Sarah A. Thomas, Ph.D.
Sarah is a clinical psychologist at Bradley Hospital and an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown. Her research program focuses on biobehavioral predictors and consequences of adolescent engagement in risk behavior, with an emphasis on substance use. She enjoys anything ocean-related, running, skiing, and cooking. Faculty profile and CV are located at https://vivo.brown.edu/display/sthoma18
Email: sarah_thomas1@brown.edu
Meghan Gonsalves, Ph.D.
Meg is a PhD graduate in the Neuroscience Graduate Program at Brown University where she defended her thesis in July 2023. Upon graduating she is working as a postdoc for Dr. Jennifer Barredo in the Department of Psychiatry of Human Behavior at Brown. Her work primarily focuses on the effects of neuromodulatory devices on neurometabolites and resting state functional connectivity in individuals with treatment resistant depression. In her spare time Meg likes to spend time with her cats and dog, cook, and hike with her dad.
Email: meghan_gonsalves@brown.edu
Emily Olenik, B.S.
Emily graduated from Union College with a degree in Psychology and Sociology in June of 2023, earning departmental honors in both majors. She is working as a Clinical Research Assistant with Dr. Sarah Thomas on the Teen Decision-Making Study and Drs. Elizabeth Thompson and Samuel Meisel on their respective studies. Emily is interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. In her spare time, she enjoys working on art for her small business and traveling.
Email: emily_olenik@brown.edu
Nicholas Li
Nick is an undergraduate student at Brown University concentrating in neuroscience. After graduation, he hopes to attend medical school with the career goal of becoming a physician. Nick is interested in studying substance use and its effects on neural systems, with a focus on clinical work; He currently assists as a research intern on Dr. Thomas’ Teen Decision-Making Study. Outside of academia, Nick likes to hang out with friends, play with his dogs, and is an active member of the dance community at Brown.
Senior Thesis: Nick is currently working on his honors thesis in neuroscience focused on evaluating the link between sleep and reward-related decision making in the context of adolescent cannabis use.
Email: nicholas_li@brown.edu
Alexandria LeVert
Alex is a current undergraduate student at Brown University concentrating in psychology and biology. After graduating, she intends to work as a research assistant before going off to medical school. As of now, she is a volunteer student intern working on the Teen Decision-Making Study. Outside of her studies, she enjoys traveling, scrapbooking, photography, and watching television.
Email: alexandria_levert@brown.edu
Molly Ibrahim
Molly is an undergraduate at Brown studying biochemistry and molecular biology. After graduating, Molly plans to continue working in clinical research before attending medical school to become a physician. She is currently working as a student intern with Dr. Sarah Thomas on the Teen Decision Making Study. Molly enjoys running, lifting, reading, and trying new cuisines.
Email: molly_ibrahim@brown.edu
Lab Alums:
Sarah Ryan, B.A.
Sarah graduated Magna Cum Laude from Brown University with a degree in Psychology in May 2021. She worked as a Clinical Research Assistant with Dr. Sarah Thomas on the Teen Decision-Making Study and Dr. Anastacia Kudinova on the Teens’ Attitudes Toward Self Study. Her research interests include adolescent suicide and self-harm thoughts and behaviors, anxiety and depression. She is an incoming doctoral student at the PGSP-Stanford Psy.D. Consortium at Palo Alto University
Email: sarah_ryan@alumni.brown.edu
Zaharah Zaidi, B.A.
Zaharah graduated from the University of Southern California in December 2021 with a B.A. in Psychology and Global Studies. As a former Clinical Research Assistant at Bradley Hospital, she worked on numerous recruiting studies. She is currently a Ph.D. student in Clinical Psychology at Penn State University working with Yo Jackson, Ph.D., at the Child Maltreatment Solutions Network.
Email: zzaidi@alumni.usc.edu
Brynn Chouinard, B.A.
Brynn Chouinard graduated with a B.A. in Neuroscience and Behavior from Mount Holyoke College in 2022. She is a Clinical Research Assistant at Bradley Hospital, collaborating on and recruiting for several AMHC studies along with fulfilling clinical roles on the Adolescent Inpatient Unit. She is planning to pursue a PhD in Neuropsychology with focus on current therapeutic effectiveness and alternative therapy influence on verbal and nonverbal communication within the ASD field. She enjoys scenic hikes, baking, and dancing.
Email: brynn_chouinard@brown.edu
Daria Geller
Daria is a Brown University undergraduate student concentrating in psychology. After graduation, she is planning to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology and ultimately enter a career in psychotherapy and clinical research. Daria is particularly interested in adolescent mental health and currently works as a Research Intern for Dr. Sarah Thomas’s Teen Decision-Making Study. Aside from psychology, Daria loves all things art-related as well as studying languages – she speaks Russian, Ukrainian, Spanish, and hopes to learn more!
Email: daria_geller@brown.edu
Greta List
Greta is a student at Brown University, planning to pursue a degree in Science, Technology, and Society with a theme in Health and Medicine. She is working as a Research Volunteer with Dr. Sarah Thomas on the Teen Decision-Making Study. She hopes to go to medical school, and is interested in pursuing a career in children’s brain and health development. In her free time, she likes to play soccer, volunteer at hospitals and animal shelters, and workout.
Ailyn Quiroa
Ailyn is currently an undergraduate Psychology major at the University of Rhode Island graduating in 2025. After graduation, she plans to pursue her M.A. in Social Work with the hope of becoming a social worker in a hospital setting. Some hobbies of hers include singing, going out for walks in the park, and spending time with her cat.
Jordayna Moreno
Jordayna is a student at Quinnipiac University, intending to pursue a degree in Health Sciences. She is working as a research intern with Dr. Sarah Thomas on the Teen Decision-Making Study. She is interested in pursuing a career in childbirth. She enjoys painting, baking, and dancing.
Email: jfmoreno@quinnipiac.edu