2022 Alumni
Phoebe Trout, MPH, MPP: Research Assistant
Phoebe graduated from the University of California at Davis in 2016. She is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health and Master of Public Policy dual-degree at the University of Michigan. Prior to joining the Child Health and Development Lab in September 2019, Phoebe worked in clinical programming at the Center for Youth Wellness, and in non-profit microfinance at Kiva.org, both in San Francisco, CA. Her interests center around social determinants of health, public education access and quality, and social mobility.
Ruby Zheng: Behavioral Coder
Ruby is an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience. She joined the lab in September 2021 because she wanted to learn more about the effects of early adversity on childhood development and how it can be combated to improve health outcomes.
2021 Alumni
Andrea Daniel: Behavioral Coder
Andrea has been a part of the research team for the past eight years. She joined the lab in 2012 as an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan and has since received her B.S. in Cellular and Molecular Biology and German. Currently, she is a M.D. candidate in her final year at Wayne State University School of Medicine. Some of her interests include preventative medicine and global health.
Maggie Lloyd: Behavioral Coder
Maggie is an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan School of Nursing. She joined the lab in 2019 because she wanted to learn more about research concerning childhood growth and development.
Liz Ludwig-Borycz, MPH, PhD: Graduate Research Assistant
Liz is a current Ph.D. student at University of Michigan studying Nutritional Epidemiology. She joined the lab in August 2019. Liz earned her M.P.H. from the University of Michigan in Global Health Epidemiology in May 2019. Prior to attending graduate school, Liz worked as a Global Health Practitioner for four years after completing her B.A. in Political Science at the University of Michigan in 2013.
Erin McKenna, MSW: Research Assistant
Erin is currently a postgraduate clinical fellow at the University Center for the Child and Family at the University of Michigan. She provides therapy for children across the age span and their families.
Julia Ammer: Undergraduate Research Assistant
Julia is an undergraduate student at Northwestern University studying social policy. Previously, she worked with Dr. Katie Basham in the Hammer Lab at UofM studying adrenal cancer. She is interested in social determinants of health—specifically those relating to education and food access—and developing policies and interventions to combat inequities faced by children and youth.
Martha Siegmund, MPH: Recruitment Manager
Martha received her MPH in Nutrition from the University of Michigan School of Public Health in 2017. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in History, Psychology, and French from the University of Mary Washington in 2011. She is now working as a Registered Dietitian.
Kiren Chaudhry: Interventionist
Kiren graduated from Wayne State University in 2015 with dual degrees in Psychology and Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies. Prior to graduation she worked at the Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute and the Family Emotion Lab, jobs which inspired a passionate interest in developmental psychology. She joined the Child Health and Development Lab in 2017 as an Interventionist.
Katy Clark, MA: Project Manager
Katy joined the lab in January 2017 after 15 years of managing a research lab on the long-term effects of iron deficiency in infancy. Katy received her B.A. from Duke University and her M.A. in Early Childhood Education from the University of British Columbia where she studied as a J. William Fulbright Scholar. Katy is a Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP) through the Society of Clinical Research Associates.
2020 Alumni
Sharon Lo, PhD: Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr. Sharon Lo is a licensed clinical psychologist and Clinical Outcomes & Quality Lead at Modern Health. She holds expertise in promoting well-being and positive health outcomes for children and their families, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds. She integrates her work across academic, clinical, and digital health sectors to increase the accessibility and dissemination of evidence-based mental health practices. Prior to joining Modern Health, she was an Assistant Professor at Pacific University where she directed a research program dedicated to teasing apart the what and how of emotion regulation, stress, and resilience across the lifespan.
Callie Ogland-Hand: Research Assistant
Callie is pursuing a doctoral degree from Case Western Reserve. She graduated from the College of Wooster in May 2019 with dual degrees in mathematics and sociology, and worked in the lab from June 2019 – July 2020. Callie is interested in the social determinants of diet, and is now pursing graduate work in public health and nutritional sciences.
Rebeccah Sokol, PhD. Former Postdoctoral Fellow
Rebeccah Sokol is an Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, Wayne State University. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Miller after receiving her doctorate in Health Behavior at the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Through her graduate studies and predoctoral fellowship with the Carolina Consortium on Human Development, Dr. Sokol developed expertise in longitudinal and latent variable data analysis. She applies these techniques to her research focus area—identifying changeable factors that can improve the health and well-being of children who have faced early adversity.
