People

Faculty and Staff

Anthony Burrow

Dr. Anthony Burrow is the Ferris Family Associate Professor of Life Course Studies in the Department of Psychology, Director of the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research, and the Director of the Program for Research on Youth Development and Engagement, known as PRYDE. He is also the Associate Dean of Outreach and Extension at Cornell Human Ecology and serves as the Provost’s Fellow for Public Engagement. Dr. Burrow directs the Purpose and Identity Processes Laboratory, which researches the correlation between a sense of purpose and youth development and resilience, and how racial identification influences one’s lens of viewing and adjusting to life experiences.

Kristen Elmore

Dr. Kristen Elmore is the Interim Director of the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research, Community-Engaged Learning Coordinator in the Cornell College of Human Ecology, and Assistant Director of PRYDE. She completed her doctoral training in Social Psychology and Social Work at the University of Michigan. Kristen’s research examines the self, identity processes, and motivation in the domains of health and education. Much of her work studies how social contextual factors shape adolescents’ identity development.

 

Alexa Maille

Alexa Maille currently serves as the Interim NYS 4-H Youth Development Program Leader. Alexa supports 4-H leaders in weaving together the science and practice of positive youth development by creating opportunities for youth and adults to grow their sparks and strengths, to notice how they can contribute to the world through those sparks, and to grow reciprocal relationships and systems that cultivate environments where everyone thrives.

CASEY ADRIAN

Casey Adrian is a Research Aide and Community Outreach Coordinator in PRYDE. Prior to joining the Bronfenbrenner Center, Casey earned his Master of Social Work (MSW) from Binghamton University, where he worked for three years in the Binghamton Human Sexualities Research Lab. In addition to supporting PRYDE Scholars and community partners, his work examines social determinants of adolescent sexual health, identity-affirming health education, and youth participation in the research process.

Lynandrea Mejia

Lynandrea Mejia is an Administrative Assistant in the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research (BCTR) and PRYDE. She supports the Director of the BCTR, co-leads event planning and execution for the Center, and manages student finance matters in PRYDE. Lynandrea is dedicated to meeting the administrative needs of students, faculty, staff, and partners to allow them to do their meaningful work.

 

Senior PRYDE Scholars

 

Karen Chen

Karen Chen is a senior majoring in Human Development. As a PRYDE Scholar, she is working with Dr. Marianella Casasola at the PAL Lab to learn more about language development and cognitive spatial awareness in children ranging from 6 months to 7 years old. As an extremely shy child growing up struggling with English who then falls in love with the sport of figure skating that helped her come out of her shell, she finds this lifespan period particularly fascinating. After graduation, she plans to pursue pediatrics in medical school.

 

Irene Feng

Irene Feng is a senior majoring in Fashion Design & Management and minoring in Business and Fine Arts. She works with Dr. Loebach to research on how components of design and planning can support youth’s interest and foster their growth. Irene hopes to connect and contribute to the community and pursue a career in the fashion industry.


 

Zachary Meyerson

Zachary Meyerson is a senior majoring in Global and Public Health Sciences with minors in Health Policy and Health Equity. As a PRYDE Scholar, he works alongside Dr. Laura Bellows in the Health Behaviors Lab to create modern, community-based interventions targeting the development of healthy eating and physical activity behaviors during early childhood. He is interested in learning how to bridge gaps in childhood health disparities using a multisectoral approach. After college, Zachary hopes to pursue graduate studies that would support his goals of mitigating health inequities through policy implementation and community engagement among underserved populations.

 

Jennifer Navarro

Jennifer Navarro is a senior majoring in Human Development. She is currently working with Dr. Marianella Casasola at the Cornell Play and Learning Lab, researching infant language development and spatial cognition. After college, she hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology or Human Development to investigate the connection between sociocultural factors and well-being among underrepresented communities.



Fiona Tracy

Fiona Tracy is a senior majoring in Human Development and pursuing minors in Education and Inequality Studies. She works with Dr. Jane Mendle in the Adolescent Transitions lab, investigating how different aspects of pubertal transitions affect adolescent adjustment and psychopathology. She is specifically interested in researching neurodiversity and how it is impacted by puberty. After graduation, Fiona plans to attend graduate school and pursue a career focused on developing interventions to help improve the education system.


