University of North Carolina Athletics
Mental Health & Performance Psychology Staff Directory
Dr. Jeni Shannon, PhD, CMPC
Director, Mental Health and Performance Psychology
Dr. Jeni Shannon serves as the Director of the Carolina Athletics Mental Health and Performance Psychology Program (AMP). She is a counseling and sport psychologist within the UNC Department of Sports Medicine, providing performance enhancement and psychological services to UNC student-athletes. After two and a half years in a part-time role, she joined the department full-time in January of 2017.
Shannon meets with individual student-athletes on a one-on-one basis and also works with teams to offer comprehensive and integrated mental health and performance psychology support. Additionally, she collaborates with other Athletic Department staffers to educate student-athletes on a range of topics related to mental health, well-being and optimal performance.
Dr. Brendan Carr
Assistant Director of Mental Health and Performance Psychology
Dr. Brendan Carr joined the UNC staff in the summer of 2019. He serves as a sport psychologist within the UNC Department of Sports Medicine, providing both performance enhancement and mental health services to UNC student-athletes. He works collaboratively with department staff, teams, and individual student-athletes to provide developmentally appropriate and culturally sensitive care for student-athletes to ameliorate distress and promote human flourishing in-line with the athletic department’s central mission to “Educate and Inspire through Athletics.”
Carr earned his undergraduate degree in psychology and exercise & sport science from UNC. He completed a master’s degree in sport & exercise psychology from the UNC Greensboro as well as his master’s degree in professional community counseling and doctorate in counseling psychology from the University of Georgia.
Symone Lyles, MSW, LCSW
Athletics Mental Health Clinician
Symone Lyles joined the UNC Mental Health & Performance Psychology staff in June 2023 as an athletics mental health clinician. She is a licensed clinical social worker serving the diverse community of student athletes. She works collaboratively with department staff, teams and individual student-athletes to provide holistic care.
She comes to UNC from Georgetown University, where she served as a staff social worker within the Department of Athletics. A licensed clinical social worker, she earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Social Work. Lyles earned her Sport Social Work certificate through Alliance of Social Workers in Sports (ASWIS) and is working toward Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) certification.
Shaquilla “Quilla” Jones, MSW, LCSW
Quilla Jones brings her expertise and passion to the UNC Mental Health & Performance Psychology team as the Athletics Mental Health Case Manager, a role she embraced in January 2024. With a rich background in community mental health, Quilla is a licensed clinical social worker based in Raleigh, NC. She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from Walden University and an undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Her commitment to excellence in sports mental health is further evidenced by her Sport Social Work Certificate from the University of Michigan’s School of Social Work and her pursuit of Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) certification.
Quilla is not only adept in the sports arena but also excels as a therapist trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). Her therapeutic approach is a blend of evidence-based practices including Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. She skillfully supports young adults in understanding themselves better and navigating through challenges and trauma. Her extensive experience spans various settings, including partial hospitalization programs (PHP) and psychiatric residential treatment facilities (PRTF), where she has made a significant impact.
Josh Wright, M.A., LMHC-A
MHPP Multicultural Fellow
Supervisor: Symone Lyles, LCSW
Josh Wright, a native of Durham, N.C, graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from North Carolina State University. He then went on to graduate with a master of arts degree in counseling with a specialization in clinical mental health counseling from Wake Forest University. He brings a variety of mental health and counseling experiences as he has worked with individuals from different populations in various mental health settings.
Emphasizing his commitment to sport psychology, Wright completed his master’s internship as a counseling and sport psychology intern within the sports medicine department at Wake Forest University, where he worked with athletes individually and with teams. Clinically, he has experience working with individuals with a variety of concerns such as anxiety, relationship issues and adjustment difficulties. Professionally, he looks forward to merging his love for sports with his passion of helping others by providing a space for athletes to come and share their various mental health and performance related concerns.
Matt Gouchoe-Hanas, M.S.
Social Work Practicum Student
Supervisor: Quilla Jones, MSW, LCSW
Matt Gouchoe-Hanas is a practicum student at the UNC School of Social Work with a background in athletics, coaching and mental performance consulting. After completing his bachelor's degree in exercise and sport science from UNC, he earned a master's in sport and performance psychology from the University of Western States. Since then, he has gained experience in clinical and athletic counseling settings.
Gouchoe-Hanas is passionate about helping athletes enjoy their playing experience and improve their mental health. He is excited about the opportunity to work with UNC's Mental Health and Performance Psychology team.