Graduate Students

Kayla Pitchford, M.S.

Kayla is a third-year student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program. She earned her B.S. in Psychology and Health Communication Studies from James Madison University. During her undergraduate experience, she volunteered at Western State Hospital and interned at Sentara RMH Behavioral Health where she shadowed LCSWs, PLCs, and LCPs in providing a range of services, including partial hospitalization, individual counseling, substance abuse group psychotherapy, and crisis stabilization. Kayla received her M.S. in Clinical Psychology from Virginia State University. While in the program, she gained more clinical experience and honed her research skills. She held practicum placements at Poplar Springs Hospital and Reid’s Wellness Therapy and Research Center, where she did many hours of individual counseling, assessments, treatment team meeting collaboration, and didactic training. Kayla grew an interest in chronic illness and piloted a study for her thesis examining the role of chronic illness diagnosis on psychosocial factors. Her research interests continue to be focused on the association between physical and mental health, with an emphasis on health disparities within minority populations.

Email: kpitc001@odu.edu

Meredith Turner, M.S.

Meredith is a third-year student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program. She earned her B.A. in psychology at the University of Michigan in 2019, where she discovered her interest in disordered eating and body image research. As an undergraduate, Meredith gained experience working with clinical populations when she worked as a research assistant in the Food Addiction Science and Treatment (FAST) Lab, helping with studies on the etiology of Highly Processed Food Addiction. After graduation, she continued working as a Lab Manager and Project Coordinator in the FAST Lab and the Center for Human Growth and Development within the University of Michigan Medical School’s Pediatrics Department. Meredith started her doctoral studies in the fall of 2022. Her research interests include sexual minority health and body image. Specifically, she studies disordered eating, internalization of weight stigma, sociocultural attitudes towards appearance, and body image in sexual minority women. Meredith is particularly interested in examining how different sexual and gender identities impact body image.

Email: mturn047@odu.edu

Kat Ryan, B.A.

Kat is a first-year student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program. She earned her B.A. in Psychology at Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) in 2024. During her time in undergrad, she volunteered as a research assistant for the University of California, San Diego Eating Disorder Center (UCSD EDC) for Research and Treatment, assisting with studies focused on treatment outcomes and learning differences in individuals with eating disorders. She also conducted independent research as a part of the Relationship Satisfaction and Success Lab at PLNU, focused on the predictors of marital satisfaction. Clinically, she volunteered for the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) Helpline, providing support for individuals struggling with disordered eating. Kat started her doctoral studies in the fall of 2024. Her research interests include sexual minority eating behaviors and body image, sociocultural attitudes towards appearance, connectedness to the LGBTQIA+ community, and romantic relationships. She is particularly interested in studying how same-sex romantic relationships impact eating behaviors and body image.

Email: kryan008@odu.edu

Alyssa Giannone, M.S.

Alyssa is a first-year student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program. She attended SUNY Binghamton with a major in integrative neuroscience. After graduating, she held research positions at the Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, working with the NKI-Rockland Sample and Autism Spectrum Research Program. Pursing clinical interests in working with eating disorder populations, she went on to work in a residential treatment center as a recovery coach at Monte Nido Clementine. She has also worked as a research coordinator on several studies investigating anxiety, depression, health behavior change, and suicidality at the Center for Integrated Healthcare at the Syracuse VA Medical Center. After several post-bac positions, she earned a master’s degree in psychology at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. During this time, she served as a graduate RA, heath coach, and study assessor on randomized clinical trials for binge eating disorder at the Center for Weight, Eating and Lifestyle Science. Alyssa started her doctoral studies in the fall of 2024. Her research interests include disordered eating pathology, body image, and exploring how contextual risk factors, like socioeconomic status impact eating behavior and body satisfaction. 

Email: agian002@odu.edu

Undergraduate Students

Jada Lawson (lab member: present)

Samantha Rapacon (lab member: present)