Graduate Students
Vivian Hongyuan Qi (She/Her)
Vivian is at the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health, where she is undertaking her clinical psychology residency as the final requirement for her PhD. Her research concerns the role of culture and how it relates to social relationships and adjustment in youth. She has conducted studies examining the benefits of cross-racial versus same-racial friendships in children, and understanding barriers to help-seeking for mental health difficulties in Asian Canadian/Asian American adolescents. Her PhD dissertation involved understanding and testing the internal and contextual factors that facilitate cross-racial friendships in UBC undergraduate students. Vivian enjoys getting bubble tea with her family.
Caroline Miller (She/Her)
Caroline is a 5th year PhD candidate in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of British Columbia Vancouver. Her research interests include understanding the self-diagnosis of ADHD in young adults, and how to address the unique barriers to mental healthcare experienced by this population. She is also interested in the depiction of ADHD on social media platforms such as TikTok, and stigma surrounding neurodevelopmental disorders. She was born and raised in Houston, Texas, is a National Weather Service Certified Advanced Storm Spotter, and can quote pretty much all of Mamma Mia! from memory.
Vasileia (Vasia) Karasavva (She/Her)
Vasileia is a PhD candidate in her 4th year of the Clinical Psychology program. Her research explores digital citizenship and spans three areas: (1) technology-facilitated sexual violence, (2) e-health literacy, and (3) social media use. In her free time, Vasileia enjoys musical theater, dominating at trivia with her friends, and finding excuses to get out of camping trips.
Andrés E. Montiel (He/Him)
Andrés is a 2nd year PhD student in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of British Columbia Vancouver. His research examines how traditional masculine socialization shapes the peer relationships of boys and young men. For his MA thesis, he compared the quality and stability of boy-boy, girl-girl, and mixed-gender friendships among children with ADHD. He is also interested in the barriers that keep university students with mental health challenges from accessing academic accommodations. Andrés enjoys spending time at the beach, dancing, and exploring Vancouver’s food scene.
Jenevieve (Jen) Hyslop (She/Her)
Jen is a 1st year PhD student in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of British Columbia Vancouver. Her research interests include mental healthcare accessibility and cultural considerations in psychological assessment and intervention, with a particular interest in Indigenous mental health and mental health equity. For her MA thesis, she conducted a mixed-methods study examining barriers and facilitators to mental health help-seeking among Indigenous undergraduate students. Originally from Kelowna, British Columbia, Jen’s favourite things about living in Vancouver are going to concerts and whale watching.
Laura Joyce (She/Her)
Laura is a 1st year MA student in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of British Columbia Vancouver, and is co-supervised by Dr. Connor Kerns. Laura’s research interests are focused on the social experiences of neurodiverse youth, including parent-child, teacher-child, and peer relationships. She is also interested in interventions that reduce stigma and promote inclusivity for youth with ADHD and/or autism. Outside of academics, she enjoys sailing, watching movies in theatres, and hanging out with her bunny Willow!
Ashling Ikeoluwa Ayekun (she/her)
Ashling is a 1st year MA student at the University of British Columbia in the Clinical Psychology program. Her research interests are related to race and culture, mental health (equity) and social well-being, interpersonal relationships, and self-disclosure. She is interested in using experimental methods to investigate how therapeutic experiences and outcomes can be improved for people of colour (POC) and other marginalized groups. In her free time, she enjoys reading, watching movies, listening to music, and trying out new crafts.
Lab Manager/Study Coordinators
Kaitlyn Leung (She/Her)
Kaitlyn is the lab manager of PEARL and a student in the B.A. Honours Psychology program at UBC. She coordinates the Family Perceptions project in collaboration with BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, which aims to understand the relationship between cultural background and families’ experiences of the ADHD treatment process. She also coordinates the ADHD Game study, which aims to promote empathy and reduce stigma toward adolescents with ADHD. Her research interests focus on the intersection of parenting, ADHD, and stigma, with a special focus on the role of digital technology in exacerbating or alleviating the challenges associated with those topics. In her spare time, Kaitlyn enjoys spending time with children, reading fictional novels, and exploring the city as well as nature with friends.
Melissa (Mel) de Paula Brega (She/Her)
Mel is a fourth-year Psychology Honours student. She is involved in the ADHD Game Study and Family Perceptions Study as a research assistant and serves as a study coordinator for the ADHD Game Study and BARISTA Study. Her research interests lie at the intersection of clinical and health psychology, with a particular focus on dyadic research and how people’s perceptions influence health behaviours. For example, she is interested in how parents’ and children’s beliefs about the causes of ADHD shape their health-related decisions, as well as the extent to which their perspectives align. In her free time, Mel enjoys dancing, reading Brazilian literature, and spending time with her loved ones.
Cristina Ardelean (She/Her)
Cristina completed her BA in Psychology in 2020, with a minor in Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies. Her research interests include how children’s and youth’s emotion regulation strategies shape their social interactions with caregivers and peers, as well as how social media consumption can influence perceptions of mental illness and approaches to treatment. Inspired by her passion for understanding the role of friendships, relationship-building, and diverse learning styles in early childhood, Cristina pursued the BC Early Childhood Education Certificate at UBC. Outside of her academic work, Cristina enjoys playing tennis, testing her knowledge in trivia games with friends, going to concerts, and spending quality time with her family.
