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Lab Staff
Jackie Strimas
Child and Adolescent Therapist
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Jackie is a Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist. She earned a Bachelor of Social Work from McGill University, and a Master of Social Work from the University of Toronto, specializing in Health and Mental Health. Jackie also completed a BA at the University of Guelph, and a B.Ed at OISE, University of Toronto. In addition to her Social Work designation, she also holds an Ontario Certified Teacher designation at the Secondary School Level.
Jackie is a seasoned mental health clinician and has worked with client populations across the lifespan in both inpatient, outpatient, and private practice settings. Her experience includes working as a social worker in clinical settings at the University Health Network, The Hospital for Sick Children, Humber College, and Brightshores Health System. Jackie has completed additional training in family mediation, and in therapeutic modalities such as cognitive behavioral therapy, cognitive processing therapy, and solution focused therapy. Jackie looks forward to supporting the lab in the role of Child and Adolescent Therapist at the Maplewoods Centre. |
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Claire Krasinkiewicz
Lab Manager
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Claire is in her final year of her undergraduate degree majoring in Honours Psychology and hopes to pursue future graduate studies in the field of Clinical Psychology. Her research and career aspirations involve working closely with children, adolescents, and their parents/caregivers. Claire is interested in interventions aimed at supporting both children and parents in experiencing, expressing, and managing their emotions, and she hopes to work with them to build emotion regulation skills and facilitate improved well-being. Claire completed her honours thesis in the Workplace, Inequality, Diversity, Equity and Gender Lab (Fall 2023/Winter 2024). She completed an independent research project in the Child Development Research Unit (Fall 2022) where she has also volunteered as a Research Assistant (Summer 2022/2023). Additionally, she has volunteered as a Research Assistant in the Memory and Cognition Lab (Winter 2023). Claire completed an NSERC-funded USRA position in the CEMH lab in the summer of 2024. This fall, she will continue her work in the lab in the role of lab manager and additionally will be completing an advanced independent research project.
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Jessica Pun
Project Coordinator
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Jessica previously graduated from the University of Guelph with a BASC in Applied Human Nutrition. She returned to complete a BA in Psychology in hopes of pursuing graduate studies in clinical psychology. Jessica’s research interests include mental health and wellbeing of children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders, and the interplay between psychological and social factors that influence eating behaviours. She is passionate about working with children and adolescents and has previous experience working with children, youth, and adults in both research and clinical settings. She looks forward to joining and supporting the lab as a project coordinator.
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Graduate Students
Jessica Seddon
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Jessica is a PhD candidate in the Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology program. She completed her MSc in Neuroscience and Applied Cognitive Science at the University of Guelph. Jessica’s research interests relate to children’s emotional development and the role of emotion skills and parenting in the development and maintenance of child psychopathology. Jessica’s dissertation aims to test the efficacy of Emotion Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) as a parent intervention for child mental health difficulties via a randomized controlled trial. She hopes this work will make a significant contribution to the improvement of mental health outcomes for children and families. Jessica has worked with several research teams over the past years, including at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, the Hospital for Sick Children, and York University. Jessica’s Master’s and PhD research has been funded by SSHRC and OGS. She also received the 2021 SSHRC Canada Graduate Scholarship to Honour Nelson Mandela award and the 2021 Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) Student and Early Career Council Dissertation Funding Award.
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Chelsea Reaume
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Chelsea is in her fourth year of her PhD in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology at the University of Guelph. She received her Honours BA in Psychology from the University of Windsor and her MA from the University of Guelph. Her present research and clinical interests focus on parent-child relationships, child emotion regulation, and interventions that target these two domains. She is particularly interested in applying principles of evidence-based practice to her dissertation research which will examine treatment fidelity, moderators of efficacy, and mechanisms of change within a randomized controlled trial of Emotion-Focused Family Therapy (EFFT). Chelsea has worked extensively providing assessment, therapy, and consultation services to children, adolescents, and families in school, hospital, and private practice settings. Her Master’s and PhD research have been funded by OGS and SSHRC.
