Lab director
Charlie Rioux, Ph.D. (she/her)
Dr. Rioux is an assistant professor of developmental and quantitative psychology at the University of Oklahoma (OU). Her research examines contextual, individual, and developmental factors associated with mental health from the prenatal period to adulthood, including intergenerational effects. Some of her research is focused on developmental theory, aiming to clarify models of resilience and sensitivity to the environment. Finally, her research in methodology aims to contribute to the accessibility of state-of-the-art developmental research methods and improved science communication.
Dr. Rioux completed her Ph.D. in Psychology in 2018 at the University of Montreal. She completed a 3-year postdoctoral fellowship in developmental methodology at Texas Tech University and a 1-year postdoctoral fellowship in clinical and developmental psychology at the University of Manitoba and the University of Calgary. Her doctoral and postdoctoral research was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Fonds de Recherche du Québec – Santé, and Research Manitoba. She is an affiliated member of the Health Promotion Research Center, the Institute for Community and Society Transformation, and the Data Institute for Societal Challenges at OU.
In her free time, she likes to hike, play tennis, cook, bake, do puzzles, and – more recently – knit and crochet!
Honors thesis students
LaMauri Franklin (she/her)
LaMauri Franklin is a senior, medical neurohumanities major on the Pre-PA track. She will graduate with honors in May 2024 and is looking forward to taking a gap year and gaining patient care hours working as a medical assistant before physician assistant school. LaMauri is interested in dermatology and aesthetics and plans to be an aesthetics physician assistant. Her research interests focus on the influence of adverse childhood experiences and accessibility to healthy environments and social support on the development of depression and anxiety.
Outside of working as a Goddard PT (physical therapy) student assistant and her leadership involvement on campus, she enjoys traveling, listening to podcasts, and content creation for social media.
McKenna Nhem (she/her)
McKenna is majoring in psychology and graduating with honors in December 2024. She hopes to pursue her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. She is involved in many campus organizations including the OU Food Pantry, Women’s Health Advocacy, and Delta Gamma sorority. Her research interests focus mainly on health equity, including mental health intervention, gene-environment interactions domestic violence, and LGBTQ+ health.
In her free time, she loves volunteering, baking , and lifting!
Graduate research assistants
Kasie Lambert (she/her)
Kasie is a master’s student in OU’s Clinical Professional Counseling program in the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education. Kasie will be graduating with her M.Ed. in May 2024 and will be obtaining her LPC and LADC. She received her B.A. in Psychology from OU in December 2021. Kasie has a passion for mental health and substance use, and she plans to pursue a career as a licensed professional counselor and a licensed alcohol and drug counselor. In addition to general mental health and substance use, Kasie has a passion for mental health as it relates to minority populations.
In her free time, she likes to read, go out into nature to do photography, and engage in all day self-care!
Fily Wahidin (she/her)
Fily is an international student from Jakarta, Indonesia. Fily received a B.S. in Biology and Psychology with a Chemistry Minor from OU in May 2022 and is currently pursuing a Masters in Clinical Professional Counseling (LPC Track). She will graduate in May 2024 and is looking forward to either starting her candidacy for her LPC or a PhD in Counseling Psychology. Fily is passionate in counseling children and families, particularly in using PCIT and play therapy techniques. She is very interested in the prospect of how a person’s environment and experiences can shape their personalities, attachment styles, love languages, communication skills, emotion regulation skills, etc. Fily is currently an intern at at a local private practice where she gets to provide counseling for children and adults. She is also a Graduate Teaching Assistant teaching general chemistry lab and recitation sections throughout the Fall and Spring semesters.
In her free time, she likes to spend time with her friends, try out new food or coffee places, enjoy a morning/afternoon outside, or go rock climbing!
Post-Bacc research assistants
Nicole Barton (she/her)
Nicole graduated from OU in Spring 2023 with a bachelors degree in psychology with a history minor. She plans on applying for a clinical psychology doctorate program this Fall. Nicole would like to work with young children.
In her free time, she likes to hike with her dog Heidi and read psychological thrillers.
