Rachel Harmon, M.A.

Rachel is a fourth-year graduate student from Greensboro, North Carolina. She graduated from Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia in 2020 where she earned her B.S. in Psychology with a concentration in Human Development. Rachel then spent a year working as a Registered Behavior Technician doing ABA Therapy with children and adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Rachel is most interested in how having a child with ASD or another neurodevelopmental disorder impacts caregivers and siblings. More specifically she is interested in development of empathy and prosocial behavior amongst typically developing siblings and coping amongst caregivers during the diagnosis process. Outside of psychology, Rachel enjoys running, spending time at coffee shops, and baking.  

Jong-Woo Suh, M.A.

Jong-Woo Suh is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Clinical Child Psychology program, working with Dr. Theodore Tomeny. 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. Currently, he is interested in examining the relationship between social support, family functioning, and family quality of life among parents. Outside of academia, he likes to play computer games with his wife. 

Miles Abney

Miles is a first-year graduate student originally from Midland, Texas. She received her B.S. from Vanderbilt University in 2024 with highest honors in Cognitive Studies, a second major in Religious Studies, and a Spanish minor. At Vanderbilt, she was an undergraduate research assistant in the Children’s Healthcare, Illness, Legacy, and Loss Lab, where her senior thesis examined stress and coping in adult siblings of individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. Miles is interested in the experiences and coping mechanisms of siblings and caregivers of individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. She is especially interested in the sibling perspective as well as how we can better support all individuals within the family unit, especially during times of transition (such as the special needs individual’s transition to adulthood). In her free time, Miles enjoys practicing yoga, needlepointing, trying new recipes, traveling, & watching Ted Lasso- one of her favorite TV shows. 

Olivia Ward, M. A.

Olivia is a graduate student at UAB from Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey. She graduated from Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts in 2021 with a B.S. in Clinical Psychology and a B.A. in Child Studies and Human Development. With the support of the Fulbright Scholar Grant, Olivia then conducted research and completed a master’s degree in clinical psychology at Erasmus University Rotterdam in The Netherlands where she also conducted research into the impact of COVID-19 measures on families with a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Olivia is interested in how the perception of ASD differs across cultures and how these differences influence families. She is also particularly interested in the perspective of the sibling and the role neurotypical siblings play in families with a child with ASD. In addition to psychology, Olivia enjoys baking, running, exploring the outdoors, and traveling.

Clayton Cain

Clayton Cain, born and raised in Tuscaloosa, is currently pursuing a B.S. in psychology with a minor in biology at UA. His research interests focus on how familial communication processes in families with individuals on the autism spectrum influence both internal and external behavioral outcomes. Clayton is also exploring graduate school opportunities in business and health-related fields. Outside of his academic and research work, Clayton enjoys the outdoors, playing sports, and music.

Amaya McClain

Amaya, originally from Tacoma, Washington, though raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, received her B.A. in psychology and political science from UA. Because of her focus on psychology, Amaya is interested in how environmental factors may affect children with ASD’s ability to learn positive behaviors. Due to this being her interest, Amaya is currently interested in pursuing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) graduate programs. Outside of psychology research, Amaya enjoys the outdoors, music, dancing, and rollerskating. 

Allison Birnschein, Ph.D.

Dr. Birnschein graduated from UA in 2025. She is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

Courtney Paisley, Ph.D.

Dr. Paisley completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Developmental Pediatric Psychology at Children’s Hospital Colorado. She is currently working in private practice.

Sophie Eldred, Ph.D.

Dr. Eldred is a staff psychologist at Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas.

James Rankin, Ph.D.

Dr. Rankin completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry at the Pereleman School of Medicine at The University of Pennsylvania. He is now an assistant professor at Ball State University.

Lorien Baker, Ph.D.

Dr. Baker is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone Health in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Child Study Center.