Heyli Arcese graduated with High Distinction from the University of British Columbia in 2023, earning a B.A. in Psychology and Law and Society. During her time at UBC, she worked as a Lab Manager in Dr. Geoffrey Hall’s Language Development Center and as a Research Assistant in Dr. Darko Odic’s Center for Cognitive Development and Dr. Robinder Bedi’s Counselling/Psychotherapy Research, Teaching, and Service Lab. Her research included investigating whether children categorize and evaluate artifacts based on the identity of their maker, examining if error detection mediates the relationship between formal math abilities and the Approximate Number System, and contributing to the development of a substance abuse counseling manual.

Heyli is passionate about making mental health treatments more accessible through digital tools and exploring mechanisms of change in therapy. At CORD/CDMH, she works under Dr. Jennifer Greenberg, Dr. Geneva Jonathan, and Dr. Adam Jaroszewski, assisting with studies on digital mental health for OCD, BDD, comorbid substance use and depression, and suicidal thoughts and behaviours. After her time at MGH, Heyli plans to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology.

Mia Grossman graduated from Duke University in 2023 with a B.S. in Neuroscience and minors in Chemistry and Political Science. At Duke, she performed 3 years of neuroscience research on lemurs under the guidance of Dr. Christine Drea. Through her work in the Drea Lab, she graduated with distinction in neuroscience, completing a thesis on the neuroanatomical and neuroendocrine underpinnings of female social dominance. She also worked as a research assistant in the Derbyshire chemistry lab studying novel aspects of malaria parasite biology with the hopes of identifying draggable targets. Mia is broadly interested in neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopment disorders, and the application of neuroscience and neurobiology to psychiatric treatment for diseases including OCD. Mia currently works with Dr. Daniel Geller on studies of pediatric OCD and Tourette’s Syndrome. After MGH, Mia plans to attend medical school and pursue a career in neurology.

Phoebe Holz graduated from the University of Chicago in 2024 with a B.A. in Psychology and French. At UChicago, she worked primarily as a research assistant for the Memory and Perception in Schizophrenia (MAPS) lab under Dr. Molly Erickson investigating the neural mechanisms of cognition and perception in primary psychotic disorders using EEG and fMRI. Her senior honors thesis investigated spontaneous gamma frequency spectral activity as a potential biomarker for the cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. At CORD, Phoebe is assisting on a project investigating the mechanisms by which transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) might enhance fear extinction learning in individuals with fear-based OCD under Dr. Ryan Jacoby. She is broadly interested in the use of biomarkers to better understand and tailor treatment for psychiatric disorders, and the use of digital tools to improve the accessibility of mental health treatments. After CORD she hopes to pursue her PhD in clinical psychology.

Sara Velazquez graduated from Tufts University in 2024 with a B.S. in Clinical Psychology and Music. At Tufts, she worked as a research assistant for the Translational Emotion and Memory Lab under Dr. Xandra Kredlow where she ran fear-conditioning studies focused on understanding memory processes with the aim of creating novel interventions for fear-related disorders. During her time there, she completed a senior capstone project on the impact of dispositional cognitive reappraisal skills on a cognitive restructuring intervention during fear conditioning. At CORD, Sara works under Dr. Ryan Jacoby, PhD assisting her studies on the role of attentional control in the treatment of repetitive negative thinking. After working at MGH, Sara plans to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology.

Athena Brown is currently pursuing a degree in Physiology and Neurobiology at the University of Connecticut. She previously completed an internship at Yale University under the mentorship of Dr. Ifat Levy, where her research centered on bulimia and other eating disorders. Presently, Athena is further developing her expertise in mental health and psychological research through her work at CORD.

Leo Ravina is a neuroscience major on the premed track at Columbia College of Columbia University. He is excited to gain research and clinical experience at CORD and CDMH, where he seeks further knowledge of OC spectrum disorders and AI’s newfound roles in medicine. As Leo continues his education, he aims to build a strong foundation of psychological and biological knowledge to prepare for a career in medicine.