Meet The Team

Erinne Benedict is a second-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology- Health Emphasis Ph.D. Program at Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology at Yeshiva University. She is a psychology extern at the Columbia University Clinic for Anxiety and Related Disorders- Westchester for the 2023-2024 academic year. Erinne’s research on child and adolescent anxiety and depression in food insecure youth was presented at the 2021 APA conference. Her current research and pre-doctoral project on post-traumatic stress and mindfulness in families impacted by childhood cancer has recently been approved by the Western Institutional Review Board.

Natalie (Talie) is a first-year student in the Clinical Psychology Health Emphasis PhD program at Ferkauf. She completed her B.S. in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience from the University of Michigan in 2019 before working as Dr. Andrei Cimpian’s lab manager at the Cognitive Development Lab at New York University. Talie is excited to broaden her understanding of the field of psychoneuroimmunology, as well as delve into research on of how psychosocial stressors impact oncology patient and caregiver health outcomes. 

Olivia is a first-year student in the Clinical Psychology Health Emphasis PhD program at Ferkauf. She completed her joint B.S. in Psychology and Global Health with a minor in Neuroscience from Duke University, graduating with Distinction in Neuroscience for her honors thesis in neurobehavioral toxicology. Prior to joining the Psycho-Oncology Lab, Olivia served as a research coordinator under Dr. Edythe London at UCLA's Neuroimaging and Addiction Treatment Laboratory. There, Olivia conducted neuroimaging, practiced phlebotomy, and ran cognitive assessment for the lab's stimulant use disorder research. Olivia's research interests in psycho-oncology include pediatric medical trauma, maternal mental health, and psychiatric distress (both acute and prolonged) related to cancer diagnoses, treatment, and end of life care. She is looking forward to learning through collaboration with the Bronx community. 

Alayna is a current undergraduate Junior at Stern College for Women pursuing a major in Psychology with a minor in Judaic Studies. Her academic interests include Child Psychology, resiliency, and Forensic Psychology in the juvenile justice system. She has actively engaged in a variety of extracurricular activities during her undergraduate studies, including membership in the prestigious Stern Honors Society, serving as captain of the Stern soccer team, and advising high school students as a youth group mentor.

Alayna is now eager to expand her knowledge and research skills through her involvement in Dr. Mitchell's laboratory. Her research interests in the lab revolve around the challenges and post-traumatic stress experienced by caregivers of cancer patients. Through this experience, she aims to gain an in-depth understanding of the research process in psychology, acquire valuable insights from seasoned researchers, and hone her analytical and critical thinking abilities.

Shirley is a current undergraduate senior at Stern College for Women majoring in Psychology and Neuroscience. In addition to her role as a Research Assistant within the Psychosocial Oncology lab, she also serves as a Research Assistant within the Headache and Adherence lab at Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, and holds the role of Practice Resource & Outreach Coordinator at the INSPIRE Psychological Wellness practice. Within her extracurricular activities, Shirley has led the YU Psychology Club as Co-President since her sophomore year.

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Her research focus in Dr. Mitchell's lab centers around comprehending the challenges and psychosocial impacts of cancer on patients and caregivers. Shirley aspires to pursue a PhD in Clinical Neuropsychology, aiming to advance our understanding of executive functioning processes in children and adolescents, particularly in memory consolidation and emotional processing, with the goal of enhancing their quality of life.

Fruma is a second-year student in the Clinical Psychology Health Emphasis Ph.D. Program. She previously attended Stern College for Women where she earned her B.A. in Psychology. She is currently working as a psychology extern at the Jewish Theological Seminary Counseling Center where she will be conducting intakes and individual therapy with undergraduate and graduate students. At the Psycho-Social Oncology lab, Fruma is working on describing the demographic and socioeconomic factors of cancer
caregivers located in the Bronx, NY, and evaluating how those factors impact the risk of PTSD development. She is also partnering with the Montefiore-Einstien Cancer Center to conduct a support group for cancer caregivers in the Bronx.

Tzippy is a first-year student in the Clinical Psychology Health Emphasis Ph.D. program at
Ferkauf. She graduated with a B.A. in Psychology with Honors from Touro University. Prior to
joining the Psycho-Oncology Lab, Tzippy served as a research assistant in Dr. Andrea
Weinberger's Smoking and Nicotine Dependence lab. Tzippy recruited participants, administered
surveys, and collected data for a study on substance use dependence in HIV patients in the
Bronx. Tzippy's research interests in Psycho-Oncology include PTS (post-traumatic stress),
PTG(post-traumatic growth), and meaning-making in cancer patients and their caregivers.
Additionally, Tzippy's curiosity extends to the critical area of childhood cancer survivorship,
where she plans to investigate the various acute and prolonged mental health effects experienced
by this group. Furthermore, her passion extends to examining the impact of mindfulness
practices and interpersonal dynamics within the patient-caregiver relationship.

Abigail (Avigayil) is a first-year student in the Clinical Psychology- Health Emphasis Ph.D. program at Ferkauf. She completed her B.A. in Psychology from Macaulay Honors College at Queens College with a minor in Student Services and Counseling. She was previously a part of Dr. Justin Storbeck’s lab studying the effects of mood on cognition and performance. Avigayil is excited to be part of the lab's research in the realm of psychosocial oncology, particularly regarding caregivers of cancer patients, as well as exploring the intersection between neuropsychology and psychosocial oncology to gain a comprehensive understanding of the experiences and challenges faced by both patients and caregivers.

Aaron is an undergraduate Senior at Yeshiva University majoring in Health Economics with a minor in psychology. After graduating from Yeshiva, he will be attending SUNY Upstate Medical University where he aims to attain dual MD/MPH degrees. He is also the editor-in-chief of The YU Observer, a student-run newspaper that publishes monthly. 

Aaron is dedicated to oncology research. He is currently involved in wet lab research targeting KRAS-mutated colorectal cancer, a subset of colorectal cancer with poor prognosis and few treatments available. He is interested in furthering his knowledge of the psychosocial effect cancer has on patients and their caregivers through his work in Dr. Mitchell’s lab