Director

Prof. Michelle Newman, Ph.D.

Broadly speaking, my  research focuses on the nature and treatment of anxiety disorders and depression. I am examining the etiology and classification, individual predictors, moderators and mediators of treatment outcome, and impact of brief digital interventons with respect to these disorders. In addition, I have multiple ecological momentary assessment studies and ecological momentary intervention studies.  The lab has also begun using more machine learning to understand relationships and to predict outcomes and processes. Furthermore, I am also conducting several basic experimental studies examining underlying processes related to these disorders. Further,  I examine  issues relevant to health implications of anxiety disorders. As a mentor, I do not dictate what my graduate students study as long as it is in the realm of anxiety and depression.  As a result, my graduate students have all taken different paths and I view my role as helping to foster those disparate paths.



Current Graduate Students

Gavin Rackoff

gnr18@psu.edu

Gavin is a seventh-year graduate student in the lab. Gavin is on internship at Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care. Gavin's research focuses on understanding and increasing access to mental healthcare. He is particularly interested in the use of technology to increase access to care. Gavin earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Washington University in St. Louis before joining Penn State’s clinical psychology program.

 

Publications with Dr. Newman include:​

 

Jeremy Schwob

jts462@psu.edu

Jeremy is currently a seventh-year doctoral student in the lab. Jeremy is on internship at Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center. His research focuses on the development and evaluation of novel technological treatments (i.e., smartphone applications, web-based interventions) for anxiety and depression. Prior to his time at Penn State, Jeremy received his master’s degree in clinical psychology from the University of Dayton. 

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Publications with Dr. Newman include:

 

Seung Yeon (Irene) Baik 

sbb5887@psu.edu

Irene is currently a fifth-year doctoral student in the lab. Broadly, her research interests focus on the roles of cognitive and affective processes and their interaction in the development, maintenance, and treatment of depression and anxiety. More specific factors of interest include emotional regulation, approach and avoidance tendencies, and self-relevant constructs. In terms of methodology, she is interested in using multiple methods such as self-report, behavioral, and neurophysiological, and is open to learning novel methods. She received a BA in Psychology from Carnegie Mellon University and earned a MA in Counseling & Clinical Psychology from Sogang University. 

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Publications with Dr. Newman include:

 

Candice Basterfield

cbb5563@psu.edu

Candice is currently a fourth-year doctoral student in the lab. She is interested in the development, maintenance, and treatment of anxiety and depression, and in scientific thinking and critical thinking as they apply to clinical psychology. Candice received her BA from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa and her MA in clinical neuropsychology from the University of Melbourne in Australia.

 

Publications with Dr. Newman include:

 

Adam Calderon

afc6160@psu.edu

Adam Calderon is a third-year Ph.D. candidate in Clinical Psychology at The Pennsylvania State University. His research is focused on better understanding the dynamic relationship between mood and anxiety disorders, with a particular interest in formalized psychological theory, computational modeling, and complex systems. His work aspires to promote an informed, data-driven approach to explain, predict, treat, and ultimately prevent emotional disorders. Adam is a Fulbright Fellow at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, an APA Psychology Fellow at the United Nations, and a current Bunton-Waller Scholar at Penn State. Adam received a B.S. in Behavioral Neuroscience at Quinnipiac University and an M.A. in Clinical Psychology at Columbia University.

 

Publications with Dr. Newman include:

 

Valerie Swisher

vss5199@psu.edu

​Valerie is a first-year graduate student in the lab. Broadly, her research interests focus on the development, maintenance, and treatment of obsessive-compulsive and related disorders. She is particularly interested in the use of ecological momentary assessment to more accurately measure psychological phenomena.  Valerie is a National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellow, Dean’s Distinguished Graduate Scholar, and former Fulbright Fellow in Budapest, Hungary. Her research is currently funded by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Valerie earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Westmont College.

