About Me
I’m a postdoctoral researcher at Boston University. I work with Dr. Nicholas Wagner in the Biobehavioral and Social-Emotional Development Lab. I got my PhD in Developmental Psychology at New York University, where my mentors were Drs. Natalie Brito and Clancy Blair. Before starting graduate school, I worked as a lab manager at McLean Hospital and completed my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and French at the University of Rochester. When I’m not working, you can find me running in the park, trying out a new recipe in the kitchen, hiking with friends, exploring new neighborhoods in Boston, watching Survivor with my partner, or playing with my cats.
Education
University of Rochester
I completed my undergraduate studies at the University of Rochester, where I graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2016 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and French. During my junior year I spent a semester abroad in Paris, where I studied French language and critical theory. I also worked with the Susan B. Anthony Center for Women’s Leadership, where I led a team analyzing the content of more than 800 original letters written by Susan B. Anthony. I presented findings from this project at international Women’s Studies conferences in Canada and the United Kingdom.
New York University
I received my PhD in Developmental Psychology from New York University, under the guidance of Drs. Natalie Brito and Clancy Blair. At NYU, I contributed to research activities in three labs between NYU’s Washington Square and Medical Center campuses. I also mentored promising undergraduate scholars through the QUEST program and my work in the ISLAND lab, and I served as a co-organizer for the weekly Developmental Psychology Colloquium and the Developmental Psychology Doctoral Program Interview Day in the Applied Psychology Department.
Research Training
Undergraduate Research Assistant
I worked as a research assistant in the psychology and psychiatry departments at the University of Rochester from January 2014 - May 2016. I worked primarily under the guidance of Drs. Catherine Cerulli and Patrick Davies. During my senior year, I completed an honor’s thesis in collaboration with the Crisis Nursery of Greater Rochester. As part of this project I conducted focus groups with staff and caregivers at the nursery and analyzed administrative data from the nursery to better understand community needs around emergency childcare and community-based supports for families. At graduation, I was awarded the Herbert L. Zimmer Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Psychology Research.
Postbac Lab Manager
From 2016-2018 I worked as a lab manager for Dr. Laura Germine at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts. I helped manage participant engagement and test development for a web-based neuropsychology laboratory called TestMyBrain.org. I also served as a project assistant with the Institute for Technology in Psychiatry, where I was the lead administrative organizer for the inaugural Technology in Psychiatry Summit. I was the main point of contact for all speakers and over 200 attendees.
Teaching and Mentorship
Brooklyn College
Since January 2022, I have taught in the Department of Early Childhood and Art Education at Brooklyn College. As an Adjunct, I have taught research methods and child development to students pursuing their Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education. I work with an exceptional group of students dedicated to serving the next generation through high-quality early childhood education. I have loved teaching, and engaging with students new to research has given me a different perspective on my own work, as well as refined my scientific communication skills.
Mentorship
I have pursued both formal and informal opportunities to be a mentor throughout my time in graduate school. Through the Department of Applied Psychology at NYU, I served as a mentor for two summers for the QUEST Program. This program matches talented undergraduate students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds in academia with a graduate student mentor for the summer. I have mentored 3 students through this program - helping them develop a research question, conduct literature reviews, and write and present a research proposal based on their interests. Informally, I have also mentored a number of research assistants in the ISLAND lab, as well as students I worked with before graduate school. I have mentored three students through the PhD application process, two students through Master’s degree application processes, and several students through the post-baccalaureate job application process.
Community Engagement
From 2020 through 2022, I served as a program evaluation analyst for the non-profit organization, Social Creatures. The mission of Social Creatures is to promote social connection for all people, through advocacy, education, and evidence-based programming. In my role, I helped develop a theory of change for the Generational Youth Mentors program, which is a peer-to-peer virtual mentorship program designed to promote social connection and academic engagement for kids. I worked with the rest of the evaluation team to choose measures and conduct analyses to test our theory of change. I have also contributed to the educational arm of Social Creatures, The Creature Times, where I have written about the science of social connection for the general public. You can read some of my pieces here and here.