Madison Bissa (she/her)
Madison graduated in December 2023 with a Bachelors in Honors Psychology & a Minor in Women’s and Gender Studies. She completed her Honors Thesis examining the moderation effects between parental divorce/separation and adolescent externalizing behaviors and substance use using a systemic review method. Thus, she has specific interests in topics of substance use, diversity and equity, community intervention programs, clinical psychology, family dynamics, and neurocognitive development and disorders. She has spent time working at in-patient & out-patient facilities and is excited to pursue this career further!
In her free time, she loves to read, go on walks/runs, listen to podcasts, surround herself with friends, and do workout classes!
Madison Donohue (she/her)
Madison graduated in May 2023 with a bachelor’s in psychology and biology. Throughout her time at OU she has volunteered at the Childreans hospital and found her passion to help children. Following her graduation, she hopes to pursue a Ph. D in clinical psychology or to go to medical school to become a psychologist.
In her free time she likes to crochet, be with friends and family, and watch new shows and movies.
Javeria Javed (she/her)
Javeria recently graduated with a BA in Psychology from the University of Calgary. She is currently working with children and gaining experience in the field of psychology in hopes to pursue a Masters of Counselling and work as a counsellor. She is interested in mental health and improving the quality of life of others. Her research experience involves various different fields in psychology including cognitive psychology, child psychology, and language processing.
Outside of her academic life, she enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, reading, and trying new foods!
Ashley Wells (she/her)
Ashley graduated in Spring 2023 from her undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Oklahoma. She is interested in mental health and wellbeing across the lifespan and clinical and counseling psychology. She loosk forward to furthering her knowledge and research. She is currently in the process of becoming a Registered Behavior Technician, in which she will be working with children with autism in a home setting by implementing behavior interventions. She hopes to go to graduate school to get her Ph.D. in Counseling or Clinical Psychology.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, cooking, playing with her cats, and watching her favorite TV shows!
Undergraduate research assistants
Chloe Biggers (she/her)
Chloe is a senior at OU majoring in Psychology and minoring in Human Relations. Throughout her time in college, she has found great interest in learning about the intersection of mental health and developmental psychology. This, plus the opportunities presented to volunteer in various domains regarding child welfare, showed Chloe that her passion lies in helping children. Her specific research interests include the effects of childhood trauma and resilience on psychological, emotional, and cognitive development, as well as the development and treatment of different child mental health disorders. After she graduates, she plans to pursue a Master’s Degree in Counseling, obtain an LPC, and work with children and adolescents in a therapeutic setting.
In her free time, she loves watching movies, going to concerts, doing anything active outside, and going on adventures with her friends!
Zoe Childers-Rockey (she/her)
Zoe is a senior studying Psychology, Sociology, and Spanish. Some of her favorite activities on campus have been working with the President’s Community Scholars as a student mentor, as well as gaining research experience with other psychology labs. Zoe loves all things psychology; however, she is especially interested in Forensic, Cognitive, and Developmental Psychology! In the future, she hopes to obtain her Master’s in Forensic Psychology so that she can provide counselling to victims of abuse within the criminal justice system.
During her free time, you can find her in the kitchen trying out new recipes! She loves to cook and bake, especially for her friends and family!
Emily Flesher (she/her)
Emily Flesher is an junior majoring in Public Health and Planned Program – Art Therapy with certifications in Data Analytics and Applied Statistics at the University of Oklahoma. Her research explores the intersection of sexual/gender identity and health outcomes, reproductive/perinatal/pediatric health, mental health interventions, and social media. She also has experience working as an early childhood educator in Northwest Arkansas.
After finishing her undergraduate education, Emily is determined to obtain a MPH/MS or an MD/PhD and continue her career as a clinician-epidemiologist with an emphasis in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Psychiatry, or Pediatrics, serving queer and other marginalized communities.
Outside of academia, Emily enjoys listening to podcasts, singing, hiking, painting, reading, or taking a (much-needed) nap in her hammock!
Delaney Fulp (she/they)
Delaney is a second-year undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Following graduation, she is planning on applying to Clinical Psychology Ph.D. programs. She currently is a teaching assistant for Lifespan Development Psychology, which solidified her career goals of working as a therapist, as well as being a professor at a university. In her future work in clinical practice, she would like to take developmental factors into account while assessing and treating mental conditions. She is aspiring to focus her main research in the future around gender differences between people diagnosed with ADHD.
