Director

Title: David T. Rovee, PhD and Joanne V. Rovee Endowed Professor of Psychology, Harvard Medical School; Founding Director, Center for Health Outcomes and Interdisciplinary Research (CHOIR), Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital

CHOIR Role: Founding Director 

Research Interests: Developing, optimizing, testing, and implementing technology enhanced mind-body and lifestyle interventions for patients, caregivers, and dyads across the continuum from health to illness and across the lifespan; building interdisciplinary collaborations; research methods across the NIH stage model

Clinical Interests: mind-body and lifestyle interventions

Publications: | Harvard Catalyst | PubMed | Google Scholar | ResearchGate |

Dr. Ana-Maria Vranceanu is a clinical health psychologist, Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School, and Founding Director of the Center for Health Outcomes and Interdisciplinary Research (CHOIR), formerly known as the Integrated Brain Health Clinical and Research Program (IBHCRP) at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School (MGH/HMS). She also serves as Co-director for Grants Consultation and Support within the Department of Psychiatry. 

Dr. Vranceanu conducts behavioral, mind-body and lifestyle intervention research to improve the mental, physical and cognitive health of individuals on the continuum from health to illness in both hospital and community settings. She has expertise in qualitative and mixed methods, intervention development methods, clinical trials (efficacy, effectiveness) and implementation science. Dr. Vranceanu's work spans multiple populations, with emphases on pain (acute and chronic) and neurological illness (e.g., brain injury, dementia). She works primarily with adults, older adults, caregivers and patient-caregiver dyads. Dr. Vranceanu's research has been continuously funded by the NIH, PCORI, DoD and various foundations since 2009. 

Dr. Vranceanu finds great joy in mentoring trainees. She founded and co-leads the CHOIR "K Club" (LINK) which brings together investigators who are developing or executing K or R grants. She also co-leads the T32 Bridge the Gap, the R25 Dementia Palliative Care, the Research and Education core of the MASS-ENVISION RCMAR, and the MGH Roybal Center for Dyadic Behavioral Research in ADRD. 

Dr. Vranceanu enjoys running, hiking in beautiful places, discovering new music, and spending quality time with family and friends.

Associate Professor; Research Staff Psychologist

CHOIR Roles: BRIDGE Core Research Domain co-Chair, K Club co-lead, Leadership council  

Research Interests: Developing and testing mind-body and mindfulness-based interventions for various clinical populations, with an emphasis on chronic musculoskeletal pain, orofacial pain, and mild traumatic brain injury.

Clinical Interests: Mindfulness-based therapy, adaptive coping in chronic pain and following concussion and other injuries, mood and anxiety-related conditions

Publications: | Harvard Catalyst | PubMed | ResearchGate |

Dr. Jonathan Greenberg is a research staff psychologist at MGH CHOIR and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School (HMS). He completed his postdoctoral fellowship at CHOIR at MGH/HMS. Dr. Greenberg’s research primarily focuses on developing and testing mind-body and mindfulness-based interventions for various clinical populations, with an emphasis on chronic musculoskeletal pain, orofacial pain, and mild traumatic brain injury. Dr. Greenberg is the recipient of the HMS Kaplen Fellowship on Depression and the HMS Livingston Fellowship Award. Dr. Greenberg received a Mentored Career Development Award (K23) from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) to develop a live-video mind-body intervention to prevent chronic post-concussion symptoms in individuals with mTBI and co-morbid anxiety. He also co-leads (as MPI) 2 grants with Dr. Vranceanu. One is an R01 grant from NCCIH aiming to establish the feasibility of a mind-body and activity program for chronic pain in three different locations: Massachusetts General Hospital, Duke University, & Rush University. The other is an R21 from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), developing a web-based platform to reduce emotional distress and pain-related activity limitations in individuals with chronic orofacial pain. Dr. Greenberg has personally been involved in mindfulness practice since 2003. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family and attending live music concerts.

Assistant Professor; Staff Psychologist

CHOIR Roles: Co-Director of Predoctoral Internship Track (Lifespan Health); Education and Training Core Lead; Clinical Supervisor

Research Interests: Family adjustment to stressful reproductive life events; individual, dyadic, and system factors relevant to parental well-being and child development; psychosocial interventions for critical care settings

Clinical Interests: Integrative, tailored approach using evidence-based skills (e.g., second and third wave cognitive behavioral therapies); perinatal mental health, new parents, adults coping with medical conditions

Publications: | Harvard Catalyst | PubMed | ResearchGate |

Dr. Victoria Grunberg is a clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor at MGH/HMS. She completed her PhD in clinical psychology (foci in health and neuropsychology) at Drexel University; predoctoral internship at CHOIR; and postdoctoral training as part of a T32 fellowship at MGH (Translational Neuroscience Training for Clinicians). Dr. Grunberg’s research aims to improve biopsychosocial outcomes for families coping with stressful reproductive life events and critical care illness. She received a K23 from NICHD to develop a dyadic, resiliency intervention for parents with babies in neonatal intensive care.

Assistant Professor

CHOIR Role: Researcher, Psychophysiological Core (PPC) Co-lead

Research Interests: Orthopedic injuries (specifically hip pain conditions), pain, rehabilitation, biomechanics, mind-body intervention development

Clinical Interests: Integrating psychological and mind-body skills into rehabilitation for patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain

Publications: | Harvard Catalyst | PubMed | Google Scholar | ResearchGate |

Linkedin: Kate Jochimsen

Dr. Kate Jochimsen (she/her) is a Researcher at MGH CHOIR and an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School. Prior to joining CHOIR, she was an Assistant Professor and the Director of Research for the Division of Athletic Training in the School of Medicine at West Virginia University. Dr. Jochimsen completed her MS in athletic training at Florida International University, her PhD in rehabilitation sciences at the University of Kentucky, and postdoctoral training in biomechanics at The Ohio State University. She is a licensed athletic trainer with over 12 years of clinical experience working with high school, Division I collegiate, and recreational athletes. Her clinical specialty is the evaluation and rehabilitation of hip and groin injuries. The goal of her research is to advance psychologically informed rehabilitation by developing and implementing effective mind-body and movement-based interventions to optimize clinical outcomes and improve well-being for patients with musculoskeletal pain. To accomplish this, she uses the biopsychosocial model to integrate patients’ response to injury and pain coping skills with measures of joint health and movement to understand short- and long-term clinical outcomes. Dr. Jochimsen was awarded an NCCIH K23 award to develop a mind-body intervention to reduce pain and increase physical activity for patients with chronic hip conditions. Her previous work has been funded by the West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute and the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine. She was the recipient of the 2025 Dr. Freddie & Mrs. Hilda Pang Fu New Investigator Award from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Foundation. In her free time, she enjoys live music, reading, and being in the mountains – hiking, backpacking and trail running with her family and dog.

