Current Graduate Students
Graduate students who wish to conduct their master's thesis or dissertation in the IMPACT lab may use data from one of our completed/ongoing projects, or may develop a new project and collect their own data.
Kirby Knapp, 1st Year
(she/her/hers)
Kirby is a first-year student in the clinical psychology doctoral program. She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a BA in Psychological and Brain Sciences and a minor in Marketing. Following graduation, she worked for two years as a Clinical Research Assistant at the Brown-Lifespan Center for Digital Health, where she investigated the relationships between social media use, peer victimization, and social isolation in hospitalized adolescents. She is interested in exploring how interpersonal relationships and adolescent development affect well-being and psychopathology in emerging adults. She hopes to design and evaluate interventions aimed at improving psychological health in young adults.
Current Research Assistants
Matt Shack
(he/him/his)
I graduated from Loyola University Chicago majoring in Psychology, and have been working in the IMPACT Lab since 2020. I joined because of my interest in using modern technology to improve the well-being of college students. I am excited to learn more about the differing ways students experiencing such a formative yet difficult transitional period can be helped, and I hope to use the experience gained at IMPACT to pursue a career in therapy.
Sara Sadok
(she/her/hers)
I am currently a Senior at Loyola University Chicago majoring in Biology and minoring in theater. I joined the lab because of my interest in helping to destigmatize and improve mental health for everyone. I am also intrigued with how mental health is affected by the constant transitions that comes with being a college student. When I am not working in the lab, I am working as an ER tech or volunteering with tutoring centers. In the future, I hope to attend medical school and possibly pursue a specialty in psychiatry.
Josh Knutsen
(he/him/his) |
I am a rising Senior at Loyola University Chicago majoring in Psychology with a minor in Journalism. I joined the IMPACT lab in the Summer of 2022 because of my interest in developmental psychology and the alarmingly high rate of college transitional issues. I hope to continue learning and growing with the lab until I graduate and then transition into a PhD program. Career-wise, I’m interested in the helping professions, but would love to be involved in developmental research as well. Of the lab’s projects, I find SMiLe to be the most interesting and look forward to finding more ways to directly benefit our Loyola community! |
Bradley Orzada
(he/him/his)
I am currently a sophomore at Loyola University Chicago pursing a double major in Psychology and Social Work. I have always felt a strong desire to understand people as a whole and meet them where they are in life. Saying this, I was overjoyed to start working with the IMPACT lab in January of 2023. During my time at the lab, I hope to learn about the challenges people face during transitional periods, methods to minimize their stress, and develop core skills necessary for psychological research.When I am not working in the lab, I am a Crisis Call Intern for Beacon of Hope Crisis Center. In the future, I hope to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology and work with adolescent populations.
Ishika Patel
(she/her/hers)
I graduated Loyola University Chicago in May 2023 with a bachelor's in Psychology and Neuroscience. I joined the impact lab because of my interest in researching and improving college students’ mental health. While finishing up my experience as a college student, I hope to contribute and be a part of improving other college students and individuals struggling with mental health. I look forward to learning and growing in multiple aspects as an individual through this lab and growing with my new team members. I am eager to gain professional skills from the impact lab and apply them to my future endeavors and career down the road. I aspire to work with youth and adolescents struggling with mental health and addiction and to work in the legal field to make policies and changes for my community.
Ali Boutelle
(she/her/hers)
I am currently a senior majoring in biochemistry on a pre-med track. I joined this lab because of my ever growing interest in how psychiatry and psychology intercept, especially among adolescents! I have a developmental psychology background, and experience working as a medical assistant in a psychiatry/therapy office. I hope to gain more experience looking into the true efficacy of current treatments for mental health disorders in adolescents. Outside of the lab, I am a peer health educator and a medical assistant at a functional medicine office. I am confident this experience will make me a better student, worker, and future doctor!
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Alex Juarez
(he/him/his)
I am currently a Sophomore at Loyola University Chicago majoring in psychology and on the pre-health track. I joined this lab because of my interest in the field of psychology and research, as well as due to my aspiration to become a psychiatrist and aid others. I look forward to learning much more about the psychological aspects of transitions across development. I’m thrilled to be a member of the IMPACT lab and be apart of research that strives to make a difference!
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Zuzu Trottier
(she/her/hers)
I am currently a junior at Loyola University Chicago majoring in Psychology and Statistics. This is going to be my first year as a part of the IMPACT Lab and I’m super excited! I joined because of my interest in mental health and my previous work with incoming college students as an Orientation Leader here at Loyola. I’m still trying to figure out my aspirations career-wise, but I know I want to do something to help those struggling with mental health, either in a research setting or a clinical one.
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Khushi Thakkar
(she/her/hers)
I am currently a Junior at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign majoring in Clinical Psychology with a minor in Informatics and Business. I joined the IMPACT Lab this past summer because of my interest in developmental factors in adolescents and young adults. Additionally, I am passionate about eliminating the mental health stigma and increasing accessibility/awareness for mental health resources. With that, I am working towards gaining a variety of research and clinical experience prior to applying to graduate school to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with the hope to clinically practice.
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Kerry Finnegan
(she/her/hers)
I am currently a Senior at the College of the Holy Cross majoring in Psychology and minoring in Urban Studies! I joined the lab this past summer because I’m really interested in psychopathology, and I think the IMPACT lab’s depression and anxiety research can really help alleviate some burdens of college students. While in this lab I hope to learn more about mental health intervention methods and how to be a productive and positive contributor to a research lab. After graduating I’m planning on pursuing a PhD in clinical psychology and utilizing all the professional skills I developed during my time in the lab!
