Our Lab Team

Evelyn Mercado, Ph.D.

FAM Lab Director

Dr. Mercado is an Assistant Professor in the Psychological and Brain Sciences Department at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research program is centered on understanding the experiences of families from ethnic and immigrant backgrounds. She is particularly interested in understanding how interpersonal emotion dynamics such as shared physiology and affect influence psychological adjustment. Her research employs both naturalistic and experimental methods that involve self-report, observational, and physiological measures (e.g., cortisol).

Graduate Research Assistants

Anamaría Rey-Bollentini

Anamaría is a second-year Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student working with Dr. Evelyn Mercado and Dr. Maria Galano. She graduated from Northwestern University with her master’s in clinical psychology. Her research interests include dating violence/intimate partner violence, and sexual assault in the Latinx community.

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Roger Hauck

Roger is a senior majoring in Psychology. He has been an RA in the FAM Lab since Fall 2023 and spent the summer in the lab. This semester, he is starting his thesis on physiological and affective synchrony. He is interested in how relationships and groups positively impact mental health. He dreams of being a clinician-researcher and opening his own research hospital. Outside of the lab he enjoys swimming and playing water polo.

Sadhvi Sreeram

Sadhvi is a senior undergraduate double-majoring in Biology and Public Health, pursuing the pre-medical track. She has been a member of the FAM lab since Fall 2024 and is interested in disparities in mental health care amongst different ethnic/racial groups. After graduation, she plans to take 2 gap years to continue research and apply to medical school. Outside of the lab, Sadhvi is a member of the club swim team, enjoys outdoor activities, and dancing.

Daniela Alcala-Vargas

Daniela is a junior majoring in Psychology and minoring in Education. She has been an RA in the FAM lab since the Spring 2024 semester. She is interested in child psychology, and child and adolescent mental health and development and the factors that affect their behavior. She plans to attend grad school and complete a PsyD in Counseling Psychology. Outside of the lab, Daniela enjoys going on weekend road trips, playing volleyball, and going to local farmers markets and thrift stores.

Gouri Sudi

Gouri is a junior majoring in Psychology and pursuing the pre-medical track. She joined the FAM lab in Fall 2024. She is interested in clinical psychology, particularly mental health disorders in adolescents, especially in communities facing mental health stigma and resource shortages. After graduation, Gouri plans to take a gap year(s) to continue working as a CNA, volunteering, and applying to medical school. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading, baking, and spending time with friends and family

Emiliana Mejia

Emiliana is a sophomore undergraduate student majoring in Psychology with a minor in Sociology, planning to complete a Criminology and Criminal Justice Certificate. Emiliana joined the FAM lab in the Spring of 2025. Her research focus in psychology relates to racial disparities in crime rates in the U.S. and the impact of crime on minority communities. She is especially interested in the management of crime in the criminal justice system and the effect of the death penalty on racial minorities. In the future, Emiliana plans on pursuing a PhD in criminal psychology and hopes to work with non-profit organizations to tackle the underlying issues of the U.S. criminal justice system that target minority communities. Outside of the lab, Emiliana loves to hang out with friends, read, spend time in nature, and watch movies.

Trisha Badrinath

Trisha is a senior Public Health and Spanish double-major, intending to graduate with a dual degree. She is new to the lab as of this fall and is so excited to work as an undergraduate research assistant! She is most interested in understanding the differences in the impact of mental health within minority groups and BIPOC communities among us. After graduating, she hopes to further her education in alignment with public health. Outside of the lab, Trisha loves to dance, bake/cook, and spend time with her friends.

Yehudah Browne

Sage is a senior undergraduate Yehudah is a senior undergraduate majoring in Psychology. He has been a member of the FAM lab since Spring 2024. His research interests include adolescent mental health, family dynamics, and the impact the environment has on a person. After graduation, Yehudah plans to travel while applying to School Psychology programs. Outside of the FAM Lab, Yehudah is a member of WMUA, the school's radio station, enjoys playing frisbee and spikeball, and traveling.

Grace Cosby

Grace is a junior undergraduate student majoring in psychology. She joined the lab in Fall 2025 and has interests in psych, specifically, child and adolescent mental health, social psychology, and the effects of trauma on the brain. Being a member of the FAM lab allows her to gain valuable research experience in developmental psychology, preparing her for a PhD or PsyD program. Outside of the lab, she likes spending time with family and friends, traveling, and watching documentaries.

Ana Birleanu

Ana is a junior undergraduate majoring in Psychology and Spanish with a minor in Education, planning to complete a Social Work and Social Welfare certificate. She joined the FAM lab in Spring of 2025. Her fields of interest include developmental and social psychology. After graduation, she plans to obtain a Master’s to pursue a career working with children of marginalized communities. In her free time, Ana enjoys painting, spending time with friends and family, and traveling.

