Lab Director: Briana Shiri Last, Ph.D. (they/them/theirs)
Dr. Last directs the Mental Healthcare for All Lab. Dr. Last is an incoming Assistant Professor in the psychology department at Stony Brook University. They are currently an Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access Fellow at Stony Brook University. They employ both qualitative and quantitative methods to examine the social determinants of mental health and mental health service provision. They research how political and economic forces impact public mental health service systems and the workers providing care in these clinical settings. In addition to their academic research, they write about the history of psychiatry and the political economy of mental health care and social services. You can find their work in venues such as The Nation, Boston Review, and Psyche.
Photo by Luis Pedro Castillo Pictures for PRIDEnet
Graduate Students
Elizabeth (Liz) Aubin (she/her/hers)
Liz is a graduate student in the Psychology Master’s program at Stony Brook University. She has her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Stony Brook University. She is interested in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), high-risk adolescents, and treatment accessibility. She hopes to open an accessible and effective clinic to help young girls who struggle with mental illness and high-risk behavior.
Rebecca Mirhashem (she/her/hers)
Rebecca entered Stony Brook University’s Clinical Psychology Ph.D. in Fall of 2020 (Primary Mentor: Kristin Bernard, PhD). Rebecca is interested in increasing access to effective parenting interventions for families with children of all ages, as well as conducting research on parenting styles and social-emotional development in early childhood. In addition, Rebecca is interested in conducting implementation research to improve policy initiatives that benefit all children and families, including those involved in the foster care system.
Research Support Specialist
Madeline Kiefer (she/her/hers)
Maddie graduated with a B.A. in psychology and a double minor in education and women, gender and sexuality studies from Gettysburg College and a M.A. in general psychology in the Department of Clinical and Counseling Psychology from Teachers College Columbia University. She is interested in the intersection of psychopathology with gender and sexuality, especially in adolescent populations.
Volunteer Research Assistants
Noah Williamson (they/them/theirs)
Noah is a volunteer research assistant in the Mental Healthcare for All Lab. They are interested in LGBTQIA+ mental health and currently preparing to apply to graduate school in the mental health field after a 9 year career in tech. Noah completed their undergraduate degree in English Literature with a minor in Women’s Studies at the University of Central Florida.
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Daniella Marchese (she/her/hers)
Daniella is a senior at Stony Brook University with a double major in B.A. Psychology with honors and B.A. Sociology. She’s interested in studying clinical and counseling psychology and hopes to become a psychologist. She’s motivated to understand the accessibility of mental healthcare within different populations and mental health support systems within families. Daniella plans to continue her Psychology education in graduate school!
Emily Ramirez (she/her/hers)
Emily is a rising junior at Stony Brook University currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology with a specialized focus on Marketing. Her aspiration is to pursue further education at New York University by attending Graduate school. Ultimately, her career goal revolves around working with children and actively engaging in the field of clinical psychology. Additionally, she is enthusiastic about collaborating with like-minded individuals and professionals in the field. She eagerly looks forward to the opportunity of working alongside everyone and making a positive impact in the realm of psychology.
Bianca Yu (she/her/hers)
Bianca is a second-year undergraduate at Stony Brook University completing her B.A. in Psychology and English. She is passionate about destigmatizing mental health, specifically within Asian-American communities. Bianca strives to leverage her education and experience to serve her community and eventually pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology.
Mia Murata (she/her/hers)
Mia is a sophomore at Stony Brook University with a major in B.S. Psychology and a minor in Biology. She’s interested in the field of Clinical Psychology and aims to be a therapist in the future. She’s passionate about improving accessibility of mental health care for the general public and learning more about mood disorders and their treatments. Mia plans to continue her Psychology education in graduate school.
Akshita Arora (she/her/hers)
Akshita is a freshman at Stony Brook University majoring in psychology. She is interested in exploring the various subsections of psychology. She wants to better understand the clinical side, as well as how to improve mental health resources and services for both therapists and clients. In the future, she plans to continue her education in graduate school.
Iris Chiou (she/her/hers)
Iris a junior at Stony Brook University majoring in psychology. Her research interests including studying mood disorders and evaluating the effectiveness of psychotherapy interventions.
Samantha Morreale (she/they)
Lab Alumni
Master’s students
Yuanyuan Yang (in lab, 2022-2023). Now: PhD in clinical psychology at the University of Kansas
Undergraduate students
Samantha Seibert (in lab 2022-2023). Now: Stony Brook undergraduate
Maria Ryding (in lab 2022-2023). Now: Stony Brook undergraduate
Solanyi Paulino (in lab 2022-2023). Now: Graduated from Stony Brook.
Rosena Petit Homme (in lab 2022-2023). Now: Stony Brook undergraduate
Cristian Farias (in lab 2022-2023). Now: Graduated from Stony Brook.