{"id":23,"date":"2012-01-25T12:17:18","date_gmt":"2012-01-25T17:17:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/my.vanderbilt.edu\/infantlearninglab\/?page_id=23"},"modified":"2026-01-21T14:16:37","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T19:16:37","slug":"lab-members","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/my.vanderbilt.edu\/handsonplaylab\/lab-members\/","title":{"rendered":"Lab Members"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Dr. Amy Needham<\/strong>, Principal Investigator<\/p>\n

Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.<\/address>\n

\u00a0I am the Director of the Hands-On Play Lab and Professor of Psychology and Human Development, which is in the Peabody College of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University. I am fascinated by how infants learn to use their hands to accomplish their goals and by what they learn when they use their hands to play with and explore objects. I earned my PhD in Developmental Psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I came to Vanderbilt in 2009 after working at Duke University for 16 years. When I\u2019m not working, I enjoy taking walks with my husband and dogs and finding new ways to cook vegetables.<\/p>\n

Email <\/span>: amy.needham@vanderbilt.edu<\/a> Telephone: (615) 322-8380<\/span><\/p>\n

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Spring 2026\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"image<\/a>\u00a0\"Caroline<\/a><\/p>\n

Caroline Danforth<\/strong><\/p>\n

PhD Student<\/em><\/p>\n

My name is Caroline Danforth, and I am a third-year PhD student in the Department of Psychology and Human Development. My academic background is in psychology and biology, and I worked closely with children with developmental disabilities for several years. I am very interested in how neurodevelopmental differences influence early childhood development, and would like to pursue research that promotes effective, considerate early intervention techniques.<\/p>\n

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Abby Blum<\/b><\/p>\n

PhD Student<\/em><\/p>\n

My name is Abby Blum, and I am a third-year PhD student in the Clinical Science program within the Department of Psychology and Human Development. I graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in psychology and creative writing, and my current research interests include exploring different attachment styles between caregivers and babies, as well as examining the ways in which differences in early caregiving can affect infant mental health, particularly with children with developmental disabilities. Outside of the lab, I enjoy travelling to new cities, going on hikes with my two puppies, and snuggling up with a good book<\/span>.<\/p>\n

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Sunny Zhao<\/b><\/p>\n

Master’s Student<\/em><\/p>\n

My name is Sunny Zhao, and I graduated from Beijing Normal University. I am now a first-year student in the Cognitive Psychology in Context program. I am interested in how fine motor development in newborns can both predict and shape cognitive growth, as well as how targeted early interventions can support brain function in infants with neurological disorders. I am excited to explore these questions in depth and to translate scientific findings into practical strategies that make a real difference in children\u2019s lives.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Alison Rubin<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lab Manager<\/em><\/p>\n

My name is Alison Rubin. I graduated from William & Mary with a B.S in Neuroscience and a minor in Hispanic Studies. I am excited for the opportunity to research how children learn through play in the HOP Lab. I am passionate about child development research and combining it with my neuroscience background. I hope to one day pursue a PhD in developmental neuroscience. In my free time, I love to go on walks, explore thrift stores, and spend time\u00a0with my pets.<\/p>\n

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\"Supreethi<\/a>\u00a0\"Supreethi<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Supreethi Sridhar<\/strong><\/p>\n

Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Hello! My name is Supreethi Sridhar and I double majored in Neuroscience and Medicine, Health, and Society. I am looking forward to learning more about how play influences behavior and habits in children through the Hands-On Play Lab! After graduation, I plan to attend medical school and hope to specialize in pediatric surgery.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Anna Robbins<\/strong><\/p>\n

Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n

My name is Anna Robbins, and I am an undergraduate student studying Child Development and Human Organization and Development (HOD). I am very interested in how environment factors and interactions play a role in early child development and education. This experience will provide an interesting insight into this idea, and how we can support growth and development in early childhood.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"Maya \"Maya<\/a><\/div>\n
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Maya Azzato<\/strong><\/p>\n

Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2027<\/em><\/p>\n

My name is Maya Azzato and I am currently majoring in child development. I am passionate about working with and for children, and exploring how we can better support them. I have especially done a lot of work with children with special needs, and it is something very close to my heart. I look forward to exploring what insight children’s play gives us into their development, and how it might enhance it!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Josie Gaynor<\/strong><\/p>\n

Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2027<\/em><\/p>\n

My name is Josie Gaynor and I am in Peabody College, majoring in Elementary Education and Child Studies! Post graduation, I plan to become an elementary school teacher and possibly transition into Speech Language Pathology down the line. I joined the HOP lab so that I can grow as both a researcher and an educator and see first hand the intricacies of the research I read about in my classes every day!<\/p>\n

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\"Lucy<\/a> \"Lucy<\/a><\/p>\n

Lucy Hu<\/strong><\/p>\n

Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2027<\/em><\/p>\n

My name is Lucy (Yuchang) Hu, and I am currently majoring in Child Studies and Cognitive Studies. With a little sister 10 years younger than me, I have developed a deep understanding of child development and have been tutoring children of all ages for the past five years. I am passionate about supporting children from diverse backgrounds in achieving personal growth. Through my research, I aim to explore how educators can design meaningful play activities that foster motor skill development and enhance children\u2019s long-term learning outcomes.<\/p>\n

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\"Brooke<\/a>\u00a0\"Brooke<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Brooke Stimson<\/strong><\/p>\n

Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2027<\/em><\/p>\n

My name is Brooke Stimson, and I am an undergraduate majoring in Child Studies. I have always been interested in exploring how environmental interactions influence early childhood development and learning. I look forward to working alongside my fellow lab members to investigate how children learn through object manipulation and play!<\/p>\n

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Ava Miller<\/strong><\/p>\n

Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2027<\/em><\/p>\n

My name is Ava Miller and I am in Peabody College double majoring in Child Studies and Psychology, participating in the honors program. I\u2019m passionate about understanding child development from an educational standpoint. I am so excited to work with such an amazing team in the HOP lab!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Emmie Bankston<\/strong><\/p>\n

Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2028<\/em><\/p>\n

My name is Emmie Bankston, and I am from Knoxville, TN. I am studying Child Development with a minor in Spanish! I love learning about the development of motor skills in young children, and I am excited for the opportunity to experience this first-hand while working alongside lab members who share my interests!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Hanbi Kim<\/b><\/p>\n

Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2028<\/em><\/p>\n

My name is Hanbi Kim, and I am majoring in Child Development. I am interested in developmental psychology, specifically focusing on how environmental and familial factors influence child development. I am excited to gain hands-on experience in the Hands-On Play Lab, and I hope to deepen my understanding of child development in a research setting. After graduation, I hope to become a child psychologist!<\/span><\/p>\n

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Annabel Long<\/b><\/p>\n

Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2028<\/em><\/p>\n

My name is Annabel Long, and I’m majoring in English: Creative Writing and Psychology. I’ve been coaching kids in swimming for the past five years, and I love mentoring the kids and seeing them learn and grow. I can’t wait to connect with kids in the Nashville community!<\/span><\/p>\n

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Blake Rubach<\/b><\/p>\n

Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2028<\/em><\/p>\n

Hi! I am Blake Rubach. I’m a double major in Special Education and Cognitive Studies with a minor in HOD. I am from New Jersey and have a twin brother and a younger brother. My favorite things to do in my free time are Pilates, cook, and hang out with my friends and family! I am so excited to be a part of the Hands on Play Lab this year!<\/span><\/p>\n

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Sarina Levy<\/strong><\/p>\n

Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2028<\/em><\/p>\n

Hi! I’m Sarina Levy and\u00a0I’m a\u00a0Child Studies major with a minor in Special Education. I’m really interested in learning about children’s development in a research setting, especially in kids with disabilities. In my free time I love to try new restaurants, go to concerts, hang out with my friends, and spend time outside!<\/p>\n

