Lab Members
Lab Faculty
Operations Manager
Research Manager
Research Coordinators
Senior Research Scientist
Postdoctoral Fellows
Graduate Students
Affiliated Scholars
Lab Alumni
Lab Faculty
Operations Manager
Research Manager
Research Coordinators
Senior Research Scientist
Postdoctoral Fellows
Graduate Students
Affiliated Scholars
Lab Alumni
Lab Faculty
Associate Director: Juan Pablo Zapata, Ph.D.
Dr. Juan Pablo Zapata (he/him/él) is a psychologist and serves as the Associate Director of the Lab for Scalable Mental Health. He is also a Research Assistant Professor of Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University and the Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health. Dr. Zapata obtained his PhD in Clinical Psychology from Marquette University in 2022, and completed his Doctoral Internship in Health Psychology at the University of Washington. Additionally, he completed a NIH T32 Postdoctoral Fellowship (Grant Number: T32MH130325) in Translational Science, HIV, and Sexual and Gender Minority Health. With extensive training and research experience, Dr. Zapata specializes in LGBTQ and Latino mental health, HIV, public health, digital health, and implementation science.
Dr. Zapata's professional focus revolves around the development, adaptation, and evaluation of interventions and implementation strategies to achieve health equity among key populations affected by HIV and mental health disparities. During his T32 Fellowship, he actively participated in three national effectiveness-implementation hybrid trials of eHealth interventions for adolescents and young sexual minority men. Much of his independent research has centered on adapting and assessing culturally grounded implementation strategies aimed at scaling up and disseminating evidence-based HIV prevention (e.g., PrEP) and behavioral health interventions to Latino men who have sex with men. In 2024, Dr. Zapata joined the Lab for Scalable Mental Health and collaborates closely with Dr. Jessica Schleider to develop, test, adapt, and disseminate scalable, evidence-based mental health solutions, with a particular emphasis on single-session interventions (SSIs) for underserved youth.
Dr. Zapata's research in the field of health psychology and public health has led to several publications in journals, as well as presentations at national and international conferences. He is also actively involved in teaching and mentoring future generations of psychologists through his role as a Research Assistant Professor. In addition to his academic work, Dr. Zapata is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion within the field of psychology and public health. He has served on various committees and organizations dedicated to advancing the representation and well-being of LGBTQ individuals, people of color, and other marginalized groups.
E-mail: [email protected]
Erica Szkody, Ph.D. (they/she)
Dr. Erica Szkody is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University. They earned their Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Mississippi State University in 2022 and completed postdoctoral training at the Lab for Scalable Mental Health, where they contributed to the adaptation and dissemination of evidence-based single-session interventions (SSIs) for diverse populations. Dr. Szkody’s research bridges clinical science and public health, focusing on the development and implementation of interventions to improve mental health equity. Their work is particularly centered on rural and LGBTQ+ youth, addressing critical disparities in mental health access. Through culturally sensitive approaches, they design and test scalable digital interventions that integrate socio-cultural factors, such as community-based social support and stigma reduction strategies. For example, they recently co-developed a relationship skills SSI tailored for rural adolescents experiencing depression, demonstrating improved interpersonal skills and reduced depressive symptoms in pilot studies. Dr. Szkody’s projects have been supported by competitive grants, including the 2023 Visionary Grant from the American Psychological Foundation to promote mental health in underserved communities. They have authored >30 peer-reviewed publications and presented at leading conferences, highlighting innovations in digital mental health tools and culturally informed implementation science.
Beyond their research, Dr. Szkody is passionate about mentoring students and early-career researchers, emphasizing inclusive practices that enhance representation in psychology and public health. They have also collaborated with international teams to implement SSIs in culturally distinct settings, including Uganda, and continue to advocate for evidence-based solutions to reduce global mental health disparities.
E-mail: [email protected]
Damien Lekkas, Ph.D. (he/him)
Dr. Damien Lekkas is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University. Damien completed his doctoral training in Quantitative Biomedical Sciences at Dartmouth College in 2024 where he conducted research broadly at the interface of data science and digital mental health. His work explores how digital information collected from smartphones, wearable devices, and engagement with the internet can be leveraged to better model and understand mental health-related constructs. Damien’s expertise lies in the application of network analysis, natural language processing, and machine learning to model large-scale, multi-modal data. With an intense interest in developing and applying novel methods to parse digitally-derived behavioral data, he is particularly motivated by a desire to improve mental health outcomes and treatment access for all. Through continued collaboration with other researchers within the digital mental health intervention (DMHI) space, Damien aims to contribute to the evolving DMHI landscape through innovative, insightful, and actionable quantitative approaches.
