The UMB-SAIL Lab Team
Current Lab Members
Emily Romero, M.Ed.
Emily is a fifth year School Psychology Ph.D. student at UMASS Boston. She received her B.S. in Psychology and Sociology from Fordham University. She has engaged in extensive community-based research and service with youth in The Bronx, specifically adolescents. Her interests include 1) the implementation and evaluation of systems-level practices in public schools that foster collaboration among families, schools, and communities, 2) the social emotional well-being of Latiné immigrant-origin youth, and 3) culturally and linguistically responsive bilingual (Spanish and English) assessment practices. Dr. Fallon is her advisor.
Diana Laenen, M.Ed.
Diana is a fifth year School Psychology Ph.D. student at UMASS Boston. She completed her B.A. in Psychology at Boston University, and previously worked at the BU Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders contributing to clinical and research activities. Her research interests include multi-tiered intervention for emotional challenges in schools and school-based parent coaching initiatives. Dr. Fallon is her advisor.
Jacqueline Osborne, M.Ed.
Jacqueline is a fifth year School Psychology Ph.D. student at UMASS Boston. She completed her B.S. in Psychology at Tulane University. At Tulane, she participated in research regarding trauma-informed schools. Her research interests include multi-tiered interventions for emotionally and behaviorally challenged students as well as trauma-informed interventions. Dr. Fallon is her advisor.
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Elisa Cabral, M.S.
Elisa is a third year School Psychology Ph.D. student at UMASS Boston. She presently holds a B.A. in Child Development from Tufts University and later received an M.S. in Critical Ethnic and Community Studies at UMass Boston while working as a therapeutic mentor. Her research interests include culturally appropriate assessments and healing modalities that promote healthy development and support learning outcomes of African diasporic youth. Dr. Jesslynn Neves-McCain is her advisor.
Rayaan Ali, M.Ed.
Rayaan is a fourth year School Psychology Ph.D. student at UMASS Boston. She received her B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Family, Youth and Community Sciences at the University of Florida, and later her MEd in School Psychology at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Her research interests include culturally responsive multi-tiered systems of support and school psychology practices in states with laws censoring DEI in schools. Dr. Amy Cook is her advisor.
Magdalena Romo, M.Ed.
Magdalena is a fourth year School Psychology Ph.D. student at UMass Boston. She received her double B.A. in Communications and Global Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and later her M.Ed. in School Psychology at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Her research interests includes school based eating disorder prevention and intervention, trauma-informed practice, empathy development and masculinity in adolescent boys, bilingual training and practice for SPs and supporting and SP retention. Dr. Stacy Bender is her advisor.
Juan Hernandez, M.Ed.
Juan is a third year School Psychology Ph.D. student at UMASS Boston. He earned his BS in Psychology from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. His work focuses on advancing equity in education and research on culturally responsive practices within Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). His broader research interests include educational systems, culturally grounded interventions, and teacher training. Dr. Fallon is his advisor.
Audra Dankwardt, M.Ed., Ed.S.
Audra is a third year School Psychology Ph.D. candidate at UMASS Boston. She completed her Master's in Education and Education Specialist degree in School Counseling at UMass Amherst. She also finished her undergraduate degree in Psychology with a double major in Legal Studies. Her research interests include trauma-informed care, and queer and neurodivergent youth. Dr. Melissa Pearrow is her advisor.
Rachel Stobbe, M.S.
Rachel is a third year School Psychology Ph.D. student at UMASS Boston. Dr. Brian Daniels is her advisor.
Abby Furey
Abby is a second year School Psychology Ph.D. student at the UMASS Boston. She received her B.A. in Psychology from Emory University in Atlanta, GA, and worked as a Research Coordinator and Research Assistant at the Emory Autism Center on projects related to biosocial markers of interaction in autistic adults and access to early autism diagnosis for toddlers enrolled in Georgia's birth-to-three program. Her research interests include service equity and culturally informed assessment/intervention for neurodivergent children/children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Dr. Fallon is her advisor.
Brian Rozumny, Ed.S.
Brian is a second year School Psychology Ph.D. student at UMASS Boston. He received his B.S. in Neuroscience from the University of Cincinnati, then received a M.Ed./Ed.S. in School Psychology from UMASS Boston. His research interests include strengths-based, culturally responsive assessment and intervention of diverse students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and implementation and evaluation of social-emotional learning programs/interventions. Dr. Brian Daniels is his advisor.
