People
Principal Investigators
Dr. Jessica R. Cohen (she/her) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at UNC Chapel Hill. She is a member of the Cognitive Psychology program and the Human Neuroimaging Group. She is also affiliated with the Biomedical Research Imaging Center, the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, the Neurobiology Curriculum, and the Center for Developmental Science. Dr. Cohen received her A.B. in Psychology from Harvard University, her Ph.D. in Psychology from UCLA, and postdoctoral training in Neuroscience at both UC Berkeley and Kennedy Krieger Institute/Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Email: jrcohen@unc.edu
Dr. Nicholas Fogleman (he/him) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UNC School of Medicine and Director of the UNC ADHD Program. He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and has an appointment at the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities. Dr. Fogleman completed his B.S. in Psychology at Loyola University Chicago, Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at University of Louisville, Clinical Psychology Internship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, and Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities.
Email: nicholas.fogleman@med.unc.edu 
Postdoctoral Fellows
Dr. Hope Peterson-Sockwell (she/her) completed her B.A. in Psychology, M.S. in Biomedical Sciences, and Ph.D. in Neuroscience at Wake Forest University. She is a recipient of the Diversity Specialized Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Advancement in Neuroscience (D-SPAN) Award, an F99/K00 NIH grant. Hope’s graduate and postdoctoral research explores the role of the Default Mode Network in cognitive processes in typical and disordered populations using networks and dynamic connectivity analyses.
Email: hps@unc.edu
Dr. David Garnica (he/him) earned a B.S. in Psychology and an M.S. in Neuroscience from the National University of Colombia. Supported by a German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) scholarship, he completed a Ph.D. in Systems Neuroscience at the University of Göttingen, Germany. His research uses neuroimaging to investigate the development of functional and structural connectivity patterns in youth with anxiety, ADHD, and epilepsy. He is currently working on Prof. Aysenil Belger’s PASS study (https://nirl.web.unc.edu/nirl-projects/pass/) and Prof. Jessica R. Cohen’s BrainMAP study.
Email: dga@email.unc.edu
Graduate Students
Monica Lyons (she/her) is a graduate student in the Developmental Psychology PhD Program in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and MD/PhD candidate in the MD/PhD Program. She graduated from Tufts University with a B.S. in Cognitive and Brain Sciences and Biology, with a minor in Computer Science. After graduation, she worked as a research assistant in the Psychiatry Neuroimaging Lab at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Monica is interested in how applications of neuroimaging methods like graph theory can help us better understand psychopathology, particularly in pediatric populations. She enjoys running, biking, and playing with her cat Kiki.
Email: monica_lyons@med.unc.edu
Yuyao Zhao (she/her) is a graduate student in the Cognitive Psychology PhD program in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. She graduated from Beijing Normal University with BS and MS degrees in Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience. Yuyao is interested in the functional organization and network interplay underlying cognitive control in different contexts and their typical and atypical neurodevelopment from infancy to adulthood. Outside of her studies, Yuyao enjoys drawing, hiking, and biking.
Email: yuyzhao@unc.edu
Katie Garrisi (she/her) is a graduate student in the Developmental Psychology PhD Program in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. She graduated with a B.A. in Psychology and Minor in Creative Writing from Cornell University in 2019. After graduation, she worked as a Clinical Research Assistant at the Gaab Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital and the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and then as the Data Analyst in Dr. Margaret Sheridan’s Child Imaging Research on Cognition and Life Experiences Lab at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Katie is interested in understanding how brain network development throughout childhood and adolescence relates to the emergence of psychopathology in clinical populations, and how this could inform future interventions.
Email: kathryn.garrisi@unc.edu
Gretchen Wulfekuhle (she/her) is a graduate student in the Cognitive and Social Psychology PhD Programs in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. She graduated with a B.S. in Psychological Science and Minors in Biology and Economic Policy from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2022. After graduation, she worked as a Research Coordinator for the Gratton Lab at Florida State University. Gretchen is interested in how changes in the brain across the lifespan affect individual variation and emotional processing. She also enjoys hiking, reading, and running.
Email: gwulfe@unc.edu
Ehi Okojie is a graduate student in the Cognitive and BIN PhD Programs in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. He graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from The Ohio State University in 2023. He then Worked as a research scholar in Dr. Julie Golomb’s lab as a part of the Discovery PREP program at Ohio State. Ehi is interested in using neuroimaging to investigate executive functioning and goal-oriented behavior. He would like to contribute to the scientific literature in a way that informs treatment of clinical populations and allows us to understand/improve executive functioning in all people. In his free time Ehi likes to play basketball, work out, explore the area, and learn new things.
