![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/barslab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1057\/2024\/09\/image-1.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a>Cathy Lau-Barraco, Ph.D.<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\nDr. Lau-Barraco joined ODU in the Fall semester of 2009. Dr. Lau-Barraco graduated with her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Central Florida. She joined ODU in 2009 following the completion of her NIH-sponsored postdoctoral fellowship from the Research Institute on Addictions at SUNY Buffalo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On a personal level, Dr. Lau-Barraco immigrated to the States from Hong Kong at age 10. She lived in South Florida for most of her life but now considers Chesapeake, VA her home. She lives happily with her husband and twin boys. In her free time, she loves to spend time with her family, eat, and browse for craft\/DIY ideas that she will never have time to execute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For more information about her research, click this link to view her webpage<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nCurrent Graduate Students<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nJohn Sayson, B.A.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/barslab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1057\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-28-154404.png\")
<\/figure>\nJohn joined the Old Dominion University Ph.D. program in Clinical Psychology in Fall 2026. He earned his B.A. in Psychology in May 2026 from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, where he was born and raised. John’s research interests broadly revolve around motivational pathways to alcohol use, particularly drinking to cope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Contact:<\/strong> jsays001@odu.edu<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nAudrey Bell, B.A.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\nAudrey joined the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology in Fall 2025. She graduated from William & Mary in 2020 with a B.A. in Psychology. Audrey’s research interests focus on the role of emotion regulation as it relates to factors in models of alcohol use and other health behaviors among young adults. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Contact:<\/strong> abell055@odu.edu<\/p>\n<\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/barslab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1057\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-28-154134.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nMelissa Manning, B.A.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/barslab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1057\/2026\/08\/IMG_6458.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nMelissa joined the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology in Fall 2025. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with a B.S in Psychology. Her research interests broadly focus on social and motivational influences on substance use, with a particular interest in co-use of alcohol and cannabis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Contact<\/strong>: mmann028@odu.edu<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nAlicia Moulder, B.S.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\nAlicia is a fourth-year student in the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology. She graduated from Old Dominion University in 2022 with a B.S. in Psychology. Broadly, her research interests include sexual minority alcohol use disparities and other maladaptive coping behaviors exhibited by LGBTQ+ populations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Contact: <\/strong>amoul001@odu.edu<\/p>\n<\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/barslab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1057\/2023\/11\/AMF-13-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nAlumni – Graduate Students<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nAshley Linden-Carmichael, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/barslab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1057\/2024\/01\/image-1.png\")
<\/figure>\nAshley Linden-Carmichael graduated from the Applied Experimental Psychology PhD program in August 2016. Ashley is primarily interested in identifying influential and underlying psychosocial predictors and consequences of substance use patterns among young adults. Ashley is currently faculty in the department of counseling psychology at the University of Oregon. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nBrynn Sheehan, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\nBrynn graduated from the Applied Experimental Psychology PhD program in August 2016. She is currently the director of the Research and Infrastructure Service Enterprise (RISE) at the Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University. <\/p>\n<\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/barslab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1057\/2024\/01\/image-2.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nAmy Stamates, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/barslab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1057\/2024\/01\/image-3.png\")
<\/figure>\nAmy graduated from the Applied Experimental PhD program in summer 2019. Her research interests include: (1) understanding impulsivity as predictor and consequence of alcohol use; (2) exploring patterns of risk associated with drinking and other health behaviors; and (3) identifying subgroups (e.g., nonstudents; bisexual women) of emerging adults at most risk for alcohol-related harms. Amy is currently faculty in the Department of Psychology at the University of Rhode Island.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nPeter Preonas, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\nPeter graduated from the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology in 2020. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 2011 with BA degrees in Psychology and Political Science. Peter completed his internship at the Hines VA in Chicago, IL. Peter is currently with the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. <\/p>\n<\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/barslab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1057\/2024\/01\/image-4.