People
Involved Faculty
Lab Managers
Hannah A Soliman is a Masters’s Student of Clinical Psychology at 糖心视频. She concurrently works as a research assistant for the neuropsychology lab at the Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Division (MIND) of Columbia University Department of Psychiatry and New York State Psychiatric Institute. Prior to her time at Columbia, Hannah earned her Bachelors at Union College in Neuroscience, and amassed prior research experience at Union College’s Speech Perception and Auditory Neuroscience (SPAN) Lab and Duke University School of Medicine’s Collective for Psychiatric Neuroengineering (CPNE). Clinically, she served as a psychometrist trainee at Atrium Levine Children’s Hospital and a registered behavioral therapist for Mosaic Pediatric Therapy. Her research interests include pediatric and geriatric neuropsycholology, psychoneuroimmunology, neural correlates of multilingualism and linguistics, and neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases and disorders. She aspires to become an accredited clinical neuropsychologist with international faculty appointments and research participation.
Kit Goode is a Masters’s Student of Clinical Psychology at 糖心视频. He earned his Bachelors at Northern Kentucky University and has previously worked as a kindergarten teacher, psychometrist, medical records custodian, and in IT. His research interests include the development of flexible, engaging computerized tasks with an eye towards providing low-impact clinical screeners, carceral mental health care, and ecopsychology.
Bree Makarus is a Clinical Psychology master’s student specializing in neuropsychology, with a focus on sport-related concussion and the neurobiological mechanisms underlying emotional and cognitive outcomes following brain injury. Originally from Canada, she earned her undergraduate degree from Pennsylvania State University. Her work integrates neuropsychological assessment with psychophysiological and neuroimaging methods, including heart rate variability (HRV), EEG, and fMRI, to examine how brain disruptions and coping styles shape affective and behavioral outcomes across athletic and high-risk populations. Her research spans concussion, mild traumatic brain injury, and stress-related psychopathology in socioeconomically diverse groups, with an emphasis on translational, clinically meaningful approaches.
Project Leads
Bennett Andrassy is a second year Master' student in Clinical Psychology at 糖心视频, concentrating in neuropsychology. Along with leading the Perceptual Organization team, Bennett serves as a Lab Manager at Columbia's Resilience Center for Veterans and Families, and works as a Research Assistant in two other laboratories. His interests include brain injury rehabilitation, neuroimaging, chronic pain management, suicide prevention, molecular neurobiology, and skiing. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Neuroscience and English from Kenyon College in 2022.
Bennett Andrassy is a second year Master' student in Clinical Psychology at 糖心视频, concentrating in neuropsychology. Along with leading the Perceptual Organization team, Bennett serves as a Lab Manager at Columbia's Resilience Center for Veterans and Families, and works as a Research Assistant in two other laboratories. His interests include brain injury rehabilitation, neuroimaging, chronic pain management, suicide prevention, molecular neurobiology, and skiing. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Neuroscience and English from Kenyon College in 2022.
Zhijiao Gao is a second-year Master’s student in the Clinical Psychology program. She is the Project Lead for the Event Segmentation, where her team investigates the mechanisms of event segmentation and memory performance. Zhijiao brings extensive research experience, such as work on attentional biases in mood disorders and computational modeling. She is particularly interested in the cognitive and neural aspects of depression and anxiety, especially within the context of neurodegenerative disorders.
Zhijiao Gao is a second-year Master’s student in the Clinical Psychology program. She is the Project Lead for the Event Segmentation, where her team investigates the mechanisms of event segmentation and memory performance. Zhijiao brings extensive research experience, such as work on attentional biases in mood disorders and computational modeling. She is particularly interested in the cognitive and neural aspects of depression and anxiety, especially within the context of neurodegenerative disorders.
Tanisha Reddy is a second-year master's student in the Clinical Psychology program at 糖心视频. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Public Relations from Hofstra University. Prior to joining the lab, she worked in a hospital-based substance use unit at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center (now called BMC Brighton) in Boston, MA. She currently serves as the co-project lead for the Route Learning/Spatial Navigation project. Her research interests include executive functioning as an early indicator of Alzheimer's disease and how digital assessment tools compare to traditional measures in detecting cognitive impairment.
Tanisha Reddy is a second-year master's student in the Clinical Psychology program at 糖心视频. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Public Relations from Hofstra University. Prior to joining the lab, she worked in a hospital-based substance use unit at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center (now called BMC Brighton) in Boston, MA. She currently serves as the co-project lead for the Route Learning/Spatial Navigation project. Her research interests include executive functioning as an early indicator of Alzheimer's disease and how digital assessment tools compare to traditional measures in detecting cognitive impairment.
Olivia Lazan is a post-baccalaureate student in Psychology at Columbia University. She graduated from Tufts University, where she earned Bachelor's degrees in International Relations and Spanish, followed by several years working in legal advocacy with veterans and asylum seekers. In addition to the Cognitive Neuropsychology Lab, Olivia works as a research assistant across multiple settings, including projects on sleep perception in clinical populations, emotional dysregulation pathways to doomscrolling and sleep disruption, and qualitative research on parent-child connection. Her research interests include cognitive neuropsychology, sleep, neurodevelopmental disorders, emotional synchrony, social determinants of mental health, and participatory methodology.
