Team - HABLAB

Faculty & Staff

Dr. Stephanie Anzman-Frasca leads the Child Health and Behavior Lab. She received a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Bucknell University and MS and Ph.D. degrees in Human Development and Family Studies from Penn State University. Her research is focused on making healthy behaviors easier for children and families. Specific areas of interest include promoting early childhood self-regulation abilities, increasing the availability and selection of healthier children’s meal options in restaurants, and examining individual differences in susceptibility to obesity interventions to ensure that prevention efforts address, rather than increase, health disparities. Finally, Dr. Anzman-Frasca is interested in ways in which childhood obesity prevention efforts may benefit other aspects of health and well-being, such as cognitive functioning and socio-emotional development. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking, reading, the outdoors, and spending time with her family.

Lily McGovern is a Project Coordinator at the Child Health and Behavior Lab. She graduated from Cornell University, receiving her bachelor’s degree in Human Biology, Health & Society with minors in Human Development and Global Health. She currently aids in the coordination of the CTSI Grocery Shopping and Restaurant studies for the HABLAB. While at Cornell, Lily served as a Youth Development and Engagement Scholar under the direction of Dr. Jane Powers. Her research focus was on a study evaluating the efficacy of a strengths-based program to combat toxic masculinity and foster healthy communication and relationships among middle-school boys. Lily was also President of the Cornell University Wind Symphony and an active volunteer at the Ithaca Free Health Clinic while in college. In her free time, she enjoys playing saxophone, cooking and spending time with her family.

Julia Drozdowsky is a Senior Research Support Specialist at the Child Health and Behavior Lab. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Global Health Studies with a minor in Biology from Allegheny College. She currently assists on various ongoing studies at the HABLAB, including the “Play With Me” study, the CTSI Grocery Shopping study, and the Restaurant Study. During her time at Allegheny, Julia actively participated in the Allegheny College Civic Symphony, was a health coach in the local community, and spent the summer of her senior year as a health and nutrition education outreach intern at the West Hawaii Community Health Center in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. When not at work, Julia enjoys playing the cello and piano, hiking, cooking, and traveling to explore cultures through their culinary traditions.

Postdocs & Graduate Students

Mackenzie Ferrante is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Child Health & Behavior Lab. She received her B.A. in Economics from the University of Washington, her M.S. in Family and Consumer Science with a concentration in Dietetics from the University of Idaho, and her Ph.D. in Food Science and Human Nutrition from Colorado State University. Mackenzie is a Registered Dietitian and her research focuses on understanding and manipulating the food environment to improve the health behaviors of children and families. She hopes to positively impact at-risk communities through research, education, and outreach to improve health equities. Mackenzie’s main focus in the HABLAB is the Restaurant Project and will work on various other projects, including developing a new line of inquiry related to children’s eating behaviors, under the mentorship of Dr. Anzman-Frasca. Outside of work, Mackenzie loves to cook, travel, is an avid reader, and has a spoiled, orange cat named Cheddar.

Sara Tauriello is a Graduate Research Assistant at the Child Health and Behavior Lab. She graduated from Haverford College, receiving her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. She graduated from the Master's in Nutrition Program at Canisius College and hopes to pursue work related to pediatric obesity and eating disorders in the future. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University at Buffalo, with mentors Dr. Stephanie Anzman-Frasca and Dr. Julie Bowker. In the past, Tauriello has worked at Johns Hopkins Medical All Children's Neuroscience Institute and the University of South Florida's Rothman Center for Pediatric Neuropsychiatry. In her spare time, Sara enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending time with friends and family.

Hope White is a Graduate Research Assistant who is assisting with intervention development for the Play with Me Study. Hope is a Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student at the University at Buffalo working under the mentorship of Dr. Julie Bowker in the Child and Adolescent Relationships Lab. She graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology. Previously, Hope worked as a Project Coordinator at the New York University on a longitudinal evaluation of social-emotional learning intervention. Her current research examines close relationships in childhood and adolescence and their implications for mental health. In additions, Hope is interested in the development and evaluation of preventive interventions. In her free time, Hope enjoys hiking, practicing yoga, and cooking.

Research Assistants

Mouse over or click the images below to read about each student.

We would also like to thank Parveen Attai, Annie Bennett, Jacob Bleasdale, Abbey Braun, Adrianna Calabro, Sarah Ehrenberg, Jessica Gill, John Hagedorn, Delaney Jones, Elizabeth Kaplan, Kaeyla Kerr, Andrea Less, Eunice Mak, Jamie Morris, Hital Patel, Cheryl Porzi, Kaley Reardon, Malena Savell, Breanna Sharpe, Anita Singh, Amber Wedderburn, Laura Weiss, and Richa Zirath for their past contributions. Updates about lab alumni can be found here.