Research Staff
Ellie Birdsong (she/her) is the lab manager for the Cohen Lab, lead project coordinator for the BrainMAP study, and a member of the CogMAP study team. She graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a B.S. in Neuroscience and completed her undergraduate honors thesis on biological variation within neural progenitor cell populations. Ellie is interested in the neural processes underlying cognition and is passionate about improving the undergraduate research experience.
Email: elliehf@email.unc.edu
Gracie Tharin (she/her) is a research assistant and project coordinator for the Cohen Lab BrainMAP study. She graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a B.A. in Psychology and a B.A.Ed. in Human Development and Family Science. She completed her undergraduate honors thesis on neural mechanisms underlying irritability in children with and without ADHD and their correlations with impairment. Gracie is interested in the intersections of emotion, cognition, and well-being in youth.
Email: gtharin@ad.unc.edu
Undergraduate Students
Jazlyn Dunn (she/her) is majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Spanish for the Medical Professions on the pre-medical track. She is interested in studying how socioeconomic status and ADHD symptom severity impact academic performance in children and adolescents, especially as it relates to communities of color. Outside of the lab, she serves as the Co-president of Semillas de Unidad and International Awareness and Involvement Co-Chair of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. In her free time, she also enjoys drawing, reading, and spending time with her friends!
Catherine Bulanadi (she/her) recently completed her B.S. Degree in Biology and minors in Chemistry and Philosophy, but she is continuing her undergraduate academic journey at UNC in the B.S. Radiologic Science program. She has long harbored an interest in neuroimaging and its insight into diverse pathogeneses. Outside of the lab, she enjoys being with family and wrestling philosophical thought experiments.
Chelsea Russo (she/her) is a senior majoring in Neuroscience and Hispanic Studies with a minor in Chemistry on the pre-med track. Her research interests include cancer–nervous system crosstalk, neuroimmune signaling, and cancer-related cognitive and sensory changes. Outside the lab she enjoys reading, baking, and spending time with her friends.
Logan Nall (he/him) is majoring in Neuroscience and Biology with a minor in Archaeology. He works on the CogMAP and EBDS studies, and is interested in how cancer and cancer treatments affect neurobiology and cognition, as well as the identification of predictive markers of neurological vulnerability through neuroimaging. Outside of the lab, he enjoys running, weightlifting, skiing, and serving as a learning assistant in Neuroscience courses.
Jeanette Malecki is a senior majoring in Psychology (B.S.) and minoring in Anthropology. Her academic interests include understanding human behavior through both biological and cultural perspectives. She is particularly interested in trauma, resilience, and the intersection of psychological and physiological health. Drawing from her work as a Crisis Response Advocate, she is passionate about understanding how chronic stress and coping behaviors influence health outcomes and recovery among trauma-exposed populations. She plans to pursue graduate training in clinical psychology, integrating research and practice to promote healing and equity in mental health care.
Yuthika Sathyanarayanan (she/her) is majoring in Psychology and Biology and minoring in Social and Economic Justice. She is interested in studying the development and treatment of psychiatric disorders. Outside the lab, she likes reading and spending time with friends.
Nithyasree Mamalayan is a junior majoring in Neuroscience. She has worked on the CogMAP study for the past 3 semesters as an RA. Her research interests primarily lie in identifying and understanding biomarkers involved in neurological development.
Juezihan (Lucy) Wang (she/her) is double majoring in Psychology and HDFS with a minor in Statistics. She is interested in investigating various factors leading to the positive development of adolescents. In her free time, she loves playing music, reading, and hanging out with friends.
Amelia Cho (she/her) is majoring in Psychology with a minor in Chemistry. She is interested in the biological mechanisms that link psychological stress to illness and recovery, as well as evidence-based interventions that can mitigate these effects. Outside of the lab, she enjoys cafe hopping, working out at the gym, and going out with friends.
Mia Cupoli (she/her) is majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Studio Art on the pre-med track. She is interested in understanding the relationship between catecholaminergic activity and synaptic plasticity, particularly how impaired interaction impacts health and neurorehabilitation. In her free time, she enjoys music, reading, and spending time with friends.
Maisy Woodmansee is majoring in Psychology and Human & Organizational Leadership Development. They are interested in the development of ADHD and other neurodivergent disorders in adolescents. In their free time, Maisy enjoys crafting, running, and playing guitar.
Mahwish Kittur (she/her) is majoring in neuroscience and minoring in chemistry and public policy. She is interested in understanding the mechanisms underlying mental health disorders and is especially interested in the role of brain networks in higher level cognition. In her free time, she enjoys reading, playing guitar, and watching movies.
Loryn Smith is a Neuroscience major with minors in Chemistry and Medicine, Literature, and Culture. Her research interests focus on neurological diseases, brain flexibility, and the impacts of these conditions across different stages of brain development and age groups, from youth to elderly populations. Outside of the lab, she works part-time, enjoys playing piano and singing, and loves spending time with her friends.
