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.
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
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.
MCKAYLA WILLIAMS
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Mckayla is a third year undergraduate student with a major in Psychology and a minor in Music in Classical Vocal Performance. She is highly interested in studying eating disorders with co-occuring trauma and anxiety in addition to exploring the correlation between eating disorders and autoimmune diseases. Mckayla plans to attend graduate school to pursue a PsyD in Clinical Psychology in the fall of 2023 to ultimately open her own practice and work as a clinician.
ISABELLA GONZALEZ
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Isabella Gonzalez is a sophomore Psychology major with a minor in Spanish. Following undergrad, she hopes to pursue a Master's degree in either industrial organizational psychology or counseling. She became involved in research due to her desire to gain hands-on experience with data and to have an opportunity to apply what she has learned in her courses.