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Publications with Dr. Newman include:


Former Graduate Students

Amy Przeworski

https://psychsciences.case.edu/faculty/amy-przeworski/

 Dr. Przeworski is currently an Associate Professor at Case Western University. Her laboratory focuses on the maintenance and treatments of anxiety disorders across the lifespan and anxiety in individuals of diverse backgrounds (including individuals of diverse ethnicity and LGBTQ individuals). Maintenance factors of interest in her lab include cognitive, behavioral, and interpersonal factors. Her laboratory primarily (a) conducts laboratory based studies which examine family interactions in children with anxiety disorders or maintenance factors in adults with anxiety disorders (b) conducts questionnaire based studies of interpersonal dynamics and cognitive-behavioral factors that are related to anxiety disorders, and (c) develops novel treatments for children, adolescents, and adults with anxiety disorders.

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Publications with Dr. Newman include:

 

Thane Erickson

https://spu.edu/academics/school-of-psychology-family-community/faculty-and-staff/thane-erickson

​Dr. Thane Erickson is currently a Professor at Seattle Pacific University. Dr. Erickson's teaching, clinical, and research interests center on interpersonal processes as a point of intersection for understanding personality, emotional disorders (anxiety disorders and depression), well-being, and spirituality. His research team investigates topics such as social aspects of worry, moral emotions (e.g., “elevation,” gratitude), integrative cognitive-behavioral interventions, and the influence of character strengths on stress hormones.

 

Publications with Dr. Newman include:

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Sandra J. Llera

https://www.towson.edu/cla/departments/psychology/facultystaff/sllera.html

 Sandra is currently an Associate Professor at Towson University . Her main research interests include the study of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), specifically in terms of understanding impaired emotional functioning as a core underlying mechanism maintaining this disorder. Several seminal theories have delineated various patterns of emotional sequelae that may contribute to the unique difficulties within GAD, often implicating worry (the cardinal feature of GAD) as the central maintaining factor. Sandra and Dr. Newman have proposed the Avoidance of Negative Emotional Contrast Theory, which states that individuals with GAD engage in worry because they prefer to feel chronically distressed in order to prepare for the worst outcome rather than to experience a negative emotional contrast. They theorize that people with GAD have developed a stronger aversive reaction and are even more sensitive to a negative emotional contrast than are nonanxious individuals, and that it is the avoidance of this contrast that motivates their worry. We have tested this new theory via examination of the effect of prior worry versus relaxation and neutral inductions on both autonomic (sympathetic and parasympathetic) and subjective responding to a range of emotional exposures in both GAD analogues and nonanxious controls. This theory has been presented in various national conferences and has been published in Clinical Psychology Review and Annual Review of Clinical Psychology

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Publications with Dr. Newman include:

 

Aaron J. Fisher

https://psychology.berkeley.edu/people/aaron-fisher

 Aaron is currently an Associate professor a UC Berkeley. He completed his clinical internship at the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System. Prior to joining the faculty at Berkeley, he was a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University. His research group—The Idiographic Dynamics Lab—engages in research at the individual level. They are currently interested in issues of Precision, Personalization, and Prediction in psychopathology and substance use. Specifically, they are interested in extending the Precision Medicine paradigm to psychological and psychiatric domains—a Precision Behavioral Health model that complements biomedical approaches by leveraging behavioral data to customize and fine-tune behavioral interventions. They are interested in identifying actionable units of information at the behavioral level of analysis that will allow us to match patients, problems, and optimal interventions. Additionally, he believes that the concept of personalization extends beyond treatment delivery and should encompass study design, data collection, and statistical analysis. Recent research in their lab has revealed marked heterogeneity in the temporal patterns, correlational structures, and predictive relationships in psychopathology and substance use. Finally, given the heterogeneity in the timing and predictors of individual problems and behaviors, our group is currently working on methods for predicting individual behavior moment to moment, in order to identify when problems might occur. Building accurate prediction systems may allow researchers and clinicians to provide interventions when they are most needed (i.e. "just in time").

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Publications with Dr. Newman include:

 

Lauren Szkodny

https://geiselmed.dartmouth.edu/faculty/facultydb/view.php/?uid=7161

 Lauren is currently an Assistant professor of Psychiatry at Dartmouth Medical Center. She completed her internship at Northwestern Consortium and was a postdoctoral fellow at Dartmouth before being promoted to an assistant professor.