In addition to research and scholarship (>30 peer-reviewed publications), Damien is passionate about teaching and mentorship. Complementing his views on the importance of team science, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and clear scientific communication, he is enthusiastic about being a resource for those who wish to learn more about the practice of data science research, including specifics of the techniques and decision points that comprise it. As a member of the Lab for Scalable Mental Health, Dr. Lekkas is widely available to support the team in all phases of the scientific process, from initial brainstorming and analytical planning to data visualization and writing.
E-mail: [email protected]
Shannon Hill, M.P.H.
Shannon (he/him) is the Operations Manager for the Lab for Scalable Mental Health. He previously worked under Northwestern University’s Department of Medicine as an Associate Research Administrator, supporting multiple divisions in the pre & post-award grant management process. He received his M.P.H. in Public Health Administration through Indiana University, with interests in youth mental health and policy development.
E-mail: [email protected]
Andy Rapoport, M.P.H.
Andy (he/him) is the Research Manager in the Lab for Scalable Mental Health. He studied Biological Sciences & Public Policy at the University of Chicago. He then worked in operations & research management at healthcare technology startups, in the fields of dementia & surgery. In 2021, Andy received a Master's in Public Health (MPH) from Northwestern University, with a concentration in Community Health Research. His Culminating Experience project was with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Chicago. Andy worked with the City of Evanston's Department of Health & Human Services on their community health assessment, for his Applied Experience and after graduation. Most recently, he worked at CJE SeniorLife managing public health research projects in the field of aging, as it pertains to exercise & also specifically to long-term survivors of HIV. Andy is passionate about equitable access to mental healthcare, especially as it intersects with policy & technology.
E-mail: [email protected]
Andy (he/him) is the Research Manager in the Lab for Scalable Mental Health. He studied Biological Sciences & Public Policy at the University of Chicago. He then worked in operations & research management at healthcare technology startups, in the fields of dementia & surgery. In 2021, Andy received a Master's in Public Health (MPH) from Northwestern University, with a concentration in Community Health Research. His Culminating Experience project was with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Chicago. Andy worked with the City of Evanston's Department of Health & Human Services on their community health assessment, for his Applied Experience and after graduation. Most recently, he worked at CJE SeniorLife managing public health research projects in the field of aging, as it pertains to exercise & also specifically to long-term survivors of HIV. Andy is passionate about equitable access to mental healthcare, especially as it intersects with policy & technology.
E-mail: [email protected]
Amanda Smock, B.S.
Amanda (she/her) is a research study coordinator in the Lab for Scalable Mental Health. She graduated from the University of Florida in 2021 with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Women's Studies. Previously, she worked as a research assistant with the ABCD Study studying adolescent brain development and health. Amanda's interests include developing and disseminating accessible mental health interventions, particularly for those in marginalized communities. She intends to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.
E-mail: [email protected]
Tyra Bergstrom, B.S.
Tyra (she/they) is a research study coordinator in the Lab for Scalable Mental Health. Tyra earned their B.S. in psychology from Eastern Connecticut State University in 2022, where they worked on a single-session intervention for intrusive thoughts in college students. During their two-year tenure at Brown University as an NIH PREP scholar and research assistant in Dr. Laura Stroud’s lab, Tyra contributed to several longitudinal studies examining psychosocial predictors of intergenerational health. They are broadly interested in emotion dysregulation following traumatic experiences and discrimination in marginalized groups, with a specific focus on people with disabilities. Tyra intends to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology to develop disability-affirming interventions.
E-mail: [email protected]
Tyra (she/they) is a research study coordinator in the Lab for Scalable Mental Health. Tyra earned their B.S. in psychology from Eastern Connecticut State University in 2022, where they worked on a single-session intervention for intrusive thoughts in college students. During their two-year tenure at Brown University as an NIH PREP scholar and research assistant in Dr. Laura Stroud’s lab, Tyra contributed to several longitudinal studies examining psychosocial predictors of intergenerational health. They are broadly interested in emotion dysregulation following traumatic experiences and discrimination in marginalized groups, with a specific focus on people with disabilities. Tyra intends to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology to develop disability-affirming interventions.
