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Current Students

Profiles for all current students in the PhD Program in Clinical Psychology, organized by cohort, are provided below.

Fall 2023 Cohort

Kimberly Echevarria

Hometown: Cliffside Park, NJ

Education: John Jay College of Criminal Justice, BA (2021); Montclair State University, MA (2023)

Research Interests: adolescent/adult legal decision making and legal competencies, guilty plea decision making, false confessions, contributing factors to wrongful convictions, criminal justice policy reform

Clinical Interests: risk assessment, competency evaluation, forensic mental health assessment, expert testimony, adolescent and adult psychopathology and criminal behavior

Mentor: Tarika Daftary-Kapur

Tali Filstein

Hometown: Avon, CT

Education: Colgate University, BA (2021)

Research Interests: development of social cognition (theory of mind, communicative language processing, and emotional intelligence); examination of factors influencing phenotypes of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neurodevelopment disorders

Clinical Interests: evidence-based interventions for youths with ASD and their families to improve quality of life and family relationships

Mentor: Laura Lakusta and Erin Kang

Lauren Fleming

Hometown: Doylestown, PA

Education: Tulane University, BS (2020)

Research Interests: identifying risk and protective factors to the development of internalizing disorders in youth; influence of parenting styles and the parent-child relationship on development, maintenance, and treatment of internalizing symptoms

Clinical Interests: implementing evidence-based, culturally sensitive interventions for youth with internalizing disorders; family systems; school and community-based interventions

Mentor: Jeremy Fox

Elana Gabriel

Hometown: Pembroke Pines, FL

Education: University of Central Florida, BS (2022)

Research Interests: mental health and rehabilitation in justice-involved individuals, recidivism and reentry, interpersonal violence

Clinical Interests: forensic evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation for justice-involved individuals

Mentor: Chris King

Mikayla Haas

Hometown: Glen Ridge, NJ

Education: Rutgers University-Newark, BA (2020)

Research Interests: pediatric neurodevelopmental disorders, brain-behavior relationships, cognitive development, pediatric neurological disorders, cognitive rehabilitation, intervention development, neuropsychology

Clinical Interests: intervention development, neuropsychological assessment, pediatric rehabilitation research

Mentor: Jennifer Yang

Miguel Murillo

Hometown: Hackensack, NJ

Education: Montclair State University, BA (2018); Montclair State University, MA (2022)

Research Interests: treatment outcomes for justice-involved individuals, correctional psychology legal and risky decision making, juvenile justice

Clinical Interests: treatment for justice-involved individuals, forensic mental health assessment, risk assessment

Mentor: Chris King

Beverly Placide

Hometown: Nyack, NY

Education: The Pennsylvania State University, BA (2021)

Research Interests: impacts of social scripts in informing help-seeking behaviors, social support networks, and resilience of young Black women and adolescent girls

Clinical Interests: adapting current interventions and disseminating the existing ones to facilitate building personal bonds and resiliency for young Black women and adolescent girls

Mentor: Sally Grapin

Amy So

Hometown: East Brunswick, NJ

Education: University of Wisconsin-Madison, BS (2020)

Research Interests: prevention and treatment of adolescent and young adult depression and suicidal thoughts and behaviors; implementation of culturally sensitive, evidence-based interventions and prevention programs in community settings

Clinical Interests: evidence-based interventions for preventing and treating adolescent depression; youth suicide prevention; promoting mental health care access for historically underrepresented youth

Mentor: Jazmin Reyes-Portillo

Fall 2022 Cohort

Talita Ahmed

Hometown: Cary, NC

Education: University of North Carolina at Greensboro, BS (2019)

Research Interests: development and dissemination of school-based interventions, role of peer mentorship in predicting academic and mood disorder outcomes, sociocultural attitudes and stressors related to adolescent mental health

Clinical Interests: implementation of culturally sensitive treatments, community-based interventions for historically underrepresented youth, internalizing disorders

