Lab Members

Jennifer Tackett received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Minnesota with minors in statistics, personality, and behavior genetics. She is a graduate of the Texas Academy of Math and Science and Texas A&M University, and previously held faculty positions at the University of Toronto and the University of Houston. She is currently a Professor of Psychology and Director of Clinical Training at Northwestern University. She is the editor-in-chief of Clinical Psychological Science and coordinates personality-based leadership programming for students at The Garage, Northwestern's student entrepreneurial incubator. She is also a former associate editor at Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science, the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, Journal of Personality, Perspectives in Psychological Science, the Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, the Journal of Personality Disorders, Assessment, and the Journal of Research in Personality, and former senior editor at the open access journal Collabra: Psychology.

Allison Shields is a 7th-year graduate student in the PAD Lab. She is currently completing her clinical internship at Dell Medical School/Dell Children's Medical Center in Austin, Texas, with a specialty in pediatric neuropsychology. Her clinical interests include the overlap of neurodevelopmental disorders and complex medical conditions in pediatric populations. Her research focuses on measurement and assessment, self-regulation, and social influences on mental and physical health in children. In her free time, Allison enjoys running, baking, and trying new restaurants. 

Cheyenne Bates is a third-year doctoral student in clinical psychology. Her primary interests consist of identity and leadership development in children and adolescents; with emphasis on how contextual factors such as race/ethnicity function to influence those developmental processes and related outcomes. Cheyenne is a San Diego native and a graduate from California State University San Marcos, where she spent two years as a research assistant in a child developmental psychopathology lab. In her free time, Cheyenne enjoys going on walks with her dog, Kobe, and exploring Chicago.

Alexis Mitchell is a first-year doctoral student in clinical psychology. She was born and raised in Northern California, then moved to Southern California where she received her B.S. in psychology at California State University, Fullerton.

Since interested in the psychopathology effects of trauma on low-income minority adolescents, Alexis would like to examine specifically the psychopathology effects of post-traumatic stress disorder in these children. Alexis hopes to conduct research to help children manage their emotional distress levels and develop effective coping strategies, limiting childhood trauma. Alexis enjoys traveling, spending time with her loved ones and her dog Drakeo.

Zirong Li is a first-year doctoral student in clinical psychology. She was born in China and received her BSc. in Psychology from University College London. Zirong's primary research interests are the psychopathology, assessment, and diagnosis of personality disorders in children and adolescents. She is also passionate about the influence of family dynamics and resourceful factors on personality development. In her free time, Zirong enjoys traveling and photographing, and watching great movies.

Lab Manager

Michelle Hong is a senior studying psychology and journalism as well as the Integrated Marketing Certificate. She is interested in how implicit biases form and how they can be unlearned, and after Northwestern, she hopes to go to grad school for clinical or social psychology. Outside of class, Michelle loves to dance, thrift, have picnics with her friends, as well as listen to good music!

The Garage Project Coordinator & Lab Manager

Catherine Wu is a fourth-year majoring in Psychology with a minor in Business Institutions. She is particularly interested in adolescent personality and psychopathology development, as well as early psychopathology preventative research. After graduating, Catherine hopes to attend medical school and become a child psychiatrist. She enjoys taking three hour naps and feeding her caffeine addiction.

Buffet Project Coordinator

Amelia Murphy is a recent graduate who received a B.A. in psychology at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY. While at Skidmore, she found her interest in social psychology by studying psychological factors discerning interracial adoption. She is currently a post-baccalaureate research fellow for “Empowering the Next Generation of Global Women Leaders in Universities around the World." Since she was raised in Chicago, she’s excited to be back in her hometown! In her free time, she enjoys cooking and walking her two dogs, Jack and Ozzie. 

Ashley Brobbey is a third-year majoring in Psychology and Global Health Studies. She is passionate about reducing racial inequities in public health, and is particularly interested in psychopathology and its intersections with racial identity. After Northwestern, Ashley plans to attend graduate school for a Master of Public Health. Outside of school, she enjoys spending time with friends, trying new restaurants, and hiking!

Jackson Buffonge is a third-year majoring in psychology and cognitive science. He is particularly interested in the relationship between personality, psychopathology, and peer relationships as well as how stereotyping and prejudice affect social systems. After Northwestern, he plans to attend graduate school. In his free time, he enjoys watching TV shows, reading, running on the lakefill, and spending time with friends and family.

Amy Cho is a third-year student from San Diego, California. She is majoring in neuroscience with a psychology concentration and she also has a minor in global health. She is especially passionate about adolescent and child health, exploring how experiences we have in our youth such as Adverse Childhood Experiences can affect us as individuals in the future and maybe even future generations. Amy hopes to further pursue mental health and counseling at a graduate level and one day directly work to improve mental health for youths, especially in East Asia where biases against mental health still exist. Outside of the lab and school, Amy loves to dance, bake, and play tennis

Emily Chow is a third-year majoring in Psychology and minoring in French on the pre-med track. She is passionate about how behavioral traits affect the psychopathology of children and adolescents. She is particularly interested in the biological and environmental factors of personality development that influence decision making and motivation. In the future, she hopes to attend medical school and become a pediatrician. Outside of the lab, she can be found exploring the city, catching up on reality tv, and trying new foods!

