Amy Roy is the director of the Pediatric Emotion Regulation Lab, She is  a Professor of Psychology and Director of the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program. Dr. Roy received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Princeton University and her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Temple University. She completed her Pre-Doctoral Clinical Internship at NYU School of Medicine and Bellevue Hospital in the Child Track and remained at NYU as a post-doctoral fellow at the Child Study Center. In 2005, Dr. Roy became an Assistant Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the NYU Langone School of Medicine where she remained until she came to Fordham in June of 2011. Dr. Roy’s primary research interests are in the etiology of emotion dysregulation in children and adolescents, and factors that impact how parents respond to their children's emotional outbursts.

Maggie joined the lab in 2021 and is in the clinical psychology doctoral program. She graduated from George Washington University in 2018 with a BA in Psychology and English. After graduation she worked as a Project Coordinator at the Lab of Developmental Neuroscience at Penn State University. Maggie is interested in researching neurocognitive mechanisms underlying pediatric mental health disorders, such as anxiety and irritability. She is particularly interested in working with adolescents and understanding the development of affective processes (e.g. emotion perception, emotion regulation). Similar to her research interests, Maggie is interested in clinical work with pediatric populations, anxiety disorders, and OCD.

mbenda@fordham.edu

Meryl joined the lab in 2023 and is in the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program. She graduated in 2020 from the University of Michigan with a degree in Cognitive Science. After graduating, she worked as a project coordinator on treatment development studies for pediatric anxiety and OCD. Meryl is currently interested in the cognitive underpinnings of emotional and behavioral dysregulation in youth, particularly in the context of parent-child interactions. She hopes to translate her research to refine parent-focused interventions for child anxiety, irritability, and anger that are relevant and accessible to underserved communities. Similar to her research interests, Meryl is interested in clinical work with families managing child ADHD, irritability, and anxiety. In her free time, Meryl enjoys painting, going to the movies, going for runs in central park, and baking treats for her cohort.

mrueppel@fordham.edu

Cristina Nardini is doctoral candidate in the Clinical Psychology PhD program. She received a BA in psychology with a concentration in biopsychology from The College of New Jersey. Following graduation, Cristina was a research assistant in The Clinical Research Lab at Harvard on projects related to eating disorders and self-harm among teenagers. She then worked at Yale Child Study Center and Yale CANDLab, coordinating a research trial examining the clinical and neurobiological effects of a parent-based treatment for pediatric anxiety called SPACE. Today, she is interested in the ways supportive relationships, namely those with parents, peers, and mentors, impact emotional and cognitive development among underserved youth. She is currently using EMA and person-centered approaches to explore the socioemotional dynamics of emotion regulation within adolescents' increasingly complex social worlds, and how anxiety and stress impact these experiences. Cristina's goal is to apply this knowledge to improve the effectiveness and accessibility of parent- and community-based interventions. In her free time, Cristina enjoys running, crafting, and spending time with her nieces and nephews. 

cnardini@fordham.edu

Allison joined the lab in 2023 as a Master’s student in the Clinical Research Methods program and graduated in May 2025. She graduated from Rutgers University in 2023 with a BA in Psychology and English, and is currently the lab manager at the Cognition and Learning Center at Rutgers University. Allison is particularly interested in researching emotion dysregulation in child and adolescents with ADHD, as well as social media and its effects on child and adolescent mental health disorders. Allison will begin doctoral training in Clinical Psychology in Fall 2026.

ae1@fordham.edu

Charlotte joined the lab in 2025 and is a member of the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program. She graduated in 2022 from the University of Michigan with a BA in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience. After college, she served as the Clinic/Research Coordinator for a youth private practice in Los Angeles, specializing in child anxiety, OCD, and behavior dysregulation, and conducted research examining the relationship between child psychopathology and sleep disturbance at UCLA. Her research interests include examining mechanisms of irritability and temper outbursts transdiagnostically, but particularly in the context of child anxiety/OCD. She hopes to translate this research into developing specialized interventions for anxious youth with externalizing behaviors. In her free time, Charlotte enjoys trying new restaurants, reading, and cooking!

cgemperle@fordham.edu

Niamh MacCumascaigh joined the lab in Spring 2025. She is a senior majoring in Psychology with research interests in pediatric anxiety and trauma, as well as women’s mental health. Niamh plans to pursue a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling or a PsyD in Clinical Psychology. Outside of the lab, she serves as a mentor for the Office of Disability Services, is an active member of Fordham Dance Marathon, a club that raises money for pediatric cancer, and is a member of Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology. Niamh enjoys her free time volunteering with the Jesuits of Murray Weigel and hanging out with friends.

Georgia Cutting joined the lab in the fall of 2025. She is a junior majoring in Psychology with a minor in French. Georgia's interests include studying development in neurodivergent children and adolescents and providing accessible and equitable mental health care to all. Georgia hopes to continue her studies after Fordham by pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology. Outside the lab, Georgia is the Head Coach of the Fordham Club Swim Team, a member of the Fordham Undergraduate Research Journal's peer review staff, and a swim coach for kids ages 5-8. In her free time, she enjoys reading and doing CrossFit. 

Leila Petty joined the lab in the fall of 2025. She is a senior majoring in Integrative Neuroscience with a concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience and a minor in English. Leila hopes to pursue a PhD in cognitive or developmental neuroscience and build a career in neuroscience research. Her primary interests include brain development and learning in children and adolescents, particularly those from minority backgrounds, as well as neurodegenerative disorders and brain aging. Outside of the lab, Leila serves as President of Fordham’s student-run ballet club, the Fordham Jetés. She is also involved in Fordham Orientation, where she has served as a leader and captain for the past three years. She enjoys reading, hiking, and crocheting in her free time.

Ava McCalmont joined the lab in fall 2025. She is a senior majoring in Psychology with a minor in English with interests in developmental and child psychology. Ava plans to get a masters in Counseling and pursue a path that leads to becoming a child therapist. Outside of the lab, she is a member the club Fordham Dance Marathon on the auction committee, which is an event that raises money for pediatric cancer, and works at the preschool Manhattan Schoolhouse with ages 3-4.

Shane Donagher joined the lab in fall 2026. He is a senior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Political Science. He is interested in child and adolescent psychology, and plans to get a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Shane is also a member of the Psi Chi International Honor Society, and spends most of his time outside the lab performing with either the Fordham B-Sides, Fordham's oldest an all-gender A Cappella group, or the Mimes and Mummers, Fordham's mainstage theatre group. 

Estella Maguire joined the lab in the fall of 2026. She is a junior majoring in psychology with minors in marketing and music. Estella is especially interested in developmental psychology and hopes to pursue a master’s degree or PhD in clinical child psychology. Her research interests include the influence of parenting styles and parental psychopathology on child development, as well as gender identity formation during early childhood and adolescence. Outside of the lab, Estella performs with the Fordham Hot Notes A Cappella group, serves as a New Student Orientation Leader, and works in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.