OUR TEAM
DR. SHANNON O'CONNOR
Principle Investigator
Shannon is an Assistant Professor in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at Montclair State University. Shannon completed her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Michigan State University in 2018 after completing her APA-accredited pre-doctoral internship at the UCSD Eating Disorder Center and Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego. Shannon then completed a post-doctoral fellowship on the Midwest T32 for Eating Disorder Research at the University of Chicago. Shannon's research interests center on identifying environmental risk factors for eating pathology using genetically-informed designs.
LEORA HALLER
Clinical Psychology PhD Student
Leora is a third-year student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at Montclair State University. As an undergraduate, Leora studied biomarkers and environmental risk factors for depression and psychosis in a non-clinical setting. In the Lowe Lab at Drexel, Leora looked at weight history and weight change in patients with Bulimia Nervosa and Anorexia Nervosa as part of her MS degree in psychology. Leora hopes to pursue research regarding the biobehavioral etiology of motivation and reward valuation in disordered eating.
FRANCOIS BAN
Lab Manager
Clinical Psychology PhD Student
Francois is a first-year student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at MSU. She has a background in epidemiology from her Master's degree in Public Health at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her research interests include disordered eating pathology, weight stigmatization, and body image. Specifically, she is interested in people's relationships with food and how cultural, environmental, and societal factors may influence their eating behaviors.
EMILY FERRER
SONA Project Coordinator
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Emily is a fourth-year undergraduate student with a double major in Psychology and Justice Studies at Montclair State University. She is interested in abnormal psychology, eating disorders, child development, and neuropsychology. Her future goals are to go straight into a Clinical Psychology PhD program after she graduates from Montclair and work specifically with adolescents who are struggling with eating disorders/behaviors. She also aspires to teach as a professor at a University in the far future. In her free time, Emily likes to spend time with her dog, Rummy, go on hikes, and travel!
ALEXA SALOTTI
Food Access Focus Group Project Coordinator
Clinical Psychology MA Student
Alexa is a second-year student in the Clinical Psychology Master’s Program at Montclair State University. She has a concentration in Child & Adolescent Psychology, as she is highly interested in looking at mental health within youth populations. Following her Master’s, Alexa plans on going straight into either a PsyD or PhD Clinical Psychology program. When she is not at the lab or in class, Alexa is a Pre-K teacher at an Early Learning Center in Cranford, NJ.
SAMANTHA CORRALES
Clinical Psychology MA Student
Samantha is a second year student in the Clinical Psychology Master’s program with a concentration in Forensic Psychology. As an undergraduate, she studied Psychology and Justice Studies at Montclair State University. Samantha is interested in criminal assessments and preventing false confessions in wrongful convictions. She is also interested in understanding the underlying biological factors of adolescents in prison settings. Samantha plans on pursuing an education in a doctoral program in Clinical Psychology to continue researching about various topics of the field.
SAMANTHA MATTHEWS
Clinical Psychology MA Student
Sam is a second-year student in the Clinical Psychology Master’s program with a concentration in Forensic Psychology. Prior to coming to Montclair, she studied Biological Sciences and Psychology at Rutgers University. Sam is interested in the biological and genetic factors that underlie the development of eating disorders, and how that understanding can be utilized to treat patients more effectively. She hopes to be a practicing psychologist in the future who also has the ability to contribute to research in the field.
CHINWE OSSAI
Clinical Psychology MA Student
Chinwe is a second-year student in the clinical psychology masters program with a concentration in forensic psychology with the ultimate goal of achieving a PhD in Clinical Psychology. She received her BA degree double majoring in psychology and criminal justice at Rutgers University. She is interested in many areas of research including forensic psychology and the development of eating disorders and how pressures from society and in the home can impact one’s perception of their image.
NAYELI DUME
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Nayeli is a third-year undergraduate student at Montclair State University, majoring in psychology. She is interested in adolescents, anxiety, depression, and minority groups like Latinos, and individuals part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Nayeli’s goal is to join a Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program right after graduating with her Bachelor’s from Montclair. Her future goals after earning her Ph.D. are to work as a practitioner and later on open up a mental health clinic of her own.