Assistant Professor; Staff Psychologist

CHOIR Roles: Research CORE Co-Lead; Clinical Supervisor

Research Interests: Aging, brain health, dementia prevention, behavior change, digital health, pain

Clinical Interests: Cognitive behavioral and mind-body therapies for aging and medical populations

Publications: | Harvard Catalyst | PubMed | Google Scholar | ResearchGate |

Dr. Mace is a licensed psychologist at MGH CHOIR and an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School (HMS). He completed his advanced practicum and fellowships (pre- and post-doctoral) at CHOIR. Dr. Mace’s research focuses on integrating mindfulness, lifestyle behaviors, and technology to promote brain health and pain management. Dr. Mace is the PI of an NIA K23 to refine and test a novel group mindfulness-based lifestyle program (My Healthy Brain) targeting early dementia risk factors. He recently completed a David Borsook grant that evaluated the feasibility of a mind-body virtual reality for sub-acute pain for acute traumatic orthopedic injuries. Dr. Mace is a Co-I on two RCTs (NIA R01 and PCORI) testing the integrative approaches (mind-body, walking) for aging populations at-risk for AD/ADRD (comorbid cognitive decline and chronic pain, Black older adults). Dr. Mace is also a Co-Investigator of the Research and Education Core (REC) of Mass-ENVISION RCMAR to provide resources and mentorship for early investigators from underrepresented backgrounds in dementia intervention development. Dr. Mace has extensive training in delivering evidence-based cognitive behavioral and mind-body treatments for adults across the health-illness spectrum. He enjoys cooking, baking bread, exercising, and spending time with his friends, family, and his dog Leo.

Assistant Professor

CHOIR Roles: Staff Psychologist; Director of Community Engaged Research

Research Interests: Intervention development with older adults and family caregivers managing serious and/or chronic illness with an emphasis on under-resourced populations, areas, and healthcare settings; quality of life and quality of care in residential post-acute and long-term care (e.g., skilled nursing facilities, nursing homes, assisted livings)

Clinical Interests: Geropsychology; caregiving; palliative care; long-term care; dementia-related behavior management

Publications: | PubMed | Google Scholar | ResearchGate |

Dr. Evan Plys (he/him) is a clinical psychologist board-certified in geropsychology at MGH CHOIR and Assistant Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School. He has served as a Faculty Scholar with the NIA IMPACT Collaboratory Engaging Partners Team and Ethics and Regulation Core. Evan’s research primarily focuses on developing and testing psychosocial interventions among high-need older adults and families in residential post-acute and long-term care (e.g., skilled nursing facilities). His research also seeks solutions to psychosocial challenges within the context of dementia, caregiving, and palliative care. Evan has extensive clinical experience providing psychological services with older adults, family caregivers, and in residential care settings. He is frequently called upon to give talks within the community on topics related to aging, caregiving, and long-term care. Evan has been a finalist for “Cat Dad of the Year” each of the last 4 years.

Associate Professor; Staff Psychologist

CHOIR Roles: Psychophysiological CORE Co-lead 

Research Interests: chronic pain; postsurgical pain; endometriosis; translational research; mechanistic clinical trials; intervention development; utilizing pain psychophysical and neuroimaging techniques 

Clinical Interests: chronic pain; women's health; endometriosis; adolescent and young adult health; parenting; cognitive behavioral therapy; acceptance and commitment therapy; group-based interventions  

Publications: | PubMed | Research Gate | GoogleScholar

Dr. Sieberg (she/her) completed her PhD in clinical psychology at the University of Rhode Island, her pre-doctoral internship in pediatric psychology at Brown Medical School, and her postdoctoral fellowship in the Division of Pain Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH). She remained at BCH as an Attending Psychologist, Director of the Biobehavioral Pain Innovations Lab, and Associate Director of the Center for Pain and the Brain for nearly 13 years before joining CHOIR. Dr. Sieberg also has an EdM in Risk and Prevention in Children from Harvard and an MA in Applied Developmental and Educational Psychology from Boston College.

In addition to her grant-funded research and clinical work, Dr. Sieberg values service and mentoring. She is on the faculty at Harvard Catalyst and is a member of the Harvard Medical School IRB. Nationally, she leads the Research Subgroup for the Society of Pediatric Psychology's Gender Diversity and Pain Special Interest Group and is a member of the United States Association for the Study of Pain's Advocacy Committee. Internationally, she is a board member for the European Pediatric Psychology Network. Additionally, she is an Associate Editor for the Clinical Journal of Pain.

In her free time, Dr. Sieberg enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and attending dance performances.

Assistant Professor; Staff Psychologist

CHOIR Roles: Biostats Consultation Co-Lead; Clinical Supervisor  

Research Interests: Disparities in medical and mental health comorbidity; pain and substance/opioid use; transdiagnostic mechanisms of change in underserved medical populations

Clinical Interests: ACT-based transdiagnostic and process-based therapies for comorbid medical and mental health conditions

Publications: | PubMed | Google Scholar |

Dr. Jafar Bakhshaie, a physician and licensed clinical health psychologist, with a specialization in Biostatistics, holds the position of Assistant Professor at Massachusetts General Hospital | Harvard Medical School. Dr. Bakhshaie has garnered recognition for his contributions, receiving the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)   Career Development Award, and prestigious Kaplen and Livingston Awards at Harvard Medical School.

