cheng, PhD
Philip Cheng is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences, with a joint appointment in Psychiatry at the University of Michigan. He founded and directs the Center for Precision Circadian Medicine, focused on real-world translation of circadian science. Dr. Cheng is a recipient of the NIH R35 Outstanding Investigator Award — a mechanism that funds a scientist's long-term vision rather than a single project. He currently serves as President of the Sleep Research Society Foundation, reflecting his commitment to advancing the field of sleep and circadian research.
Dr. Cheng’s research program spans two interconnected areas. His insomnia work focuses on expanding access to cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) through digital delivery, with particular attention to reducing treatment disparities among socially and economically marginalized populations. His circadian and shift work research investigates the biological and behavioral mechanisms underlying Shift Work Disorder, and develops precision interventions — including light-based therapies and machine learning approaches to sleep tracking — that can be deployed at scale in real-world settings.
View a complete list of Dr. Cheng’s published work in My Bibliography or view his Henry Ford profile here.
Anthony N. Reffi, PhD
Anthony Reffi, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, Assistant Professor, and Co-Director of the Sleep and Traumatic Stress Institute at Henry Ford Health (HFH). He leads a research program focused on insomnia and nightmares in acute trauma populations, with the goal of informing early sleep-focused interventions for PTSD and other posttraumatic sequelae such as suicidality. Dr. Reffi began his career working with responders to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York before earning his doctorate in 2021. Through his clinical work delivering first-line treatments for PTSD to U.S. Veterans, he developed an interest in the role of sleep in trauma recovery that led him to complete a 3-year postdoctoral fellowship at HFH’s Sleep Research Center. He serves as Associate Editor for the European Journal of Psychotraumatology and SLEEP Advances and is on the Editorial Advisory Board for the APA journal Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. He also Co-Chairs the Sleep and Traumatic Stress Special Interest Group for the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. Dr. Reffi is currently funded by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the National Institute of Mental Health.
View a complete list of Dr. Reffi’s published work in My Bibliography. or view his Henry Ford profile here.
Collaborating Co-Investigators
Elle Wernette, PhD
Elle joined Henry Ford Health in August 2024 as a Research Scientist and Instructor. She received her PhD in Psychology from Michigan State University, with a background in sleep research. More specifically, her research has involved testing practical intervention strategies for sleep loss- including light-based therapy and melatonin supplementation- and the role of sleep and sleep loss on cognitive performance. At HFH, Elle collaborates and helps lead some of our NIH-funded research on sleep tracking technologies and sleep interventions for night shift workers. In her free time, Elle enjoys travelling, hiking, and spending time with her two children and beagle.
Elle joined Henry Ford Health in August 2024 as a Research Scientist and Instructor. She received her PhD in Psychology from Michigan State University, with a background in sleep research. More specifically, her research has involved testing practical intervention strategies for sleep loss- including light-based therapy and melatonin supplementation- and the role of sleep and sleep loss on cognitive performance. At HFH, Elle collaborates and helps lead some of our NIH-funded research on sleep tracking technologies and sleep interventions for night shift workers. In her free time, Elle enjoys travelling, hiking, and spending time with her two children and beagle.
Gregory Mahr, MD
Gregory Mahr, MD is the Division Head of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry. He is on faculty at Wayne State University and Michigan State University. He has a long-standing interest in sleep and dreams. He and Chris Drake coauthored a book published in 2022 by Routledge titled The Wisdom of Dreams: Science, Synchronicity and the Language of the Soul. Dr. Mahr is involved in the Trauma Recovery program and runs a nightmare clinic in the sleep medicine program.
Gregory Mahr, MD is the Division Head of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry. He is on faculty at Wayne State University and Michigan State University. He has a long-standing interest in sleep and dreams. He and Chris Drake coauthored a book published in 2022 by Routledge titled The Wisdom of Dreams: Science, Synchronicity and the Language of the Soul. Dr. Mahr is involved in the Trauma Recovery program and runs a nightmare clinic in the sleep medicine program.
