Rita Rossi, M.A. (she/her)
Project Coordinator II rita_rossi@brown.edu
Rita is the Project Coordinator for the Psychosocial Research Program at Butler Hospital. Working primarily on under Dr. Cynthia Battle, Dr. Brandon Gaudiano, and Dr. Ivan Miller, she oversees studies focused on transitions from psychiatric hospitalizations and emergency department visits to outpatient treatment as well as studies on physical activity interventions for pregnant women experiencing depression, anxiety, and substance use during pregnancy. In her free time, Rita enjoys spending time with family, running, reading, travelling, hiking, biking, volleyball, and occasionally playing the ukulele
Toni Amaral, B.A. (she/her)
Senior Research Assistant toni_amaral@brown.edu
Toni Amaral is a senior research assistant in the Psychosocial Department at Butler Hospital. Currently working under Dr. Brandon Gaudiano, Toni oversees a study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, which aims to explore the effectiveness of a novel treatment program for patients with mood and substance use disorders following their hospital discharge. Toni is also the administrator for the department. In her free time, Toni enjoys photography, reading, fishing, spending time with her family and cheering on her children at sports events.
Andrea Vijil Morin, B.A. (she/her)
Research Assistant andrea_vijil_morin@brown.edu
Andrea is a research assistant in the Psychosocial Department at Butler Hospital. She received her B.A. in Psychology and Anthropology from Macalester College. Working under Dr. Cynthia Battle, Andrea investigates perinatal vaccine hesitancy and perinatal cannabis use. Andrea plans to pursue a master’s in public health. In her free time, she enjoys baking and dancing.
Jihoon Choi, B.S. (he/him)
Research Assistant jihoon_choi@brown.edu
Jihoon Choi is a research assistant in the Psychosocial Department at Butler Hospital. He received his B.S. in Psychology and Neurobiology, graduating with distinction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Upon completing his bachelor’s degree, he concurrently worked as an inpatient mental health specialist and TMS technician at St. Mary’s Hospital-Madison, and as a research intern at the Waisman Brain Imaging (PET) Lab. At present, working under Dr. Brandon Gaudiano, Jihoon investigates novel interventions to help patients transition from psychiatric hospitalization back to their life’s context. His research interests include theoretical models of suicide, psychological in/flexibility, and multidimensional diagnostic frameworks. Jihoon plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. In his free time, he enjoys listening, playing, and recording music.
Jung Park, B.A. (she/her)
Research Assistant jung_park@brown.edu
Jung joined the CEL Lab in May 2024. Following her graduation from the University of California with a B.A. in Psychology with Honors and specialization in computing, she worked as a research assistant to aid developing interventions for patients with treatment-resistant depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and adolescents with suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs). Her research interests include enhancing models for risk prediction and intervention efficacy with interdisciplinary data sources. She ultimately plans to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology. In her free time, she finds joy in cooking, reading, and watching movies.
Zhengduo (Johnny) Lu, B.A. (he/him)
Research Assistant zhengduo_lu@brown.edu
Johnny Lu is a research assistant in the Psychosocial Department at Butler Hospital. He received his B.A. in Psychology with a clinical concentration from Boston College. Currently working under Dr. Brandon Gaudiano, Johnny investigates smartphone-based interventions among patients diagnosed with a mood or psychotic disorder transitioning into the community after hospitalization. He is interested in the psychosocial risk factors for severe mental illnesses and suicidality. He wishes to develop culturally adapted prevention and intervention for mood disorders and suicide in the future, specifically for Asians and Asian Americans. He plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. In his free time, he enjoys karaoke, cooking, playing tennis, and listening to podcasts.
Anikait Gadi, B.S. (he/him)
Research Assistant anikait_gadi@brown.edu
Anikait is a research assistant in the CEL lab in the Psychosocial Department at Butler Hospital. He received a B.S. in Psychology and a Minor in Public Health from The Ohio State University. During college, he worked as a Mental Health Specialist in an Adolescent Inpatient Psych Unit at Nationwide Childrens Hospital’s Behavioral Health Pavilion. His primary research interests include the relation between emotional dysregulation and problem behaviors, suicidal risk factors, and interventions for non-suicidal self-injury and suicidal thoughts in adolescents and young adults. He plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, learning the guitar, traveling, and exploring new coffee spots and restaurants.
Elizabeth Germain, B.S. (she/her)
Research Assistant elizabeth_germain@brown.edu
Elizabeth is a research assistant in the CEL lab in the Psychosocial Department at Butler Hospital. She graduated from William & Mary with a B.S. in Psychology and Sociology. At William & Mary, she defended her psychology honors thesis, which explored the relationship between college students’ sleep habits and perceived descriptive norms (i.e., students’ perceptions of other students’ sleep habits). In the future, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. In her free time, she enjoys reading, creative writing, exploring Providence, and playing piano, guitar, and, recently, harmonica.
Sarah Zylberfuden
Research Assistant sarah_zylberfuden@brown.edu
Sarah Zylberfuden is a research assistant working with Dr. Sarah Arias in the Psychosocial Research Department. She oversees a study working with Michigan State University, CareSource, and Brown on training various providers on suicide prevention. She graduated from Brown University spring 2022 with a degree in cognitive neuroscience and literary arts. She plans to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology. In her free time, she loves to read, spend time with animals, and going on walks outside.
Stephen Coutu (he/him)
Research Assistant stephen_coutu@brown.edu
Stephen is a research assistant in the CEL Lab in the Psychosocial Department at Butler Hospital. He graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a B.A. in Psychology & B.A. in English, and completed the Honors Program. Stephen was awarded two grants by URI’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Innovation. The first examined risk and protective factors for posttraumatic stress among sexual and gender minorities, the findings and analysis of which were used for his honors thesis. His second grant examined the role of affect intensity in opioid use and suicide risk among individuals with experiences of trauma. In the future, Stephen plans to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. When he is not working, Stephen enjoys reading, writing, traveling, woodworking, cooking, and spending time with his wife and family.