 

Publications with Dr. Newman include:

 

Nick Jacobson

https://www.nicholasjacobson.com

njacobson88@gmail.com

Dr. Nick Jacobson is an Associate professor in the departments of Biomedical Data Science, Psychiatry, and Computer Science at Dartmouth College’s Geisel School of Medicine. He serves as the Director of the Treatment Development and Evaluation Core within the Center for Technology and Behavioral Health and leads the AI and Mental Health: Innovation in Technology Guided Healthcare (AIM HIGH) Laboratory. Driven by a passion to transform mental health care through technology, Dr. Jacobson focuses on harnessing artificial intelligence and passive sensor data from smartphones and wearable devices to develop scalable, personalized interventions for anxiety and depression. His expertise lies in creating personalized just-in-time adaptive interventions and advancing quantitative tools that enable this work.

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Publications with Dr. Newman include:

 

Hanjoo Kim

https://medicine.umich.edu/dept/prechter-program/hanjoo-kim-phd

hanjoo.kim82@gmail.com

Hanjoo is a research fellow at the Heinz C. Prechter Bipolar Research Program, University of Michigan. He obtained his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Penn State University and completed an APA-accredited psychology residency at the New Mexico VA/Southwest Consortium. Hanjoo's primary research interests center around the “underlying mechanisms” of emotional disorders, including anxiety, unipolar depression, and bipolar spectrum disorders. Currently, his research focuses on understanding the emotion dysregulation processes involved in repetitive negative thoughts, such as worry and rumination. To investigate this topic, Hanjoo is utilizing psychophysiological methodologies, such as skin conductance, emotional facial expressions, and heart rate variability, alongside intensive longitudinal data analysis. Outside of academics, Hanjoo likes playing basketball, birdwatching, and drawing.

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Publications with Dr. Newman include:​

 

Ki Eun (Kay) Shin

https://liu.edu/post/academics/Faculty/Faculty/S/Ki-Eun-Shin?rn=Faculty%20Profiles&ru=/post/academics/Faculty/Faculty

kieun.shin@liu.edu

Kay is currently an assistant professor at Long Island University, Post Campus. Her research interests focus on understanding cognitive and emotional processes and treatment mechanisms in internalizing disorders and suicidality. She has a particular interest in identifying transdiagnostic cognitive and emotion regulatory processes, such as repetitive negative thinking. Her recent work has focused on using mobile-based ecological momentary assessment and advanced longitudinal analytic methods to examine cognitive and emotional processes and their dynamics in internalizing disorders as they naturally unfold in daily life. Her past projects include examining interpersonal problem tendencies in internalizing disorders, comparing GAD and panic disorder based on developmental risk factors, and identifying daily emotional experiences that mediate long-term maintenance and comorbidity in depression and GAD. Kay also tested a novel way to enhance outcomes of exposure therapy, using retrieval cues, and used advanced statistical methods (e.g., time-varying effect modeling) to elucidate how treatment moderation effects changed over the course of treatment in individuals with GAD. Her dissertation used ecological momentary assessment and network analysis to examine comorbidity between GAD and depression at the level of daily symptoms. 

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Publications with Dr. Newman include:

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Luc LaFreniere

https://www.skidmore.edu/psychology/faculty/lafreniere.php

llafreni@skidmore.edu 

Lucas (“Luc”) LaFreniere, PhD, is currently an Assistant Professor at Skidmore College. He received his doctoral training under Dr. Newman's mentorship and continues to collaborate with her and the lab on research. Luc specializes in developing and researching ecological momentary interventions for anxiety and worry. His research aims to determine core processes of anxiety psychopathology, devise treatments targeting those processes, test their efficacy, and examine their mechanisms. His basic research has revealed Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) deficits in learning the probabilities of future outcomes, learning by reinforcement, and engagement with positive emotions. In his applied research, he has developed and tested ecological momentary interventions (EMI) for correcting these problems via smartphone. For example, his Worry Outcome Journal (WOJ) EMI employed an enhanced form of worry outcome monitoring, guiding participants to see the high costs, low benefits, and inaccuracies of their worries in daily life via smartphone. A randomized controlled trial of the WOJ supported its efficacy. His SkillJoy EMI guides clients to savor enjoyment of positive experiences, mindfully appreciate good aspects of the present moment, recognize worry’s inaccuracy, and gain exposure to being “off guard.” Compared to an active treatment control, the app successfully reduced worry, anxiety, and depression and increased positive emotions, optimism, and enjoying the present moment.