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Leah Sack
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Leah is a PhD candidate in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (CCAP). Previously, Leah completed her MA in the CCAP program at the University of Guelph, and her Honours BA in Psychology at Toronto Metropolitan University. She is interested in the role of familial dynamics in child psychopathology and psychotherapeutic outcomes. Leah has worked with several research teams, including at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto Metropolitan University and Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. Leah has been awarded SSHRC funding to support both her MA and PhD research.
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Rita Abdel-Baki
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Rita is in the fourth year of her PhD in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. Previously, Rita completed her MA in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology at the University of Guelph, and her MSc and Honours BA in Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour at McMaster University. For her dissertation research, Rita is examining parental self-efficacy in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and how parents may be best supported. Rita has experience working with families and children in many capacities, including as a one-to-one support camp counsellor for children with disabilities, a respite caregiver, and an intensive behavioural intervention facilitator for children with ASD. She is passionate about improving the quality of life of children and families, and is excited to be a part of the CEMH lab!
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Zoe Weidman
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Zoe is a PhD student in the Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (CCAP) program. She completed her Honours BSc in Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour at McMaster University and her MA in the CCAP program at the University of Guelph. Zoe’s Masters’ thesis examined fluctuations in parenting stress and mood lability within day-to-day family life. Zoe’s research interests include family-wide emotion dynamics, such as parent-child relationships and the development of child and adolescent psychopathology, as well as relations between therapeutic processes and outcomes. Zoe has received SSHRC funding to support her MA and PhD research.
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Sadie McVey Neufeld
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Sadie is in the second year of her Ph.D. in the Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology program. Prior to graduate school, she completed her Honours Bachelor's degree in the interdisciplinary Arts & Science program at McMaster University with a Minor in Psychology. Following this, she worked as the Laboratory Coordinator of the Child Emotion Lab at McMaster University for several years, where she worked closely with children, adolescents, and families through several large-scale research projects. Sadie's research interests center on family emotion dynamics in both community and clinical samples, particularly in the context of emotional synchrony and attunement between family members. Using a treatment-seeking sample, Sadie's dissertation will aim to explore biobehavioural synchrony between parents and children over time and in relation to children receiving therapeutic intervention. Sadie's M.A. and Ph.D. research has been funded by SSHRC and OGS.
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Linda-Paola Sosa Hernandez
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Linda Sosa Hernandez is a second-year Ph.D. student in the Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology program at the University of Guelph. She holds a Master’s degree in Developmental Psychology from the University of Waterloo and a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Science from the University of Guelph. Her research examines how social relationships shape children’s and adolescents’ socioemotional development and mental health, with a focus on understanding the processes that foster resilience and heighten risk. Linda is passionate about bridging research and clinical practice to strengthen emotion regulation skills and social connectedness in youth. She is also committed to community-engaged work through partnerships with organizations such as the Grove Youth Wellness Hubs and Immigrant Services. Her research has been supported by the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, SSHRC Canada Graduate Scholarship, Ontario Graduate Scholarship, and Brock Doctoral Scholarship.
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Natasha Vogel
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Natasha is in the second year of her PhD in the Neuroscience and Cognitive Science (NACS) program. Natasha also has an Honours Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Neuroscience with a minor in Biology from Wilfrid Laurier University. Natasha’s primary research focus examines cognitive factors (i.e., attention, cognitive flexibility, memory) that influence emotion regulation strategy effectiveness in children and adolescents. For her dissertation, she is also exploring the how children and adolescents identify and regulate co-occurring emotions. Natasha's doctoral research is funded by a SSHRC Canadian Graduate Scholarship.