Meri Danielyan is a second-year majoring in Psychology and minoring in Spanish and Music Cognition. She is particularly interested in how personality traits and social environments shape motivational trajectories. After graduating from Northwestern, she wants to pursue a PhD in Personality Psychology. In her free time, she enjoys photography, finding new music and spending time with friends.  

Athena Demeros is a sophomore studying Biology and Global Health at Northwestern University. In the future, she hopes to attend medical school and become a physician. She is interested in learning about how environmental factors affect personality and development in adolescence. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends and exploring new coffee shops.

Evelyn Driscoll is a junior at Northwestern University. She is majoring in psychology and journalism with a minor in gender and sexuality studies. She is passionate about child and adolescent mental health advocacy and the influence of personality and environment on the development of psychopathology. After graduating, Evelyn plans to attend graduate school. In her free time, she enjoys trying new coffee shops, embroidering, and reading.

Julie Elorza is a fourth-year majoring in Psychology and minoring in Art, Theory, and Practice. She is most interested in the study of psychopathology, specifically the development of children with callous-unemotional traits as well as adolescent mood and anxiety disorders. In the future, she hopes to find practical work in the field of psychology and also promote mental health awareness through art and media. Outside of school, she enjoys painting, drawing, watching anime, and talking about her dog.

Sherry Huang is a sophomore majoring in Psychology and Data Science. She is interested in exploring how social and cultural factors influence people's learning abilities and personality growth. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school and continue doing research through labs. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, hiking, working in theater groups, and trying new restaurants. 

Ainsley Lauer is a second-year majoring in Psychology with a minor in Cognitive Science. She is particularly interested in personality development and adolescent psychopathology. After graduating, she plans to attend graduate school and pursue a career in research. In her free time, she enjoys reading, crocheting, and exploring Evanston with her friends.

Olivia Lauri is a third-year majoring in Psychology. She is interested in the intersection of personality, behavioral traits, and environmental factors for psychopathology outcomes. In particular, the impacts of anxiety and stress on adolescents’ mental and physical health. After graduating from Northwestern University, she hopes to attend graduate school to become a clinical psychologist. 

Christina Li is a second-year majoring in Human Development in Context and Psychology. She is particularly interested in how cultural differences, experience, and many other factors affect individuals’ personality and development, especially during childhood and adolescence. After Northwestern, Christina hopes to attend graduate school to become a therapist or counselor. She enjoys hiking, spending time with friends, and trying different snacks.

Yiyang Liu is a senior studying Human Development in Context and Psychology, and hopes to enter graduate school for social work or clinical psychology in the future. She is especially interested in exploring the ways that one’s environment and individual factors such as race/ethnicity interact with one another and are related to the development of psychopathology. In her free time, Yiyang loves to crochet and make other crafts like 3-D puzzles and jewelry!

Sam Nobile is a junior majoring in Psychology. They are especially interested in mental health and crisis interventions, as well as how personality, cultural, and genetic factors influence psychopathology. After Northwestern, they hope to find hands-on work in psychology or social work before attending graduate school. In his free time, he enjoys watching TV, drawing, and playing video games. 

Aniyah Oliver is a fourth-year majoring in Psychology. She is particularly interested in how race/ethnicity, environmental factors, and biological components simultaneously contribute to the development of psychopathology, specifically during childhood and adolescence. After graduating, Aniyah hopes to attend medical school and become a child psychiatrist. She enjoys binge watching shows on Netflix and cooking for friends.

Michelle Ran is a third-year majoring in Neuroscience and Psychology on the pre-med track. She is particularly passionate about the complex nature of psychopathology and mental health, particularly in the context of child development. After Northwestern, she hopes to attend medical school to become a pediatrician and serve the mental health community through treatment and research. In her free time, she can be found exploring new coffee shops, crocheting, listening to music, or catching sunsets on the Lakefill.

Delilah Schmueck is a third-year majoring in Psychology and Mathematics. She is especially interested in how personality is related to the development of psychopathology, as well as the ways in which the environment impacts the development of personality disorders. After graduating, she plans to attend graduate school for clinical psychology. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outside, doing crosswords, and cooking with friends.

Maya Schwartz is a first-year majoring in Learning and Organizational Change and Data Science. She is particularly interested in how organizations function, specifically understanding how individual differences in personality and temperament play a crucial role in their effectiveness. After Northwestern, Maya intends to attend a graduate business school. In her free time, Maya enjoys staying active, exploring new restaurants and cuisines, and spending time with friends and family.

Paige Usry is a sophomore majoring in Psychology and Data Science. She is most interested in analyzing the perception of personality traits according to gender. After Northwestern, Paige hopes to get a job allowing her to continue to engage in research. In her free time, she enjoys taking long walks, reading, and doing calligraphy.

Mary Yuan is a fourth-year majoring in Psychology. She is particularly interested in the influence of personality traits in psychopathology, as well as understanding the development of narrative identity. In the future, Mary plans to study clinical or personality psychology in graduate school. In her free time, she enjoys horseback riding, watching anime, and spending time with her dog.