Lili Pitkowsky
Lili is a second year School Psychology Ph.D. Student at UMASS Boston. She received her B.A. In Psychology with a minor in education from Binghamton University. Her research interests include the juvenile justice system and trauma-informed care. Dr. Jesslynn Neves-McCain is her advisor.
Lab Alumni
Ryan is a sixth year School Psychology Ph.D. candidate at UMB. He is currently completing his APA-approved internship at Boston Public Schools' Behavioral Health Department. Dr. Fallon is his advisor.
Ryan Sunda, M.Ed.
Julia is a fifth year School Psychology Ph.D. candidate at UMB. She is currently completing her APA-approved internship in behavioral psychology at Kennedy Krieger/Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. Dr. Fallon is her advisor.
Julia Kausel, M.Ed.
Lilly is a sixth year School Psychology Ph.D. candidate at UMB. She is currently completing her APA-approved internship at Devereaux Massachusetts. Dr. Amy Cook is her doctoral advisor.
Lilly Day, M.Ed.
Andrea is a post doctoral fellow in pediatric neuropsychology at MGB Salem Hospital. She completed her APA-approved internship at White Birch Educational Services in New Hampshire. She graduated from UMB in 2026. Dr. Stacy Bender was her doctoral advisor.
Andrea Molina Palacios, Ph.D.
Dr. Robinson-Link is a school psychologist with Montgomery County Intermediate Unity in PA. He completed his pre-doctoral internship at the Home for Little Wanderers and a post-doctoral fellowship with UC Berkeley. He graduated from UMB in 2024. Dr. Fallon was his advisor.
Patrick Robinson-Link, Ph.D.
Dr. Ballard is an Assistant Professor in School Psychology at New Mexico State University. She completed her APA-approved pre-doctoral internship at Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care in New Jersey. She graduated from UMB in 2024. Dr. Stacy Bender was her doctoral advisor.
Staci Ballard, Ph.D.
Dr. Roga is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at Bridgewater State University. She completed her APA-approved internship at May Institute, Inc. in MA. She received her doctorate from UMB in 2023. Dr. Fallon was her doctoral advisor.
Maggie Roga, Ph.D., BCBA
Dr. Cathcart is a psychologist at Columbia University's Irving Medical Center. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at University of Miami's Mailman Center for Child Development and post-doctoral fellowship at Boston Children's Hospital. She graduated from UMB in the 2022. Dr. Fallon was her doctoral advisor.
Sadie Cathcart, Ph.D.
Dr. Lawson is an Assistant Professor in School Psychology at University of Arizona. She completed her APA-approved pre-doctoral internship at Illinois School Psychology Internship Consortium (ISPIC). She graduated from UMB in 2022. Dr. Fallon was her advisor.
Tamara Lawson, Ph.D.
Dr. Janze is a licensed psychologist in private practice in New York City. She completed her APA-approved pre-doctoral internship at the University of Utah's Huntsman Mental Health Institute and was a post-doctoral fellow at Brown University. She graduated from UMB in 2022. Dr. Fallon was her doctoral advisor.
Jessica Janze, Ph.D.
Dr. Susilo completed her APA-approved pre-doctoral internship at Santa Barbara - Psychology Internship Consortium (SB-PIC) in California. She graduated from UMB in 2023 and currently resides abroad. Dr. Mel Collier-Meek was her advisor.
Annisha Susilo, Ph.D.
Talia is a post-doctoral fellow with Boston Public School's Behavioral Health Department where she also completed her APA-approved pre-doctoral internship. She graduated from UMB in 2025. Dr. Melissa Pearrow was her advisor.
Talia Berkman, Ph.D.
Dr. Kurtz is the Project Director of the BIRCh Center at UMB. She completed her APA-approved pre-doctoral internship at Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health in PA. She graduated from UMB in 2021. Dr. Melissa Pearrow was her advisor.
Kathryn Kurtz, Ph.D.
Dr. Barrasso is a school psychologist with the Chelmsford Public Schools in MA. She completed her APA-approved pre-doctoral internship at Westchester Institute for Human Development (WIHD) in NY. She graduated from UMB in 2021. Dr. Fallon was her advisor.
Marlana Barrasso, Ph.D.
Dr. DeFouw is an Assistant Professor of School Psychology at University of Southern Mississippi. She completed her APA-approved pre-doctoral internship at Munroe-Meyer Institute and her post-doctoral fellowship at Ohio University. She graduated from UMB in 2020. Dr. Mel Collier-Meek was her doctoral advisor.
Emily DeFouw, Ph.D.