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Katie Frankiewicz
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Katie is a first year Master’s student in the Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology program. She completed undergraduate degrees in Biomedical Toxicology and Psychology from the University of Guelph. Before starting graduate school, Katie worked as a lab manager for both the Supporting Youth Development and the Child Emotion and Mental Health labs. Her research interests focus on evidence-based mental health interventions and factors that may influence their efficacy, such as parental engagement. Currently, she is involved in an RCT study for a 6-week Emotion Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) intervention and has been awarded SSHRC funding to support her Master’s research.
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Undergraduate Students
Leah Bogatie
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Leah is a fifth-year undergraduate student majoring in Honours Psychology, and she is currently completing an honours thesis under Dr. Thomassin’s supervision. Since joining the CEMH Lab, Leah has completed an Independent Research Project exploring Childhood Traumatic Grief in Hispanic children (Summer 2023) and a URA position (Summer 2024). Leah enjoys staying involved in the lab by running assessments with families for the Families and Feelings First and Big Feelings projects. Additionally, she is passionate about supporting bereaved children and teens, having volunteered with Camp Erin Toronto, an overnight camp for children grieving the death of a parent or sibling. Leah is excited to continue exploring her research interests and contributing to lab projects this school year!
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Charlotte Funston
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Charlotte is a fourth-year undergraduate honours psychology student at the University of Guelph. Charlotte received the NSERC-funded Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) at the University of Guelph in May 2023. As a result, she worked full-time as a research assistant in the Child Emotion and Mental Health lab under the supervision of Dr. Kristel Thomassin. Through this, she was involved in day-to-day lab tasks such as recruitment, lab assessments, and data management. Following this, Charlotte completed an independent research project (IRP) under the supervision of Dr. Thomassin. The independent research project focused on emotion concordance within youth demographics. This project allowed her to take initiative in developing her own research paper and expanding her knowledge of inter- and intra-personal emotion dynamics. Presently, Charlotte is completing her undergraduate honour's thesis on emotion regulation and lability in parent-child dyads.
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Grace Parker
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Grace is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of Guelph, majoring in Honours Psychology with a minor in Sociology. Upon graduation, Grace hopes to pursue graduate studies in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology to further assist in the well-being of children and the mental health system that caters to them. She possesses a strong interest in children’s mental health, as well as the sociological and environmental factors that impact emotional development in youth. Grace has had an abundance of experience working with children of various ages, serving as a children's swim coach, and being actively involved in a private psychological practice specializing in children and adolescents. Grace’s intention is to apply her relevant interests and experiences towards completing an Honours Thesis under Dr. Thomassin’s supervision. She is thrilled about the opportunity to gain knowledge and acquire experience within the CEMH lab.
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Ainsley CroninAinsley is a fourth-year undergraduate student, majoring in Honours Psychology with a minor in Family and Child Studies. Upon graduation, Ainsley plans to pursue graduate studies in Clinical and/or Counselling Psychology to support youth and young adults who have intellectual disabilities and their mental health. Her respite work at Community Living Mississauga allowed her to develop a passion for supporting youth with disabilities. She has also gained a passion for working with children through her volunteer and work experience as a learn to skate coach with Skate Canada and the City of Mississauga. Ainsley will be completing an independent research study under Dr. Thomassin’s supervision and is excited for the experience she will gain.
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Evelyn Balfour
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Evelyn is entering her second year as an undergraduate student majoring in Honours Thesis Psychology (Co-op) with a minor in Sexualities, Genders, and Social Change. Evelyn has previous experience working with children and youth of all ages in various capacities including as a camp counsellor, providing one-to-one support for campers with ASD and other exceptional learning needs. This experience helped her to realize her passion for child and adolescent mental health, especially within the domain of psychopathology and disability. She also has an interest in emotion regulation, the family system, and gender diversity in psychopathology. Throughout the remainder of her undergraduate degree, Evelyn looks forward to furthering her knowledge with the intention to pursue a degree in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology upon graduation. Having previously completed a President’s Research Assistantship under Dr. Thomassin’s supervision, Evelyn is eager to continue to learn and make a difference in the CEMH lab through her completion of an independent research project.