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Matthew Jennings, PhD
Matthew B. Jennings, PhD, is a clinical research fellow with the Sleep Disorders and Research Center at Henry Ford Health. Based in Detroit, Michigan, he completed his doctoral training in clinical psychology at Wayne State University and his psychology internship at Henry Ford Health in 2025. Before beginning his formal education and research training, Dr. Jennings served 11 years in the United States Army as a Staff Sergeant, including 3 combat tours with the 10th Mountain Division as a crew member on UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters. His experiences with the protection of crew rest in military aviation highlighted the importance of sleep and influenced his interest in behavioral sleep medicine. Dr. Jennings’s research focuses on behavioral treatments for sleep disorders such as insomnia and shift work disorder, particularly in the context of chronic comorbidities including pain and major stressors. He has also published work on the development of clinical sleep technologies, barriers to real-world access to behavioral sleep medicine, and the evaluation of comparative treatments in complex populations. In addition to his research, he serves on the editorial advisory board for SLEEP Advances.
Clinical Psychology Doctoral Intern
Miranda H. Foster, MA
Miranda H. Foster, PhD, is a clinical research fellow with the Sleep Disorders and Research Center at Henry Ford Health. Her research interests focus on the intersection between sleep quality and mental health in underserved communities. Currently, much of her work is centered on supporting perinatal sleep health and identifying mechanisms underlying night shift disorder. She is trained in clinical health psychology assessment and interventions for sleep and mental health disorders, with specialties in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia and Mindfulness-Based Therapy for Insomnia (MBTI). Miranda earned her undergraduate psychology degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and both her MA and PhD in Clinical-Community Psychology at the University of South Carolina.
Miranda H. Foster, PhD, is a clinical research fellow with the Sleep Disorders and Research Center at Henry Ford Health. Her research interests focus on the intersection between sleep quality and mental health in underserved communities. Currently, much of her work is centered on supporting perinatal sleep health and identifying mechanisms underlying night shift disorder. She is trained in clinical health psychology assessment and interventions for sleep and mental health disorders, with specialties in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia and Mindfulness-Based Therapy for Insomnia (MBTI). Miranda earned her undergraduate psychology degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and both her MA and PhD in Clinical-Community Psychology at the University of South Carolina.
Clinical Research Coordinators
Cynthia Fellman-Couture, PhD
Cynthia is a registered nurse who started with Henry Ford Health in November 2013 and has been delivering behavioral treatments for insomnia for many different research studies since then. Her specialties are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i), Mindfulness-Based Therapy for Insomnia (MBTI), and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). She is also a Research Coordinator and is occasionally involved with various drug trials. Her goal is to support her entire sleep research team and to help everyone she encounters through sleep research to find better sleep! She has her BSN (2011) from Wayne State University (second degree program) and a BS (1981 – Iowa State University), MS (1985 – University of Minnesota), and PhD (1989 – also U of Minnesota) in horticulture with specializations in tissue culture propagation and fruit crop development.
Cynthia is a registered nurse who started with Henry Ford Health in November 2013 and has been delivering behavioral treatments for insomnia for many different research studies since then. Her specialties are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i), Mindfulness-Based Therapy for Insomnia (MBTI), and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). She is also a Research Coordinator and is occasionally involved with various drug trials. Her goal is to support her entire sleep research team and to help everyone she encounters through sleep research to find better sleep! She has her BSN (2011) from Wayne State University (second degree program) and a BS (1981 – Iowa State University), MS (1985 – University of Minnesota), and PhD (1989 – also U of Minnesota) in horticulture with specializations in tissue culture propagation and fruit crop development.
Heba Afaneh, MS
Heba Afaneh, M.S., CCRP, is the Manager of Sleep Research Operations at Henry Ford Health, where she oversees federally funded and industry-sponsored clinical trials. She joined the Henry Ford Sleep Research team in 2023 and works closely with multiple investigators, research staff, sponsors, and regulatory teams to ensure the successful execution of clinical research. Heba earned bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Women's and Gender Studies from Michigan State University and a Master of Science in Experimental Psychology from Oakland University. She is passionate about expanding access to innovative treatments for sleep disorders and has a particular interest in improving minority health outcomes in sleep medicine. Outside of work, she enjoys watching movies, attending concerts, and hiking.