His current work focuses on the development and testing of scalable technology-enhanced cost-effective, mind-body interventions that target both the physical and psychological aspects of chronic and acute medical conditions. With a multidisciplinary approach, his research spans various domains including orthopedics, pain medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, internal medicine, primary care settings and communities. He focuses on modifying transdiagnostic and process-based, cognitive-affective vulnerabilities that contribute to both physical and mental health conditions (e.g., emotion dysregulation as an underlying factor of co-morbid orthopedic pain and risky substance use). He is specifically interested in addressing the co-occurring issue of risky substance use as a self-medication strategy within the context of medical conditions. Dr. Bakhshaie contributions to the field of medicine and psychology are evident through his publication record, co-authoring over 180 peer-reviewed articles. He has presented at several scientific conferences across the United States and internationally with a widely recognized impact (2025 H-index = 32; Google Scholar profile)

Dr. Bakhshaie’s clinical interests lie in the application of “second” and “third” wave behavioral treatments such as acceptance and commitment therapy, self-compassion therapy, process-based therapy. These interventions target transdiagnostic risk factors of co-morbid physical and mental illness, and are delivered via telehealth to bridge health disparities. He currently serves as the Principal Investigator on a Web-based mind-body treatment development project to enhance resilience among patients with painful nontraumatic upper extremity conditions and comorbid risky substance use (TIRELESS: ToolkIt for REsilient Life bEyond pain and SubStance use). In addition, Dr. Bakhshaie leads the biostatistics consult group at CHOIR, and provides clinical and research supervision to interns and postdoctoral fellows. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, engaging in circuit training, and watching his favorite TV shows.

Instructor; Non-Clinical Researcher

CHOIR Role: Researcher

Research Interests: Leveraging Community Health Workers (CHWs) to deliver psycho-social interventions for disadvantaged older adults in under-resourced settings.

Clinical Interests: Mindfulness-Based Interventions; early identification and management of chronic pain and mild-cognitive impairment co-morbidity in low-SES older adults.

Publications: | Google Scholar | ResearchGate | PubMed | Harvard Catalyst

Dr. Giraldo-Santiago is a bilingual and bicultural licensed social worker and research staff member at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the Center for Health Outcomes and Interdisciplinary Research (CHOIR). After completing two years of post-doctoral training at MGH, she was recently appointed as an instructor at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and selected as a 2024-2025 Mass-ENVISION RCMAR scientist, funded by the Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research (RCMAR) and the National Institute on Aging. Most recently, Dr. Giraldo-Santiago received funding from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) through a diversity supplement mechanism to culturally and linguistically tailor a mind-body and activity-based intervention for Latinx and Spanish-speaking adults with chronic pain in an underserved community clinic.

Assistant Professor; Staff Psychologist

CHOIR Roles: Clinical Supervisor 

Research Interests: Neurofibromatosis, stroke, neurological illness and neurocritical care, intervention development

Clinical Interests: Neurological illness (stroke, ALS, neurofibromatosis), trauma and recovery, ocular trauma and vision issues, medical center staff support and wellness, third-wave behavior therapies (ACT, DBT), mindfulness-based interventions

Publications: | Harvard Catalyst | PubMed | Google Scholar | ResearchGate |

Dr. Ethan Lester is a clinical psychologist and core member of CHOIR. He completed his predoctoral and postdoctoral fellowships within CHOIR (formerly known as IBHCRP) at MGH/HMS (2018-2020). Dr. Lester conducts research in areas of mindfulness, third-wave behavioral therapy, staff wellness, neurocritical care (MGH Heitman Fellow; funded), and neurofibromatosis (NF; NF-Web”; funded by NF Northeast, NF Midwest, TNFF, and CTF). Clinically, Dr. Lester works as an embedded clinical psychologist at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Stroke Inpatient Service, where he delivers bedside care to patients and families, as well as staff support. His embedded work also occurs at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in addition to his clinical time at MGH. When he is not working, Dr. Lester enjoys creating music, cooking, and baking bread.

Instructor; Staff Psychologist

CHOIR Role: Project Director; Study Clinician

Research Interests: Chronic pain, mind-body and digital health interventions, emotional processing, anxiety, substance use disorders

Clinical Interests: Exposure therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, chronic pain, trauma, substance use disorders

Publications:PubMed | GoogleScholar

Kate McDermott is a postdoctoral fellow at MGH CHOIR. She completed her graduate training at Florida State University and her pre-doctoral internship at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System. Dr. McDermott’s research focuses on emotional processing in chronic pain and anxiety and the development of interventions to reduce pain interference and increase quality of life for individuals with chronic pain. She is also interested in the association between pain and substance use and was the recipient of a National Research Service Award (F31) from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Dr. McDermott is passionate about increasing access to care for patients who have historically had limited treatment options and is excited to serve as the project director of CHOIR’s GetActive+ study examining the adaptation of a mind-body intervention for older adults with chronic pain in underserved communities. In her free time, she enjoys walking, museums, humor writing, and spending time with friends and family.

Assistant Professor; Staff Psychiatrist

CHOIR Roles: Staff Psychiatrist

Research Interests: Health disparities, Mind-body interventions, Culture as treatment, Spirituality, Meaning-making, Disaster mental health, Global health

Clinical Interests: Mind-body approaches, Disaster volunteering

Publications: | Harvard Catalyst |

Tony V Pham, MD, MScGH is a staff psychiatrist and assistant professor at CHOIR. Tony's research leverages a multidisciplinary expertise to develop complementary therapies for the integrated health needs of underserved communities. Tony completed his undergraduate training at the University of Virginia where he majored in psychology and cognitive science. He volunteered extensively with Hurricane Katrina survivors and went on to pursue an MD at Tulane University. After medical school, Tony completed a psychiatry residency and a Master's in Global Health at Duke University. Upon completing an NIH Fogarty Fellowship to study shamanic healing in Nepal, Tony completed a Harvard post-doctoral fellowship to examine the role of "culture as treatment" within American Indian communities. Currently, Tony conducts community-engaged research in the Greater Boston Area to adapt mind-body interventions for delivery by peer instructors, within the community, and to older Black adults with chronic pain, depression, and early cognitive decline.