Research Assistants
Virginia Sandler (She/Her)
Virginia is a third year student in the BA Psychology program at the University of British Columbia Vancouver, and a RA at the PEARL lab through Psych 240. She is originally from Durham, North Carolina, but is currently based in Victoria, British Columbia. She is involved with the TARO study as well
Simi Di Paula (She/Her)
Simi graduated from the University of British Columbia’s BA Psychology program in 2024. She has worked in several psychology labs at UBC and aspires to pursue a career as a researcher and practicing clinical psychologist. She is interested in exploring holistic and dimensional approaches to mental health, as well as the development and efficacy of interventions designed to promote well-being. She is currently supporting the Family Perceptions of ADHD Project and completing an independent project examining affiliate stigma in parents of children with ADHD. In her free time, you can find her spending time with family and friends, taking care of her cats, listening to music, and playing guitar.
Mio Wang (They/Them)
Mio is a third-year honours student in psychology at UBC. They’re currently working on their honours thesis on short-form content about ADHD and adolescent seeking barrier reduction on TikTok. Previously working on the TikTok/ADHD Relationships Over Time (TARO) project, Mio currently is aiding the BARISTA study, which looks into reducing barriers in accessing ADHD services. Their research interests lie closely with the access/inaccessible experiences of healthcare systems, particularly in people living with chronic conditions. Outside of the lab, they are likely to always be trying out new experiences, their current endeavours being trivia nights and wheelchair tennis!
Nicole Peng (She/Her)
Nicole is a fourth-year psychology student going into her first year in the Honours program, with a minor in Data Science. She will be doing her first-year thesis on the BARISTA project, while continuing to help with the Family Perception project. Her research interests include understanding and promoting accessible mental health services for young people from minority backgrounds. Outside the lab, you’ll likely find her struggling up a bouldering wall or checking out cute cafes in Vancouver!
Jade Hendy (She/Her)
Jade is a recent graduate from the University of British Columbia’s BA Psychology and Linguistics programs. In addition to working as a Research Assistant for the TARO study, she plans to pursue a Masters in Speech Language Pathology (SLP) and is currently working as an SLP Assistant. Her interests lie in promoting the accessibility and efficacy of SLP services for neurodiverse kids and their families, providing them with tools and support to communicate their needs through speech or other modalities. She is also interested in exploring the strengths and advantages that come with neurodiversity, such as creativity and empathy. In her free time, she enjoys baking sourdough, drinking matcha, going to the beach, and connecting with friends and family.
Anushé Daudi (She/Her)
Anushé is a 4th-year Psychology major at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Born in Toronto and raised in Pakistan, she is currently involved in research, contributing to the TARO Study on ADHD and social media influences. Her academic interests include clinical psychology, with a focus on brain dysfunctions, mental disorders, and reducing mental health stigma. She hopes to pursue a career as a clinical psychologist. In her free time, she enjoys cycling, playing soccer, going to concerts, and spending time with friends and family.
Sara Trnovska (She/Her)
SSara graduated from the University of British Columbia with a BA in Psychology and Minor in Statistics in 2024. She has contributed to the Barriers and Facilitators to Mental Health Help-Seeking Among Indigenous Undergraduate Students study and the Family Perceptions of ADHD project. Sara’s research interests include psychopathology, perfectionism as a transdiagnostic process, and the accessibility of mental health resources. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, gaming, and going for long walks.
Amber Geekee (she/her)
Amber is a third-year student studying Cognitive Systems with an emphasis on the Brain and Cognition at UBC. She has a deep passion for increasing accessibility to mental health resources and promoting patient-centred psychology practices. Her research interests lie at the intersection of psychology and technology, with a particular focus on bridging the gap between complex psychological research/procedures and the everyday needs of the community. As a BARISTA research assistant, she looks forward to helping study psychological barriers and accessibility. Outside of academics and advocacy, she enjoys baking sweet treats, drawing, and café hopping her way around the city.
Elisabeth Piccolo (she/her)
Elisabeth is taking courses in psychology as she pursues a career change. She graduated valedictorian of her BComm class, with a double major in Business and English Literature. Her academic interests include clinical psychology, with a focus on trauma and neurobiological and cultural factors. She is particularly interested in reducing barriers to care and improving access to mental health services for neurodivergent individuals. When she’s not glued to her textbooks, you’ll find her tending to her plant collection or in the kitchen preparing meals for people she loves.
Graceful Milne (she/her)
Graceful is a fourth-year student in the BA Psychology program at the University of British Columbia. She recently joined the PEARL lab to help support Caroline Miller’s project about barrier reduction in ADHD. Her research interests revolve around understanding the impact of community engagement on youth mental well-being. She enjoys spending time volunteering within Vancouver’s wonderful community, and plans to pursue her Masters in Counselling to further support youth mental health. In her free time, Graceful finds the most fulfillment through chatting with friends and strangers, exploring new places, and watching all kinds of movies.
Khian M. Tan (He/Him)
Khian graduated with a BA in psychology in 2022. He is currently based in Malaysia and runs a company focused on Corporate Training & HR Consulting. He was previously involved in research on peer relationships on social media and in the upcoming term, will contribute to the studies on cross-racial friendships. He enjoys reading and listening to lectures about exposure therapy, evolutionary psychology and personality development. In his spare time, he reads, writes, goes to the gym and plays a lot of badminton.
Kate Prosperi (She/Her)
Kate is a 4th year psychology student contributing to the Family Perceptions Project in partnership with the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. Kate has a strong interest in mental health and is committed to a future career in healthcare, with a focus on supporting neurodivergent individuals. In addition to her research work, she volunteers at BC Children’s Hospital ADHD Clinic. Kate’s academic and research interests centre on mental health disorders, patient-centered care, and evidence-based support strategies. Outside of her studies, Kate enjoys baking, practicing yoga, and discovering new coffee shops to study