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Graduate Students
Clara DeFontes, M.S.
She/Her
Clara is a sixth-year graduate student in the clinical psychology doctoral program. She graduated from
the University of Rochester with a B.A. in Brain and Cognitive Sciences, and Psychology. Prior to
graduate school, Clara completed a post-baccalaureate at Yale University and the West Haven VA,
studying fear learning, emotion regulation, and the efficacy of clinical drug and psychotherapy trials in
populations with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Her interests broadly include the intersection of
emotion dysregulation, impulsivity, and psychophysiological changes within populations who have experienced various forms of trauma.
Master's Thesis: Borderline Personality Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Unique Patterns of Emotion Reactivity and Regulation.
Dominic Denning, B.A.
He/Him
Dom is a third-year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology program. He graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with a BA in psychology-research and anthropology. Dom completed a post-baccalaureate research coordinator position at University of California San Diego, Eating Disorder Center for Treatment and Research under the mentorship of Dr. Tiffany Brown. His program of research aims to understand the course, phenomenology, treatment, and prevention of BPD, transdiagnostic emotional dysfunction, and self-damaging behaviors (e.g., suicide, NSSI, and disordered eating) in traditionally underrepresented groups (e.g., men and SGM populations).
Elijah Lawrence, B.S.
He/Him
Elijah is a third-year graduate student in Dr. Dixon-Gordon’s lab. He received his Bachelor of Science in psychology from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. Before joining this lab, he volunteered as a research assistant for several years in the Health & Human Performance Lab at Carnegie Mellon University. Elijah is interested in researching emotion regulation and coping strategies. He also wants to investigate the various components that make dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) efficient and effective, in order to help close the gap between science and service.
Sarah Huffman, B.A.
She/Her
Sarah is a first-year graduate student in Dr. Dixon-Gordon's Lab. Sarah graduated from Seattle University with a BA in Psychology and a minor in English. Post graduation, she worked for a Seattle-based mental health clinic and coordinated their DBT program. Sarah joined Dr. Dixon-Gordon's lab as the study coordinator from 2021 to 2024. Currently, Sarah has transitioned into the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. at UMass Amherst for the Fall of 2024. She is particularly interested in developing more accessible and equitable interventions for emotion dysregulation and high-risk behaviors, such as suicide and self-injury.
Staff and Research Assistants
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Genesis Vergara, Ph.D., M.Ed.
Postdoctoral Research Associate
She/Her
Dr. Genesis Vergara earned her PhD at the Catholic University of America, and completed her predoctoral internship at McLean Hospital in the Child/Adolescent Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) track. Prior to her doctoral studies, Genesis graduated from Harvard University with a BA and MEd in Psychology. Her research interests aim to 1) assist individuals grappling with self-injurious thoughts and behaviors and 2) assess related interpersonal processes in an effort to strengthen supportive relationships. Clinically, Genesis has previously trained in and conducted bilingual (Spanish) CBT and DBT-A.
Connie Maerker, M.A.
Study Coordinator
She/Her
Connie is from Germany, and grew up in China. She earned her MA in Clinical Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University, and holds a BS in Psychology from Tsinghua University. During her time at Columbia, Connie gained experience working in an inpatient unit at the Mount Sinai Behavioral Health Center in New York City and several research labs at Columbia University. After graduating, Connie moved to Amherst to join Dr. Dixon-Gordon's lab as a study coordinator. Her primary research interest lies in developing culturally adaptive assessment and treatment methods for adolescents with suicidal ideation.
Diana Won
Undergraduate RA
She/Her
Diana is a Second-year Neuroscience (BS) student on the Pre-Med track due to graduate in 2027. She joined the lab in Summer of 2025 and is now working in the lab as a part-time RA. After graduating, she plans to pursue her MD to work with patients in the memory disorders and neuroendocrinology field.
Bernice Jafeda Moses-Gadzama
Undergraduate RA
She/Her
Bernice is an international student from Nigeria pursuing a major in Psychology on the Neuroscience track. She is currently a Senior set to graduate in the spring of 2025. She hopes to continue research and gain a Phd in clinical psychology or neuroscience.
Heeya Ajwani
Undergraduate RA and Honors Student
She/Her
Heeya is a Junior Psychology major at the Commonwealth Honors College. She joined the lab in Spring 2022 through the Research Assistant Mentoring Program (RAMP) and is now a full-time RA. After graduation, she plans to obtain a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.
Zoë Miller
Undergraduate RA and Honors Student
She/Her
​Zoë is a Junior Psychology major (BS) and member of the Commonwealth Honors College. She joined the lab in Spring 2025. Prior to transferring to UMass, she attended Bryn Mawr College, studying biology before finding her love for clinical psychology. She is interested in LGBTQ+ mental health, women's mental health (role of hormones and PMDD) and expanding access to DBT. She hopes to become a licensed clinical psychologist after graduating in the Spring of 2026.
Charlotte Silver
Undergraduate RA
She/Her
Charlotte is a Senior Psychology major at UMass. She joined the lab in Spring 2023 through the Research Assistant Mentoring Program (RAMP) and is now working in the lab as a full-time RA. After graduating, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a focus on the treatment of personality disorders.
Lab Alumni
Doctoral Alumni
Lauren Haliczer, PhD, Fellow, Mass General Hospital
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Colten J. Karnedy, MS, Academic Advisor, George Washington University​
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Marykate Oakley, PhD, Psychologist, Dartmouth College
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Elinor Waite, PhD, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
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Undergraduate Alumni
Caroline Ball
Greg Barysky
Ilhan Braxton
Xiara Calderon Santan
Tyler Carey
Brianna Cast-Clifton
Aline Castro
Claire Chang
Grace Cho
Jenna Comer
Carolyn Cole
Lindsey Conkey
Elizabeth Eberlin
Ruby Ferro
Nathan Fitzgerald
Kristina Fushi
Emily Gaddy
Olivia Gebsky
Anika Graf
Lauren Harnedy
Danielle Hart
Serena In
Samantha Jaffe
Patricia Keeley
Adam Klem
Mary Koontz
Brenna Manning
Patrick McGonigal
Esther Muhlmann
Rhea Mukherjee
Meghana Nair
Anne Neary
Connor O'Brien
Nadia Palafox
Nikita Parulkar​
Harsh Patel
Selime Salim
Rubee Sandhu
Athena Sarafoglou
Wil Schwartz
Thaine Smith
Cole Stanley
Liam Sweeney
Mackenzie Swenson
Dani Wagner
Hildy Wen
Lindsey Wyner