Member of the Faculty

CHOIR Role: Staff Psychologist; Project Manager; Advanced Practicum Student Coordinator

Research Interests: Critical care survivorship (cardiac arrest, severe acute brain injury), resilience, mindfulness, intervention development, dyadic interventions, brief interventions, health disparities

Clinical Interests: Cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based psychotherapy, coping with neurological and critical illness

Publications: | Google Scholar | ResearchGate | PubMed |

Alex is a clinical health psychologist at MGH CHOIR and Member of the Faculty at Harvard Medical School, where he also completed his predoctoral fellowship in 2023.

For the past 8 years, Alex has been dedicated to improving emotional distress and building resilience in critically ill patients and their caregivers through research, clinical work, and service. He has led pioneering research in cardiac arrest survivorship, which has informed national and international guideline statements on post-arrest care. In January 2023, Alex co-launched the largest online support community for cardiac arrest survivors, loved ones, and advocates (the Cardiac Arrest Survivor Alliance). Later that year he was inducted into the Citizen CPR Foundation’s “Top 40 Under 40” class, in recognition of his outstanding work in this space. He will continue his pioneering efforts through his NCCIH K23, which promises to develop a dyadic mind-body intervention for survivors and their caregivers, and through his RCMAR pilot project, a group lifestyle intervention for cardiac arrest survivors with cognitive decline and their caregivers.

In addition to his projects in cardiac arrest, Alex is a co-project manager on Dr. Vranceanu’s Recovering Together study, building resilience and improving emotional distress in neurocritical care patients and their caregivers. He is also leading a multi-site open pilot study of a resilience intervention for caregivers of patients with severe acute brain injury, the COMA Family Program. Outside of CHOIR, Alex enjoys reading non-fiction, hiking, traveling, and sharing meals with friends and family.

Instructor; Staff Psychologist

CHOIR Role: Clinical Supervisor

Research Interests: Interventions to support resiliency and quality of life with emphasis on ALS/neurological illness populations

Clinical Interests: Integrative (CBT, ACT, mind-body medicine, humanistic, existential) with behavioral medicine and neurological illness populations

Publications: | ResearchGate | Google Scholar |

Dr. Christina Rush is a staff psychologist at MGH CHOIR with an academic appointment at Harvard Medical School. She completed pre-doctoral internship (health psychology track) at the VA Maryland Healthcare System/University of Maryland School of Medicine Consortium and doctoral training in clinical health psychology at the University of Colorado Denver. Dr. Rush’s research explores the intersection of mind-body medicine, religion and spirituality, and coping with serious illness. At CHOIR Dr. Rush serves on the Recovering Together study building resiliency and improving emotional distress in neurocritical care patients and their informal caregivers. She is also developing a resiliency intervention for people with ALS and their care-partners. She received a research seed grant from The ALS Association and a Kornfeld Scholars Program Award from the National Palliative Care Research Center to support this work. Dr. Rush loves hiking, yoga, travel, dark chocolate, and being with her family.

Instructor, Staff Psychologist

CHOIR Roles: Clinical Supervisor, Co-Lead Caregiver Clinic

Research Interests: Aging, family caregiving, sexual consent capacity, dementia care and prevention

Clinical Interests: Geropsychology; caregiving, positive psychological interventions

Publications: | PubMed | GoogleScholar

Dr. Maggie Syme (she/her) is a clinical psychologist at MGH CHOIR and Instructor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School. Maggie's research primarily focuses on developing and testing positive psychological interventions for older adults with dementia and their families. Her research also focuses on the biopsychosocial and cultural model of sexual health among older adults and promoting person-centered policies for sexual and intimate expression in skilled nursing facilities. Maggie has extensive clinical experience providing psychological services for older adults and family caregivers. Outside of work, Maggie enjoys watching college basketball (Go Zags!), singing and dancing with her daughter, and karaoke.

Instructor; Research Staff

CHOIR Role: Psychophysiological CORE Member

Research Interests: Neuroimaging; Machine Learning; Chronic Pain; Postsurgical Pain; TBI; ADHD; Women’s Health; Intervention Development

Publications: | Google Scholar | PubMed |

Dr. Ziyan Wu is a research staff member at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the Center for Health Outcomes and Interdisciplinary Research (CHOIR). She completed her Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. After her postdoctoral training at Boston Children’s Hospital, she was appointed as an instructor at Harvard Medical School (HMS). Dr. Wu has led the neuroimaging components of several NIH projects exploring the biobehavioral and neural mechanisms contributing to chronic postsurgical pain across the life span, as well as responses to pain treatment. Her long-term research goals include the development of robust computational models to enable the early detection of chronic pain and support the implementation of personalized pain management strategies by leveraging neuroimaging, behavioral, psychological, and medical history data.

In addition to her research activities, Dr. Wu places a high value on service and mentoring. She has mentored graduate students from the University of Oxford, the MS in Medical Sciences (MAMS) Program at Boston University, and undergraduate students at the University of Bath and Simmons University, guiding them on their theses and projects. Beyond her professional interests, Ziyan enjoys classical Chinese dance and solving jigsaw puzzles.

