Hello!
I am currently an NSF Graduate Research Fellow (NSF-GRFP) and Developmental Psychology and Social Data Analytics (SoDA) dual-title Ph.D. student at The Pennsylvania State University, which means I spend as much time thinking about research design and statistical modeling as I do about what the findings actually mean for families and programs. Within the Gene Environment Interplay Across the Lifespan Lab under Dr. Jenae Neiderhiser, I am focused on understanding (1) why loneliness develops, by examining how parent-child relationships and genetic and environmental processes (using behavior genetics methods) shape its emergence across development; and (2) who experiences loneliness and how it is expressed, by identifying the individual and contextual factors that influence risk and variation in loneliness. I care about research that actually reaches people, where advanced methods address real-world problems in child and family wellbeing, health, and behavioral science.
Before Penn State, I graduated from St. John Fisher University one year early as Summa Cum Laude in May 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology within the honors program. During my undergraduate career, I was a research intern at Mt. Hope Family Center (University of Rochester) on the NIH-funded Adult & Family Health studies, and a research insights (market research and consumer insights) intern for Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. I was also a research assistant for Dr. Zachary Gold's Play and Development Lab, and Dr. Jessica Robinson & Dr. Melissa Goodwin's Transition to College Study. I additionally conducted an independent research project as a summer research fellow under Dr. Jessica Robinson. Upon graduation, I was honored to receive four prestigious university awards: the Trustee's Ranking Scholar Award, Provost's Award for Best Paper, Award for Scholarly Activity in Psychology, and Award for Academic Achievement in Psychology.
In my free time, you can find me reading or writing, rooting for the Buffalo Bills or Kansas City Chiefs, at the gym, and spending time with those I love (both human and dog). I am a first-generation student that deeply values learning, DEI, mentorship, and open science.
I am committed to mentorship, giving back to the privilege I had of excellent mentors throughout my career. If you are interested in my mentorship, please fill out this form.
