About Me

I’m Carlos, a Ph.D. student in Human Development and Family Sciences at Texas Tech University. I was born in Bayamo, Cuba, and raised in Hialeah, Florida.

My research examines health outcomes, health decision-making, and stress processes among Hispanic/Latine and sexual and gender minority communities living with chronic conditions, including cancer and cardiovascular disease. I am particularly interested in how cultural and social factors shape stress responses, healthcare decisions, and quality of life. Informed by my lived experience and interdisciplinary research background, my long-term goal is to develop culturally responsive behavioral medicine interventions and models of care that reduce health inequities and improve outcomes for historically underserved communities.

Before joining TTU, I managed multiple NIH-funded studies at the University of Miami’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, focusing on psychosocial interventions for cancer survivors. I hold a B.A. from Johns Hopkins University, where I studied Psychology, Romance Languages, and Spanish.

Outside of research, you can usually find me at the beach, at a local farmers market, or spending quality time with my husband, Aaron Riffa Aaron , and our two dogs Oliver Oliver and Honey Honey .