Marleigh Treger, BS
Marleigh is Dr. Cheng’s clinical research coordinator that oversees his research in cognitive behavioral psychology for insomnia, shift work disorder etiology and treatment, and improving sleep health of marginalized groups. Marleigh graduated summa cum laude from Eastern Michigan University in 2019 with a BS in Neuroscience with a minor in Human Biology and plans to continue to contribute to the improvement of public health. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, arranging music, and playing with his cat.
Michaela Mogle, BS
Michaela graduated from Michigan State University in 2018 with a bachelor's degree in human biology and a minor in History, Philosophy, and Sociology of Science. She spent 6 years in Clinical Research at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, coordinating clinical trials in Adult and Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant, Breast Oncology, Neuro Oncology, and Melanoma before joining Henry Ford’s Sleep Research Team in October 2024. She currently manages pharmaceutical trials focused on sleep and mood disorders. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, hiking, and spending time with her husband, daughter, and dog.
Research PSG Technician
Cezar Capili, RPSGT
Cezar joined the Henry Ford Sleep Research Center as a Polysomnographic Technologist in February of 2024. He started his career in Las Vegas, Nevada, and has been a registered polysomnography technician since 2022. Since joining the HFH team, Cezar has coordinated the training of research staff on PSG implementation and has worked on multiple NIH and pharmaceutical sponsored trials for sleep-related illnesses. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family.
Project Leads
Tiffany Xu, BS
Tiffany joined the Henry Ford Sleep Research Center as a Clinical Project Coordinator in May 2024, following her graduation from the University of Michigan with a B.S. in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience (BCN). She is involved in various clinical pharmaceutical trials aimed at reducing the impact of sleep disorders through medication-based therapies, as well as supporting a trial focused on the treatment of postpartum depression (PPD). In her free time, Tiffany enjoys traveling, painting, and trying new foods.
Cameron Mccray, BS
Cameron joined the Henry Ford Sleep Research Center as a Project Coordinator in June 2024. He earned his B.S. in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience from the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. As a member of the "Pharma team", Cameron contributes to various clinical pharmaceutical studies aimed at improving the lives of those with sleep disorders, as well as a study focused on treatment for Postpartum Depression. Notably, he is the lead project coordinator for the LunAIRo study and its subsequent extension, which evaluates the efficacy of a novel drug treatment for sleep apnea. Outside of work, he enjoys reading and spending time with his dogs.
Andie Hochberg, BS
Andrea joined the Henry Ford Sleep Research Center as a Research Assistant in March 2025. She earned her B.S. in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience from the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. Passionate about women’s health, Andrea looks forward to contributing to studies that explore sleep issues affecting diverse female populations. She is currently involved in clinical pharmaceutical trials investigating treatments for various sleep disorders, with a particular focus on obstructive sleep apnea and shift work disorder. Outside of her research, Andrea enjoys reading, building puzzles, and watching films.
Anna Pockrass, BS, BA
Anna joined the Henry Ford Sleep Research Center as a Research Assistant in August 2024 following graduation from Indiana University with a B.S. in Psychology and a B.A. in Criminal Justice. She currently leads the REACT study, which aims to identify sleep reactivity as a novel mechanism in Shift Work Disorder, and the AWAW study, which examines the accuracy of sleep and activity data collected from a consumer-based wearable compared to a research-grade activity tracker in both adult and pediatric populations. After her tenure at Henry Ford Health, Anna hopes to earn a PhD in Clinical Psychology, with specific interests in implementing sleep interventions in underserved pediatric populations. Outside of research, Anna enjoys baking, reading, and spending time with her cats.