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Publications with Dr. Newman include:


Nur Hani Zainal

https://fass.nus.edu.sg/psy/people/nur-hani-zainal/

hanizainal@nus.edu.sg 

Dr. Zainal is a Presidential Young Professorship (PYP) Assistant Professor in Clinical Psychology at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Director of the Optimizing Wellness (OWL) Lab. She completed a two-year postdoctoral research fellowship at the Harvard Medical School (HMS), received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from The Pennsylvania State University, and completed her predoctoral clinical fellowship at the HMS-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) - Cognitive Behavioral Scientist Track. Her research interest focuses on how executive functioning, social cognition, and cognitive-behavioral strategies link to the etiology, maintenance, and treatment of anxiety and depressive disorders. She is also interested in technology-facilitated interventions and psychoneuroimmunology. To achieve these aims, she uses a variety of approaches and datasets. These include cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys, basic science experiments, ecological momentary assessments, and prospective cross-panel designs. To this end, she hopes to make novel and positively impactful contributions to basic science and translational clinical research and practice. Also, Dr. Hani is a recipient of awards such as the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) Leonard Krasner Dissertation Award, Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) Alies Muskin Career Development Leadership Program (CDLP), and the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) Superior Teaching and Research (STAR) award.

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Publications with Dr. Newman include:

 

Natalia Van Doren

https://psych.ucsf.edu/SUDTSR

nataliavandoren@gmail.com

Natalia Van Doren is currently a postdoctoral Fellow at University of California San Francisco. She primarily worked with Jose Soto in graduate school. She received her PhD in clinical psychology from Pennsylvania State University in August 2023. She is interested in using digital therapeutics for substance use disorders, and in particular, the reduction of racial/ethnic health disparities, as well as the relationship of emotional states to substance use patterns. She completed her clinical psychology internship at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System and studied virtual reality applications to enhance mindfulness training for veterans with substance use disorders. She was appointed to the T32 Program in 2023, working with Drs. Derek Satre, Stacy Sterling, and Janice Tsoh at UCSF.

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Publications with Dr. Newman include:

​

Lab Manager & Research Assistants

Samantha Ricciardella (Lab manager)

srr5630@psu.edu

Samantha is a senior at Penn State, majoring in Psychology (B.A.) and Philosophy (B.A.). She is also the head teaching assistant for a developmental psychology course at Penn State. Her research interests include the etiology and treatment of anxiety, depression and neurodivergent disorders in adolescents and adults. Samantha is currently working on an independent project investigating the relationship between early intervention and treatment for autism spectrum disorder and its effects on social self-efficacy. She hopes to attend graduate school to study Clinical Developmental psychology with the goal of being a clinical psychologist. In her free time, she enjoys reading books, playing musical instruments, and spending time with friends and family


Asher Sternberg

aes6620@psu.edu

Asher is a sophomore at Penn State working towards a B.S. in Psychology with a focus in neurosciences. After graduation, Asher plans on pursuing an MD-PhD in neurology and neurogenetics. Currently Asher is researching the intersection between Artificial intelligence based psychotherapy and the resulting change in loneliness and negative Affect. Asher has also worked as teaching assistant for Anthropology 216N, where he helped educate students on the sexual development of the human species. Aside from his work scholastically, Asher has also worked as a camp counselor, and a waiter for many years. In his free time Asher enjoys spending time with his friends, boxing, and jiu-jitsu


Emily Shank

egs5256@psu.edu

​Emily is a Research Assistant in the Newman lab. She is currently a senior majoring in Psychology (B.S.) with a minor in Communication Arts and Sciences. Emily is interested in studying the treatment of mental disorders, specifically anxiety, depression, and OCD. She hopes to continue on this path by pursuing a graduate degree in clinical psychology. Outside of the lab, Emily loves playing tennis and baking fun new recipes.


