Adriana Espinosa
Principal Investigator/ Lab Director
The City College of New York and The Graduate Center, CUNY
Dr. Espinosa is an Associate Professor in the department of psychology at The City College of New York. She is doctoral faculty within the Health Psychology and Clinical Science training area of the Department of Psychology at the Graduate Center, CUNY. Her research employs life-course and intersectional frameworks to understand disparities in healthcare access, health behaviors and health outcomes among racial/ethnically minoritized populations.
Nishanthi Anthonipillai
she/her/hers | Doctoral Candidate
Clinical Psychology, The City College of New York
Nishanthi is a fifth-year doctoral candidate in Clinical Psychology, at the City College of New York. She received her bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Theater from The College of the Holy Cross, and a master’s degree in General Psychology from City College of New York. She has worked as a Substance Misuse Prevention Coordinator for the City College of New York, where she created programming to reduce the prevalence and incidence of substance misuse among commuter college students. Her research interests include intersectional identities and mental health outcomes, the interplay between culture and emotion regulation, and how emotional regulation is similar and different among multi-lingual individuals across their languages.
Zara Khan
she/her/hers | 5th Year Doctoral Student
Health Psychology & Clinical Science, The Graduate Center, CUNY
Zara received her B.S. in Behavioral Neuroscience from Quinnipiac University. She has worked as a research coordinator in the Pulmonary Unit at the Yale School of Medicine, where she examined associations between pro-inflammatory markers and symptoms of anxiety and depression in a cohort with a rare lung disease. Her research interests broadly include women’s sexual health, psychosocial adjustment to chronic illness, and health behavior change.
Wynta Alexander
she/her/hers | 2nd Year Doctoral Student
Health Psychology & Clinical Science, The Graduate Center, CUNY
Wynta obtained her B.A. and M.A in Psychology from the City College of New York. She has worked in the ARHAMP lab for three years where previously she examined the differential impact of adverse childhood experiences on clinical outcomes among racial/ethnic minoritized populations and presently is investigating the relationship between parental practices on adult health outcomes, with sex as a moderator among Black emerging adults. Her research interests include stressors over the life course, intersectionality, and racial/ethnic minority health.
Lukonde Mulenga
she/her/hers | 2nd Year Doctoral Student
Health Psychology & Clinical Science, The Graduate Center, CUNY
Lukonde Mulenga is a two-time graduate of the University of Michigan, receiving her B.A. in Biopsychology, Cognition, & Neuroscience in 2016 and her Master of Public Health (MPH) in Health Behavior and Health Education, along with a Graduate Certificate in Global Health, in 2018. Afterwards, Lukonde joined the Program for Research on Women’s Health and Disability (PROWHD), part of the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation of Michigan Medicine. As a member of PROWHD, she contributed to research on reproductive health, sexual wellness, and disability stigma. In her doctoral studies, Lukonde is interested in studying the sexual attitudes of Black and African women – both in the United States and Zambia – and examining how these attitudes impact current and future sexual health behaviors and relationships.
Rosairi Estevez
she/her/hers | Master’s Student
BA/MA Psychology Research Program
Rosairi is a third year student in the dual bachelors and masters program in Psychology Research at The City College of New York. She currently works as a bilingual counselor at Crisis Text Line. Her research focuses on the impact of immigration and acculturation experiences among Latino student populations, along with their implications for mental health and educational outcomes. Rosairi’s research interests also include the study of sociocultural behaviors and assessing their impact on psychological and physical health literacy in ethnic minority populations.
Lindsay Lebert
she/her/hers | Master’s Student
BA/MA Psychology Program, The City College of New York
Lindsay is currently studying to earn her B.A. and M.A. in Psychology at The City College of New York. She also works as a Registered Behavior Technician at Manhattan Psychology Group. Her research concerns health behaviors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, including preventive health behavior and alcohol consumption. Lindsay’s research examines the role of perceived discrimination, emotional self-efficacy, and trust in leadership.
Sabrina Perrin
she/her/hers | Master’s Student
General Psychology, The City College of New York
Sabrina is a second-year Master’s student and received a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and a second Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Kent State University in 2021. Currently, she works as a Senior Research and Evaluation Specialist at a non-profit that specializes in community corrections, substance use treatment, and other recovery support services. Her research interests revolve around factors affecting substance use engagement outcomes among college students, including: stress, perceived social support, and motives for using substances.
Kimberly Velazquez
she/her/hers | Master’s Student
General Psychology, The City College of New York
Kimberly is a Master’s student in her final year and currently works at Columbia University as a Student Research Program Coordinator. She has worked at the intersections of healthcare and administrative sectors. Her research interests revolve around the in-depth exploration of crucial societal elements, encompassing a sense of community, depression, anxiety, and perceived discrimination. Kimberly is resolute in her mission to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in understanding and reducing racial and ethnic disparities in mental health.
Rodayne Williams
he/him/his | Master’s Student
General Psychology, The City College of New York
Rodayne is a first-year Master’s student and a graduate of Fisk University where he earned his B.A in Biology. As a Research Analyst, Rodayne has worked on studies examining the effect of numerous factors (e.g., sleep quality) on health outcomes in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. His research interests include addiction and recovery, immigration, and how that impacts health choices and outcomes.