Mentor: Samantha Coyle

Francois Ban

Hometown: New York, NY

Education: Carnegie Mellon University, BS (2017); Columbia University, MPH (2019)

Research Interests: disordered eating pathology, weight stigmatization, and body image; the intersection of cultural, environmental, and societal risk factors and its influence on weight and eating disorders

Clinical Interests: interventions for disordered eating and weight/eating disorders, marginalized young adult populations, addiction, cognitive-behavioral therapy

Mentor: Shannon O’Connor

Caroline Freden

Hometown: Dallas-Fort Worth, TX

Education: University of Texas at Austin, BS (2019)

Research Interests: dissemination and implementation science research that aims to increase public awareness of, and understanding for, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among the general public; examination of gender differences in the presentation and diagnosis of ASD

Clinical Interests: neurodevelopmental conditions; increasing accessibility to tailored interventions via school and community delivery

Mentor: Erin Kang


Allison Hollender

Hometown: Short Hills, NJ

Education: Washington University in St. Louis, BA (2021)

Research Interests: neurocognitive development; brain-behavior relationships in autism spectrum disorder; neurodevelopmental disorders

Clinical Interests: evidence-based interventions that improve quality of life for youth with neurodevelopmental disorders; neuropsychological assessment

Mentor: Erin Kang


Zuzanna Myszko

Hometown: Ringwood, NJ

Education: Ramapo College of New Jersey, BA (2019)

Research Interests: implementation of interventions for neurodivergent youth, neurodivergence in the workplace, with a focus on autism, leaders, and followers

Clinical Interests: interventions for autistic and other neurodivergent individuals that improve quality of life

Mentor: Laura Lakusta


Lily Steedman

Hometown: Albany, CA

Education: The New School, BA (2015); John Jay College of Criminal Justice, MA (2022)

Research Interests: processes and prevention of sexual violence, forensic evaluations and interviewing, psychopathy (“successful” and behavioral management)

Clinical Interests: forensic mental health assessment and treatment for justice-involved individuals (adults and adolescents), group based interventions

Mentor: Jason Dickinson and Nicole Lytle


Liora Steinberg

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Education: Yeshiva University, BA (2020); Teachers College, Columbia University, MA (2022)

Research Interests: impact of early environmental stressors on the development of internalizing disorders in children and adolescents; risk and protective factors in the development of adolescent psychopathology

Clinical Interests: evidence-based interventions and treatments for children with internalizing disorders; child and adolescent psychopathology

Mentor: Samantha Coyle


Julia Stratton

Hometown: Hockessin, DE

Education: University of Delaware, BA (2019); Montclair State University, MA (2022)

Research Interests: plea deals, wrongful convictions, legal and risky decision-making, criminal justice policy reform

Clinical Interests: forensic mental health assessment, risk assessment, expert testimony, and treatment for justice-involved individuals

Mentor: Tina Zottoli

Fall 2021 Cohort

Jennifer Barbosa

Hometown: Harrison, NJ

Education: Seton Hall University, BS (2017); Montclair State University, MA (2019)

Research Interests: infant and early childhood development; interplay between parental stress, parent-child interactions, and infant/child development

Clinical Interests: parent-infant/child attachment/relationships, family therapy

Mentor: Laura Lakusta

Aliya Birnbaum

Hometown: Stuart, FL

Education: University of South Florida, BA (2017); John Jay College of Criminal Justice, MA (2020 & 2021)

Research Interests: adolescent legal decision making, juvenile justice policy reform, race in the legal system, parental involvement in youth legal decision making

Clinical Interests: treatment of justice-involved juveniles, rehabilitation of problematic behaviors, forensic mental health assessment, child and adolescent psychopathology

Mentor: Tina Zottoli


Mary Isaac Cargill

Hometown: Vinton, VA

Education: University of Virginia, BA (2021)

Research Interests: differences in the presentation of autism across different races, genders, sexualities, and cultures; perceptions of autism and stigma reduction

Clinical Interests: early intervention for autism; development of specialized interventions to improve the quality of life of people with autism

