 | Brittney Kleinfelter Brittney Kleinfelter is a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at Antioch University New England with a planned focus on pediatric neuropsychology. She earned her BS in psychology from Endicott College and has completed training at several neuropsychology sites across Greater Boston. Her research interests include cross-cultural neuropsychology and examining the impact of high-conflict divorce on children’s executive functioning. She strives to enhance the accuracy, relevance, and availability of neuropsychological assessment for diverse populations through a lens of justice and accessibility. In her spare time (when she’s not up to her eyeballs in textbooks), she enjoys spending time with her two Bernese Mountain Dogs and a much smaller senior cat. |
 | Andrew Oldenborg Andrew is an undergraduate student at Northeastern University majoring in behavioral neuroscience on the pre-med track with minors in astrophysics and music. He is passionate about understanding the human brain and its varied progression in children stemming from neurodevelopmental conditions. At Northeastern, Andrew holds a chair position in Northeastern's chapter of Phi Delta Epsilon, a co-ed professional medical fraternity, while also being a member of the executive board for Healing Harmonies, a club partnered with hospitals and senior-living homes centered around volunteer-based musical performances. Outside of the lab, Andrew enjoys hiking, writing/playing music, astronomy, physics, and playing soccer. |
 | Grey Peters Grey is an undergraduate student at the University of Virginia pursuing a neuroscience and philosophy double-major on the pre-med track. She is particularly interested in neuroethics, cognitive philosophy, and the language and communication aspects of neurodevelopmental conditions, particularly in autism and dyslexia. Outside of the Faja Lab, Grey works as a research assistant for the Yale Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics, where she previously earned her certificate in bioethics. Grey is also deeply involved in introducing philosophy and ethics to pre-collegiate students, coaching middle school Ethics Bowl and developing her own curriculum for early philosophy introduction. In her free time, Grey is a competitive horse rider and enjoys exploring Boston, tutoring dyslexic students, playing tennis, and will never turn down a cup of tea. |
 | Joanne Ji Jae is an undergraduate student at Harvard College concentrating in psychology with a secondary field in East Asian studies. Broadly, she is interested in early social and emotional development in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and how it might interact with mental health. Prior to coming to the Faja Lab, she dedicated herself to initiatives in clinical social psychology, spearheading programs for youth in stigmatized communities and conducting research about factors related to mental health. This love for understanding how subgroups within a population may differ in their psychological development is what first motivated her to work with autistic children, and she is excited to advance her experience in this area. She hopes to pursue a PhD in clinical science. Outside of the lab, Jae spends her time reading, curating extensive playlists, and playing Othello. |
 | Neel Sharma Neel is an undergraduate student at Tufts University majoring in biopsychology. Before joining the Faja Lab, he worked as a research coordinator for the Children’s Television Project Lab at Tufts, where he studied how diversity in children’s media influences development. Neel currently serves as a behavioral health technician at Boston Children's Hospital, supporting children with autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities in a clinical setting. He is excited to continue working with autistic children in the Faja Lab and to contribute to research that advances more equitable patient care for neurodivergent youth. In his free time, Neel enjoys long runs along the Somerville Community Path, reading fantasy novels, and playing with his two Yorkies. |
 | Emma Vatnsdal Emma is an undergraduate neuroscience major at Amherst College. Before joining the Faja Lab, Emma worked as a direct support professional for children ages 5 to 10 on the autism spectrum, helping them develop essential life skills through individualized, compassionate care. In addition, her volunteer experience working with neurodivergent individuals in Ukraine fueled Emma’s passion for advocacy, highlighting how cultural context shapes awareness, acceptance, and support for neurodivergent individuals. Emma is especially passionate about research that contributes to creating inclusive, culturally informed systems that support neurodivergent communities. She is excited to contribute to the Faja Lab’s mission and help bridge gaps in current understanding. Outside of the lab, Emma runs cross country and track, enjoys spending time outdoors, and is always on the hunt for a good local coffee shop. |
 | Shaylee Moreno Shaylee is an undergraduate student at Northeastern University majoring in behavioral neuroscience and minoring in communication sciences and disorders. Prior to joining the Faja Lab, she worked as an intern in two school systems, Williams Bridge Academy and Beverly Pre-School at McKeown, where she worked with children with language-based learning disabilities and behavioral challenges. Shaylee was also a mentor for the music therapy choir, My Own Voice, where she worked with autistic children and children with anxiety, Down syndrome, and other genetic disorders, to encourage communication through music. Shaylee is excited to continue working with autistic children in the Faja Lab. After graduating, she plans to pursue a doctoral degree in child clinical psychology. In her free time, Shaylee enjoys art, playing tennis, and singing. |
 | Ziyan Xie Ziyan is a student at Tufts University majoring in clinical psychology and child studies and human development, with minors in computer science and film and media studies. Prior to joining Faja Lab, she worked as an intern at Twelve Prescott Program at Wayside Youth Family Support Network and Massachusetts Center for Unexpected Infant and Child Death. She is passionate about supporting positive youth development, and she hopes to learn more about factors influencing sexual health for adults on the spectrum. She also worked as a research assistant at DICE lab and SED project at Tufts University. Outside of the lab, Ziyan enjoys dancing and cooking. She is a member at Tufts’s hiphop and K-pop dance crews. |