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nCat Turner, M.S.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/mocklabsitejd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35528\/2024\/01\/image-5.png\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nCat graduated from the experiment psychology MS program in August 2019. Her current research interests are in alcohol and sexual health behaviors. She hopes to pursue her PhD in Applied Psychology to work towards a career in conducting research to support public health programs, policy, and education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nMichael Young, M.S.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/mocklabsitejd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35528\/2024\/01\/image-7.png\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nMichael graduated with his Master\u2019s in Psychology in Spring 2021. His research interests are in mood disorders and alcohol use among college students. He hopes to pursue a career in Clinical Psychology to work with young adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nEmily Junkin, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/barslab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1057\/2025\/11\/Emily.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nEmily graduated from the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology in 2025. She is now a faculty member at the Univeristy of Southern Mississippi and she is the director of the CHEERS Lab<\/a>. Her research focuses on diagnostic criteria related to impaired control over alcohol use, and she is currently testing an experimental paradigm of impaired control involving alcohol administration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
![<\/a>](\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/barslab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1057\/2024\/09\/IMG_1604e_final_reduced-scaled.jpg\"){kind=link}
\n\n\n\n
Current Graduate Students<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nJohn Sayson, B.A.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\nJohn joined the Old Dominion University Ph.D. program in Clinical Psychology in Fall 2026. He earned his B.A. in Psychology in May 2026 from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, where he was born and raised. John’s research interests broadly revolve around motivational pathways to alcohol use, particularly drinking to cope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Contact:<\/strong> jsays001@odu.edu<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nAudrey Bell, B.A.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\nAudrey joined the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology in Fall 2025. She graduated from William & Mary in 2020 with a B.A. in Psychology. Audrey’s research interests focus on the role of emotion regulation as it relates to factors in models of alcohol use and other health behaviors among young adults. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Contact:<\/strong> abell055@odu.edu<\/p>\n<\/div><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nMelissa Manning, B.A.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\nMelissa joined the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology in Fall 2025. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with a B.S in Psychology. Her research interests broadly focus on social and motivational influences on substance use, with a particular interest in co-use of alcohol and cannabis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Contact<\/strong>: mmann028@odu.edu<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nAlicia Moulder, B.S.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\nAlicia is a fourth-year student in the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology. She graduated from Old Dominion University in 2022 with a B.S. in Psychology. Broadly, her research interests include sexual minority alcohol use disparities and other maladaptive coping behaviors exhibited by LGBTQ+ populations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Contact: <\/strong>amoul001@odu.edu<\/p>\n<\/div><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nAlumni – Graduate Students<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nAshley Linden-Carmichael, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\nAshley Linden-Carmichael graduated from the Applied Experimental Psychology PhD program in August 2016. Ashley is primarily interested in identifying influential and underlying psychosocial predictors and consequences of substance use patterns among young adults. Ashley is currently faculty in the department of counseling psychology at the University of Oregon. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nBrynn Sheehan, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\nBrynn graduated from the Applied Experimental Psychology PhD program in August 2016. She is currently the director of the Research and Infrastructure Service Enterprise (RISE) at the Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nAmy Stamates, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\nAmy graduated from the Applied Experimental PhD program in summer 2019. Her research interests include: (1) understanding impulsivity as predictor and consequence of alcohol use; (2) exploring patterns of risk associated with drinking and other health behaviors; and (3) identifying subgroups (e.g., nonstudents; bisexual women) of emerging adults at most risk for alcohol-related harms. Amy is currently faculty in the Department of Psychology at the University of Rhode Island.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nPeter Preonas, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\nPeter graduated from the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology in 2020. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 2011 with BA degrees in Psychology and Political Science. Peter completed his internship at the Hines VA in Chicago, IL. Peter is currently with the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nCat Turner, M.S.