Obi Onyegesi, MSW, LMSW, LCDC, is a doctoral student at The University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work and a recipient of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)’s T32 Research Training Program. Holding an academic background in Cognitive Neuroscience (BSc, University of Westminster, UK) and Social Work (MSW, University of Texas at Arlington), and of Nigerian and Italian descent, Obi offers a multidisciplinary and international perspective to his scholarly and scientific endeavors. His research, grounded in clinical experience, concentrates on health disparities related to cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases and the cultural adaptation of evidence-based mental health and substance use interventions, especially in at-risk communities.
He contributes to interdisciplinary projects examining smoking cessation behaviors and lung health disparities among Black and Latinx populations using national datasets such as PATH. He is currently leading research on the cultural adaptation of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for substance use disorders. Additionally, his research explores how COVID-19-related disruptions affect the mental health of young adults, focusing on identity development and resilience. His work is supported by mentorship from Dr. Fiona Conway (primary mentor), with Dr. Catherine Cubbin and Dr. Yessenia Castro serving as secondary mentors.
Besides research, Obi is a licensed clinical social worker and substance use counselor with experience in inpatient, outpatient, and community settings. His broader goal is to help create equitable, culturally responsive mental health care systems for at-risk communities both domestically and globally.