Current Members of the SEA Lab at the June 2022 Start of Summer Social
Principal Investigator:
Kathryn L. Humphreys, Ph.D., Ed.M. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and Human Development at Vanderbilt University. She is a member of the Clinical Science faculty and directs the Stress and Early Adversity (SEA) Laboratory. Dr. Humphreys attended Vanderbilt as an undergraduate, where she studied Child Development and Cognitive Studies. She earned a master’s in Risk and Prevention at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Humphreys completed her clinical internship and clinical postdoctoral fellowship in Infant Mental Health at the Tulane University School of Medicine. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University. Dr. Humphreys’s ultimate goal is to promote healthy development through supporting families during what is often a challenging time. She has three children of her own, who inspire her daily.
Post Doctoral Fellows:
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Lauren Bailes, Ph.D. is a Postdoctoral Scholar in the SEA Lab in the Department of Psychology and Human Development. She studied Psychological Sciences at Western Kentucky University and received a Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. Lauren’s research focuses on children’s social and emotional development during infancy, toddlerhood, and early childhood. Her graduate work focused on caregivers' early interactions with infants as predictors of toddlers’ emotion expression. Outside of the lab, Lauren enjoys spending time with her nieces and nephews and traveling.
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Whitney Barnett, Ph.D., MPH is a Postdoctoral Scholar in the SEA Lab in the Department of Psychology and Human Development. Her graduate research focused on identifying pathways underlying child exposure to domestic violence and adverse growth and developmental outcomes in early life. Her current research interests are understanding the impact of maltreatment in early life on child outcomes and implementing evidence-based approaches to support parents and children to prevent maltreatment. Whitney graduated with an honors degree from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and earned her Masters in Public Health and her Ph.D. from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Outside of the lab, Whitney enjoys spending time outside with her husband and two children, Madison and Jackson. (email: whitney.barnett@vanderbilt.edu)
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Kaylin Hill, Ph.D. is a postdoctoral scholar in the NIH T32: Development of Psychopathology: From Brain and Behavioral Science to Intervention Training Program, primarily working with Drs. Autumn Kujawa and Kathryn Humphreys in the Department of Psychology and Human Development at Vanderbilt University. Kaylin’s research utilizes multiple methods, including psychophysiology, behavioral measures, and self-report/structured interviews, to examine cognitive and affective processes. Kaylin is most interested in assessing intergenerational risk factors and the rigor of commonly used methods to support early identification and intervention for mood disorders. Kaylin graduated summa cum laude from Butler University, earned her Ph.D. from Purdue University, and completed her clinical internship at the University of Notre Dame. Outside the lab, Kaylin enjoys adventuring and spending time with her family.
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Staff:
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Abby Blum graduated from Northwestern University in 2020 with a B.A. in Psychology and Creative Writing. Abby is a project coordinator in the lab. Her research interests include caregiver–child attachment and infant mental health. Outside the lab, Abby enjoys exploring new cities, hiking, and novels.
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Juelle Ford graduated from the University of California, Riverside in 2022 with a B.S. in Psychology. Juelle is a project coordinator in the lab. Her research interests include early life adversity and the implications exposure to trauma may have on later risk-taking behaviors. Outside of the lab, Juelle enjoys cooking, hiking, and spending time with her family.
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Ph.D. Students:
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Yanbin Niu is a doctoral student in the Developmental Science program. She received her masters in Developmental Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University in 2020. Prior to joining the SEA Lab, Yanbin worked as a research assistant at the Teachers College, Columbia University and a research technician at the Florida International University. She is interested in studying brain plasticity, including how the brain changes in response to experiences. Outside of the lab, Yanbin enjoys spending time with her family.
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Hannah Piersiak received her M.Ed. in Child Studies from Vanderbilt University’s Peabody School of Education in 2020. Before completing her master’s degree, she received a B.A. in Psychology from Colby College in 2017. Her research interests include the developmental outcomes associated with different early life experiences and protective factors that can promote resilience in children and families. Outside of the lab, Hannah enjoys being outdoors, running, and watching sports.
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Sanjana Ravi is a doctoral student in the Clinical Science program. She graduated from University of Washington in 2018 with a double degree in Psychology and Early Childhood and Family Studies. Prior to joining the SEA Lab, Sanjana worked as a research coordinator in the Child Development Lab at the University of Maryland. She is interested in studying parenting of young children, as well as identifying how to promote healthy development/protect against the development of psychopathology. Outside of the lab, Sanjana is an avid CrossFitter. She loves trying new restaurants and cafes as well as watching vlogs on YouTube.
