People

Dr. Maggie Bublitz, PhD (Director) received her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of British Columbia and completed her clinical psychology internship and NIH T32 postdoctoral fellowship in Cardiovascular Behavioral Medicine at Brown Medical School. Bublitz is Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Medicine, and Obstetrics and Gynecology at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and Associate Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences at the Brown School of Public Health.

Her areas of research include 1) understanding the effects of maternal history of childhood maltreatment on maternal neurobiology in pregnancy and the postpartum periods, and 2) examining effects of mindfulness interventions in pregnancy on pathways to adverse perinatal health. Paralleling her two areas of research, she has been appointed Research Member at the Research Institute for Stress, Trauma and Resilience (STAR) at Brown Medical School, and Senior Investigator at the Center for Mindfulness within the Brown School of Public Health. She is also a board member for the Office of Women in Medicine and Science at Brown. More…

Dr. LG Ward, PhD earned a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, in 2018 and completed a clinical internship at Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Dr. Ward is currently a Research Scientist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior of the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and the Center for Preventive and Behavioral.

Dr. Ward’s program of research focuses on strategies to promote trauma-informed assessment and treatment in obstetric care for pregnant individuals. Dr. Ward also provides clinical care in integrated behavioral health in Women’s Primary Care. More… 

Dr. Nina Ayala, MD ScM is a physician-researcher in Maternal Fetal Medicine. She completed her undergraduate and medical studies from Brown University as part of the Program in Liberal Medical Education. She completed her Obstetrics and Gynecology residency training at Northwestern University, and her Maternal Fetal Medicine fellowship at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Psychiatry and Human Behavior, and is the Medical Director of the Antenatal Care Unit at Women & Infants Hospital.

Dr. Ayala’s program of research focuses on perinatal resilience and leveraging strengths-based interventions to improve physical and mental health outcomes during and following pregnancy.  More…

Dr. Micheline Anderson received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University. She completed her clinical psychology internship and her postdoctoral fellowship in Perinatal Mood Disorders at Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Dr. Anderson specializes in integrated reproductive behavioral health as a psychologist at Lifespan Obstetrics and Gynecology. She is also a Clinical Instructor in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior and is a supervisor for interns and postdocs in psychology training programs at Brown. She is co-investigator on ongoing research projects addressing the mental and emotional health aspects of medical complicated pregnancy and childbirth.

Her research interests include the use of mind-body intervention to disrupt pathways of intergenerational disease risk in perinatal populations and the role of religion and spirituality in women’s health. More…

Amanda Desmarattes, Clinical Research Assistant. Amanda is a clinical research assistant on Dr. Bublitz’s Mindfulness and Daily Experience study and Brain and Blood Pressure study. Shegraduated from the University of Albany in 2022 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Human Development, concentrating in counseling psychology. Amanda’s research interests involve examining outcomes related to early-life stress, especially prenatal stress. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music, journaling, and trying out new restaurants.

Ashanti Avalos, Senior Research Assistant. Ashanti is a Sr. Clinical Research Assistant on the Mindfulness and Daily Experiences and the Brain and Blood Pressure Research studies. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Central Florida, and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of New England. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family.

Annaly Aldana, Clinical Research Assistant. Annaly is a Clinical Research Assistant on the Mindfulness and Daily Experiences Study. She received her bachelor’s degree of Science in Public Health from The University of Rhode Island, and she works on developing recruitment reports that will then help identify candidates for our studies. She is a mom of two beautiful children of 4 and 1 years old. Her favorite season is summer, and she loves to bake, read, and spend time with her family.

Victoria Scarfo, Clinical Research Assistant. Victoria is a Clinical Research Assistant working on the Mindfulness and Daily Experiences study. She graduated from Stonehill College in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in biology. Victoria’s research interests include women’s health, interpersonal relationships, and IPV. In her free time, Victoria enjoys crafting, playing the flute, and taking walks with her fiancé. 

Melissa Guillen, Research Project Director. Melissa graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, and is pursuing her Master’s in Public Health at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS). She is currently a research project director conducting qualitative interviews on Dr. Bublitz’s Mindfulness and Daily Experience study. Her research interests include women’s sexual and reproductive health with a focus on preventive care, and pre- and postnatal care. She enjoys art, long road trips, and visiting new coffee shops with friends and family.

Susan Martin, Research Project Coordinator. Sue is a research project coordinator for Dr. Bublitz. She graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a BS in Nutrition and is a licensed nutritionist/dietitian (LDN) in the state of RI. Her research career spans more than a decade with her interest and focus always centered on women’s health. Family and friends are her joy, along with sailing, theater, cooking, and her two mini dachshunds, Elphie & Poppy!

Patrizia Curran, Research Project Coordinator. Patrizia is a research coordinator for Dr. Bublitz. She has a degree in Medicine from the University La Sapienza in Rome, Italy where she also completed a residency in Neurology. She has been collaborating in women’s health research with foci on pulmonology, gastroenterology, peripartum mental health. Outside of work she focuses on her children, family, and friends. She loves cooking and hosting parties. Most notably the Bristol 4^th of July parade party.

Naomi Deokule, Undergraduate Intern. Naomi is an undergraduate student at Brown University studying Health & Human Biology and International & Public Affairs. She is an aspiring physician and has interned for Dr. Bublitz’s Mindfulness and Daily Experience Study for the past two years. In her free time, Naomi enjoys various forms of art including photography, embroidery, Indian fusion dance, and music. One of her main passions is her non-profit organization, Project Tasveer, in which she sells graphic design products and photography to support various aid projects in India!

Sasha Aronson, Undergraduate Intern. Sasha is an undergraduate intern on Dr. Bublitz’s Mindfulness and Daily Experience study. She is on a premedical track and is graduating from Brown University in May 2024 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience. In her free time, she enjoys aerial acrobatics, running, and hiking.