Mentor: Erin Kang


Melissa Escobar

Hometown: Placentia, CA

Education: California State University, Long Beach, BA (2019) and MA (2021)

Research Interests: identifying risk and resilience factors that contribute to the development and expression of internalizing disorders in youth; development of culturally sensitive interventions in school and primary care settings; development of culturally sensitive interventions for Latinx youth and families; Latinx youth mental health; mental health disparities

Clinical Interests: implementation of culturally sensitive interventions for youth and families; culturally sensitive assessments; minority mental health

Mentor: Carrie Masia


Peter Goldie

Hometown: Palo Alto, CA

Education: New York University, BS (2019); University of Pennsylvania, MSEd (2021)

Research Interests: systemic oppression, intersectionality, queerphobia, allyship, qualitative and mixed methods research

Clinical Interests: internalizing disorders among adolescents and adults, queer/LGBTQ+ populations, culturally responsive therapy, affirmative therapy

Mentor: Sally Grapin


Stephanie Grinshpun

Hometown: Short Hills, NJ

Education: Lafayette College, BS (2021)

Research Interests: interventions for adolescents with intellectual disabilities

Clinical Interests: early intervention and early assessment for autism spectrum disorder; neurodevelopmental disorders

Mentor: Jennifer Yang


Emily Judd

Hometown: Rochester, NY

Education: SUNY Binghamton, BA (2012); University of Rochester, MBA (2019)

Research Interests: utilization of digital health technology to improve access to treatment; social media and mental health; implementation and evaluation of culturally sensitive, evidence-based intervention and prevention programs in school settings; suicide prevention

Clinical Interests: treatment of anxiety and depression in adolescents and young adults

Mentor: Jazmin Reyes-Portillo


Daria Lasc

Hometown: Mission Viejo, CA

Education: University of California Irvine, BS (2019)

Research Interests: cognitive development, development of evidence-based assessment and intervention for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, role of parent-child relationships in treatment outcomes

Clinical Interests: neuropsychological assessment, child and adolescent psychopathology

Mentor: Jennifer Yang


Hannah Thomas

Hometown: Fort Washington, MD

Education: Franklin & Marshall College, BA (2017); Catholic University of America, MA (2021)

Research Interests: optimizing evidence-based interventions for children and adolescents; parenting styles and parental influences on youth; risk and protective factors in the development of internalizing disorders in children and adolescents

Clinical Interests: internalizing disorders in children and adolescents, evidence-based interventions that improve social competence and emotion regulation, mindfulness and acceptance

Mentor: Jeremy Fox

Sana Vora

Hometown: Langhorne, PA

Education: Drexel University, BS (2020)

Research Interests: rehabilitative services for justice-involved individuals, traumatic brain injury (in community and forensic settings), competency and violence risk assessment, psychopathy

Clinical Interests: forensic mental health assessment and treatment for justice-involved individuals and individuals with traumatic brain injury

Mentor: Chris King

Fall 2020 Cohort

Rachel Bomysoad

Hometown: Broome County, NY

Education: Drexel University, BS (2018)

Research Interests: forensic evaluations and interviewing, risk assessment, maltreatment

Clinical Interests: forensic mental health assessment and treatment for justice-involved individuals

Mentors: Chris King

Michelle Grazioli

Hometown: Cherry Hill, NJ

Education: Rutgers University, BS (2020)

Research Interests: markers, causes, and comorbidity of developmental disorders, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder

Clinical Interests: early intervention for autism; treatment for anxiety disorders

Mentor: Peter Vietze


Leora Haller

Hometown: Highland Park, NJ

Education: CUNY Queens College, BA (2014); Drexel University, MS (2020)

Research Interests: genetic, physiological, and neural underpinnings of disordered eating, effects of food source on eating pathology, the intersection of biology and environment in eating behavior, biological underpinnings of motivation in eating disorders