 

Promise Woods

Promise Woods is a senior majoring in Human Development and minoring in Inequalities Studies on the Health Equity track and Science and Technology Studies. As a PRYDE Scholar, she works with Dr. Marianella Casasola in the Play and Learning Lab, focusing on developing a curriculum. After graduating, Promise hopes to continue working with pediatric patients through medicine or clinical psychology.

 

Junior PRYDE Scholars

 

Jenna Cho

Jenna Cho is a junior studying Global and Public Health Sciences with a minor in Human Development. As a PRYDE scholar, she works with Dr. Nancy Wells to explore the effects of the natural environment on the psychological well-being of youth with profound autism. She is interested in examining the social determinants of under-represented communities to promote their overall well-being. After graduating, she hopes to attend medical school and pursue a career with pediatric patients. 

 

Jennifer Gerfen

Jennifer Gerfen is a junior majoring in Human Development and minoring in Creative Writing. She works with Dr. Izzo to improve residential childcare programs by assessing caregiver practices and relationship quality between youth and adults. After graduation, she hopes to specialize in pediatric neuropsychology and continue writing.

 

Jiayi Guo

Jiayi Guo is a junior majoring in Design and Environmental Analysis and minoring in Healthy Futures. As a PRYDE Scholar, she works with Dr. Loebach to research on how components of design and planning can support youth’s interest and foster their growth. Jiayi hopes to use design research to promote well-rounded education and pro-environmental behaviors. She hopes to connect and contribute to the community and pursue a career in academia.

 

Julian Iwasko

Julian Iwasko is a junior majoring in Human Development and pursuing minors in Anthropology and Inequality Studies. As a PRYDE scholar, he works with Dr. Adam Hoffman in the Promoting Resilience and Identities in Development (PRIDE) Lab, investigating the development of LGBTQ+ identity and its impact on the mental health and well-being of LGBTQ+ adolescents. He is specifically interested in the intersections between gender identity, sexual orientation, and neurodiversity throughout adolescence. After graduation, he plans to attend graduate school and pursue a career in clinical psychology, hoping to improve the mental health of people of marginalized identities.

 

Hopper Kendregan

Hopper Kendregan is a junior studying Global & Public Health Sciences, with a minor in Infectious Diseases. She is excited to join Dr. Amanda Purington Drake in the ACT for Youth Center, aiding research activities to support positive youth development and adolescent sexual health across New York state. She is passionate about making health services, interventions, and education accessible for all people, especially those populations who may face stigma. After graduation, Hopper hopes to pursue further studies that will combine her passions for public health and clinical care.

 

Benjamin Loong

Benjamin Loong is a junior majoring in Human Biology, Health, and Society with minors in Gerontology and Human Development. As a PRYDE Scholar, he works alongside Dr. Gonzalez in the Life History Lab to investigate how developmental contexts influence neural mechanisms in adulthood. He is particularly interested in how sociocultural values within built environments shape adolescent development. After college, he aims to pursue a career in healthcare that addresses the unique developmental needs of youth populations.

 

Oore Ogunyinka

Oore Ogunyinka is a junior majoring in Human Development with minors in Information Science and Disability Studies. As a PRYDE Scholar, she works alongside Dr. Inniss-Thompson in the Black Girl Visions Collaborative Lab to investigate the knowledge and lived experiences of Black girls and femme- identified folks through centering their ways of knowing and holding space for them to be their full selves. She is particularly interested in developing effective tools that can foster safe spaces for neurodivergent Black girls within their classrooms and communities. After college, she aims to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology.

 

Dhruti Raghuraman

Dhruti Raghuraman is a junior majoring in Human Development with a minor in Health Policy. As a PRYDE Scholar, she works alongside Dr. Anthony Burrow in the Purpose and Identity Process Lab, supporting research to better understand how a sense of purpose can promote well-being and positive health outcomes in adolescents. She is particularly interested in understanding how we can use health education tools to foster that sense of purpose in youth and how these factors affect our brain physiologically. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in medicine, bringing her past experiences in public health and youth engagement down to the patient care level.

 

Faculty Mentors