Jiayin Jiang

jjiang44@jh.edu

​Jiayin is a Research Assistant in the Newman Lab. She is interested in studying the underlying mechanisms of mental disorders, testing, and developing innovative treatments for people with psychological issues.  Drawing from her experience as a telehealth therapist, Jiayin is particularly fascinated by the use of technology in mental health treatment. She received her Master`s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Johns Hopkins University. In her spare time, Jiayin enjoys reading, watching musicals, cooking, and exploring new restaurants.


McKenzie Pittman

mbp5635@psu.edu

​Mckenzie is a research assistant in our lab. She is a senior majoring in Psychology (B.S.) with a Life Sciences option. She hopes to attend graduate school to further her studies in the field of psychology, and to eventually work as a therapist to treat individuals with mental health conditions. In her free time, Mckenzie enjoys cooking, thrifting, gardening, and caring for my plants.


Madyson Brown

mob5653@psu.edu

​Madyson Brown is a Research Assistant in the Newman Lab. She is a senior majoring in Psychology(B.A.) with a minor in Neuroscience. Her research interests include treatments for anxiety and depression, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, as well as the neuroscience of sensory processing and language. In the future, she hopes to go to graduate school to further her studies on Neuroscience research. Outside of the lab, Madyson is the Secretary of the Fashion Society of Penn State. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music, watching movies, and spending time with her family and friends.


Ruby Kopman

rqk5523@psu.edu

​Ruby is currently a second-year student at Penn State studying Psychology(B.S.). She is specifically interested in abnormal, forensic, and clinical Psychology. She is also a person who is always very eager to learn new things and explore different avenues. After her time at Penn State, Ruby plans to further her education by attending graduate school and becoming a Psychologist. In her free time, Ruby enjoys traveling, spending time with friends and family, volunteering, and listening to music. Overall, Ruby is committed to achieving her goals and making a positive impact in the world.


Madison Yeoman 

mmy5144@psu.edu

Madison is a Research Assistant in the Newman Lab. She is a senior majoring in Psychology (B.A.) with a minor in Human Development and Family Studies. She is planning on continuing her education in graduate school, in hopes of becoming a Marriage and Family therapist. She has been apart of the lab for 3 years now and her research interests include the treatment of anxiety disorders and substance abuse, in addition to the development and structure of family relationships. In addition to this lab, Madison is also the president of her sorority, Kappa Delta. In her free time, Madison enjoys trying new foods, spending time with friends, and watching movies. 


Sophia Lewis

sol5199@psu.edu

Sophia is a Research Assistant in the Newman Lab. She is a junior/third year BBH student with a minor in psychology. She is interested in attending grad school once she completes her degree and obtain a masters and/or PHD. She is interested in anxiety and depression research as well as abnormal psychology. Additionally, at some point in time, she would like to engage in Psychedelic research and its impact on the brain, behavior, and influence on individuals with PTSD. She is from State College and have always loved to be outside (enjoying all of Pennsylvania's lovely seasons) and be around people in general. 


Aliana Roman

amr7598@psu.edu

Aliana Roman is fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology and minoring in Sociology. She is from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Her career plan is to become a Clinical Psychologist with the hopes of one day having her own practice. She is interested in human behavior as well as mental disorders. Aliana is also a member of the First-Generation Committee, a Peer Advisor, and a member of the Alpha Epsilon Delta Honors Society. Aliana loves shopping and watching sports on her free time. 


Jaimie Morgan

jmm8878@psu.edu

Jaimie is a research assistant in the lab. She is a sophomore majoring in Psychology (B.S.) with a minor in Rehabilitation and Human Services. She is interested in the development and treatment of anxiety, depression, and substance abuse specifically in younger generations and students. She also would like to spend time researching the impact of such mental disorders in people with disabilities. In her free time, Jaimie enjoys running, spending time with friends, and going on adventures.


Ishani Modi

ishanim_99@yahoo.com

Ishani is a Research Assistant in our lab. She is a junior majoring in Psychology (B.S.) with the Neuroscience option. Ishani plans on furthering her education after she receives her bachelors by going to medical school. She is interested in the development and treatments of mental disorders, especially anxiety and depression. In her free time, she enjoys painting, reading, or playing with her dog and parrot.