E-mail: [email protected]
Alyssa Gorkin, B.A.
Alyssa (she/they) is a research study coordinator in the Lab for Scalable Mental Health. Alyssa graduated from Reed College in 2024 with a B.A. in Psychology and minors in Economics and Music. Before joining the lab they worked in Dr. Kristen Anderson's Adolescent Health Research Program where she conducted research on predictors of alcohol consumption and hazardous alcohol use in gender-diverse emerging adults. In addition to her research experience, Alyssa has a wide array of experiences working with underrepresented communities including adults and children with developmental disabilities, survivors of intimate partner violence, and unhoused individuals. Alyssa's interests are in expanding access to mental healthcare for sexual and gender minorities, substance use, and trauma. She intends to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.
E-mail: [email protected]
Alyssa (she/they) is a research study coordinator in the Lab for Scalable Mental Health. Alyssa graduated from Reed College in 2024 with a B.A. in Psychology and minors in Economics and Music. Before joining the lab they worked in Dr. Kristen Anderson's Adolescent Health Research Program where she conducted research on predictors of alcohol consumption and hazardous alcohol use in gender-diverse emerging adults. In addition to her research experience, Alyssa has a wide array of experiences working with underrepresented communities including adults and children with developmental disabilities, survivors of intimate partner violence, and unhoused individuals. Alyssa's interests are in expanding access to mental healthcare for sexual and gender minorities, substance use, and trauma. She intends to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.
E-mail: [email protected]
Christopher Garcia, MA, LPC
Christopher Garcia (he/him) is a research project coordinator in the Lab for Scalable Mental Health and Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing. Chris graduated from Roosevelt University in 2022 with a M.A. in Clinical Psychology Counseling and from Northwestern University in 2012 with a B.S. in Journalism. Chris has previous experience in digital interventions related to HIV prevention, relationship education, and minority stress and coping. Chris is a licensed professional counselor with training in motivational interviewing, HIV test counseling, CBT, existential therapy, and multicultural counseling and has helped deliver and train providers in variety of interventions and protocols both in-person and via telehealth. Chris aims to support mental health and resiliency through as many delivery methods as possible.
E-mail: [email protected]
Christopher Garcia (he/him) is a research project coordinator in the Lab for Scalable Mental Health and Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing. Chris graduated from Roosevelt University in 2022 with a M.A. in Clinical Psychology Counseling and from Northwestern University in 2012 with a B.S. in Journalism. Chris has previous experience in digital interventions related to HIV prevention, relationship education, and minority stress and coping. Chris is a licensed professional counselor with training in motivational interviewing, HIV test counseling, CBT, existential therapy, and multicultural counseling and has helped deliver and train providers in variety of interventions and protocols both in-person and via telehealth. Chris aims to support mental health and resiliency through as many delivery methods as possible.
E-mail: [email protected]
Mallory Dobias, Ph.D.
Mallory Dobias (she/her) is a Senior Research Scientist across the Lab for Scalable Mental Health and Koko, a mental health nonprofit. She received her PhD from Stony Brook University in 2024. Her research uses mixed methods to study brief, accessible mental health interventions for young people. Across her 10+ years of intervention research experience, Mallory has worked with community organizations, public schools, hospitals, academic researchers, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations to develop, evaluate, and/or disseminate 8 different youth mental health interventions. She aims to increase access to mental health support through free digital interventions developed for, and by, young people.
E-mail: [email protected]
Mallory Dobias (she/her) is a Senior Research Scientist across the Lab for Scalable Mental Health and Koko, a mental health nonprofit. She received her PhD from Stony Brook University in 2024. Her research uses mixed methods to study brief, accessible mental health interventions for young people. Across her 10+ years of intervention research experience, Mallory has worked with community organizations, public schools, hospitals, academic researchers, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations to develop, evaluate, and/or disseminate 8 different youth mental health interventions. She aims to increase access to mental health support through free digital interventions developed for, and by, young people.
