Graduate Students

Alexis Brewe, M.A.

Alexis Brewe is a sixth-year doctoral student in the clinical child concentration, working with Dr. Susan White. Alexis is interested in characterizing the emotional and behavioral profiles of youth with autism spectrum disorder, as well as the treatment of comorbid psychopathology and their underlying mechanisms (e.g., .emotion regulation) for youth with ASD.

Josh Golt, M.A

Josh Golt is a fifth-year doctoral student in the clinical child concentration, working with Dr. Susan White. His research interests include child and adolescent autism spectrum disorder. Specifically, he is interested in emotion regulation and the impact that emotion regulation has on other psychiatric and behavioral problems.

Brandon McCormick, M.A.

Brandon McCormick is a fifth-year doctoral student in the clinical law concentration, working with Dr. Andrea Glenn. He is interested in long-term behavioral and mental health outcomes following mild traumatic brain injury (e.g., concussions) especially in children and adolescents. Additionally, he is interested in identifying the mechanisms through which mild traumatic brain injury leads to changes in mental health and behavior as well as creating treatment programs to target these symptoms.

Nicole Friedman, M.A.

Nicole is a fourth-year doctoral student in the clinical child concentration. She previously worked with Dr. Caitlin Hudac, and is now working with Dr. Susan White. Her research interests include investigating EEG/ERP methodologies as a marker of treatment success when paired with intervention. Additionally, she is interested in implementation of evidence based treatment in community settings.

Lindsey Held, M.A.

Lindsey is a fourth-year doctoral student in the developmental concentration, working with Dr. Ansley Gilpin. Her research is focused on understanding how play leaders are involved in imaginary play.

Jong-woo Suh, M.A.

​Jong-Woo Suh is a third-year doctoral student in the clinical child concentration, working with Dr. Susan White. He graduated from Korea University with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology. He has a broad interest in autism spectrum disorder. His primary area of focus is developing effective prevention and intervention programs to support children with autism spectrum disorder. Outside of academia, he enjoys playing computer games with his wife.

Olivia Thompson, M.A.

Lindsey Held, M.A.

Lindsey is a fourth-year doctoral student in the developmental concentration, working with Dr. Ansley Gilpin. Her research is focused on understanding how play leaders are involved in imaginary play.

Peter Xu, M.Ed.

Peter is a second-year doctoral student in the clinical child concentration, working with Dr. Bradley White. Peter completed his BS in Shanghai, China. He then attended the University of Toronto, where he completed his MEd in developmental psychology. He is interested in research regarding intervention and cultivating empathy in individuals with Disruptive Behavior Disorder. He loves hiking, cycling, and travelling in his free time.

Emmy Bray, B. A.

Emmy is a second-year doctoral student in the developmental concentration, working with Dr. Ansley Gilpin. Her research interests include the development of children’s executive functions, imagination, and creativity. ​

Victoria Ward, B.A.

Victoria is a second-year doctoral student in the clinical child concentration, working with Dr. Bradley White. Her research interests include the impact of traumatic events on children and their role in the development of empathetic vs callous-unemotional traits.

Bahare Bahmani

​Bahare Bahmani is a first-year doctoral student, working with Dr. Ansley Gilpin. Her research interest is the impact of music on executive function, delving into the connections between music and cognitive processes.

Alexandra Kalinyak, B.S.

Alexandra is a clinical child track doctoral student working with Dr. Susan White. Her research focuses on improving supports for autistic adolescents and young adults. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, trying out new coffee shops, and spending time with her dog, Daphne. ​

Avery Westbrooks, B.S.

My name is Avery Westbrooks, and I am a first year Developmental Psychology graduate student working in the WITY lab! I got my undergraduate education at Kennesaw State University as a Georgia native; and I am so excited to now be living in Tuscaloosa! Outside of research, I love fishing, all forms of art, football, and a good book.

Zachary Schornick, M.A.

I am a first-year graduate student in the developmental concentration, working with Dr. Summer Braun. I am interested in emotional intelligence and regulation. Specifically, I am interested in implementing emotion regulation strategies into school curricula and educational settings.

Lauren Rivers

Lauren is a first-year doctoral student working with Ansley Gilpin. She is interested in the impact of play and play therapy on children’s executive functioning development.

Leah Efferson, Ph.D.

Leah Efferson graduated in 2019 and accepted a position as lab manager in Madison, WI studying psychopathy. While at the University of Alabama, Leah was a developmental student working with Dr. Andrea Glenn. Her research interests include gender differences in psychopathy, empathy, and morality along with how people with psychopathic traits perceive others with similar traits. She has worked in multiple prisons and jails in Alabama, New Mexico, and Wisconsin.

Allie Nancarrow, Ph.D.

Allie Nancarrow graduated in 2019 and is now a post-doctoral scholar at Oregon State University. While here, she worked with Dr. Ansley Gilpin. Her interests include children’s social cognitive development and school readiness. She is also interested in using physiological measures to assess development. Allie’s master’s thesis examined children’s developing deception detection skills in relation to Theory of Mind and emotion knowledge.

Carmen Farrell, Ph.D.

Carmen Farrell graduated in 2020 after working with Dr. Ansley Gilpin. Her interests include young children’s social-cognitive development. Her masters’ thesis was conducted on how executive functions relate to understanding deception. Carmen intends to continue to explore how self-regulatory abilities relate to the development of more advanced social skills.

Rebecca Bauer, Ph.D.

Rebecca Bauer graduated in 2022 from the Cognitive Psychology and Developmental Science dual program, working with Dr. Ansley Gilpin. Rebecca is interested in creativity and imaginative processes and how they relate to executive functioning and language throughout the lifespan. Further, she is interested in whether creativity and imagination are modifiable and whether improvement can positively impact other skills.

Breanna Dede, Ph.D.

Breanna Dede is currently on clinical internship at UNC, after working with Dr. Bradley White in the CEaSR lab. Her research interests include researching social factors that influence disruptive behavior in children and adolescents, such as peer relations, family dynamics, and interpersonal skill deficits. Breanna graduated from undergrad from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

Meagan Heilman, PhD

Meagan Heilman is currently on clinical internship at the Huntsman Mental Health Institute in Salt Lake City, after working with Dr. Brad White. Her research interests include early prevention and intervention strategies for antisocial and associated behaviors, and the effects of frequently comorbid disorders (i.e., substance use, trauma) on development and outcome.

Grace Lee Simmons, PhD

Grace Lee is currently on clinical internship at UNC-TEACCH, after working with Dr. Susan White. Her research focuses primarily on psychosocial interventions targeting social impairments in youth with ASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly those integrating creative and/or performance-based skills (music, art, etc.). In her free time, she enjoys running and hot yoga, trying out new recipes, and traveling.