Ally Atkinson

ara5542@psu.edu

Ally is a research assistant in the Newman Lab. She is a sophomore majoring in psychology with a neuroscience option and a minor in anthropology. Her research interests include the etiology of various mental disorders, including personality and anxiety disorders, as well as utilizing comparative psychology to further understand states of consciousness. She plans to further her studies in cognitive psychology. In her free time, she enjoys to learn new skills, spend time with friends and create drawings.


Ian Dargitz

iqd5095@psu.edu

Ian is a research assistant in our lab. He is a sophomore majoring in Psychology (B.S). He is planning on continuing his education through graduate school. His research interests include mental illness, especially depression and anxiety. He is also interested in social and positive psychology. In his free time, Ian enjoys reading and roleplaying games.​

 

Mackenzie Popovich

mjp6571@psu.edu

Mackenzie is a sophomore majoring in Psychology (B.S) and minoring in crime, law, and psychology. She is currently on the life science path in psychology and plan to following the clinical route to help and work with others. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading, listening to music, and hanging out with her friends!

 

Rebecca Yan

rjy5146@psu.edu

Rebecca is a research assistant in our lab. She is a sophomore majoring in Psychology (B.S.). Her research interests include the etiology of anxiety and depression as well as many other mental health disorders. She is also interested in social and organizational psychology and plans to attend graduate school to further her research ambitions there. In her free time, she enjoys drawing, hanging out with close friends, and playing with her cats.

 

Sam Johnson

sgj5101@psu.edu

Sam is a Research Assistant in the Newman lab. He is a sophomore majoring in Psychology (B.S.) with the Life Sciences option. He plans on continuing his education through graduate school to become a therapist or clinical psychologist. Sam is interested in abnormal psychology,

specifically anxiety and depression. He is an animal lover and enjoys hiking, running, reading, and doing anything nature-related in his free time.

 

Dayanara Juarez Angeles

dbj5340@psu.edu

Dayanara is a research assistant at Newman's Lab. She is also a freshman majoring in Psychology (B.S) with hopes of becoming a clinical psychologist after completing higher education. She is interested in various mental disorders and how they affect various age ranges in the population. She is also a member of Penn State's Blue and White Society and in her free time, she loves anything involving art, traveling, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family. 

 

Sophia Sabatini

sms9173@psu.edu

Sophia Sabatini is a research assistant. She is a junior who majors in Psychology (B.S.) with a quantitative skills option. She also minors in mathematics and addiction and recovery. She hopes to obtain a Ph.D. in clinical psychology after graduating from Penn State. In her free time, Sophia loves to cook and explore new places in nature by hiking and biking.

 

Ellie Shoff

eps5649@psu.edu

Ellie is a senior majoring in psychology (b.s.) with a neuroscience focus and minoring in biology. She plans to continue her education through graduate school for clinical neuropsychology. Her interests lie in the neurological basis of psychological disorders, especially sleep disorders. In her free time, Ellie enjoys painting, hiking, playing tennis, and hanging out with her friends.

 

Stella Teeter

srt5430@psu.edu

Stella Teeter is from New York City, and she is a third-year student at Penn State. She is currently majoring in biological sciences and health professions on a pre-med track.  She is also minoring in fine art. During her free time, Stella enjoys painting, cooking, and listening to music.

 

Alex Smith

aes6443@psu.edu

Alex is a third-year majoring in the neuroscience psychology option. Her research interests include the neurobiology of addiction and the etiology of substance use, personality, and anxiety disorders. She hopes to pursue medical school to become a psychiatrist or a PhD in neuroscience. In her free time, Alex likes to go on walks, shopping, and try new food places around State College!


Oriana Franco

oif5037@psu.edu

Oriana Franco is a Penn State University student, pursuing a psychology major. She intends to graduate in the spring of 2026 and further her education by pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology or Computer Science. Her hobbies consist of reading, hiking, running, and playing with her dog and cat. Oriana’s interest in mental health has led her to find this lab and become a part of it. Her proficiency in English and Spanish opened many doors for her to communicate with many individuals without barriers. Oriana’s passion for helping people has put her on a path to further her knowledge on things such as mental illness, in the hopes of later on in her life being able to use that knowledge to guide others.

