Tara E. Karns-Wright, PhD, MS
Director, Naloxone Texas
Dr. Karns-Wright serves as the director for the Naloxone Texas initiative, as well as assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. After completing her master’s and doctoral degrees, she joined UT Health San Antonio in 2013 as a postdoctoral fellow. Dr. Karns-Wright is a developmental psychologist, with specialized training in addiction science, clinical trials, research design and data analysis. Dr. Karns-Wright is an innovative, science-driven leader and believes that developing new treatments and methods of delivery can enhance care and provide treatment all who need and want it. Dr. Karns-Wright is the proud mom to two children and enjoys spending her time riding scooters around the neighborhood with them.
Ashley Emmerich, MS
Program Manager
Originally from Jefferson City, Missouri, Ashley grew up across Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and Texas. She has lived in San Antonio for 25 years. After earning her BA and MS degrees in Psychology from University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA), Ashley taught in the Psychology department for 3 years. She has worked in the area of substance use prevention and treatment for 10 years.
Ashlynn Cruz
Research Area Specialist – Associate
Ashlynn attended undergrad at Texas Tech University and is currently pursuing a graduate degree at Texas A&M. During her undergrad years, she joined the U.S. Army, and currently serves as a 1LT Human Resources Officer. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing volleyball, going on hikes, and enjoying what nature has to offer.
Andersen Dedmon, MSB
Project Coordinator
Anderson earned a Master of Science in Business from the University of Texas at San Antonio after majoring in Biology. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, going to the gym, watching movies/TV shows, traveling, and exploring.