Clinical Interests: eating disorders, addiction, evidence-based practice for emotion regulation, adolescents, family therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, personality disorders, motivational interviewing

Mentor: Shannon O’Connor


Arielle Hershkovich

Hometown: Twin Rivers, NJ

Education: Touro College, BA (2020)

Research Interests: Cognitive development and neuropsychological testing in typically and atypically developing individuals

Clinical Interests: Evidence-based assessments, interventions, and prevention programs for adult and child psychopathology; neuropsychological assessments; family and relationship therapy

Mentor: Jennifer Yang


Avi Kalver

Hometown: Morristown, NJ

Education: Brandeis University, BA (2018)

Research Interests: onset and treatment of depression, anxiety, and suicidal behaviors in children, adolescents, and young adults

Clinical Interests: culturally sensitive treatment of internalizing disorders for child, adolescent, and young adult populations; evidence-based interventions

Mentor: Carrie Masia


Rachel McDonald

Hometown: Charlottesville, VA

Education: West Virginia University, BA (2017); University of Maryland, MPS (2018)

Research Interests: presentation of comorbid mental health disorders in autism spectrum disorder; mechanisms of co-occurring mental health and behavioral disorders in autism spectrum disorder; biomarkers of autism spectrum disorder

Clinical Interests: mediating and moderating factors of treatment for autism spectrum disorder symptoms and co-occurring disorders; development of specialized interventions for individuals with autism spectrum disorder

Mentor: Erin Kang


Danielle Rette

Hometown: New Egypt, NJ

Education: Haverford College, BS (2018)

Research Interests: sociodemographic and dyadic early risk and protective factors of the development of child and adolescent depression and anxiety; examining the influence of father-child relationships on childhood depression

Clinical Interests: child, adolescent, and young adult mental health; culturally sensitive evidence-based interventions and treatments for internalizing disorders

Mentor: Jazmin Reyes-Portillo

Jessica Wimmer

Hometown: Dallas, TX

Education: Texas A&M University, BS (2017)

Research Interests: Social support compensation, the buffering effects of social support on adolescent internalizing behaviors, resilience

Clinical Interests: Child and adolescent psychopathology, family systems, internalizing disorders

Mentor: Samantha Coyle


Nardin Yacoub

Hometown: Reading, PA

Education: Penn State University, BS (2017); Chestnut Hill College, MS (2020)

Research Interests: identifying early behavioral biomarkers of autism; studying the role of language in predicting neurodevelopmental disabilities; cognitive flexibility; intellectual disabilities in minorities

Clinical Interests: clinical assessment and intervention for autism spectrum disorder; child psychopathology; bilingual pediatric populations; implementing clinical interventions in immigrant and underserved communities

Mentor: Jennifer Yang

Fall 2019 Cohort

Tristin Faust

Hometown: Lake Hopatcong, NJ

Education: Rowan University, BA (2017); Montclair State University, MA (2019)

Research Interests: adolescent and adult legal decision making, juvenile legal competencies, false confessions, and pathways to incarceration

Clinical Interests: forensic mental health assessment, treatment for justice-involved individuals and military personnel

Mentor: Tina Zottoli


Kenny Gonzalez

Hometown: The Bronx, NY

Education: CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice, BA (2016), MA (2018)

Research Interests: violence risk assessment and management, psychopathy (in community and forensic settings), cross-cultural validity of forensic assessment measures

Clinical Interests: forensic evaluation, expert testimony, implementation of dialectical behavior therapy for justice-involved individuals

Mentor: Chris King

Ghowash Irshad

Hometown: Islamabad, Pakistan

Education: Bahauddin Zakariya University, M.Phil (2015)

Research Interests: Effective therapeutic interventions and rehabilitation of children with intellectual disabilities; psychosocial distress among parents of special need children

Clinical Interests: Evidence-based interventions for child and adult psychopathology in multicultural populations

Mentor: Peter Vietze

Sadaf Khawar

Hometown: West Orange, NJ

Education: University of Houston, BS (2009); University of Houston-Clear Lake, MA (2012)