Vivaana Haval (she/her) is double majoring in Neuroscience and Psychology and minoring in Chemistry at UNC–Chapel Hill. She is a Research Assistant for the Cohen Lab’s BrainMAP study, where she is interested in studying how large-scale brain networks reorganize during adolescence and how these changes relate to cognition, emotion, and mental health outcomes. Her scientific interests center on developmental neurobiology and systems neuroscience, particularly the mechanisms linking neural circuitry to adaptive behavior under stress. Outside of research, Vivaana is a certified EMT who enjoys mentoring youth, tutoring in mathematics, and singing classical music. She aims to integrate cellular and systems-level neuroscience with translational approaches to advance understanding of adolescent mental health and brain plasticity.
Haley Malone (she/her) is a Psychology major at UNC-Chapel Hill with a passion for understanding how children grow, learn, and thrive. She’s led hands-on educational programs through her work at Marble Kids Museum and as a Child Development Intern. Her academic interests include Child and Clinical Psychology, with research experience in memory and self-reference processing. When she’s not studying, Haley enjoys reading and playing tennis.
Elle Wait is majoring in Psychology with a minor in Music. They are interested in how neurodivergence, specifically ADHD and autism, plays a role in academic performance and mental health. Outside of the lab, Elle loves to read, snowboard, and sing.
Raj Shah (he/him) is majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Chemistry on the pre-med track. He is interested in studying neurological disorders such as ADHD to deepen his understanding of their mechanisms and predict future outcomes. He is also passionate about addressing society’s health needs and hopes to pursue Health Policy and Management at the Gillings School of Public Health. In his free time, Raj enjoys playing basketball, watching football, and spending time with family and friends.
Lab Alumni
Former Postdoctoral Fellows and Graduate Students
Teague R. Henry, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, School of Data Science & Department of Psychology, University of Virginia
Shana A. Hall, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Associate, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine
Marc Rudolph, Ph.D., Postdoc, Wake Forest Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
Dr. Tehila Nugiel, Ph.D, Assistant Professor, Florida State University
Dr. Mac Woodburn, Ph.D, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Pennsylvania
Dr. Arianna Cascone, Ph.D, Data Solutions Engineer at Atorus Research
Dr. Mackenzie Mitchell, Ph.D Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Dr. Sikoya M. Ashburn, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Christopher Newport University
Research Staff
Sophie Bittner, Research Assistant, Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Alexa D. Monachino, Research Associate, Department of Psychology, Northeastern University
Cheyenne L. Bricken, Medical Student, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Cleanthis Michael, Ph.D. Student in Clinical Science, Department of Psychology, University of Michigan
Kelly A. Duffy, Ph.D. Student in Quantitative/Psychometric Methods, Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota
Kelly H. Eom, J.D./Ph.D Student, Department of Psychology, Drexel University
Tehya Drummond, Ph.D Student in Social Psychology, University of Virginia
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Maggie Meyers, Neuroscience and Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2028
Samantha Breen, Nutrition and Research Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2026
Pavitra Madala, Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2026
Andrea Myer, Neuroscience, University of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2025
Grace Mallo, Neuroscience, University of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2025
Shriya Pokala, Neuroscience and Psychology, University of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2025
Samuel Hendrix, Neuroscience and Psychology, University of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2025
Foluwa Agbebi, Neuroscience, University of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2025
Mariana Chavez, Psychology and Human Development and Family Science, University of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2025
Brenna Curtis, Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2024
Dana Chau, Biology and Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2024
Haiden Berton, Chemistry and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2025
Katelyn Bradshaw, Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2024
Trey Thurman, Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2024
Charlotte Seymour, Neuroscience and Economics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2023
Ananyaa Sundar, Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2023
Jennifer Martinez-Mejia, Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2022
Jeremy Chen, Neuroscience and Computer Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2024
Shreya Ramineni, Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2023
Sammie Kim, Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2022
Kattia Mata, B.S. in Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2022
Aparna Sudhakar, B.S. in Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2022
Erica Fager, B.A. in Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2022
Maya Arora, B.S. in Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2024
Katie Holt, B.S. in Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2021
Jordan Roberts, B.S. in Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2023
Anna Covington, B.S. in Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2021
Caroline Hoch, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2020
Deepak Melwani, B.S. in Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2020
Kaeley Jenkins, B.A. in Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2020
Chunni (Zoe) Ji, B.S. in Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2020
Darius Johnson, B.S.P.H. in Health Policy and Management, B.S. in Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2020
Mauli Saini, B.S. in Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2017
Mikaela Bauer, B.S. in Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2022
Niveditha Jagadesh, B.S. in Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2018
Rachel Slover, B.A. in Mathematics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2021
Safiyyah Nawaz, B.A. in Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2018
Shruti Gopalswamy, B.S. in Statistics and Computer Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2021