Postdoctoral Fellow

CHOIR Role: Study Clinician

Research Interests: Aging, Dementia, Geropsychology, Neuropsychology

Clinical Interests: Neuropsychological Assessment and Cognitive Rehabilitation

Dr. Dumichel Harley is a 2024 MASS-Envision RCMAR scholar at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. He completed his PhD in Clinical Psychology at Palo Alto University and his pre-doctoral internship in Neuropsychology as a part of the Psychology Assessment Center at HMS/MGH. His work within CHOIR is focused on developing a cognitive rehabilitation protocol for underserved populations. At CHOIR, Dumichel serves as a clinician for the My Healthy Brain, Active Brains, and HABIT (Healthy Aging as Black Adults: In It Together) studies. Outside of his work, Dumichel enjoys traveling, videography, and baking everything from pies to cakes

Postdoctoral Fellow

CHOIR Role: Study Clinician

Research Interests: Chronic pain, intervention development, improving pain care in acute care settings

Clinical Interests: Addressing the psychological consequences of pain and pain-related concerns, applying evidence-based approaches (e.g., CBT, ACT, DBT) to address chronic and acute medical stressors, integrating novel technology into intervention delivery

Publications: | Google Scholar | ResearchGate |

Dr. Julia Hooker is a Bridge-the-Gap T32 postdoctoral fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. She completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Syracuse University, and her pre-doctoral internship in the Lifespan Health track within CHOIR at HMS/MGH. Julia's work within CHOIR is focused on developing and testing mind-body interventions for chronic musculoskeletal pain. Additionally, Julia’s research centers on addressing chronic pain care in the Emergency Department. At CHOIR, Julia serves as a clinician for Dr. Vranceanu's Recovering Together (RT) study in the NeuroICU, as well as the THRIVE study promoting activity and mind-body skills use among sedentary individuals with chronic pain. She is also a co-facilitator of the CHOIR Research Seminar. In addition to her research and clinical interests, Julia enjoys walking ridiculously long distances, playing mandolin (badly), and hunting down the perfect bowl of ramen.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Research Interests: Multidisciplinary rehabilitation and psychologically informed rehabilitation practices, mindfulness-based intervention for mild traumatic brain injury, mind-body intervention for chronic orofacial pain

Clinical Interests: Medical speech-language pathology for adult populations including cognitive-communication rehabilitation after traumatic brain injury, language rehabilitation for aphasia, treatment of motor speech disorders, treatment of organic and functional dysphonia, gender affirming voice therapy, and assessment and treatment of dysphagia.

Dr. Brenda C. Lovette is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow within CHOIR at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. She earned her PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences at MGH Institute of Health Professions in Charlestown, MA. Her doctoral research focused on the development and early testing of a mindfulness-based rehabilitation intervention for persistent symptoms after concussion. She is also trained in mindfulness-based stress reduction through the University of California San Diego Center for Integrative Health. At CHOIR, she works with Dr. Jonathan Greenberg, contributing to the development and testing of mind-body interventions for chronic orofacial pain and symptoms after mild traumatic brain injury. Prior to her doctoral work, she earned her clinical degree in speech-language pathology at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. Brenda has worked as a clinical speech-language pathologist in a variety of health care settings, treating individuals with cognitive-communication, language, motor speech, voice, airway, and swallowing challenges. She maintains a clinical role at a community hospital in the Boston area. Outside of her scholarly and clinical work, Brenda enjoys swimming, reading, hiking in the White Mountains, teaching yoga, playing the ukulele and guitar, and ballroom dancing with her spouse.

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Research Interests: Digital Health Interventions, Structural Determinants of Health, Anxiety, Depression, Substance Use Disorders, HIV Prevention

Links: Pubmed, Google Scholar

Michael is a postdoctoral fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital/CHOIR and a T32 research fellow at Harvard Medical School. He completed his PhD in Population Health at Northeastern University. Broadly, his research unpacks how the intersection of neighborhood, social, and digital spaces affect mental, behavioral, and sexual health, digital health intervention efficacy, and access to health services. Funded by an F31 training fellowship through the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, his dissertation work examined how neighborhood, social, and digital spaces influence HIV vulnerability and the efficacy of a digital pre-exposure prophylaxis adherence intervention among sexual and gender minority adolescents. At CHOIR, Michael works on the STRIDE study, which uses a digital mindfulness intervention to reduce caregiver stress for caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Utilizing his multidisciplinary background in epidemiology, biostatistics, game design, human-computer interaction, and philosophy of science, he aims to design and robustly evaluate digital health interventions to improve mental, behavioral, and sexual health. In his free time, Michael enjoys cooking, video games, playing his guitar, snowboarding, going to the gym, and spending lots of quality time with his family, friends, and dog.

Research Fellow

Research interests: Social drivers (risk and protective) of brain health outcomes including depression among stroke survivors, and cognitive aging and dementia. The gendered stress-anxiety link among Black Americans.

Dr. Dominique Popescu is a Research Fellow at CHOIR and Harvard Medical School. She earned her doctorate in Integrative Neuroscience from Stony Book University and completed the post-doctoral Research Fellowship Program at Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. She is the recipient of the Clinical Training Scholarship in Neurodisparities funded by the American Brain Foundation and the American Academy of Neurology. She has been a Scholar in the 2023 R25 Dementia-Palliative Care Clinical Trials Training Program. Her research focuses on understanding social drivers, risk and protective factors, of brain health outcomes. Outside of the office, Dominique is a sneaker-head who travels the world, runs, speaks French, rides a motorcycle, and adores her two Australian Shepherds (Vivi and Arlo).

Advanced Practicum Student

CHOIR Role: Study Clinician

Research Interests: Intercultural psychology, decolonial psychology, and indigenous psychology, with a focus on Process-Based Therapy and the integration of ancestral medicine in psychotherapy; community-based participatory methodologies to develop holistic interventions, aiming to create culturally relevant and counter-colonial mental health solutions.

Clinical Interests: Interplay between psychological and emotional factors and physical illness; dedicated to understanding how these dimensions can be leveraged to improve health outcomes, particularly for culturally diverse populations, with a specific focus on Latinx immigrants; emphasizes a holistic approach to health, viewing connection as a multilevel concept that fosters overall well-being and supports mind-body-spirit integration; believes that addressing the emotional and psychological aspects of health is crucial for promoting comprehensive wellness.

Nicolás is a bilingual (Spanish/English) and bicultural (Ecuadorian/Argentinian) Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Candidate at Clark University, where he received his MA in Clinical Psychology. His research and clinical focus stems from the understanding that humans heal trough developing meaningful connections. Thus, Nicolás has been trained in multiple psychotherapies that allow him to guide and facilitate the process of remembering, nourishing, and creating meaningful connections, including: ACT, DBT, Integrative Gestalt and Humanistic Therapy, Body-Emotional Psychotherapy with Ancestral Medicine, and IBCT (Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy). He has work extensively with culturally diverse families, practicing individual, dyadic, couples, and family psychotherapy at Seven Hills Behavioral Health, Clark University Psychology Clinic, and at Svital Integrative Therapeutic Center. Currently, Nicolás is training at the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital Center of Health Outcomes and Interdisciplinary Research (CHOIR), at Arammu Relationship Checkup, and is completing his studies in Andean Medicine at Svital Integrative Therapeutic Center in Ecuador. 

