ReCAP Lab

The ReCAP Lab team is a dynamic, interdisciplinary group of researchers, students, and community collaborators committed to advancing health equity and social justice. Led by Dr. Bertranna Muruthi, the team brings together expertise in public health, psychology, social work, family science, and community-based participatory research. Our members reflect the communities we serve and bring a deep understanding of the cultural, structural, and systemic factors that shape health outcomes for marginalized and underrepresented populations.

Graduate and undergraduate students play a central role in the lab, contributing to every stage of the research process—from study design and data collection to analysis, writing, and dissemination. We also work in close partnership with community leaders, practitioners, and organizations to ensure our work remains relevant, impactful, and accountable to those most affected by structural inequities.

Together, the ReCAP Lab team fosters a collaborative, affirming, and inquiry-driven environment where scholarship is a tool for healing, advocacy, and transformation.

Bertranna Alero Muruthi, PhD, MS, LMFT

Dr. Muruthi is the Director of the ReCAP Lab and a scholar committed to advancing health equity through community-engaged research. Her work focuses on the intersections of race, migration, structural violence, and mental health, with a particular emphasis on culturally responsive interventions that support marginalized and underrepresented communities. Drawing on her background in family science, public health, and trauma-informed care, Dr. Muruthi leads interdisciplinary projects that center community voices and promote systemic change. She is also a dedicated mentor, actively supporting students and emerging scholars in developing research that is rigorous, ethical, and socially impactful.

Email: bm3345@drexel.edu

Amanda Stafford McRell, PhD

Dr. McRell is a research associate at the ReCAP Lab, where she supports community-based projects focused on mental health equity, violence prevention, and immigrant well-being. Amanda brings a trauma-informed and justice-oriented lens to her work, emphasizing the importance of culturally grounded, relationship-centered approaches. She plays a key role in coordinating lab activities, facilitating stakeholder engagement, and translating research findings into practice and policy recommendations. Amanda is deeply committed to amplifying the voices of marginalized communities and advancing collaborative, equity-driven solutions.

Dollar Ganu, MS

Dollar is a postgraduate research assistant at the ReCAP lab who is dedicated to substance use harm reduction, migrant psychological well-being, and mental health equity across marginalized communities. Dollar carries both a background in history and psychology, specifically couples and family therapy. Her systemic lens and use of the ecological model allow her contributions in the lab to examine issues from multiple dimensions, including the impact of intra & interpersonal relationships, institutions, policy, and culture. Within research her main focus is on honoring the communities she works with and the stories they share.

Francisca Lawson Tettevie, MS

Francisca is a third-year doctoral student in the Global Family Health and Well-being program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Francisca specializes in research and interventions that promote health and well-being of children, families, and professionals especially those in low-resource communities. She serves in roles that allow her to advocate and contribute to interventions that are centered on meeting the needs of families. Francisca hopes to continue to collaborate, partner, and work with communities globally on family-friendly policies and interventions.

Bukiwe Sihlongonyane, MPH

Bukiwe is a third-year PhD student in the Department of Community Health and Prevention at the Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health and a Doctoral Research Fellow at the ReCAP Lab. She is passionate about understanding and addressing structural factors that affect the capacity and responsiveness of health systems in times of stability as well as in times of crisis. With a background in health policy and global health, her research interests are centered around community-driven solutions to public health problems in resource-limited settings. This includes the role of governance, integrated interventions, the political determinants of health, health system strengthening and capacity-building, with a particular focus on infectious diseases.

Radwa Nahla

Radwa is a graduate research assistant at the ReCAP Lab and a Master of Public Health student at Drexel University. Her work supports research focused on community-centered care for immigrants and refugees. Radwa is passionate about using research and community engagement to inform culturally responsive interventions and expand access to care for marginalized populations. She is dedicated to global health and capacity-building efforts, aspiring to bridge the gap between research and real-world impact through collaboration, advocacy, and culturally grounded solutions.

Thanmai Chunduri MD,MS

Thanmai is a Master of Biomedical Science student at Drexel University working with the ReCAP Lab. His background in clinical medicine and biomedical research fuels his interest in bridging quantitative data analysis with the lab’s community-centered approach. Thanmai is dedicated to supporting projects that address mental health equity and violence prevention, ensuring that research findings are translated into tangible, positive change for marginalized communities in line with the ReCAP Lab’s mission.

Jose Zarate, LMFT, MA

Jose is an Adjunct Instructor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science at California State University, Monterey Bay, and a practicing therapist. His research focuses on the educational and employment experiences of DACA recipients, with particular attention to mental health, gender, and immigration policy. Jose integrates his clinical training with critical frameworks in higher education and psychology to support immigrant and Latinx student well-being and empowerment.