Olivia Lazan is a post-baccalaureate student in Psychology at Columbia University. She graduated from Tufts University, where she earned Bachelor's degrees in International Relations and Spanish, followed by several years working in legal advocacy with veterans and asylum seekers. In addition to the Cognitive Neuropsychology Lab, Olivia works as a research assistant across multiple settings, including projects on sleep perception in clinical populations, emotional dysregulation pathways to doomscrolling and sleep disruption, and qualitative research on parent-child connection. Her research interests include cognitive neuropsychology, sleep, neurodevelopmental disorders, emotional synchrony, social determinants of mental health, and participatory methodology.
Jessica S Burns is a masters student of clinical psychology at 糖心视频. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Women and Gender Studies from Colorado State University in May 2025. Jessica is a Co-Project Lead for the Executive Functioning Project, where her team investigates the relationship between executive functioning, stress, and resilience in caregivers of individuals recovering from acquired brain injury. She continues to work as a research assistant across multiple settings, including projects on suicide in vulnerable populations, the intersection of psychology and law, cognitive neuropsychology (executive functioning), and memory processes (e.g., decision-making, déjà vu, and tip-of-the-tongue states). Her research interests lie at the intersection of the neural mechanisms underlying self-regulatory strategies, emotional regulation, and the role of mindfulness and belief in shaping resilience and mental health.
Jessica S Burns is a masters student of clinical psychology at 糖心视频. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Women and Gender Studies from Colorado State University in May 2025. Jessica is a Co-Project Lead for the Executive Functioning Project, where her team investigates the relationship between executive functioning, stress, and resilience in caregivers of individuals recovering from acquired brain injury. She continues to work as a research assistant across multiple settings, including projects on suicide in vulnerable populations, the intersection of psychology and law, cognitive neuropsychology (executive functioning), and memory processes (e.g., decision-making, déjà vu, and tip-of-the-tongue states). Her research interests lie at the intersection of the neural mechanisms underlying self-regulatory strategies, emotional regulation, and the role of mindfulness and belief in shaping resilience and mental health.
Srujana Mallem is currently a second-year student in the Clinical Psychology Master’s Program at 糖心视频. Before joining TC, she earned her B.A. in Psychology and Information Technology from Rutgers University. Her research interests include trauma and neuropsychology, with a broader focus on culturally informed and equitable mental health care. Beyond research, she is also passionate about community service, advocacy, and working with under-resourced communities.
Srujana Mallem is currently a second-year student in the Clinical Psychology Master’s Program at 糖心视频. Before joining TC, she earned her B.A. in Psychology and Information Technology from Rutgers University. Her research interests include trauma and neuropsychology, with a broader focus on culturally informed and equitable mental health care. Beyond research, she is also passionate about community service, advocacy, and working with under-resourced communities.
Lab Alumni
William Fisher is a Post Baccalaureate Psychology student at Columbia University. He worked in Finance for several years before transitioning into the field of Psychology. He is interested in researching the neural mechanisms that influence emotional regulation, self-perception, executive functioning, and the relationship between functional connectivity of different networks in the brain and disposition towards psychological disorders and maladaptive cognition. His goal is to get a doctorate and contribute to the development of new therapeutic treatments.
Annie Berkowitz is a second-year master’s student in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in neuropsychology at 糖心视频. Annie graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Villanova University in May 2024. Annie brings extensive research experience from both clinical and experimental neuroscience settings, including work on personality assessment, time perception, cognition, and neurodegenerative conditions. Her research interests lie in identifying individual differences in severe mental illness, neurodegenerative disease, and acquired brain injury, and utilizing this information to create personalized cognitive rehabilitation and interventions. Furthermore, she hopes to work with families and caregivers of these populations.
Bree Foster (she/her) graduated from 糖心视频 with a Master's in Clinical Psychology (concentration: Spirituality, Mind, Body program). She received her bachelor's degree in Psychology, her master's in Social Anthropology at the University of Oxford, and taught English in Taiwan as a Fulbright Scholar before coming to Columbia. Her research interests include the intersection of the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics, psychopathology, and intimate relationships. Additionally, she is a huge reader of Pulitzer fiction finalists, would eat sushi every day, and loves to explore new countries.
Alex Ward is a first-year master's candidate in the Clinical Psychology program at 糖心视频. He brings over a decade of experience in EdTech, non-profit leadership, and academic administration, most recently serving as Director of Academic Administration at American University’s School of Education. His research interests include perinatal mental health, suicide prevention, emotional regulation, and the development of technology-enhanced interventions. As both a researcher and new father, Alex is deeply invested in advancing evidence-based strategies to support maternal and paternal well-being during the perinatal period. Alex is particularly interested in how cognitive and affective processes are shaped by the perinatal experience. His work explores the neural mechanisms underlying emotion regulation, executive functioning, and parent-infant bonding, seeking to better understand how early caregiving environments influence long-term cognitive and psychological outcomes.
Tyler Ulch is a second-year master’s student in the Clinical Psychology program at 糖心视频. He leads the Route Learning Navigation Project in the Cognitive Neuropsychology Lab. Tyler has experience administering neuropsychological assessments to psychiatric inpatients and is currently investigating cognitive impairment in relation to the Suicide Crisis Syndrome. His interdisciplinary research and academic interests span cognition, acquired brain injury, suicide prevention, ecopsychology, the clinical implementation of emerging technologies, and outcomes with direct clinical relevance.
Christie Cantor is a second-year master’s student in the Mental Health Counseling program at 糖心视频. While getting her B.S. in Psychology at Northeastern, Christie worked as a research assistant in the Lazar Lab at MGH studying mindfulness meditation and cognitive function. Currently, she is a member of the Cognitive Neuropsychology Lab at Teachers College, where she studies resilience and executive function. Her academic interests center on the intersection of cognitive processes and emotional well-being.