Lydia Thornburg: Research Assistant
Lydia is pursuing an MPH from the University of Michigan as of Fall 2020. She graduated from the University of Michigan in May 2019 with a degree in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience, and worked in the Miller lab from July 2019-August 2020. Lydia is interested in child and maternal health.
Rachel Varisco: Intern
Rachel is the Health and Nutrition Coordinator for Pacific Clinics in Pasadena, CA. The role is specifically working with Head Start and Early Head Start programs/families. Rachel graduated from the University of Michigan in 2016 with a dual degree in Psychology and Spanish and received her MPH from U-M in 2020. Prior to her graduate studies, she was the Program Manager at a group home for adults living with developmental disabilities. Rachel joined the lab in May 2019 and collaborated on Motherly Intercession and Healthy Homes. Her interests focus on how the social determinants of health affect child behavioral development.
2019 Alumni
Caroline Bartholomew: Research Assistant
Caroline joined the lab in June 2017 as a research assistant for the ABC Preteen and ABC Brain Games studies. She graduated from the University of Michigan in April 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Community Action and Social Change. Caroline is interested in parenting and other environmental impacts on child mental/physical health. In the future, she hopes to attend graduate school and pursue either a PhD in clinical psychology or an MPH. In the fall 2019, Caroline will pursue her Ph.D. at Ohio State in Human Development and Family Studies
Alice Guo: Coding Coordinator and Data Manager
Alice joined the lab in July 2017 as the coding coordinator and began work as the data manager in 2018. She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in 2016 with a B.A. in Psychology. Prior to joining the Miller Lab, she worked as a research assistant in psychology at Georgia State University and Washington University. In the future, she hopes to pursue graduate studies in social psychology or statistics. In the fall of 2019, Alice will pursue her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology at University of Missouri.
Megan Julian, Ph.D.
Megan completed her doctorate in Clinical and Developmental Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh. Through a clinical fellowship at the Yale Child Study Center, she developed expertise in the assessment and treatment of young children, many of whom have experienced developmental delays, abuse, or neglect. Dr. Julian’s research focuses on the role of early experience, particularly early caregiver-child relationships, in children’s development. After post-doctoral work in the Miller lab, Dr. Julian began a faculty position with University of Michigan’s Department of Psychiatry.
Hannah Lee: Undergraduate Assistant
Hannah is an undergraduate student at University of Michigan double majoring in Biology, Health, and Society (BHS) and Music. Upon graduating, she plans to attend medical school in pursuit of becoming a physician. Outside of research, Hannah enjoys running, completing puzzles, and watching romantic comedies.
Sara Miller, MPH: Research Assistant
Sara joined the team in June of 2016 as a research assistant for the ABC Brain Games Study. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.S. in Neuroscience and Psychology and recently completed her MPH. Her interests are in developmental psychology with a focus in emotion regulation and the life course perspective. In the fall of 2019, Sara will pursue her Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies at Penn State University.
Cin Cin Tan, Ph.D.: Research Faculty (Research Investigator) Dr. Cin Cin Tan is a developmental psychologist. Her research focuses on the development of healthy eating and body image among children. Her first line of research examines the link between parent feeding behaviors and children’s eating and weight outcomes. Her second line of research examines the role of socio-cultural factors (i.e., families, friends) in the development of children’s unhealthy body image. Specifically, using a dyadic framework, she seeks to examine the causes and consequences of body talk (i.e., engaging in body-related conversation) among teenagers and young adults. Dr. Tan is know now faculty at University of Toledo.
2018 Alumni
Kerrie Leonard:Pre/Post Eval Team Kerrie graduated from the University of Michigan in 2016 with a B.A. in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience. She joined the lab in June 2016 as a full-time research assistant for the ABC studies. She enjoys working with children and learning about health and eating behaviors in the lab, and she hopes to incorporate this experience with her passion for body image and self-esteem in her doctoral studies. In 2018, Kerrie started work on her Ph.D. at North Dakota State University.
Anjali Nemorin: Undergraduate Assistant
Anjali worked in the lab while she was an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan, majoring in Public Health and minoring in Medical Anthropology. She began in the Miller lab in the fall of 2016 and enjoyed working on an array of projects. Prior to this, she helped lead and create nutrition and hygiene programs for youth in rural Nicaraguan villages. Her aspirations include working in the field of health policy and management, with a special interest in women and children’s health.