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Montana Lilly
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Montana is a third-year Honours Psychology student with a minor in Neuroscience. Her role as a Youth Ambassador at The Grove Hubs, where she worked with youth aged 12-26, sparked a deep interest in youth mental health and emotional regulation. This experience has enriched her understanding of child and adolescent well-being, a passion she’s eager to explore further within the CEMH lab. Having previously completed an Independent Research Project in the CEMH lab under the supervision of Dr. Thomassin and Linda-Paola Sosa Hernandez, focusing on youth participatory action methods (Summer 24), Montana is now looking forward to expanding her research skills in an Advanced Independent Research Project this fall that will focus on a project in partnership with The Grove Hubs. With aspirations to pursue graduate studies in Clinical Psychology, she is driven to make a meaningful impact through both research and therapy, with a particular focus on supporting youth mental health. Montana is excited to continue learning and gaining experiences that will contribute to her future endeavors in this field.
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Alessandra Mangialardi
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Alessandra recently graduated from the University of Guelph with an Honours Bachelor of Arts with a major in Psychology and minor in Neuroscience. While in her undergrad, she completed an honours thesis in the Supporting Youth Development (SYD) Lab which sparked her research interest for youth mental health and community based research. Her goal is to purse graduate studies in Clinical Psychology. Outside of her academic pursuits, she is a group facilitator with the Nightingale Center for Grieving Children and Families, a Crisis Responder with Kids Help Phone, and is working with Talk, Listen, Connect to develop a peer-support program for Canadian university students. Alessandra is passionate about working with youth and understanding family systems, and she is excited to continue to explore these interests in the CEMH Lab!
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Halle Brophy
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Halle is a fifth-year undergraduate student majoring in the Honours Psychology Co-op program and minoring in Sociology. She has completed three co-op placements, one being at the Child Care and Learning Centre on campus, where she grew to love learning from and engaging with children. Throughout her placements, Halle has gathered practical skills and experience which she looks forward to applying to her time in the CEMH lab. While working with children, youth, and families, Halle has developed an interest in child development and fostering resilience in youth. Halle is joining the CEMH lab as a Research Assistant this summer and will continue working into the fall. In the future, she hopes to pursue a Master’s Degree in Psychology to work with and support children and youth in the education system.
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Justin Louis Hipolito
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Justin is a recent BSc graduate from McMaster University with a major in Honours Life Sciences (Sensory Motor Systems) and a minor in Psychology. Throughout his undergrad, Justin took many courses encompassing child socio-emotional development and youth mental health, sparking an interest on the influence of familial-level factors on psychosocial outcomes throughout development. His past research experiences have focused on the role of parenting on anxiety development in youth, hoping to advance these interests through pursuing graduate studies in clinical psychology. Justin is excited to join the CEMH lab this fall as a Research Assistant, further exploring his interests and gaining experience working closely with clinical populations and families.
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Carter Janssen
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Carter recently graduated from the University of Guelph (UofG) where he obtained an Honours Bachelor of Arts with a major in Psychology. During his undergrad, Carter completed two independent research projects and an honours thesis in Dr. C. Meghan McMurtry’s Pediatric Pain, Health, and Communication (PPHC) Lab. His experiences investigating various topics related to chronic and acute pain sparked a passion for conducting youth-oriented research through a clinical lens. Carter has also spent two years volunteering as a Peer Support Counsellor at UofG, and has recently become a Crisis Responder with KidsHelpPhone. He aspires to obtain a master’s and PhD in Clinical Psychology, and lead a career that involves conducting research and providing care to pediatric populations. He is interested in investigating communication strategies within caregiver-child dyads that seek to positively influence youth's psychological outcomes. Carter hopes to have a positive impact on his community, by supporting youth and their caregivers, while helping to foster environments that emphasize compassion and understanding. He looks forward to joining the CEMH Lab and continuing to learn, grow, and contribute to meaningful research being conducted at UofG.