Predoctoral Intern

CHOIR Role: Study Clinician

Research Interests: palliative care; aging; community engagement; health promotion and equity; clinical research in medically underserved communities 

Clinical Interests: Mindfulness and acceptance-based therapeutic strategies for comorbid mental and physical health concerns, cultural sensitivity in therapy

Kirsten is a predoctoral intern in the Lifespan Health track within CHOIR at Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital. She is a graduate student in the University of Florida's Counseling Psychology Ph.D. program. Her research interests focus on identifying the barriers to accessing and utilizing health interventions for medically underserved communities with co-occurring mental and physical health concerns.  Additionally, she is interested in the co-creation of evidence-based and culturally-tailored health interventions. She is particularly interested in health outcomes within Black communities. Within CHOIR, Kirsten is a study clinician on Active Brains and Recovering Together. Outside of work, Kirsten enjoys playing bass guitar, thrifting, and spending time with family and friends. 

Predoctoral Intern

CHOIR Role: Study Clinician

Research Interests: Improving quality of life for people living with dementia and their family care partners; improving quality of care for patients in formal, long-term care settings

Clinical Interests: Working with adults who have experienced a serious medical event and their family care partners; working with older adults; positive, person-centered care; integrative psychotherapy

Darby is a Lifespan Health track at Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital. She is a doctoral candidate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Louisville in Louisville, KY. Her research focuses on improving the quality of life and care of people living with dementia and their family care partners in community settings and after admission into formal, long-term care. She also has a clinical and research interest in improving the quality of care for patients in formal, long-term care settings. At CHOIR, Darby is a study clinician on Active Brains and Recovering Together. Darby is also participating in a clinical rotation in geropsychology rehabilitation at Spaulding Nursing & Therapy Center. Outside of work, Darby loves reading, going on walks, and trying new restaurants.

Predoctoral Intern

CHOIR Role: Study Clinician

Research Interests: Investigating the integration of physical activity and psychological interventions; Mind-body interventions for improving health-related outcomes and reducing chronic pain; Culturally adaptive interventions

Clinical Interests: CBT and ACT for anxiety-related disorders and physical health concerns. I also enjoy working with patients with sport-related performance anxiety or sports-related injuries

Christopher Webster is a predoctoral intern in the Lifespan Health Track within CHOIR at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. He is a dual major doctoral candidate in Clinical Psychology and Kinesiology at Michigan State University. His research interests are in the integration of exercise and physical activity into psychological interventions. He is also interested in the development of mind-body interventions to reduce chronic pain following orthopedic injuries. Chris’s clinical interests are in CBT and ACT for anxiety disorders and physical health concerns and working with athletes with performance anxiety or sports-related injuries. Within CHOIR, Chris is a study clinician for iHope and Active Brains. Outside of work, Chris enjoys exercising, sports, playing chess, cooking, and traveling. 

Administrative Manager of Research

Kelly Horan is the Program Manager at MGH CHOIR (formerly known as IBHCRP). She provides oversight to the day-to-day operations of the program including finance, project management, and research administration. Before joining CHOIR in July of 2021, Kelly served as the Program Manager for the Center for Healthcare Research in Pediatrics and the Precision Medicine Translational Research Center in the Department of Population Medicine at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Harvard Medical School. Kelly also worked previously as a Senior Project Manager in the Department of Population Medicine and a Project Manager at Boston Children’s Hospital and Tufts University School of Medicine.

Project Manager

Lina Hussein is an Operational Project Manager at MGH CHOIR. She provides research efforts at CHOIR in the following areas:

Financial aspects including managing the Center finances, reimbursements, POs, and various studies supplies.

Clinical aspects including providing administrative management for the CHOIR caregiver Clinic and patient communication, in addition to providing close support to CHOIR leadership on the clinical productivity measurement.

Administrative support including corporate credit cards management, onboarding new staff and study volunteers, timekeeping, and overall workplace maintenance and supplies.

Before joining CHOIR in May 2023, Lina served as an Administrative Coordinator at the Hospital Medicine Unit / Department of General Internal Medicine, MGH from July 2018 till April 2023. She also worked as a Project Consultant at JSI, Boston in 2017. Lina also worked as a Research Assistant at both the Heller School for Social Policy and Management and Simmons College from 2016 to 2017. Before she moved to the USA in 2015, Lina worked in the Ministry of Health in Syria from 1992 till 2015, where she served as the Deputy Director of Planning and International Cooperation between 2009 and 2015.

Project Manager

Mallory Morehead is a Research Project Manager at CHOIR. She is responsible for the overall management of the Mass-ENVISION Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (RCMAR) program, which provides mentored research training for Underrepresented in Medicine (UiM) scientists in developing, testing and implementing behavioral health interventions for minority older adults with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias. She also manages the PCORI-funded HABIT Study, a community-engaged study designed to measure the effectiveness of 2 interventions in improving health-related outcomes for Black older adults with chronic pain and early cognitive decline. Prior to working at CHOIR, she lived in the UK and served as Program Manager for the Centre for Applied Education Research (CAER) and as Project Manager for CAER’s Alan Turing Institute-funded Act Early: Holme Wood program. Before her move to the UK in 2019, she worked as Program Manager for the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance, Program Manager for the Kraft Center for Community Health Leadership at MGH under the leadership of Dr. Derri Shtasel, coordinated a VA-funded veterans’ homelessness prevention and rehousing program across 2 counties in the San Francisco Bay Area, and worked on applied research studies in Los Angeles and Memphis focused on community revitalization, and HIV prevention and treatment. Mallory has an MPH from UCLA and a BA in Anthropology from the University of Memphis.