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Harmony Singh
(she/her/hers)
I am currently a Junior at Loyola University Chicago majoring in Psychology with minors in English and Dance. I just joined IMPACT lab and am so excited for all the learning opportunities that are coming. I joined the lab because I believe it is important to focus and study mental health issues, and to find interventions/preventions that can help college students. I look forward to learning many different thought processes students may face during transitional periods and what can be done to help them during these times. In the future, I plan to continue gaining research experience and pursuing a PhD in Developmental Psychopathology.
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IMPACT Lab Alumni
Former Graduate Students
- Amanda Ruggieri- BS Psychology from Brown University (2016)
- Carol Hundert Gonzales - PhD in Clinical Psychology from Loyola University (2022), BS in Psychology from Yale University (2014)
- Brynn Huguenel - PhD in Clinical Psychology from Loyola University (2021), BA in Psychology from Boston College (2012)
- Jenna Shapiro- PhD in Clinical Psychology from Loyola University (2019), BA in Psychology and minor in Dance from Barnard College of Columbia University in 2011
- Alex Kirsch - PhD in Clinical Psychology from Loyola University (2017), BA in Psychology from Kenyon College (2011)
- Catherine Lee - PhD in Clinical Psychology from Loyola University (2016), BA in Psychology from Cornell University (2008)
- Lea Travers - PhD in Clinical Psychology from Loyola University (2015), BS in Cognitive Neuroscience from Brown University (2008)
- Daniel Dickson - PhD in Clinical Psychology from Loyola University (2015), BA in Psychology from UCLA (2006)
- Ashley Rolnik - PhD in Clinical Psychology from Loyola University (2014), BA in Psychology from Northwestern University (2008)
- Alison Stoner - PhD in Clinical Psychology from Loyola University (2014), BA in Psychology from the University of Notre Dame (2008)
Former RAs
- Marie Chamberlain - BA in Psychology and Criminal Justice/Criminology and minor in Women's and Gender Studies (2022)
- Ally Tetzlaff - BA in Psychology and minor in Business Administration (2022)
- Danielle Arntson - BA in Psychology (2022)
- Callie Navarrete - BA in Psychology (2021)
- Abigail Blum - BA in Psychology and Creative Writing (2020) from Northwestern University
- Samad Alvi- BS in Psychology and minor in Biology (2021)
- Lauren Nowakowski- BS in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychology and minor in Bioethics (2021)
- Shanna Anssari- BS in Psychology (2021)
- Maria Bandriwsky- BS in Psychology and minor in Biology (2021)
- Saba Shalwani- BS in Psychology and minor in Bioethics (2021)
- Adorina Bethishou- BS in Psychology (2021)
- Avery Pankratz- BS in Psychology and Criminal Justice and Criminology (2020)
- Victoria Sardalla- BS in Psychology (2020)
- Chelsea Moore- BS in Psychology and minor in Biology (2020)
- Mia Allen- BA in Psychology (2019)
- Noor Abdelfattah- BS in Psychology and Political Science and minor in Spanish (2019)
- Sylwia Osos- BS in Psychology and minor in Spanish and Sociology from Loyola University (2019)
- Khrystyna Stetsiv- BS in Psychology and minor in Journalism from Loyola University (2019)
- Aleksandra Winiarz- BS in Psychology and Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience from Loyola University (2018), RA in pharmacology lab in Center for Translational Research and Education at Loyola University Chicago in Maywood
- Caroline Wysgalla- Studying at Loyola University; Psychology and Psychology of Crime and Justice
- Noah Whiteman - Studying at Lawrence University; pre-medical focus studying biology and environmental science
- Anum Afzal - BS in Psychology from Loyola University (2017)
- Maggie Meagher - BS in Psychology and BA in Sociology from Loyola University (2017), Candidate for Doctor of Medicine at UCSD
- Alexander Karl - BA in Psychology from Loyola University (2016)
- Gavin Crowell - BA in Psychology from Knox College (2016)
- Giulia Zanini - BS in Psychology from Loyola University (2016)
- Melissa Haggerty - BS in Psychology from Loyola University (2017)
- John Clifford - BS in Psychology from Loyola University (2016)
- Liz Pope - BS in Psychology from Loyola University (2011), Candidate for Juris Doctor at University of South Carolina (2017)
- Samicchya Adhikari - BS in Psychology from Loyola University (2013), Master's Degree in Biological and Biomedical Sciences from Kansas City University (2015)
- Zamara Qureshi - BS in Biology from Loyola University (2016), Candidate for Master of Science Physician's Assistant Studies at Midwestern University (2018)
- Devin Jordan - BS in Psychology from Loyola University (2014), Candidate for an MBA/MSHR from Loyola University (2018)
- Monica Kulach - BS in Psychology from Loyola University (2014)
- Katlyn Dillane - BS in Psychology from Loyola University (2014)
- Bita Rad - BS in Psychology, BA in Spanish from Loyola University (2014)
- Colleen Cook - BS in Psychology from Loyola University (2015)
- Lisa Ike - BS in Criminal Justics from the University of Houston (2010), MA in Counseling, Forensic Specialization from Adler University (2015)
- Whitney Lai - BS in Psychology from Loyola University (2015)
- Tracey Riley - BS in Psychology from Loyola University (2014)
- Michael Ryva - BS in Psychology from Loyola University (2013)
- Juan Barriga - BS in Psychology from Loyola University (2015), Candidate for an MA in Clinical Psychology (2017)
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