In her free time she enjoys reading fiction and non-fiction alike, playing volleyball and tennis, writing, and playing video games.
Nkatheko Mafu (she/her)
Nkatheko is an international student from Johannesburg, South Africa. She is a sophomore double majoring in Psychology and Biology on the pre-medical track. Her current aspirations for after she graduates college are to either be a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist, meaning she would either head to medical school or graduate school. Since she started attending the University of Oklahoma, she has been involved in quite a number of extracurricular activities. She serves as the Public Affairs Chair for the International Advisory Committee and also founded her own organization, called the Association of Southern African Students. In addition, she has been volunteering for The Big Event and Little Event, which are held every year to help the external community in various forms.
In her free time, she likes to treat herself to a good dance session while playing her favourite music, or watch a good psychological thriller then take a very much needed long nap.
Christina Personette (she/her)
Christina is majoring in Psychology with a minor is criminology and hopes to graduate in the fall of 2025. Her main areas of focus are counseling and clinical psychology. However, she maintains a strong curiosity for social and cognitive psychology. Christina is motivated to pursue masters and doctorate programs in hopes to become a clinical psychologist. Her areas of interest Include child trauma’s effect on adult psychopathology and strengthening treatment options in the mental health field through exploring unique solutions. Christina is determined to explore the world in a new way, in hopes to better understand and improve it.
While not on campus, Christina works as both a bartender and housekeeper. She is a local musician and enjoys playing live shows, creating music, and learning new instruments! Her hobbies include woodworking, rock climbing, and trying new things. While she loves her hobbies, she also believes that they are all the more enjoyable surrounded by friends and family.
Jacob Ivan Stephens (he/him)
Jacob is currently a Senior Psychology major at the University of Oklahoma. After graduation, he plans on attending graduate school to obtain a doctorate so that he may become a Clinical Psychologist. He will be specializing in helping patients who deal with mental illnesses/complications such as schizophrenia, depression, and dissociative identity disorder. Being close friends with people who have autism, depression, and schizoid disorders has motivated him to continue his education of Psychology, so that he may help people who suffer from such disorders/complication to have the best possible life that they can. He also has brief experience working as a Paraprofessional at a high school.
In his free time, he enjoys playing games with his friends in Georgia, Virginia, and Texas, and recently, going to the gym with his local friend. He also enjoys learning facts about animals, past and present.
Berfin Tasasiz (she/her)
Berfin is in her senior year as a student at the University of Oklahoma, majoring in Psychology. She finds her main interests to be in Clinical Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Neuroscience, and has a special interest in Psychopathology. After graduation, Berfin plans to continue her education in graduate school, where she will pursue a PhD.
In her free time, Berfin enjoys reading, writing (especially poetry), and watching movies. Her biggest hobby is traveling all around the world, as she has visited nearly 20 countries so far. Also, she can never say no to a cup of tea.
Annika Testerman (she/her)
Annika just completed her third year as a student at the University of Oklahoma studying Criminology and Psychology. She loves all aspects of Psychology, but specifically enjoys learning about Forensic and Cognitive Psychology. Before working in the PEANUTs Lab, Annika worked in a Cognitive Psychology Lab at OU. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a Ph.D. and a career in Forensic Psychology in order to try and gain a better understanding of criminal behavior and to improve the criminal justice system. Annika is currently the President of the OU RUF/NEK Lil’ Sis (an organization within the OU Spirit Squad).
In her free time, Annika enjoys painting, spending time with friends and family, playing with her dog, Stevie, and watching movies!
Megan Waldron (she/her)
Megan is about to begin her senior year at the University of Oklahoma studying psychology with a minor in sociology. She plans to continue her study of psychology in graduate school where she will pursue a PhD. She is interested in social psychology, developmental psychology, counseling and clinical, and shares a special interest in criminology. She hopes to narrow down her fields of interests in the future as she gains more hands-on experience. She volunteers as the event coordinator and volunteer liaison at Carly’s Way Animal Rescue.
In her free time she likes to read, write, and binge watch tv shows. She can never say no to a cup of coffee!