E-mail: [email protected]
Arka Ghosh, Ph.D.
Arka Ghosh (he/him) is a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Jessica Schleider in the Lab for Scalable Mental Health. Arka is a recent graduate from the Biological Sciences and Bioengineering department of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur. During his PhD, he developed a digital mental health intervention, TreadWill. He is primarily interested in developing digital mental health interventions and hopes to make evidence-based digital interventions available for free in low-income countries.
E-mail: [email protected]
Benji Kaveladze, Ph.D.
Benji Kaveladze (he/him) is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Lab for Scalable Mental Health. He received his PhD in Psychological Science from UC Irvine. He studies online single-session interventions for loneliness and is interested in making mental health resources more appealing and effective for more people.
E-mail: [email protected]
Hena Thakur, Ph.D.
Hena Thakur (she/her) is a graduate of the Clinical-Community Psychology PhD program at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and a postdoctoral fellow in the Lab for Scalable Mental Health, beginning August 2024. Hena’s research focuses on understanding the pathways to resilience in the aftermath of childhood trauma. As a fellow, Hena hopes to design single session interventions that facilitate recovery in the face of youth adversity.
E-mail: [email protected]
Sachin Pendse, Ph.D.
Sachin Pendse (he/him) is a NIMH T32 postdoctoral fellow in the Lab for Scalable Mental Health and the Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies. He received his Ph.D. in Human-Centered Computing from Georgia Tech. Sachin's research investigates how illness experiences are shaped by identity, marginalization, and technology design. Sachin is excited about the potential to use mixed methods to better understand the role of societal change and intervention design in how people conceptualize and express distress.
Links: Website
E-mail: [email protected]
Jeremy Eberle, Ph.D.
Jeremy Eberle (he/him) graduated with his PhD in clinical and quantitative psychology at the University of Virginia. His research seeks to elucidate the cognitive, affective, and behavioral processes that maintain emotional disorders and the pathways by which psychological treatments can change those processes. By identifying mechanisms of disorder and change, he hopes to advance the development and dissemination of targeted, scalable, and personalized interventions. He also has interests in methodology and open science.
Links: Website
Jenna Sung, Ph.D. (on internship)
Jenna (she/her) is a sixth-year Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student, completing clinical internship at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Jenna graduated from Emory University with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Educational Studies. Her primary research goal is to increase access to mental health treatment by testing and disseminating accessible, scalable interventions that can address multiple level barriers to care. Jenna also aims to maximize the impact of this research by engaging with policy level work.
E-mail: [email protected]
Links: CV
Jenna (she/her) is a sixth-year Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student, completing clinical internship at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Jenna graduated from Emory University with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Educational Studies. Her primary research goal is to increase access to mental health treatment by testing and disseminating accessible, scalable interventions that can address multiple level barriers to care. Jenna also aims to maximize the impact of this research by engaging with policy level work.
E-mail: [email protected]
Links: CV
Jenny Shen, M.A. (on internship)
Jenny (they/them) is a sixth-year Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student, completing clinical internship at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior/UCLA. They graduated from University of Toronto with a B.S. in Psychology and received an M.A. in Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University. Jenny's research interests include (1) elucidating the impact of minority stress on mental health disparities among gender and sexual minorities, racial and ethnic minorities, and their intersections; (2) ameliorating the effects of such minority stressors through accessible, transdiagnostic interventions; and (3) identifying implications for policy. Jenny is also a student in Dr. Nick Eaton's lab and is co-mentored by Drs. Schleider and Eaton.
E-mail: [email protected]
Links: CV
Jenny (they/them) is a sixth-year Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student, completing clinical internship at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior/UCLA. They graduated from University of Toronto with a B.S. in Psychology and received an M.A. in Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University. Jenny's research interests include (1) elucidating the impact of minority stress on mental health disparities among gender and sexual minorities, racial and ethnic minorities, and their intersections; (2) ameliorating the effects of such minority stressors through accessible, transdiagnostic interventions; and (3) identifying implications for policy. Jenny is also a student in Dr. Nick Eaton's lab and is co-mentored by Drs. Schleider and Eaton.
E-mail: [email protected]
Links: CV
Isaac Ahuvia, M.A.
