Meet the Team

Research Team Fall 2022

Maria Radulescu, Graduate Student & Lab Manager

Hometown: Chicago, IL
Education: B.S. in Psychology and Criminal Justice & Criminology (Loyola University Chicago 2020)
Current Status: 1st year Developmental Psychology PhD student
Research Interests: I'm interested in studying self-regulation, socioemotional development, and positive & adverse childhood experiences in parents and children from immigrant backgrounds. I'm also interested in studying the extent to which parents' experiences influence their children's social, emotional, cognitive, and academic development.
Hobbies: Listening to podcasts, reading, baking
Goals: I hope to get my Ph.D in Developmental Psychology. I would like to continue learning about the experiences of immigrant children and families from all backgrounds, and I hope to contribute to the growing body of literature that emphasizes their strengths.

Zahra Naqi, Graduate Student

Hometown: Chicago, IL
Education: M.A. in Developmental Psychology (Loyola University Chicago 2020); B.S. in Psychology (Loyola University Chicago 2017)
Current Status: 6th year Developmental Psychology PhD student
Research Interests: I’m interested in studying ways in which Black and Latinx/a/o teens’ contextual factors and socio-cognitive skills during early and middle childhood may serve as foundations for their critical consciousness development (i.e., understanding, analyzing, and challenging social inequities) during adolescence.
Hobbies: Exploring new places; spending time with family and friends; trying different types of food; watching reality TV with my partner and our cat
Goals: I hope to get my Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology. Ultimately, I would like to continue working with ethnically minoritized children and youth to learn more about ways to promote cultural responsiveness and equal opportunities in their everyday environments (e.g., schools).

Research Team Fall 2020:

Nathaniel Aganon, Senior at Loyola University Chicago

Lab Alumni as of Fall 2022 :

Jaclyn Lennon, Lab Manager

--- graduated with a B.S. in Psychology (Human Services) from Loyola University Chicago in 2010, in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at Loyola University Chicago

Annelise Cunningham, Lab Manager

---graduated with a B.S. in Psychology (Biology minor) from DePaul University in 2012

Mia Marcus, Graduate Student

--- graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago in 2010, in the Developmental Psychology Ph.D. program at Loyola University Chicago

Laura Stockdale, Graduate Student

--- graduated with a B.S. in Marriage, Family, and Human Development from Brigham Young University, M.S. in Marriage, Family, and Human Development from Brigham Young University, in the Ph.D. program in Developmental Psychology at Loyola University Chicago

Kelly Haas, Graduate Student

--- graduated with a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Loyola University Chicago in 2013, employed as a Senior Research and Assessment Associate at McHenry County College

Tatiana Plata, Study Abroad Graduate Student

--- As of 2014 a PhD student in Psychology at the Universidad de Los Andes, Colombia

Lisa Wolff, Post Baccalaureate Research Assistant

--- graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from Marquette University in 2013, in a master's program in Child Life at Wheelock
College in Boston

Christina Amaro, Undergraduate Research Assistant

--- graduated with a B.S. in Psychology (History minor) from Loyola University Chicago in 2011, in Clinical Ph.D. program

Zainub Ashrati, Undergraduate Research Assistant

--- graduated with a B.S. in Psychology/Pre-Medicine from Loyola University Chicago in 2011, in Master's program

Jessie Duncan, Undergraduate Research Assistant

--- graduated with a B.S. in Psychology/Pre-Medicine from Loyola University Chicago in 2012, in medical school

Sophia Mir, Undergraduate Research Assistant

--- graduated with a B.S. in Psychology & Biology from Loyola University Chicago in 2012, currently in a M.A. program for Clinical Psychology at DePaul University

Donna Flores, Undergraduate Research Assistant

--- graduated with a B.S. in Psychology (Sociology minor) from Loyola University Chicago in 2012, currently in a Ph.D. program for Clinical Psychology at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln

Sarah Pekoc, Undergraduate Research Assistant

--- graduated with a B.S. in Psychology (Criminal Justice minor) from Loyola University Chicago in 2013, currently a research assistant at Northwestern University

Julia Kopcienski, Undergraduate Research Assistant

--- graduated with a B.S. in Psychology Loyola University Chicago in 2013, currently at the George Washington University School of Law and School of Public Policy

Tom Campbell, Undergraduate Research Assistant

--- graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago in 2014, working as an Application Specialist with Fieldglass Inc.

Kayla Max, Undergraduate Research Assistant

--- graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago in 2014, working for CorePower Yoga as an instructor and facilitator.

Patrick Henry, Lab Manager
--- graduated with a M.A. in Developmental Psychology from Loyola University Chicago in 2016
Valerie Flores, Graduate Student
--- graduated with a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Loyola University in 2015, working at Grand Canyon University.
Sabreen Onallah, Undergraduate Research Assistant
--- graduated with a B.S. in Biology from Loyola University Chicago in 2016, currently a student at Illinois College of Optometry
Alex Groffsky, Project Coordinator
--- graduate with a BS in Psychology and minor in Busines from Kalamazoo College in 2015, Currently working in experiential marketing at Jack Morton Worldwide
Marc Cabe, Project Coordinator
--- graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago in 2016, currently a student at University of Southern California's M.S. in Applied Psychology program.
Greg Kasper, Project Coordinator
--- graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago in 2016, currently a student at Boston's M.A. in Social Work program.
Christy Vargas, Undergraduate Research Assistant
--- graduated with a B.S. in Psychology and a B.A. in Spanish from Loyola University Chicago in 2017, currently a student at the University of Michigan's M.A. in Social Work program.
Liz Bose, Undergraduate Research Assistant
--- graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago in 2017, currently pursuing a M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
Reed Ronan, Undergraduate Research Assistant
--- graduated with a B.S. in Psychology and a B.A. in Communications from Loyola University Chicago in 2017, currently a student at Regis University's M.A. in Counseling program.
Zil Gharia, Undergraduate Research Assistant
--- graduated with a B.S. in Biology, applying to Medical Schools and also continue work as an EMT.
Caitlin Prater, Undergraduate Research Assistant
--- graduated with a B.S. in Psychology.
Kira Hinz, Undergraduate Research Assistant
--- graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago 201, applying to Occupational Therapy graduate programs.
Abby Maas, Undergraduate Research Assistant
--- graduated from Loyola University of Chicago in 2018, currently attending Midwestern University's Occupational Therapy program.
Alanna Bonfiglio, Undergraduate Research Assistant
--- graduated with a B.S. in Psychology, accepted a teacher's assistant position through AmeriCorps.
Cristina Gordo, Undergraduate Research Assistant
--- graduated with a B.S. in Psychology.
Amy Governale, Graduate Student
--- graduated with a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Loyola University in 2018, employed as an adjunct professor at North Park University in Chicago.
Lisa White, Post-Doctoral Research Assistant
--- worked as a post-doc research assistant during the 2017-2018 school year.
Dhionis Tartari, Undergraduate Research Assistant

--- currently attending the clinical mental health program at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Kenzie Troske, Project Coordinator & Undergraduate Research Assistant

--- graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago in 2016, currently a graduate student at the University of Denver's School Psychology program.