Courtney Barr, BS
Courtney joined the Henry Ford Sleep Research Center as a Research Project Coordinator in February 2025 following graduation from the University of Michigan with a B.S. in Neuroscience and Spanish. She leads the SAIL study, which focuses on the implementation of the Arcashift application to reduce circadian misalignment in night shift workers. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling and running.
Amanda Yu, BS
Amanda joined the Henry Ford Sleep Research Center in January 2025 as a Project Coordinator after graduation from the University of Michigan with a B.S. in Biopsychology, Cognition and Neuroscience. She leads a study called STRIDE-P, funded by NIMH, which evaluates the real-world effectiveness and implementation of a mindfulness program (Perinatal Understanding of Mindful Awareness for Sleep- PUMAS) tailored to the pregnancy experience to improve maternal sleep, reduce stress, and foster the mother-child bond. This aligns with her interests in Mindfulness, and overall well-being.
David Pearson, MS
David joined the Henry Ford Sleep Research Center as a Research Assistant in January 2025 after graduating from Grand Valley State University with a M.S. in Health Informatics and Bioinformatics. He also obtained a B.S. in Human Biology from Michigan State University. He is currently a study lead on the Pre-SENSE and SENSE studies which both focus on using machine learning to better predict instances of sleep. Outside of work he enjoys playing pickleball, running and basketball.
Ella Bean, BA
Ella joined the Henry Ford Sleep Research Center as a Research Assistant in June of 2026. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Kentucky, go cats! Ella is particularly interested in clinical treatment for trauma disorders, especially for patients who present with trauma symptoms after experiencing sexual violence. Currently working as a research assistant on the RESTED study, Ella is excited to grow in her skills as a researcher and expand her knowledge of the traumapsychology space. In her free time, Ella enjoys exploring Detroit, trying new gluten-free foods, and traveling.
Hannah Hurd, BS
Hannah joined the Henry Ford Sleep Research Center as a Research Assistant in June 2026. She graduated with honors from Michigan State University and earned a B.S. majoring in Psychology and Neuroscience. She assists in many studies at Henry Ford Health; both pharmaceutical studies such as treatment of Adjustment Disorder in patients with cancer and other medical illnesses (REKINDLE) and non-pharmaceutical trials such as investigating mindfulness-based therapy to help pregnant women with sleep and stress during pregnancy (STRIDE-P). In her free time, she enjoys watching digital media analyses, rollerblading, and expressing her art through drawing and writing.
Madison Bross, BS
Maddie joined the Henry Ford Sleep Research Center in April 2026 as a Research Assistant. She obtained her B.S. in Behavioral Neuroscience from Michigan State University in 2019 and later completed a Graduate Certificate in Public Health from Wayne State University in 2021. She is excited to link her prior experiences in pharmaceutical trials and sleep research with this position. She is currently leading two projects focused on the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders and is looking forward to supporting on other sleep-related studies. Outside of work, Maddie enjoys rock climbing, playing music, and spending time with friends.
Avani Vinod, BS
Avani joined the Henry Ford Sleep Research Center as a Research Assistant in March 2026 as part of the pharmaceutical trials team. She graduated with her B.S. in Human Biology and minors in Entrepreneurship and Health Promotion from Michigan State University. Avani helps lead studies specifically related to new treatments for Idiopathic Hypersomnia & Narcolepsy. Along with this she supports various sleep related clinical trials and studies related to improving overall mood. In this role she looks forward to continuing to help marginalized communities through research. Outside of the lab, Avani enjoys playing tennis, trying new foods spots, and traveling.
Miryam El-Saghir, BS
Miryam joined the Henry Ford Research Center in June 2026 as a Research Assistant after graduating with her BS in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. She is excited to help lead a study focused on night shift workers called REACT and hopes to continue growing in clinical research with underserved populations. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, trying new foods, and spending time with family and friends.
Mika Hirata, BS
Mika has been with Henry Ford since January 2023 and is a Clinical Psychology PhD student at Bowling Green State University. She currently works part-time for studies conducted by Dr. Kalmbach at the Henry Ford Perinatal Sleep Institute. Her current research interests are sleep and mindfulness in humanitarian aid workers.