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nCat graduated from the experiment psychology MS program in August 2019. Her current research interests are in alcohol and sexual health behaviors. She hopes to pursue her PhD in Applied Psychology to work towards a career in conducting research to support public health programs, policy, and education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nMichael Young, M.S.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nMichael graduated with his Master\u2019s in Psychology in Spring 2021. His research interests are in mood disorders and alcohol use among college students. He hopes to pursue a career in Clinical Psychology to work with young adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nEmily Junkin, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\nEmily graduated from the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology in 2025. She is now a faculty member at the Univeristy of Southern Mississippi and she is the director of the CHEERS Lab<\/a>. Her research focuses on diagnostic criteria related to impaired control over alcohol use, and she is currently testing an experimental paradigm of impaired control involving alcohol administration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>John joined the Old Dominion University Ph.D. program in Clinical Psychology in Fall 2026. He earned his B.A. in Psychology in May 2026 from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, where he was born and raised. John’s research interests broadly revolve around motivational pathways to alcohol use, particularly drinking to cope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Contact:<\/strong> jsays001@odu.edu<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n Audrey joined the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology in Fall 2025. She graduated from William & Mary in 2020 with a B.A. in Psychology. Audrey’s research interests focus on the role of emotion regulation as it relates to factors in models of alcohol use and other health behaviors among young adults. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Contact:<\/strong> abell055@odu.edu<\/p>\n<\/div> Melissa joined the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology in Fall 2025. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with a B.S in Psychology. Her research interests broadly focus on social and motivational influences on substance use, with a particular interest in co-use of alcohol and cannabis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Contact<\/strong>: mmann028@odu.edu<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n Alicia is a fourth-year student in the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology. She graduated from Old Dominion University in 2022 with a B.S. in Psychology. Broadly, her research interests include sexual minority alcohol use disparities and other maladaptive coping behaviors exhibited by LGBTQ+ populations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Contact: <\/strong>amoul001@odu.edu<\/p>\n<\/div> Ashley Linden-Carmichael graduated from the Applied Experimental Psychology PhD program in August 2016. Ashley is primarily interested in identifying influential and underlying psychosocial predictors and consequences of substance use patterns among young adults. Ashley is currently faculty in the department of counseling psychology at the University of Oregon. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n Brynn graduated from the Applied Experimental Psychology PhD program in August 2016. She is currently the director of the Research and Infrastructure Service Enterprise (RISE) at the Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University. <\/p>\n<\/div> Amy graduated from the Applied Experimental PhD program in summer 2019. Her research interests include: (1) understanding impulsivity as predictor and consequence of alcohol use; (2) exploring patterns of risk associated with drinking and other health behaviors; and (3) identifying subgroups (e.g., nonstudents; bisexual women) of emerging adults at most risk for alcohol-related harms. Amy is currently faculty in the Department of Psychology at the University of Rhode Island.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n Peter graduated from the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology in 2020. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 2011 with BA degrees in Psychology and Political Science. Peter completed his internship at the Hines VA in Chicago, IL. Peter is currently with the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. <\/p>\n<\/div> Cat graduated from the experiment psychology MS program in August 2019. Her current research interests are in alcohol and sexual health behaviors. She hopes to pursue her PhD in Applied Psychology to work towards a career in conducting research to support public health programs, policy, and education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Michael graduated with his Master\u2019s in Psychology in Spring 2021. His research interests are in mood disorders and alcohol use among college students. He hopes to pursue a career in Clinical Psychology to work with young adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Emily graduated from the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology in 2025. She is now a faculty member at the Univeristy of Southern Mississippi and she is the director of the CHEERS Lab<\/a>. Her research focuses on diagnostic criteria related to impaired control over alcohol use, and she is currently testing an experimental paradigm of impaired control involving alcohol administration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\nAudrey Bell, B.A.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nMelissa Manning, B.A.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>Alicia Moulder, B.S.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nAlumni – Graduate Students<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Ashley Linden-Carmichael, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>Brynn Sheehan, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nAmy Stamates, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>Peter Preonas, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nCat Turner, M.S.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nMichael Young, M.S.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nEmily Junkin, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>