Cordelia Fenwick: Undergraduate Assistant Cordelia worked in the lab while she was an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan, majoring in Sociology and Communications and minoring in Women’s Studies. She joined the Lab June 2017 as an Undergraduate Assistant. Cordelia is passionate about women’s rights and hopes to join the Peace Corps one day to help fight for the right for all women to have access to a full education.
Catherine Robeson: Undergraduate Assistant
Catherine Robeson joined the Lumeng-Miller lab as a coding research assistant in June 2017 while she was an undergraduate student majoring in Anthropology at the University of Michigan. She is passionate about global health and education, and is an active member of the Global Scholars Program, an international learning community that addresses these topics.
Jasmine Rubio: Undergraduate Assistant
Jasmine worked in the lab while pursuing an MSW at the University of Michigan School of Social Work with a concentration in Interpersonal Practice and Mental Health. She graduated from the University of Michigan in April 2017 with a B.A. in Psychology and Women’s Studies. She began in the Miller lab in 2016 and worked on an array of projects. She is also an active volunteer at the Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center at the University of Michigan. She hopes to become a clinical social worker and to continue to be an advocate for survivors of sexual violence.
Brittany Schuler, Ph.D.
Brittany was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Vivian A. and James L. Curtis School of Social Work Research and Training Center. Brittany earned her PhD in Social Work from The University of Maryland. Brittany’s research interests focus on understanding and reducing health disparities in childhood, specifically promoting health for the prevention of obesity and chronic disease. Brittany was involved in a number of projects that examined promoting optimal growth and development in childhood, including analyzing the effects of a randomized control trial aimed at improving the nutrition and physical activity environments of low-income preschools. In 2018, Brittany joined the faculty at Temple University.
Tara Sermchaiwong: Undergraduate Assistant
Tara studied Biopsychology, Cognition and Neuroscience. She was pre-med and hoped to become a neurologist one day. One of her career goals was to further pursue research that combined her interests in psychology and neurodegenerative diseases. Outside of research, she was extremely passionate about healthcare disparities and working with underserved populations.
Lilly Fink Shapiro, MPH: Lab Manager
Lilly’s passion for equitable and sustainable food systems crosses disciplines and sectors. She has worked since 2013 to expand and strengthen the University of Michigan Sustainable Food Systems Initiative, which has gained national recognition and spurred local collaboration. Lilly works closely with multi-disciplinary faculty across campus, engages in food systems research, and has taught locally and abroad. Lilly has conducted fieldwork in Eastern Bolivia and has led experiential education trips in Peru, Tanzania, Costa Rica, and Cuba. Lilly earned her Masters of Public Health in Health Behavior and Health Education from the University of Michigan in 2015, and graduated from Wesleyan University in 2009 with High Honors in Anthropology. She speaks Spanish and French and cultivates a front yard farm.
Murphy Van Sparrentak, MPH: Pre/Post Eval Team
Murphy graduated from the University of Michigan in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology. In 2015, she received her Master of Social Work degree with a focus on interpersonal practice. She joined the lab in 2017 after working as a health-focused case manager with a local nonprofit. In the future, she hopes to pursue a doctoral degree in Public Health to study the intersections between housing, neighborhood environment,poverty, and health.
Madison Walczak: Undergraduate Assistant
Madison joined the lab in August of 2014 as a student in the UROP program and worked with the ABC Toddler Study. She graduated from the University of Michigan in April 2018 with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology, and plans to attend medical school one day. Working in the lab inspired her to continue her pursuit to become a physician and pursue pediatric radiology.
2017 Alumni
Amna Ali, MPH: Research Assistant
Amna received her MPH from the Health Behavior & Health Education department at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and is particularly interested in child and family health. Prior to her graduate work at the School of Public Health, she received her B.S. in Neuroscience from UM in 2015.
Lili Bentley, MPH: Research Assistant
Lili joined the lab as a summer research intern in May 2017. She received her MPH at University of Michigan in the Health Behavior Health Education Department. She graduated in 2012 from Bates College with a BA in Politics. Before returning to school, Lili worked in San Francisco at a food-tech startup. She is interested in health communication and promotion as it pertains to obesity and healthy eating.