Data Analyst

Elizabeth Allen is a Data Analyst at CHOIR. She supports the research efforts of the center in all aspects of data management, including collecting, organizing, analyzing, disseminating, and visualizing data. Elizabeth earned her Master of Science (MS) in Nutrition Epidemiology and Data Science from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, as well as her Master of Public Health (MPH) from Tufts University School of Medicine, with a concentration in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Before graduate school and prior to joining CHOIR, Elizabeth worked as a clinical research coordinator in orthopedic trauma at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Her research interests lie in the impact of nutrition, physical activity, and other modifiable life factors on cancer development and the quality of life of cancer survivors. In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys reading, crafting, playing the guitar, and spending time with family.

Clinical Research Coordinator

Projects: HABIT Study

Adjoa is a Clinical Research Coordinator at CHOIR. She recently graduated from Bryn Mawr College with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Neuroscience. While in college, Adjoa’s research experience mainly focused on behavior, specifically decision making and emotion regulation. Outside of academics, Adjoa competed on the swim team where she held a school relay record for three years. She also competed on the outdoor track and field team and participated in various clubs, including the BOUNCE Dance Team and Sisterhood*. At CHOIR, Adjoa assists on the PCORI/HABIT study. In her free time, Adjoa enjoys swimming, running, baking, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Clinical Research Coordinator

Projects: Chronic Post Surgical Pain Exploration

Caitlin recently graduated summa cum laude from Simmons University, with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. While at Simmons, she conducted independent research on using photography as a gratitude intervention, and completed a fieldwork placement during her senior year with Dr. Christine Sieberg. Now at CHOIR she is continuing to work with Dr. Sieberg on two studies exploring biopsychosocial factors contributing to chronic post-surgical pain across the lifespan. Caitlin’s research interests include LGBTQIA+ health, chronic pain management, and the relationship between fear and pain. In the future, Caitlin hopes to pursue a doctoral degree in clinical psychology. In her free time, Caitlin loves to read and recommend books, bake (especially sourdough), and spend time outside.

Clinical Research Coordinator

Projects: Recovering Together | Active Brains

Hayley is a Clinical Research Coordinator at CHOIR. She recently graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in psychology with a minor in biology. Her research interests include mindfulness-based interventions and increasing accessibility to mental health services. At CHOIR, she assists with the Recovering Together and Active Brains studies. In her free time, Hayley enjoys running, exploring new places, and spending time with family and friends.

Clinical Research Coordinator

Projects: Recovering Together | iHOPE

Courtney is a clinical research coordinator at CHOIR. She recently graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Science in Education (BSEd) in Speech Communication Disorders and minors in Psychology and American Sign Language and Deaf Culture. Her previous research and volunteer efforts have centered around social and psychological interventions for children and adults with disabilities. At CHOIR, Courtney works with the Recovering Together and iHOPE studies. Courtney is primarily interested in investigating exposure to traumatic experiences and its relationship with distress and psychopathology. She hopes to pursue a doctorate in clinical psychology in the future. In her free time, Courtney enjoys spending time with dogs, hiking, and doing yoga.

Clinical Research Coordinator

Projects: CogCARE: Tailoring Cognitive Rehabilitation Programs for Black Americans with Mild to Moderate Dementia | GetActive-Together | GetActive-Fitbit: Spanish | iHOPE

Yoojee recently returned from a year in Oviedo, Spain, where she taught English to middle/high school students on a Fulbright grant. During her time there, she volunteered at a local pediatric cancer organization, where she developed her passion for providing multilingual care for patients. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees in Spanish and Linguistics and certificates in Spanish & Health and Medical Humanities. Outside of CHOIR, Yoojee spends her time playing waterpolo, baking, and spending time outside.

Clinical Research Coordinator

Projects: GetActive | iHOPE | Recovering Together

Dany is a Clinical Research Coordinator at CHOIR. She graduated magna cum laude from Boston College with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology with a clinical concentration and a minor in Education. Dany’s research interests include development across the lifespan and the impact of neurodevelopmental disorders on both the individual and the family. At CHOIR, Dany is the lead coordinator on Recovering Together after Cardiac Arrest and GetActive. She also assists with iHOPE and Recovering Together. In her free time, Dany enjoys exercising, reading, walking her dog, and spending time with friends and family.

Clinical Research Coordinator

Projects: My Healthy Brain | BRISK | InSTILL

Makenna is a clinical research coordinator at CHOIR. She graduated summa cum laude from Tufts University with a Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology and Science, Technology, and Society studies (STS). Her previous research has focused on shared decision making for older adults with chronic kidney disease. Makenna’s research interests broadly lie at the intersections of bioethics, health policy, gerontology, cognitive decline, and neuroscience. At CHOIR, Makenna is the lead coordinator on the My Healthy Brain and Building Resilience in Skilled Nursing Care (BRISK) studies. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, crocheting, wandering around the greater Boston area, and spending time with loved ones.

Clinical Research Coordinator

Projects: TOR-C | TIRELESS | Recovering Together | HIPS | Face-Forward-Web

Nadine graduated from Williams College with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology and started as a clinical research coordinator at CHOIR in 2022. As an athlete, Nadine competed in four years of division I alpine ski racing, was the captain of her collegiate team for the 2021-22 season, and previously achieved a top 5 national ranking for her age group. Her academic interests include the burgeoning research dedicated to mindfulness, the role of socially constructed scripts in instances of assault, the relationship between individual suggestibility and the reliability of memory, and the development of racial bias throughout infancy and childhood. At CHOIR, Nadine is the lead coordinator for TOR-C and TIRELESS and assists on the iHOPE, Recovering Together, and PCORI/HABIT studies. On her own time, Nadine enjoys skiing, hiking, mountain biking, and cooking. In the coming year, Nadine will be applying to PsyD and PhD (Clinical Psychology) programs (wish her luck)!