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Miranda Halfyard
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Miranda is a third-year undergraduate Honours Psychology student with a minor in Cinema and Media Studies. Previous experience working with children in a variety of positions, including as a camp counsellor and martial arts instructor, has ignited a passion for youth mental health. In particular, these experiences have inspired interest in the provision of support for youth with developmental disorders and behavioural challenges. Other research interests include gender differences in psychopathologies, parental emotional dysregulation, and NSSI functions. Under Dr. Thomassin's supervision, Miranda is eager to deepen her skillset through an independent research project in the Winter 2025 Semester. In the future, Miranda intends to pursue graduate studies in Clinical psychology, with the ultimate goal of becoming a registered clinical psychologist.
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Skade Fernando
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Skade recently graduated from McMaster University with a BSc in Honours Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour. During her undergraduate career, she developed a strong passion for child development, focusing on how parent-child interactions shape behaviours and emotion regulation. She aims to pursue graduate studies in Clinical Child Psychology to further investigate these dynamics and explore resilience-building in underrepresented groups. Skade is eager to expand her curiosity and research interests in family systems and child development within the CEMH lab and looks forward to contributing to its exciting projects.
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Chelsea Vance
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Chelsea is a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology, with a strong interest in emotion regulation and family systems. She plans to pursue graduate studies in Psychology. Early in her undergraduate degree, Chelsea volunteered with Student Accessibility Services (SAS) as both a peer helper and guiding coordinator. She has been actively involved in research across multiple labs, completing an independent research project in the Child Development Research Unit in Fall 2024, where she continues to volunteer as a research assistant (Summer 2024, Winter 2025). In Winter 2025, she completed an advanced independent research project in the CEMH Lab, where she is currently undertaking a URA and will begin her thesis in Fall 2025. Chelsea is also involved in the FACES project, contributing to research on family and emotional dynamics. She looks forward to continuing to expand her research experience and involvment with the lab.
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Cole Spagnuolo
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Cole is a third-year Honours Psychology student, driven by strong passion for youth mental health. He aims to pursue a Master’s degree in Psychotherapy after graduation, focusing on advancing therapeutic practices and outcomes for young people. His primary interests include youth emotional development, therapeutic approaches, and strategies to improve mental health in adolescents. Cole’s interests are shaped by his experience in child-focused mental health settings. As an intern at Strong Minds Strong Kids, Cole played an active role in initiatives that promote mental health education and resilience-building among youth. During his co-op placement at Oakridge Public School, he assisted with teaching, gaining valuable experience in creating inclusive and supportive environments for children. These opportunities have deepened his commitment to advocating for mental health and have inspired him to continue bridging research and practice to make a meaningful impact in the lives of young people.
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Emma Kueneman
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Emma is a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Guelph, majoring in Arts and Science. Her two minors are Biology and Psychology. Emma has many years of experience working with children, which has sparked her special interest in child and developmental psychology. During the school year, Emma volunteers with All In Skating, where she provides one-to-one support and assistance to a child with ASD to improve their skating skills. In the spring and summer months, Emma works as a supply teacher and camp counsellor. Emma has also worked as an Early Childhood Assistant at multiple preschools, where she found her passion for working with young children. Through each of these experiences, Emma has gained first-hand experience in educating, caring for, and resolving conflict with youth, and has been able to apply her learning from child and developmental psychology classes while gaining practical experience. After graduation, Emma hopes to pursue a career in education, where she can help children reach their full potential and support them through coaching and extracurriculars. Through her work in the CEMH lab, Emma aspires to develop valuable skills working with children with developmental and mental health disorders so that she can be a supportive, empathetic, and safe role model to her future students.