Isaac (he/him/his) is a fifth-year Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student at Stony Brook University. Isaac graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in Sociology in 2016, and has worked at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine and the University of Chicago Poverty Lab. He is interested in individuals' beliefs about mental health and illness, as well as the social construction of mental illness more broadly. His research examines the relationship between individuals' beliefs about mental health and their mental health outcomes.
E-mail: [email protected]
Links: Website
Riley McDanal, M.A.
Riley (she/her/hers) is a fifth-year Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student at Stony Brook University. She graduated from U.C. Berkeley with a B.A. in Psychology, where she studied idiographic network models of psychopathology under the mentorship of Dr. Aaron Fisher. Riley is interested in potential data-driven changes in the classification and treatment of mental health problems. She aims to leverage the integration of HiTOP and Network Analytic methods to inform transdiagnostic intervention efforts, particularly for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults. Riley is also a student in Dr. Nick Eaton's lab and is co-mentored by Dr. Schleider and Dr. Eaton.
E-mail: [email protected]
Links: Website
Katie Cohen, M.A.
Katie (she/her/hers) is a student in the Social Sciences and Health track of the Health Sciences Integrated Ph.D. Program at Northwestern University. She received a B.S. in Psychology from the University of South Carolina, an M.A. in Psychology from Stony Brook University, and an M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Northwestern University. Katie is interested in the integration of non-traditional mental health interventions (single session interventions, mental health apps, peer support, etc.) into traditional settings frequented by youth and young adults (schools, primary care, etc.). She is committed to leveraging user-centered design and community-based participatory research methods in her work to ensure that interventions are designed to meet participants’ needs and minimize the research-to-practice gap.
E-mail: [email protected]
Links: Website
Chantelle Roulston, B.A.
Chantelle (she/her) is a third-year Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student at Northwestern University. She graduated from Stony Brook University in 2020 with her B.A. in Psychology and Sociology. She is passionate about supporting underserved communities through her research, particularly youth of Color, LGBTQ+ youth, and youth living at the intersection of both identities. Specifically, Chantelle aims to use her work to help increase mental health support accessibility and to build and disseminate brief interventions with and for members of these communities.
E-mail: [email protected]
Tubanji Walubita, B.A.
Tubanji (she/her) is a doctoral student in the Social Sciences and Health track of the Health Sciences Integrated Ph.D. Program at Northwestern University. She earned her B.A. in Biology and Gender, Sexuality, & Women’s Studies from Lake Forest College and completed a post-baccalaureate program in Clinical and Population Health Research at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School. Her research focuses on identifying social and structural determinants of mental health inequities. Tubanji is committed to advancing health equity and aims to contribute to the development of tailored interventions that address the specific needs of underserved communities, particularly LGBTQ+ individuals and people of color.
E-mail: [email protected]
Arielle Smith, B.A.
Arielle (she/her) is a first-year Clinical Psychology PhD student at Northwestern University. Her research focuses on the development and implementation of brief, scalable supports for youth with eating and body image concerns. She is passionate about increasing access to care among groups that have been historically overlooked in eating disorders research and treatment. Prior to beginning her PhD, Arielle received a BA in Psychological & Brain Sciences from Washington University in St. Louis and then worked as a Research Coordinator in LSMH for 2 years.
E-mail: [email protected]
Arielle (she/her) is a first-year Clinical Psychology PhD student at Northwestern University. Her research focuses on the development and implementation of brief, scalable supports for youth with eating and body image concerns. She is passionate about increasing access to care among groups that have been historically overlooked in eating disorders research and treatment. Prior to beginning her PhD, Arielle received a BA in Psychological & Brain Sciences from Washington University in St. Louis and then worked as a Research Coordinator in LSMH for 2 years.
E-mail: [email protected]
Ian Sotomayor, B.A.
Ian (he/they) is a first-year Clinical Psychology PhD student at Northwestern University. His research studies how brief interventions can be developed, adapted, and implemented for youth across global contexts, who are exposed to trauma or adversity, and with a high-acuity or high-severity need for help. They are passionate about using clinical science to serve and stand in solidarity with oppressed peoples throughout the world. Before the PhD, he worked as a research coordinator in the lab for 2 years, after earning their BA in Philosophy and Psychology, with honors, and a minor in Religion from the University of Southern California.