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Collaborating Graduate Students:
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Emilia Cárdenas is a doctoral student in the Clinical Science area. Emili graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2016 with a dual degree in Psychology and Art. Emili then worked as a research coordinator in the Lab for Affective and Translational Neuroscience at McLean Hospital for two years. Emili is interested in advancing translational neuroscience to promote resilience in vulnerable children and families. Specifically, she is interested in using multimodal methods (e.g., ERPS, heart rate variability, behavior) to investigate predictors of caregiving behavior and postpartum health. Emili is excited about an NIH grant awarded to the MED and SEA Labs to study predictors of peripartum depression across pregnancy. When Emili is not in the lab, she enjoys listening to albums from start to finish (as the artists intended), cooking new recipes, and taking long walks around Nashville.
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Lauren Malachowski is a doctoral student in the Developmental Science area. She graduated from Davidson College in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She worked as a regulatory intern at Sarah Cannon Research Institute and then as the lab manager of the Vanderbilt Infant Learning Lab. Lauren is interested in investigating sources of variation in the early environment– particularly in terms of cognitive stimulation and enrichment. Outside of research, Lauren enjoys walking Nashville's historic neighborhoods, traveling, and shopping at Trader Joe's.
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Masters Students:
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Clee Alexander is currently a student in the Child Studies master’s program. She graduated from Georgia State University in 2020 with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Criminal Justice. Her current interests center around fostering empathy and resilience throughout development and the use of neurobiological approaches within research. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading poetry, listening to podcasts, and playing video games.
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Kiss’Shonna Curtis is currently a student in the Human Development Counseling Master’s Program. She obtained her B.A. from the University of Washington in 2020 where she double majored in Psychology and Education, Communities, and Organizations. She is interested in researching the ways community-based mental health can mitigate the effects of intergenerational trauma in minoritized communities. Outside of the lab she enjoys reading, cooking, community building, exploring nature, and tik tok!
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Brooke Fleming is currently a student in the Child Studies master’s program. She received her B.S. in Behavioral Neuroscience from the University of Kansas in 2020, along with certificates in the Brain and Mind and Service Learning. Her research interests are in developmental psychopathology, early life adversity, the role of caregiving, and the use of neurobiological approaches within research. Outside of the lab she enjoys spending time with her dog (Roxanne), creating art, listening to podcasts, and traveling.
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Kate Kwasneski is currently a student in the Child Studies master’s program. She received her B.A. in psychology from Grinnell College in 2021. Her research interests include investigating the impact of parent–child interactions on outcomes for children exposed to early life stress as well as the development of interventions aimed at fostering resilience in these children. Outside of the lab, she enjoys traveling, reading, and most kinds of crafts.
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Micaela Macfarlane is currently a student in the Child Studies master’s program. She graduated from Southern Virginia University in 2021 with a degree in Psychology. She is interested in researching the impacts of maltreatment on children, brain plasticity, and interventions that promote resilience in maltreated children and their families. Outside of the lab she enjoys basketball and yoga, being outdoors, and reading.
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Monique Montgomery is currently a student in the Community Development and Action master’s program. She graduated from Kennesaw State University in 2022 with her B.S. in Psychology and minor in Spanish. She is interested in bridging the gap between psychological research and systematic structures to promote community wellbeing, and mitigate adversity/risk factors in communities. Outside of the lab she enjoys museums, being outdoors, and spending time with friends and family.
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Tiffany Tran is a student in the Quantitative Methods master's program. She graduated from the University of California, San Diego in 2020 where she studied Econometrics. She uses statistical models to study early experiences, include parent-child relationships, on child functioning. She is interested in promoting resilience in children and families. Outside of the lab she enjoys exercise, playing her guzheng (a Chinese musical instrument), and cooking.
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Undergraduate Students:
Kerissa Bryant
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Casey Carrow
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Jamie Gordon
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Ellen Habteyonas
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Colten Harper
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Jadyn Miller
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Gakenia Muigai
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Alexis Richmond
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Amelia Shaddinger
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Sydney Takemoto
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Jack Yarnall
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Lab Alumni:
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Ekene Azuka
Emma Baker Trinity Bell Isabella Capra Regan Carell Jenna Collazzo Nancy Collie Nikki Delgado Vikas Dodda Addison Dunn Nikkie Dutta Nelson Eiselstein Garrett Ennis Elizabeth Estes Nicky Farren Sean Gallagher |
Vedant Gandhewar
Margaret Gaw Addison Glover Madi Halwes Paige Hamilton Clare Hansen Elizabeth Hinckley Karen Jacques Nyshedra Jordan Florence Kane Alex Katz Sarah Lempres Mia Letterie Elena Li Megan Lin Maya Matsumoto Leah Mortimer Gabrielle Napper |
Connor Pinson
Tom Qian Jadyn Rogers Marissa Roth David Russo Virginia Salo Bria Savoy Sara Schunck Sabrina Scollar Michael Scudder Safa Sheik Sally Shi William Steward Matthew Weindling Joyce Woo Rachel Yang Chao Zhang |
