Education:

B.Sc. Psychology Research Specialist, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

Ph.D., M.Sc. in Clinical Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

Pre-doctoral Internship in Clinical Psychology completed at the IWK Health Center, Halifax, NS, Canada

Post-doctoral training completed at the University of Notre Dame, IN, USA

Bio:

My research interests lie in the areas of personality development and developmental psychopathology with an emphasis on multi-informant and multi-method assessment, evidence-based measure development, and advanced quantitative methods. Some of my past work has explored the role of temperamental emotionality in internalizing psychopathology, and the influence of methodology on the conclusions that one draws in developmental models of depression vulnerability. This research was performed in the context of longitudinal designs in the hopes of creating a comprehensive model of transdiagnostic risk for the internalizing spectrum of psychopathology, including temperamental, psychophysiological, and cognitive pathways.

In addition to assessment of child temperament and its role as a transdiagnostic risk factor, I am interested in the interplay between personality and psychopathology beyond the child-developmental period. Being a member of the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) consortium, Clinical Translation and Measures Development Workgroups in particular, I also contribute to the research literature on improving the organization, description, and measurement of psychopathology. My current focus within the HiTOP consortium is on developing a system for evidence-based ranges permitting informed categorical decision making in clinical practice.

Given my long-standing interest in statistical methods and evidence-based measure development, I am continuing to explore structural, methodological, and developmental issues in assessment of personality and temperament, including maladaptive personality traits. My postdoctoral research at the Center for Advanced Measurement of Personality and Psychopathology (CAMPP), University of Notre Dame focused on the structural and methodological issues in assessment of maladaptive personality traits and developing a better understanding of how such traits are related to functional impairment in daily life. With Dr. Lee Anna Clark, the developer of the Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality and a world-class leader in personality disorder conceptualization and assessment, we developed a significantly shortened version of this measure, the SNAP Brief Self-Description Rating Form (SNAP-BSRF) and its informant counterpart, the SNAP Brief Other-Description Rating Form (SNAP-BORF). Currently, together with my research team at the U of A, I am working on developing a battery of theoretically and empirically grounded measures of temperament/personality across the lifespan to increase understanding of how these traits contribute to the development of psychopathology. 

Kelsie is a Doctoral student in the School and Child Clinical Psychology program at the University of Alberta. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (Applied Emphasis) with high distinction and a minor in forensic sociology in 2020. Kelsie's professional interests are primarily in the area of clinical assessments. She currently works as a psychometrist at two private practices, and has extensive experience administering and scoring neuropsychological, cognitive, and personality assessments. Her main research interests involve developmental self-regulation in youth, and she aspires to engage in further clinical experience in pediatric neuropsychology.

In her private life, Kelsie is passionate about cooking, gardening, and camping. With over 20 houseplants and a backyard full of blooming flowers and perennials. Kelsie, her husband, her three cats, and senior dog are living their best lives!

Zuha is a Master’s student in the School and Clinical Child Psychology program at the University of Alberta. She graduated in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science (First Class Honours) in Psychology from the University of Calgary, where her research examined the bidirectional relationship between family-level factors (marital quality and parenting behaviours) and internalizing symptoms in adolescents. This experience ignited her interest in exploring risk factors for internalizing psychopathology, an area of research she is excited to pursue further at the SAMPL lab.

Her research interests and experiences also include addressing the racial and ethnic disparities in mental health outcomes for children and youth, cultural differences in the assessment and measurement of psychological disorders, and improving culturally-competent mental health care.

Outside of school and work, Zuha enjoys everything artistic - including painting, creating air dry clay projects, crocheting, and doing photography! 

Julia is a first-year Master’s of Counselling Psychology (M.Ed.) student at the University of Alberta. She completed her Honours Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology Research at the University of Toronto in 2024, where her thesis looked at how cultural values amongst Chinese singles relate to their well-being in singlehood. As a student clinician, Julia has a passion for supporting children, adolescents and young adults’ mental health. She is excited to join the SAMPL lab, where she can merge her interests with her burgeoning curiosities about the field, and learn more about cross-cultural psychological assessments for psychopathology amongst youth.

In her free time, Julia enjoys working out (e.g., pilates, lifting weights, dragon boating), going to bakeries, and spending time with loved ones. 

Alanna is an incoming master’s student in the School and Clinical Child Psychology program at the University of Alberta. She completed her B.Sc. (Hons) in Psychology and certificate in Science Communication and Leadership at Dalhousie University in 2024, where she developed diverse research interests while working on projects examining youth and young adult personality, mental health and well-being, internalizing symptoms, and risky behaviours (i.e., substance use, bullying). Alanna is happy to be home in Alberta and looks forward to learning more about psychological measurement and assessment in children at the SAMPL Lab. She also hopes to explore the development of personality and self-regulation and how these factors are related to youth’s relationships, risk-taking, and mental health.  

Outside her studies and research, Alanna loves to hike, and she unwinds by curling up with a good book in a coffee shop. 

Kiran is a Doctoral student in the Counselling Psychology program at the University of Alberta. She completed her Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Psychology and Master of Education in Counselling at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC). Professionally, she is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) in the province of British Columbia. 

Her research interests and experiences are quite broad. She has previously worked on projects related to visual word recognition, compassion, identity, patient-oriented work, and rural and remote health. For her dissertation, she will be examining the experiences of self-compassion in female veterans. 