Research Interests: individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities and their families, especially autism; cognitive development in typically and atypically developing children and adults; multiculturalism in clinical settings

Clinical Interests: immigrant and minority mental health, family therapy, evidence-based assessment and interventions for pediatric and adult psychopathology, mindfulness-based interventions

Mentors: Erin Kang

Emily Kline

Hometown: Smithtown, NY

Education: University of Virginia, BA (2017); Hunter College, MA (2019)

Research Interests: understanding the onset and treatment of depression, anxiety, and suicidal behaviors from cognitive and interpersonal perspectives in child, adolescent, and young adult populations

Clinical Interests: culturally sensitive treatment of internalizing disorders for child, adolescent, and young adult populations, with a focus on family systems and dialectical behavioral therapy

Mentor: Carrie Masia

Michelle Mui

Hometown: Cranford, NJ

Education: Saint Joseph’s University, BS (2018), MS (2019)

Research Interests: neuroimaging, memory performance in cognitive impairment, technology-based interventions for neuropsychological rehabilitation

Clinical Interests: neuropsychological assessment, cognitive rehabilitation

Mentor: Josh Sandry

Nora Portillo

Hometown: Boston, MA

Education: University of Massachusetts Boston, BA (2018)

Research Interests: mental health disparities, development of culturally informed evidence-based treatment, examining how intersecting marginalized identities (in particular race/ethnicity, immigration status, SES) and experiences of discrimination impact youth development

Clinical Interests: minority mental health, Latinx immigrant populations, child and adolescent psychopathology, family systems, developmental disabilities

Mentor: Sally Grapin

Taylor Walls

Hometown: Richmond, VA

Education: Duke University, BA (2015); Teachers College, Columbia University, MA (2019)

Research Interests: affective mechanisms underlying adolescent anxiety and suicidality, emotion regulation

Clinical Interests: internalizing and externalizing disorders in children/adolescents, evidence-based suicide risk assessments

Mentor: Jeremy Fox

Karly Weinreb

Hometown: Montville, NJ

Education: Binghamton University, BA (2015); Hunter College, MA (2019)

Research Interests: post-trauma symptoms; manifestation of trauma symptoms in families, treatment efficacy; challenges unique to military members and their families; neurological mechanisms of trauma-related disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder; transgenerational trauma

Clinical Interests: treatment for trauma-related disorders and post-trauma symptoms; treatment for veterans, active service members, and their families

Mentor: Samantha Coyle

Fall 2018 Cohort

Sophia Lall

Hometown: Wayne, NJ

Education: Rutgers University – New Brunswick, BA (2014)

Research Interests: neuropsychological performance and anatomical correlates in multiple sclerosis and traumatic brain injury

Clinical Interests: lifespan neuropsychology, cognitive assessment and cognitive rehabilitation in individuals with psychological or neurological disorders

Mentor: Josh Sandry

Farah Mahmud

Hometown: Boston, MA

Education: Wellesley College, BA (2015); Boston University, MS (2017)

Research Interests: anxiety, chronic illness and resilience in children and adolescents

Clinical Interests: pediatric populations; evidence-based interventions in home and medical settings

Mentor: Carrie Masia

Ryan Schneider

Hometown: Long Valley, NJ

Education: Ramapo College, BA (2016); Montclair State University, MA (2018)

Research Interests: legal decision-making, contributions to wrongful convictions and false guilty pleas, psychopathy, adjudicative competency, and the etiology of (and developmental pathways that support) criminal behavior

Clinical Interests: forensic mental health assessment and clinical evaluations; treatment work with justice-involved individuals

Mentor: Tina Zottoli

Fall 2017 Cohort

Melissa Sital

Hometown: Rockland County, NY

Education: Trinity College, BA (2014)

Research Interests: risk factors for anxiety and depression in childhood and adolescence

Clinical Interests: psychological interventions for youth with anxiety and depression

Mentor: Jeremy Fox