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Eviana Fanta<\/strong><\/p>\n

Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2029<\/em><\/p>\n

Hi! My name is Eviana Fanta and I’m from Nashville, TN. I am double majoring in Medicine, Health, and Society and Human & Organizational Development. I am truly passionate about working with kids, so I am looking forward to learning more about children’s development with the HOP lab!<\/div>\n
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PREVIOUS LAB MEMBERS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Katie Swift, Junior Lab Manager<\/em><\/p>\n

Jasmyne Yeldell, Lab Manager<\/em><\/p>\n

Laura Green, Honors Student<\/em><\/p>\n

Melody Li, Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Judy Min, Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Jacob Wade, Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Stella Owings, Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Grace Rupert, Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Abigail Phillips, Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Chelsea Yang, Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Sarah Megan Erb, Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Frances Garrard, Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Charlotte Jeanne, Honors Student<\/em><\/p>\n

Caitlin Hertzendorf, Summer Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Angie Zhao, Summer Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Brooke Berger, Lab Manager<\/em><\/p>\n

Sarah Wiesen, PhD Student<\/em><\/p>\n

Mandy Kaur, Postdoctoral Fellow<\/em><\/p>\n

Darcy Smith, Masters Student<\/em><\/p>\n

Lindsey Rae, Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Georgia Wilson, Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Tara Webster, Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Rachael Holstine, Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Molly Sokolosky, Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Kelly Willard, Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Shannon Shiffer, Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Doreen Li, Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Savannah Diamond, Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Sarah Barrett,\u00a0Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Theresa Brogan,\u00a0Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Ivy Han,\u00a0Research Assistant<\/i><\/p>\n

Anna-Grace Lilly,\u00a0Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Ava Murchison,\u00a0Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Isabell Plotsker,\u00a0Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Kashope Anifowoshe,\u00a0Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Aunnika Short,\u00a0Master’s Student<\/em><\/p>\n

Mabel Donahue,\u00a0Lab Manager<\/em><\/p>\n

Maggie Huntley,\u00a0Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Amelia Murray,\u00a0Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Frances Farrell,\u00a0Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Evy Mattson,\u00a0Lab Manager<\/em><\/p>\n

Hijaan Mitha, Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Iris An, Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Lauren Malley,\u00a0Honors Student<\/em><\/p>\n

Lauren Malachowski,\u00a0PhD Student<\/em><\/p>\n

Maggie McGowan,\u00a0L<\/em>ab Manager<\/em><\/p>\n

Daniyah Bowen, Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Jana Yan, Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Wendy Wang, Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Emma Kerr,\u00a0Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Suman Mohanty,\u00a0Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Eric Duarte,\u00a0Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Amelia Cook,\u00a0Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Tasfia Alam,\u00a0Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Kiet Hua,\u00a0Resesarch Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Siwen Wang, Master’s Student<\/em><\/p>\n

Monica Bashir,\u00a0Lab Manager<\/em><\/p>\n

Emma Boualaphanh,\u00a0Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

Omar Hernandez Ramon,\u00a0Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 Dr. Amy Needham, Principal Investigator Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. \u00a0I am the Director of the Hands-On Play Lab and Professor of Psychology and Human Development, which is in the Peabody College of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University. I am fascinated by how infants learn to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":586,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.vanderbilt.edu\/handsonplaylab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.vanderbilt.edu\/handsonplaylab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.vanderbilt.edu\/handsonplaylab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.vanderbilt.edu\/handsonplaylab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/586"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.vanderbilt.edu\/handsonplaylab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23"}],"version-history":[{"count":382,"href":"https:\/\/my.vanderbilt.edu\/handsonplaylab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1548,"href":"https:\/\/my.vanderbilt.edu\/handsonplaylab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23\/revisions\/1548"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.vanderbilt.edu\/handsonplaylab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.vanderbilt.edu\/handsonplaylab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}