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Schleider will not review applications for a new Ph.D. student for the 2025-2026 academic year. In other years, Dr. Schleider reviews applicants from both the Clinical Psychology PhD Program and the Health Sciences Integrated PhD Program (a non-clinical program focused on applied, social science-driven health research), via the Social Sciences & Health track. Both programs are housed within Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine.
More information about applying to join the Lab for Scalable Mental Health as a Ph.D. student is available here.
Ashley Knapp, Ph.D.
Ashley (she/her) is an assistant professor of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences and core faculty at the Center for Dissemination and Implementation Science and the Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies. Her research is focused on youth digital mental health broadly, with a particular interest in designing and implementing accessible, community-based digital tools with marginalized youth and those youth most experiencing inequities. Ashley is currently supported by a NIMH-funded K01 award, where she is partnering with a public library and their teen patrons to co-create a digital mental health service for anxiety to be implemented into the public library’s teen services.
Maria Loades, DClinPsy, Ph.D.
Maria (she/her/hers) is a Clinical Psychologist and Reader (Associate Professor) for the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology programme at the University of Bath, UK. Maria has extensive clinical experience in child and adolescent mental health services in the National Health Service, England, and has a post-graduate diploma in cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for children, young people and families. Maria has a strong interest improving access to early help for adolescent depression symptoms. This work includes improving mental health awareness, understanding and tackling barriers to problem recognition and help-seeking, and developing and evaluating online, single-session interventions which can be provided at scale. Her ambition is to expand on current provision, and to better meet the needs of those who are under-served by mental health provision, both in the UK and in low and middle income country contexts, like South Africa.
Carter Funkhouser, Ph.D.
Carter Funkhouser (he/him/his) is a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Randy Auerbach at Columbia University. Carter received his PhD from the University of Illinois at Chicago. His research broadly aims to better identify and support young people with or at risk for depression, and he is particularly interested in using digital tools to offer scalable, accessible, and timely mental health support. Carter is currently supported by a Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation fellowship, and he is working to design and evaluate online interventions that can be disseminated at scale and in places that maximize their visibility, reach, and uptake.
Anushka R. Patel, PhD.
Dr. Anushka R. Patel is a trauma-focused clinical psychologist with specialized postdoctoral training in global mental health. She is currently research staff at Massachusetts General Brigham Hospital and a faculty member at Harvard Medical School.
Anushka specializes in assessing and treating trauma reactions with a cultural lens in low-resource settings. She uses mixed methods, community-based participatory research, and a cultural lens in her work. Anushka just received a K23 award to develop and test a scalable single-session intervention with a follow-up mHealth tool for domestic violence survivors in Goa, India. Anushka’s vision is to democratize access to quality trauma-informed care and create stepped-care models to sustain population health. Her research has been cited in major news outlets such as Al Jazeera and the New York Times.
Courtney Zulauf-McCurdy, Ph.D.
Courtney (she/her/hers) is a Clinical Community Psychologist at the Center for Childhood Resilience (CCR) at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. Courtney partners with early childhood centers and community organizations to improve early childhood care for 3–6-year-olds. Her research is focused on developing preventative interventions that strengthen relationships between educators and the families of preschoolers in underserved communities to reduce mental health disparities. Her NIMH-funded K23 award aims to develop a brief intervention -- the Parent Educator Action Response (PEAR) -- to improve parent and teacher engagement in behavioral interventions for preschoolers with/at risk for ADHD.
Link: Website
Madelaine Abel, Ph.D.
Madelaine (Maddy) Abel (she/her) is a Clinical Psychologist at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Assistant Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School. She obtained her PhD in Clinical Child Psychology from the University of Kansas in 2022, and completed her Doctoral Internship in Clinical Child Psychology and Postdoctoral Fellowship at MGH. Dr. Abel’s research is focused on testing and implementing brief interventions, with an emphasis on single-session interventions (SSIs), that increase children’s access to evidence-based mental health treatment. This work includes identifying scalable intervention approaches that can (a) provide rapid access to interim care for children referred to treatment, and (b) can be easily implemented within already over-burdened mental healthcare systems. Dr. Abel is currently supported by grants from the AIM Youth Mental Health Foundation and American Psychological Foundation to test the delivery of digital, self-guided SSIs for parents of children on waitlists for Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for anxiety and related disorders.