Clinical Research Coordinator

Projects: Chronic Post Surgical Pain Exploration

Margaret is a clinical research coordinator at CHOIR. She graduated from Dartmouth College in June of 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience and Minor in French Literature. At Dartmouth, she competed 4 years on the Division I Women’s Rowing team, and worked in the Behavioral Health Lab at Geisel Medical School. She started in June of 2023 as a research assistant in the Biobehavioral Pain Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital and transitioned to MGH’s Choir center with the move of the lab. She is the lead coordinator for two projects exploring the Biopsychosocial and Psychosocial Factors Contributing to Chronic Post-Surgical Pain led by Dr. Christine Sieberg. In her own time, she enjoys hiking, running on the Charles, and doing yoga.

Clinical Research Coordinator

Projects: COMA-F | TEND | Active Brains | Recovering Together

Elizabeth is a clinical research coordinator at CHOIR. She graduated with honors from the University of Wisconsin, Madison with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in psychology and minors in criminal justice and history. Elizabeth’s research interests include major life stress, namely, the consequences on psychological and physical health and mechanisms of intervention and response. At CHOIR, Elizabeth is the lead research coordinator on COMA-F. She also assists with Recovering Together and Active Brains. Ultimately, Elizabeth hopes to further develop her interests and pursue a doctorate degree in clinical psychology. In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys trying new foods, road tripping, and spending time with friends.

Clinical Research Coordinator

Projects: STRIDE | InSTILL | Resilient Together - ALS | BRISK

Morgan is a Clinical Research Coordinator at CHOIR. Before joining the CHOIR team, Morgan graduated with honors from Johns Hopkins University with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in psychology. At JHU, she was a member of the varsity field hockey team and Army ROTC. Her research interests include mindfulness-based interventions, as well as the impact of trauma and social determinants of health on mental health and well-being. At CHOIR, Morgan assists with STRIDE. In the future, Morgan hopes to pursue a doctoral degree in clinical psychology. In her free time, she enjoys running, reading, exploring nature, and spending time with friends and family.

Clinical Research Coordinator

Projects: Recovering Together | CONFIDE-ADRD | Resilient Youth with Neurofibromatosis | Mass-ENVISION RCMAR | Bridging the Science-to-Service Gap T32 Fellowship

Claire is a clinical research coordinator at CHOIR. She graduated from the Yale School of Public Health with a Master of Public Health (MPH) in Social and Behavioral Sciences and received her Bachelor of Arts (BA) from Brown University in Public Health with honors and Psychology. Claire’s research interests primarily focus on investigating the impact of close social relationships on health and wellbeing across the lifespan. At CHOIR, Claire is the lead coordinator for Recovering Together, a dyadic mind-body intervention that aims to prevent chronic emotional distress in patients with an acute brain injury and their family caregivers. She also leads the Resilient Youth with NF study, and helps coordinate CHOIR’S two Center grants (CONFIDE-ADRD and Mass-ENVISION) and T32 Fellowship program. In her free time, Claire enjoys hiking, exploring new cities and the outdoors, and spending time with family and friends.

Clinical Research Coordinator

Projects: iHOPE | Pain Disengagement Training Study

Clara is a clinical research coordinator at CHOIR. She graduated from Amherst College with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Chemistry and a Five College Program certificate in Culture, Health, and Science. At Amherst College, Clara conducted research examining the impact of emotion beliefs on the mental health of college students and worked as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT-B). Clara’s research interests include increasing access to mental health care for Latinx and historically marginalized individuals. At CHOIR, Clara assists with the iHOPE study. In her free time, Clara enjoys baking, photography, and finding good food around the Boston area.

Clinical Research Coordinator

Projects: Active Brains

Defne is a clinical research coordinator at CHOIR. She graduated cum laude from Boston University with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in psychology, and a minor in Film and TV Studies. Defne’s research interests include emotional regulation, interpersonal hypersensitivity and aggression, particularly within the Dementia population. At CHOIR Defne is primarily working on the Active Brains study. In the future Defne hopes to pursue a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology. In her free time she enjoys cooking, running, working on student film sets as a volunteer and making plush toys out of old socks.

Studies:  My Healthy Brain, Active Brains, and RecoVR

Zane is a research volunteer at CHOIR and a junior at Boston College, where he studies Economics. His specific interests include trauma injury rehabilitation, nutrition, and drug therapies. He also works with the Boston College Economics department researching hidden financial loopholes in the pharmaceutical industry. In the future, Zane aims to pursue a medical career that encompasses both research and clinical practice. Outside of research, Zane enjoys playing soccer, reading, and going on long drives.

Studies: Chronic Post Surgical Pain Exploration

Emma is a graduate student research intern at CHOIR. She graduated from Wake Forest University in May 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Health and Exercise Science, along with a minor in Chemistry. She is also a master’s candidate at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine in their Master of Medical Sciences program. In the future, Emma hopes to aid in expanding our understanding of female pain conditions and other related health issues. Outside of research, she enjoys strength training, nature walks, and reading.

Studies: Get-Active Together

Mónica is a master's-level social work candidate at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in Human Resource Development. Since August 2024, she has volunteered as a clinical coordinator at CHOIR, conducting qualitative interviews and analyses of dementia patient-caregiver dyads for a pilot study funded by the National Institute on Aging and the Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research (RCMAR). Mónica is interested in exploring the use of psychedelic and spirit medicines, and the implementation of culturally informed approaches among Latino populations. She anticipates to graduate in May 2025.

Studies: Get-Active Together

Gerardo M. Enríquez Rivera completed his undergraduate studies in Psychology at the University of Puerto Rico. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in social work at the University of Connecticut and participating in the Connecticut ¡Adelante!, a program that promotes the training and retention of Spanish-speaking and Latino social workers. His general research interests include exploring the use of qualitative methods to examine the lived experiences of Latinos in the United States. In his free time, he enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with his cat.

Studies: My Healthy Brain, Active Brains

Mallika Saksena is a senior at George Washington University. Originally from the Boston area, Mallika is majoring in psychology and brain sciences and minoring in marketing. She has been volunteering with CHOIR since May 2023. Following graduation, Mallika hopes to continue her education in sports and performance psychology. In her free time, she enjoys reading, skiing