 

Kaia Mockabee

ksm5766@psu.edu

Kaia is a second-year student at Penn State studying Psychology (B.A.). She is interested in studying the development and treatment of psychopathologies in adolescents. In the future she hopes to attend graduate school to further her studies in psychology. Outside of the lab, Kaia works at the Penn State University’s Pattee and Paterno Libraries, and a childcare facility, which sparked her interest in understanding mental illnesses in relation to children. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, shopping, and spending time with loved ones. 

 

Grace Nicolai

gmn5202@psu.edu

Grace is a sophomore majoring in psychology (B.S). She plans to pursue her graduate degree after undergrad graduation in order to pursue a career as a clinical psychologist. What interests her most is understanding anxiety disorders, specifically obsessive-compulsive disorder, which she hopes to specialize in one day. Grace has also been a Teaching Assistant for HDFS 129 so she is also extremely interested in childhood-specific psychology. Outside of the lab, Grace enjoys dancing, taking pictures, and hanging out with her friends and family.


Cherish Graham

chg5157@psu.edu

Cherish Graham is a junior majoring in Psychology (B.S. Business option) at The Pennsylvania State University. As a first-generation student with roots in Ghana, she is passionate about mental health and its impact on underserved communities, particularly within the Black community. She plans to pursue a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology, aiming to start her doctoral program in Fall 2026, and ultimately open her own private practice. Her long-term vision includes establishing wellness centers in Ghana to educate and destigmatize mental health within African and African American communities.

Outside of academics, she is a Resident Assistant, Teaching Assistant, and the Co-Membership Chair for the African Student Association, demonstrating her commitment to leadership and student support. With a love for music, bible study, and art, she brings creativity and balance to her busy life, alongside her passion for learning and helping others.


Taylor Kredo

kredo.1@buckeyemail.osu.edu

My name is Taylor Kredo and I am currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. After graduation, I plan to go to graduate school to receive a Psy.D, and eventually become a health psychologist. I am extremely eager to continue to learn and grow in the psychology field by continuing to volunteer, shadow, and do research.


Allie Rosenberg 

apr5880@psu.edu

Allie is a Research Assistant in the Newman Lab. She is a junior majoring in Psychology (B.A.), with a minor in Sociology. She hopes to attend graduate school to pursue a PhD in Clinical psychology and a master's in performance psychology with the goal of being a sports psychologist. She is currently in the beginning stages of working on a thesis for the Schreyer Honors College. Outside of the lab, Allie is involved in Blue & White Society where she previously held the position of Vice President of Programming and presently holds the position of Director of Internal Affairs. She is also actively interning with The Quell Foundation where she serves as the Development Intern. In her free time, she loves to play with her dog, Penne ala Vodka. 


Shoshana Pontell

sap6123@psu.edu

Shoshana is a sophomore majoring in Psychology and minoring in Rehab and Human Services. She is immensely interested in all fields of Psychology such as Mental Illness, and ultimately hopes to help and work with others. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading, listening to music, and hanging out with her friends!


Aubrey Presson

aep5661@psu.edu

Aubrey is currently a sophomore here at Penn State majoring in Psychology (B.S.) taking the life sciences route. Her research interests include several mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression. Furthermore, she is also very interested in abnormal psychology and how it relates to criminal behavior. Outside of her studies, Aubrey is involved in the Vole Dance Company here at Penn State where she both performs and choreographs for the team. In addition to dance, Aubrey likes to spend her free time going to the gym, hanging out with friends, and listening to music!


Alyssa Sbordone

​ars7349@psu.edu

​Alyssa is a Research Assistant in the Newman lab. She is currently a first-year student intending to major in Psychology (B.S.) with a Life Sciences option. Alyssa is specifically interested in abnormal and clinical psychology. In the future, she plans on going to graduate school to further her education. In her free time, she loves to read, watch movies, and spend time with her family and friends. 