Danielle Bohn, MPH: Research Assistant
Danielle joined the ABC Brain Games study as a research assistant in September 2016 while working on her Master of Public Health degree in Health Behavior & Health Education at the University of Michigan. Prior to moving to Ann Arbor, she graduated from Oakland University as a Certified Wellness Practitioner with a B.S. in Wellness, Health Promotion, & Injury Prevention.
Samantha Brown, MSW: Research Assistant
Samantha joined the lab in March 2016 as a Research Assistant for the Miller lab as well as for the Center for Human Growth and Development. She graduated in April 2016 from the University of Michigan with her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, with an academic minor in Crime and Justice, and completed her MSW with the University of Michigan’s School of Social Work. She previously worked on two other studies at the University on substance abuse in veteran patients and integrated health, respectively, and worked with the Children and Youth Program as a playroom volunteer at SafeHouse Center, a local violence and abuse shelter located near campus.
Allie Grenon: Undergraduate Assistant
Allie joined the lab as a research assistant in September 2013. She graduated from the University of Michigan in April 2017 with a double major in Psychology and Spanish. She is currently a Masters of Management student at the Ross School of Business. She enjoys learning about child development and public health. In her spare time, you will find her in the boxing ring, as she has won two collegiate national championship titles.
Elisabeth Mah: Research Associate
Elisabeth joined the Lumeng-Miller lab team in July 2016 as a research associate. She managed the visual data as well as behavioral coding projects across the ABC projects. Elisabeth completed her undergraduate education at Smith College in Northampton, MA with a B.A. in Psychology and East Asian Studies and is pursuing a Ph.D. She has research training in the areas of cross-cultural studies, authoritarianism, peer relations, and identity development.
Jennifer Proto: Research Assistant
Jennifer is a graduate student at the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health, where she is studying epidemiology and health behavior and health education. Jennifer worked in governmental public health settings after college, which sparked her interest in ways to address maternal and child health problems, especially breastfeeding practices. Jennifer enjoys her studies at the School of Public Health so that she can learn to make a public health impact through the integration of program planning, surveillance, and evaluation.
Elizabeth Roach, MPH
Elizabeth received her MPH in Nutritional Sciences from the UM School of Public Health. She joined the team in May 2013 and managed and worked on behavioral coding projects across the ABC and Growing Healthy Projects. She graduated from the University of Michigan in 2013 with a B.S. in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience and a minor in Biological Anthropology.
2016 Alumni
Sarah Domoff, Ph.D. Sarah Domoff received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology (Child Clinical concentration) at Bowling Green State University. She completed her post-doctoral clinical psychology training at the Mary A. Rackham Institute at the University of Michigan, prior to joining the Lumeng-Miller lab and is currently on the faculty at Central Michigan University. Dr. Domoff studies the effects of media use on children’s health and development. Her current research seeks to identify parents’ beliefs about media use, and how these beliefs associate with media parenting practices during mealtime. Sarah received a Ruth L. Kirschstein Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award through the NICHD for her project titled, “Low-income mothers’ Media Cognitions and Practices as Child Obesity Risk Factors.”
Julie Song, Ph.D. Julie received her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology at the University of Michigan in 2015, with a focus on young children’s temperament and social cognition. She joined the team in July 2015 as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Her current research interests focus on how children’s stress reactivity and temperament interact with family environments in predicting their abilities to regulate emotions and behaviors.
2015 Alumni
Lenwood Hayman, Ph.D. Lenwood worked with Drs. Lumeng and Miller as a postdoctoral fellow to develop a measure of parent-reported stress eating for low-income, preschool-aged children. After earning a Ph.D. from Wayne State University in Social-Health Psychology, Dr. Hayman received additional training in Health Disparities, Health Behavior, and Health Education as the Paul B. Cornely Postdoctoral Fellow in the Center for Research on Ethnicity, Culture, and Health in the UM School of Public Health. He is now on the faculty at University of Michigan-Flint.
Christy Leung, Ph.D., Post-Doctoral Fellow. Christy joined the ABC team in September 2012 as a postdoctoral research fellow. Her primary roles included refining observational coding schemes, coding, and directly supervising research staff involved in coding the observational data (e.g., maternal sensitivity and control during a mother-child free play interaction at home as well as during a structured laboratory-based eating interaction; maternal engagement during family mealtimes at home) and narrative data (the working model of the child interview). Her research interests include parenting, young children’s development, and the role of culture. Dr. Leung is now based at the University of Chicago.