Rachel Marrows |
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Rachel is a fourth-year Honours Psychology student with a minor in Child and Family Studies. She is passionate about child development and learning about effective, evidence-based ways to support youth. She aspires to become a clinical psychologist, with a focus on improving mental health outcomes for children and adolescents. Her interests are shaped by her hands-on experiences working at a youth centre and volunteering in child-focused research settings. She completed an independent research project in the Child Development Research Unit in Fall 2024 and continues to volunteer there as a research assistant. She is excited to join the CEMH lab and continue building her research skills while contributing to meaningful work that supports youth and families.
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Lab Alumni
Graduate
Name |
Current Position |
Jessica Seddon (MSc) |
Current PhD Student in the lab |
Camille Guerin Marion (MA) |
Unknown |
Chelsea Reaume (MA) |
Current PhD Student in the lab |
Leah Sack (MA) |
Current PhD Student in the lab |
Sadie McVey Neufeld (MA) |
Current PhD Student in the lab |
Zoe Weidman (MA) |
Current PhD Student in the lab |
Linda-Paola Sosa Hernandez (MA) |
Current PhD Student in the lab |
Natasha Vogel (MSc) |
Current PhD Student in the lab |
Undergraduate Honours
Name |
Current Position |
Gillian Rourke |
MA student at York University |
Anastasia Taskov |
Research Assistant at University Health Network |
Brianna Hogan |
Social Work student at York University |
Megan Nesbitt |
Unknown |
Myriam Venasse |
MSc (University of Ottawa), Project Officer at Statistics Canada |
Elise Quint |
MD student at Western University |
Taylor MacIntosh |
MA student at University of Ottawa |
Emma Carter |
Unknown |
Emilie Proulx |
PsyD student at Universite du Quebec |
Hilary Skov |
Research Coordinator at Harvard University, PhD student at Tulane University |
Sofia Do Rosario |
ABA Therapist at Surrey Place |
Madeleine Alie |
Education Coordinator at Oxford Learning Centres |
Nida Ansari |
MSc Student at University of Guelph |
Ella Rigby |
Unknown |
Abbey Drew |
MA student at Western University |
Claudia Laver |
MSW student at the University of British Columbia |
Danielle Koomans |
Unknown |
Charlotte Funston |
Child and Youth Worker at Evolving Youth Care |
Undergraduate RA
Name |
Current Position |
Brooklyn Clifford |
Unknown |
Brianne Gayfer |
Unknown |
Kelsey Seguin |
MA student at University of Ottawa |
Sage Sezlik |
Unknown |
Oana Bucsea |
PhD student at York University |
Cavan Pollard |
Canadian Armed Forces |
Marie Helene Drolet |
Unknown |
Nereah Felix |
Unknown |
Morgan Oda |
Unknown |
Dyana Castillo |
Unknown |
Samantha Kenny |
Unknown |
Julia Belloni |
Unknown |
Katherine Bailey |
MD/ MSc student at University of Toronto |
Alexandra Moyssakos |
Nursing student at University of Toronto |
Joanne Thieu |
Unknown |
Matthew Polo |
Unknown |
Angela Fernando |
Unknown |
Sejal Katyal |
Unknown |
Abbey Drew |
MA student at Western University |
Claudia Laver |
MSW student at University of British Columbia |
Ana Ljujic |
MASc student at University of Waterloo |
Nida Ansari |
MSc student at University of Guelph |
Sofia Calabrese |
Unknown |
Amelia Luzy-Kosher |
Unknown |
Charlotte Funston |
Child and Youth Worker at Evolving Youth Care |
Justin Hiplito |
MSc student at Mcmaster University |
Staff
Name and Position |
Current Position |
Stephanie Dagg, Lab Coordinator |
M.Psych Student at Adler Professional Graduate School, Mobile Mental Health and Addictions Clinician at CMHA |
Kate Lupo-Flewelling, Lab Coordinator |
M.Sc. Student in School and Applied Child Psychology at University of Calgary |
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