Daniela Bader

Daniela is a senior majoring in Psychology and is on the Neuroscience and Pre-med tracks. She joined the FAM Lab in the Spring of 2025. She is interested in neurodegenerative diseases, specifically their pathology and therapies involving biomarkers like tau proteins. She is also interested in how racial disparities in healthcare intersect with neurological health and how addressing these issues can bring about more inclusive and effective treatment interventions. After graduation, she plans to attend medical school. Outside of the lab, Daniela likes to read, draw, watch movies, and explore different restaurants and cafes.

Ana Ruiz Lopez Sanchez

Ana is a junior double-majoring in Biochemistry and Neuroscience with a minor in French. She joined the FAM Lab in the Spring of 2025, and she is interested in brain chemistry and the effect it has on human behavior. After graduation, she plans to pursue a PhD in Neurochemistry. Outside of the lab, Ana enjoys reading, traveling, cooking, and spending as much time with family and friends as possible.

Sabrina Altonjy

Sabrina is a senior undergraduate majoring in Psychology with a minor in Biology, pursuing the Neuroscience and Pre-Dental tracks. She joined the FAM Lab in Spring 2025 and is particularly interested in social psychology, with a focus on group dynamics and behavior. After graduation, she plans to continue her education by attending dental school. Outside of the lab, she enjoys traveling, spending time with friends and family, and hiking.

Naomi Bloom

Naomi is a junior undergraduate majoring in Psychology with minors in Education and Sociology, planning to complete a Social Work Certificate. She joined the FAM Lab in Spring of 2025 and is especially interested in developmental and cognitive psychology. After graduation, she plans to pursue a Master’s and PhD in psychology, hoping to work as a therapist for adolescents. Outside of the lab, Naomi enjoys spending time with friends, drawing, and listening to music, and is involved in SGA.

Chaneiry Pimentel

Chaneiry is a senior undergraduate majoring in Psychology, planning to complete a Social Work and Social Welfare certificate. She joined the FAM lab in the Spring 2025 semester. Her interests include social psychology and social work concerning adolescents. After graduation, she plans to pursue a master's degree in social work to get her LCSW or LMSW. Outside of the lab, Chaneiry enjoys listening to music, hanging out with friends, and being part of a dance team on campus.

Rhea Veerareddy

Rhea is a sophomore Psychology major with a Sociology and English double minor. She joined the lab in Fall 2025, and is excited for this opportunity to grow her interpersonal skills. Rhea is interested in pursuing a PsyD or PhD program to become a clinical psychologist. She is especially intrigued by Cognitive-Behavior Therapy and its effectiveness in addressing mental illness. She hopes to work primarily with adolescents and older children. Rhea is an active member of the UMass campus - involved in ultimate frisbee, slam poetry, and songwriting clubs.

Monera Shora

Liann Taylor

FAM Lab Alumni & Associates

Stephanie Silva, Class of 2025

Angelie Rivera, Class of 2025

Aylin Fernandez, MS

Samir Kassem, Class of 2024

Amani Gottlieb, Class of 2025

Randy Chicoye, Class of 2025

Sofia Murphy-Genao, Class of 2025

Harshada Nagarajan, Class of 2025

Jessie Zeng, Class of 2025

Leo Gualtieri, Class of 2025

Sage Evans, Class of 2025

Leslie Hernandez, Class of 2024

Lauren Haley Santa Ines, Class of 2024

Jordan Harris, Class of 2024

Maria Ramos, Class of 2023

Younes Challabi, Class of 2023

Saisha Chojar, Class of 2023

Catherine Prasad, Class of 2023

Tina Chen, Class of 2023

Adrian Rivera, PhD, Class of 2023

Min Suh, PhD, Class of 2023

Stylianos Syropoulos, PhD, Class of 2023

Rebecca Williams, Class of 2022

Charles Pisaturo III, Class of 2022

Susan Reum, Class of 2022

Marina Boulos, Class of 2022

Jessica Marmolejos, Class of 2021

Jessica Lau, Class of 2021

Kelley Almada, Class of 2021

Kimberly Sikorski, Class of 2021

Zev Jarrett, Class of 2021

Tyler Rice, Class of 2021

David Gertz, Class of 2021

Grace Perry, Class of 2021

Ellie Horn, Class of 2021

Kolby Silva, Class of 2021

Sydney Beaulac, Class of 2020

Saiyak Rakeeb, Class of 2019

David Hincapie, Class of 2019

Lily Martin, Class of 2019

Samantha Price, Class of 2019

Kai Basler - Chang, Summer 2019 RA Intern

Rachel Chong, Class of 2019

Jordan Semple, Class of 2019

Sanjana Kadirvel, Class of 2018

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