 | Samarth Bedre Samarth is an undergraduate student at Brown University concentrating in neuroscience on the pre-med track. Broadly, he is interested in understanding the science behind neurodevelopmental conditions, especially the biological basis that underlies them. Before joining the Faja Lab, Samarth interned at a biotech startup that develops genetic therapies to treat neurodegenerative disorders and volunteered with the Immigrant Family Services Institute (IFSI), where he taught robotics and digital literacy skills to children from underprivileged and underrepresented backgrounds. At Brown, Samarth is an analyst for the Brown Healthcare Investment Group, a volunteer at The Miriam Hospital, and a member of the IMPULSE Neuroscience journal review club. In his free time, Samarth enjoys playing tennis, pickleball, reading, and spending time outside. |
 | Ronnie Hoang Ronnie is an undergraduate student at Oberlin College studying neuroscience with a secondary interest in phenomenology. Before joining Faja Lab, they ran art education programs at special education schools and advocated for inclusive art expression throughout high school. At Oberlin, they used mathematical modeling to explore whether a single parameter could capture autism while working as a research assistant at the Simen Lab for Computational Neuroscience. They are passionate about autism research. Outside the lab, Ronnie is a slow walker, a ponderer, and a traveler who finds equal joy in reading, writing, and pencil drawing. |
 | Ainsleigh Cobis Ainsleigh is a student at Harvard University studying psychology and education. After joining a unified track and field team, volunteering at inclusion-focused nonprofits in her hometown, and working as a teacher's aide in a workforce preparation program, Ainsleigh is passionate about dedicating her career to making the world more inclusive. At Harvard, Ainsleigh is the co-president of Best Buddies and on the leadership team for the Phillips Brooks House Association, a nonprofit centered around social justice and youth empowerment. She also serves as a peer counselor for Room 13, a student-led, drop-in counseling space for Harvard freshmen, and plans to build upon her passion for counseling by pursuing a PhD in clinical psychology. Ainsleigh loves her dog, Kane, more than anything, but the beach, backpacking trips in the woods, and frozen yogurt are all tied for a close second place! |
 | Gemma Feinstein Gemma Feinstein is an undergraduate student at UMass Amherst majoring in psychology, with a minor in political science and a certificate in social work and social welfare. She is interested in developmental psychology, particularly the social and emotional development of children, which is fueled by her experience working in childcare. As a preschool teacher, she worked closely with neurodiverse children to support their learning and engagement in the classroom. Gemma is passionate about research that creates a positive impact on the mental health and well-being of underserved communities. Previously, Gemma interned at Le CAMSP in Narbonne, France, a youth mental health clinic, where she shadowed a clinical psychologist who primarily worked with autistic children. At UMass Amherst, she serves as a lead research assistant in the SPaH Lab and hosts a weekly radio show on WMUA. In the future, she hopes to pursue a graduate degree in child clinical psychology. In her free time, she enjoys reading, improving her French language fluency, and hunting for new coffee shops and thrift stores! |
 | Karina Artemiev Karina is an undergraduate student at Emory University majoring in neuroscience and behavioral biology with a minor in Mandarin Chinese on the pre-medical track. Before joining the Faja Lab, she worked as a research intern in MIT's Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, where she studied prosodic contours in speech and language and explored the overlap between autism and dyslexia. Karina currently works as a paraprofessional in her local public school system, supporting autistic children and children with other neurodevelopmental disorders, including many who do not use speech to communicate. These experiences have strengthened her passion for studying neurodevelopment and improving care for autistic people. At Emory, Karina serves as vice president of the Student Activities Committee (SAC), public relations chair of the Organization of Latin American Students (OLA), treasurer of PhotoOx, and a member of the layout board for SciOx. Outside of the lab, she enjoys photography, playing tennis, and learning languages. She is fluent in Russian and Spanish and is currently studying Mandarin Chinese. |
 | Victoria De Assuncao Victoria is an undergraduate student at Tufts University studying biopsychology. She is broadly interested in translational neuroscience, with a particular focus on neurodevelopmental- and fear-related conditions. Through her passion for working with children, including three years in the children's department at her local public library, Victoria developed a strong interest in autism research and its potential to better understand and support autistic people and their families. She is excited to contribute to research that advances the understanding of child development. Outside of the lab, you can find Victoria reading, working on embroidery projects, and playing tennis. |
 | Niamh Feeney Niamh is an incoming undergraduate student at Syracuse University pursuing a biology degree on the pre-med track. Before joining the Faja Lab she worked in Boston Children’s Hospital Department of Infection Prevention, where she gained hands-on infection hospital experience in her first year in the COACH program. She is particularly interested in pediatric medicine, more specifically childhood oncology and critical care. Her hands-on experience with children outside of the hospital through volunteering has given her a deep affinity for childhood development. Outside of work, Niamh enjoys playing lacrosse, traveling, and reading. |
 | Josh Chou Josh Chou (he/they) is a doctoral candidate in the UMass Boston Clinical Psychology PhD Program, mentored by Dr. Abbey Eisenhower. Prior to his doctoral studies, he received his BS from UCLA in 2022, majoring in psychobiology with minors in disability studies and global health. During his post-bac, he served as a clinic coordinator at the UCLA PEERS Clinic, where he provided support and coaching to autistic and otherwise neurodivergent young people around friendships, dating, and self-determination. His research and clinical interests include understanding romantic relationships, social connections, and socioemotional well-being of autistic and otherwise neurodivergent young people, grounded in a neurodiversity-affirming framework. |