Kiran is excited to join the SAMPL lab! She looks forward to learning about personality development, maladaptive personality traits, and assessment methods. In her spare time, Kiran enjoys the occasional afternoon nap and eating baked goods.  

Sabina is currently a Bachelor of Education (BEd) student at the University of Alberta. She completed her Bachelor of Music (BMus) degree at the University of Alberta in 2022 and is looking to become an active educator in Edmonton.

Her research interests led her to the SAMPL lab in the Summer of 2024 (as a Roger S. Smith Undergraduate Research Trainee) and Winter 2025 (as an Undergraduate Research Award Recipient) to develop her knowledge of clinical psychology. Within the lab, she has primarily worked on measure development and she continues to contribute to several projects.

Sabina is an avid musician and a fan of tabletop games when she is not too busy marking papers!

Sharen completed her BSc in Psychology at the University of Alberta in 2023. Since then, she has been actively pursuing her research interests within the Department of Psychology and, more recently, in the SAMPL Lab. Currently in her gap year, she continues her research on the association between anxious symptoms and emotional self-regulation in early childhood in the PEERs Lab, where she is collaborating with Dr. Hoglund. Additionally, she is conducting a study on social anxiety and visual attention under the supervision of Dr. Hayward in the VASP Lab. 

She’s excited to be a part of the SAMPL Lab team, hoping to gain deeper insight into research methodologies and developmental research. 

Beyond research, Sharen works as a Therapeutic Assistant for Behavioural Therapy with the Edmonton Catholic School Board and as a Tutor at Kumon in Leduc. 

In her free time, she’s either getting her hands dirty in the pottery studio or attempting to stick to her New Year’s resolution of not buying new books until she finishes her current TBR. 

My name is Carlos, although my family sometimes calls me “chat” (which is French for cat), and I am the lab meownager at the SAMPL lab! I recently completed my BCat in Meowing at Purrinceton University and am looking to gain more research experience before continuing my studies. 

In the past, I have been a trainee in cardboard box parkour, opening drawers with my paws, and playing fetch for hours. Recently, I conducted a self-study and sat outside of my human’s office door and continued to meow until she opened it. Currently, I have undertaken another study that involves ways to trick my human into donating their seafood to me - the results have not been promising thus far, but data collection is in its early stages. 

When I am not engaged in research activities at the SAMPL lab, I can be found staring out of the living room window, trying to catch the attention of my humans, and attempting to steal food. If you are trying to find me, please look in the kitchen. 

My name is Paul, The Magical Cheese Wizard, although my family calls me "Po", and I am a catguate research assistant with the SAMPL lab! Back in the day, I lived independently working on my BCat in environmental exploration from the Pawvard University. I found a permanent residence in August 2023 and have since then been working on my Master's Degree in domestic living at Slaterston Home Academy.

Pivotal to my expertise is my mentorship of an underdoguate research assistant, Miss. Stella Slater the Mini Aussie, whom I've been training in the fine arts of napping and treat acquisition since her arrival in Feb 2024.

My research interests include optimal sunbeam positioning, the acoustic properties of cardboard boxes, and the aerodynamics of knocking objects off flat surfaces. I've published several well-received papers, including "The Zoomies: A Nocturnal Phenomenon" and "Pawsitioning Theory: Why Keyboards Make the Best Beds."

In my free time, you can find me stretching upsidedown in the sun, snuggling up next to my humans, or exercising my morning vocals. I'm also an avid bird-watcher through the living room window and a connoisseur of catnip. During the winter months, I conduct extensive research on lap thermal properties and blanket infiltration techniques.

My office hours are whenever I feel like it, but I'm most responsive to treats being shaken between 2-4 PM. Feel free to stop by the lab, though I cannot guarantee I'll acknowledge your presence unless you bring cheese - hence my esteemed title.

Nicole is an undergraduate student in the honors program at the University of New Orleans where she will receive her B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. She developed an interest in Psychology research after taking the Research Methods and Statistics course with Dr. Kotelnikova in Fall of 2019, where she studied the effects of internal and external stigma on one’s seeking mental health services. She was a recipient of the Richard D. Olson Award in Experimental Design and Methodology for her work in the course. Nicole then was an undergraduate teaching assistant for the Research Methods course in Spring of 2020. After this experience, she was chosen by Dr. Kotelnikova for the Tolmas COSURP Award where she was able to gain more extensive research experience as a paid undergraduate researcher, which led to her presenting her done work with Dr. Kotelnikova and colleagues on An Evidence Based Assessment of Temperament in Preschoolers: A Measure Development Project at the Innovate UNO Research Symposium in Fall of 2020, where she was awarded the 2nd Place Undergraduate Award. Since Spring of 2021, Nicole has been working with Dr. Matt Scalco at the University of New Orleans aiding in data collection for the New Orleans Adolescent Risk and Resilience Study. Nicole is currently exploring her options for post-graduate schooling and in-the-field work experience.

 Joseph received his B.S. in general psychology from Louisiana State University in 2008. In 2012, he graduated with his M.A. in psychology from Southeastern Louisiana University with research experience in cognitive and social psychology. He has extensive experience in teaching undergraduate courses, with particular focus in research methods. Since graduating, he has provided several years of mental health service to the Greater New Orleans area. His research interests lie in novel biological approaches to personality and temperament assessment. He entered into the Applied Developmental Psychology at the University of New Orleans in Fall of 2020 and is currently studying in the Applied Biopsychology program.