I am a postdoctoral scholar in the REACH Lab in the Division of Adolescent Medicine at Stanford University, working at the intersection of human development, family studies, and prevention science under the mentorship of Developmental Psychologist Dr. Bonnie Halpern-Felsher. I completed my PhD in Human Development and Family Studies at The Pennsylvania State University in 2021, where I was a fellow in the Prevention and Methodology Training program. I was also a member of the Family P.OW.E.R Lab led by Dr. Gregory Fosco, and the Addiction and Innovative Methods Lab led by Dr. Stephanie Lanza.
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Research
My research applies intensive longitudinal methods and time-varying effect modeling to evaluate family, school, and peer influences on adolescent development and substance use. One area of my work focuses on how interparental conflict shapes adolescent social-emotional development on both situational (e.g., days) and long-term (e.g., years) timescales. I'm also interested in how adolescents' protective relationships with peers, teachers, and schools can bolster their resilience and help them overcome risk in the family context.
A second area of my research examines policy and prevention efforts aimed at improving adolescent health and reducing substance use through family- and school-based programs. In particular, I am interested in examining developmental and sociodemographic trends in perceptions of e-cigarette tobacco and cannabis health risks and intentions to use. My goal is to translate developmental science into evidence-based and equity-oriented interventions that reduce adolescent substance use and promote well-being among diverse adolescents and families.
My research is currently funded by a postdoctoral award from the Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program (TRDRP) and a Community Engaged Research to Promote Health Equity (CERPHE) Pilot Trainee Grant from the Maternal and Child Health Research Institute at Stanford University. These projects exemplify my broader commitment to integrating rigorous quantitative methodology with community-engaged interventions that inform effective programs and policies for diverse families. My research has been featured in the Journal of Family Psychology, Family Process, Journal of Adolescence, and Addictive Behaviors, among others.
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Teaching and Mentorship
My approach to teaching and mentoring is informed by the belief that education settings hold the power to promote individual growth and foster broader social equity. I developed this perspective after working and teaching in the public school system, where I witnessed how struggling students were able to achieve success if they were provided with the personal and institutional supports they deserved.
Currently, I serve as a mentor for the STEP-UP program (Short-Term Research Experience for Underrepresented Persons) and the DRIVE (Diversity, Respect, and Inclusion are Vital for Excellence) in Research Pipeline program to foster research experiences for students from populations underrepresented in higher education. I am particularly interested in teaching and mentoring diverse student populations and first-generation students.
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Teaching remains one of my favorite aspects of academia, and I am particularly interested in teaching courses in human development, adolescent development, health behaviors across the life course, family systems, research design, statistics, and prevention science.
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To learn more about my work, check out my CV. Thanks for visiting!
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