 

Jack Perry

jdp5972@psu.edu

Jack is a second-year student majoring in Psychology (B.S.) Neuroscience Option from Yardley, PA. His research interests include the neurobiological bases of behavioral disorders, particularly behavioral addictions and Substance Abuse disorder. After graduation, he plans to continue his education in graduate school and pursue a career in professional research. Outside of the lab, Jack enjoys cooking new dishes, exploring nature through hiking and backpacking, and spending time with friends. 

 

Lauren Ott

lzo5070@psu.edu

​Lauren is a sophomore pursuing a double major in Psychology (B.A) and Criminology (B.A) as well as minors in Russian language and child maltreatment and advocacy studies. After graduation she hopes to attend graduate school for psychology with the goal of working as a child psychologist. In her free time, Lauren enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with friends, family, and her dog Daisy


Lauren Flynn

lef5357@psu.edu

​Lauren is a first-year undergraduate planning on earning her B.A. in psychology and philosophy. Her research focus is examining whether depression can be predicted through body movement but is also interested in researching other behavioral indicators that correlate with anxiety and depressive disorders. She also enjoys learning about the philosophical aspect of psychology, primarily regarding ethics and the nature of love. During her free time, Lauren enjoys lifting and listening to a variety of rock music. 

 

Audrey Cressler 

aec6046@psu.edu

Audrey is a junior pursuing a major in Psychology (BA) and a minor in Linguistics. Following her undergraduate, she would like to earn a PhD in Clinical Psychology, and eventually work as a therapist in a private practice. Her primary interest is in better understanding environmental interactions' role in anxiety. Outside of psychology, Audrey has many hobbies, including writing, solving puzzles, kayaking, making stained glass, music, baking, and theater. Mostly, she loves to learn and is always looking for a way to broaden her understanding of the world, and make it a little bit nicer for people to live in along the way.

 

Natalie Hanna

nah5567@psu.edu

Natalie is a third-year Penn State student majoring in Psychology (B.A.). She plans to continue her academic career and go to graduate school for either Clinical Psychology or Forensic Psychology. She is interested in mental disorders and how they affect functioning. She loves to help others and learn new things. In her free time, she enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time with loved ones.

 

​Bonni Mergenthaler

​bonni.mergenthaler@gmail.com>

​Bonni completed a Business Management B.S. with an emphasis in Organizational Behavior at Brigham Young University and plans to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology. She is interested in research on the effectiveness of psychotherapy interventions, specifically for patients diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, or substance use disorder. In addition to her educational pursuits, Bonni teaches a religion and life skills class to high schoolers. In her free time, she loves to read, write, and spend time outdoors. She also likes to play board games, watch movies, and joke around with her husband and children, who provide her endless opportunities to learn and grow.

 

Peyton Huff

pah5512@psu.edu

Peyton is a research assistant in the Newman lab. She is a senior majoring in Psychology (B.S.) with a concentration on life sciences. Peyton is interested in conducting research on ASD and ADHD in women.  In the future, she hopes to attend graduate school to achieve this goal. Outside of the lab, Peyton loves to bake, hang out with her friends, and play with her cat named Ace.


Lindsey Villareale

lav5278@psu.edu

​Lindsey is a third-year majoring in Psychology and minoring in Sociology! She intends to graduate from Penn State in Spring of 2026 and continue her education through graduate school to become a therapist. Lindsey is interested in various mental health disorders including anxiety, depression, and OCD. Specifically, how they differ across a lifespan from adolescence to adulthood. Lindsey loves to travel anywhere she can, and explore different hobbies and activities with her friends!

 

Daria Krzywda

dsk5422@psu.edu

​Daria is a Research Assistant in the Newman Lab. She is a sophomore Psychology (BS) student on the Life Sciences track. She is interested in attending graduate school and obtaining her master's in clinical psychology. She is also interested in human behavior and therapy. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and shopping.

 

Lindsay Stetzer

ljs6220@psu.edu

​Lindsay is a research assistant in our lab. I am a junior majoring in Psychology (B.S.) with the neuroscience option. I plan on furthering my education with a PhD in clinical neuropsychology. I am interested in studying the developments and treatments of mental disorders. I am leaning towards working with children with said issues. In my free time I enjoy traveling, playing with my cat, or hanging out with my friends.