Research Team

Current Graduate Students

Picture of Jennifer Shipley smiling

Jennifer Shipley, M.S., M.P.H.

Jennifer is a 5th-year PhD student in the Health Psychology program. She graduated from California Lutheran University in 2014 with a B.S. in Exercise Science and a minor in Psychology. In 2016, Jennifer graduated from The University of Arizona with an M.P.H. in Health Behavior Health Promotion. Jennifer spent 3 years as the Assistant Director of Student Health and Wellness at Scripps College before attending Old Dominion University. Her research interests include health behaviors in the college student population, especially in the area of high-risk alcohol use.

Rachel Ayala Guzman, M.S.

Rachel is a 3rd-year PhD student in the Health Psychology program. She graduated from California Lutheran University and received her B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. Rachel is currently interested in how and why college students may be engaging in risky health behaviors (e.g., using alcohol) in relation to psychological distress. She is also interested in integrating pscyhosocial factors (e.g., race, gender) that play a role in existing health disparities in the alcohol literature.
During her downtime, Rachel enjoys collecting and caring for plants, as well as cooking new dishes. On occasion, she likes to try new wines and thrift shop for hidden treasures.

Emily Renzoni, B.S.

Emily is a 1st-year PhD student in the Health Psychology program. She graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 2023 with a B.S. in Health/Clinical Psychology with minors in Statistics and Education. She is currently interested in studying health outcomes surrounding substance use in emerging adults, specifically the impact of mental health. In her free time, she enjoys painting and reading. 

Current Undergraduate Research Assistants

Alumni

Undergraduate Students

A number of our undergraduate research assistants have been successful in being admitted to graduate programs or obtaining field-related positions:

  • Hunter Woods (Fall 2021 – Fall 2022) – Graduated December 2022 
  • Faith Koscal (Fall 2021 – Spring 2022) – Transferred
  • Bert Landingin (Fall 2021 – Fall 2022) – Master’s in George Mason University’s Master’s in Professional Studies in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, and ODU’s MS in School Counseling 
  • Alexandra (Candace) Bascomb (lab member: Fall 2021 – Spring 2022) – Graduated
  • Alina Whiteside (lab member: Summer 2022 for the REU program) – Graduated from Union College May 2023
  • Lea Hamill (Fall 2021 – Spring 2022) – Graduated May 2022, Accepted into master’s program in Counseling at ODU 
  • Julia Strickland Nunez  (Fall 2021 – Fall 2022) – Graduated December 2022
  • Heather Fraser (Fall 2020 – Spring 2022) – Graduated May 2022 
  • Kinah Tucker (Fall 2020 – Fall 2021) – Graduated Dec 2021, Accepted into ODU’s MPH program
  • Lace Schlappie (Fall 2021) – Current student
  • Kristen Meyer (lab member: Fall 2021) – Graduated December 2021
  • Kinah Tucker (lab member: Fall 2020 – Fall 2021) – Graduated December 2021; Admitted to Old Dominion University (MPH program)
  • Jen Liston (lab member: Fall 2020 – Fall 2021) – Graduated December 2021, Post-graduate Research Associate at the Yale Stress Center
  • Chloe Robinson (lab member: Fall 2020 – Summer 2021) – Current student at Old Dominion University
  • Azriele Harris (lab member: Fall 2020 – Spring 2021) – Graduated December 2021; Accepted into Master’s Program in Forensic Science at George Mason University
  • Beth Hagerty (lab member: Fall 2020 – Spring 2021) – Graduated May 2021
  • Nancy Ennis (lab member: Fall 2020) – Withdrew from Old Dominion University
  • Jordan Ortman (lab member: Fall 2019 – Spring 2021) – Graduated May 2021; Admitted to UT Health San Antonio Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP)
  • Mary Doberneck (lab member: Summer 2018 – Spring 2019) – Graduated May 2019; Accepted into Master’s Program at Virginia Commonwealth University
  • Anthony Ladikos (lab member: Summer 2018 – Spring 2019) – Graduated August 2019; Accepted into Master’s Program in Counseling at Old Dominion University
  • Helen Smith (lab member: Summer 2018 – Spring 2019) – Graduated May 2019; Research Assistant at Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS)
  • David Marseilles (lab member: Summer 2018 – Fall 2018) – Graduated December 2021
  • Nydesha Brown (lab member: Fall 2018 – Spring 2019) – Graduated August 2019
  • Jalen Ragsdale (lab member: Fall 2018 – Spring 2019) – Graduated August 2021
  • Monae Porter (lab member: Fall 2018 – Spring 2019) – Graduated May 2019; Admitted to Virginia State University (Ph.D. program in Clinical Health Psychology)
  • Kaelin Alexander (lab member: Fall 2016 – Spring 2017) – Graduated May 2018)
  • Sidney Allen (lab member: Fall 2016 – Spring 2018) – Graduated May 2018; Admitted to University of Indianapolis (Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology)
  • Elizabeth Bauer (lab member: Fall 2016 – Spring 2017) – Graduated December 2017; Admitted to Texas A&M University (Ph.D. program in Clinical Psychology)
  • Christina Davis (lab member: 2013-2014) – Graduated May 2015; Admitted to Vanderbilt University (Master’s in Clinical Psychological Assessment)
  • Taylor Gara (lab member: 2013-2014) – Graduated May 2015; Admitted to University of California Irvine (Ph.D. program in Educational Policy and Social Context)
  • Thomas Passarelli (lab member: 2013-2014) – Graduated May 2015; Admitted to Saint Louis University (Ph.D. program in Cognitive Neuroscience)
  • Sunita Dhir (lab member: 2016) – Graduated December 2016; Now working as a rehabilitation specialist/counselor at Northwest Community Mental Health Center
  • Cierah Frederick (lab member: 2017-2018) – Graduated May 2019; Working in special education in Prince William County school system
  • Ashton Walls (lab member: 2013-2014) – Graduated May 2015; Now a Clinical Allergy Specialist at United Allergy Services
  • Helen Smith (lab member: 2018-2019) – Graduated May 2019
  • Kaelin Alexander (lab member: 2016-2017)
  • Aleyah Bibb (lab member: 2017) – Graduated December 2017
  • Johnnie Brown (lab member: 2017) – Graduated December 2017
  • Jessica Gray (lab member: 2017-2018) – Graduated December 2017
  • Kristina Nazon (lab member: 2017-2018) – Graduated May 2018
  • K’la Pipkins (lab member: 2017) – Graduated May 2018
  • Ashley Bolanos (lab member: 2017)

Graduate Students

  • Megan Strowger – Graduated August 2023 with PhD in Health Psychology; Now a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies at Brown University
  • Michael Young – Graduated May 2021 with MS in Psychology