Promoting Adjustment in Children through Evaluation (PACE) Lab
PACE Research Team
Meet the team members of the lab!
Principal Investigator
Scott Leon, Ph.D.
Scott Leon is an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at Loyola University Chicago, where he teaches and mentors students in the undergraduate and graduate psychology programs. He earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Northwestern University Medical School in 2002. During his graduate studies, he developed research interests in mental health services evaluation. Dr. Leon’s published work has primarily focused on the mental health and placement outcomes of youth in the child welfare system.
Hometown: Santa Ana, CA
What I do for fun: Running, reading, traveling.
My favorite thing about Chicago: The beautiful Lakeshore Path. Running south of the path with the lake on my left and the skyline ahead of me is pure exhilaration.
Learn more about Dr. Leon’s work here.
Current Graduate Students
Tai Masuda (she/her)
Hometown: Honolulu, HI
Status: 3rd year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program
Education: Mount Holyoke College - B.A. in Psychology and Environmental Studies
Past research experience: After graduating from college, I worked as a research associate at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Department of Psychiatry where we studied youth and emerging adult experiences in the public sector system of care in Hawai'i (including the foster care system, juvenile justice system, homelessness services, mental health services, and substance use services).
Research/Clinical interests: I'm interested in the well-being and mental health of youth involved in public systems and how public systems that are meant to serve youth, such as the foster care system, can be more supportive, empowering, and healing for youth. Additionally, I'm interested in accessible and equitable behavioral healthcare services and community-based participatory research.
What I do for fun: I like to go to the beach/the lake, walk along the lake, try new restaurants/foods, read, surf, go to concerts, cook, go thrift shopping, and do yoga.
My favorite thing(s) about Chicago: The lake, the food, the dogs, and how nice the people are!
Email: tmasuda@luc.edu
Bailey Monick (she/her)
Hometown: Honolulu, HI
Status: 2nd year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program
Education: Pitzer College – BA in Psychology, BA in English
Past research experience: Research Associate on the Special Populations Qualitative Needs Assessment in Youth Substance Use Prevention and Treatment Project at the University of Hawaii, Department of Psychiatry. This project focused on the experiences of youth involved in public sectors (juvenile justice, foster care, homelessness services, mental health services, and substance use services) and their needs surrounding substance use.
Research/Clinical interests: Broadly, I am interested in the following areas:
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Improving access to services and the system of mental healthcare, especially for young people involved in public sectors (juvenile justice, child welfare, homelessness services)
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Protective factors for youth who have experienced or are experiencing trauma.
What I do for fun: Surfing, running, yoga, camping, cooking, and trying new restaurants :)
My favorite thing(s) about Chicago: The lake!
Email: bmonick@luc.edu
Olivia Lashley (she/her)
Hometown: Portland, OR
Status: 1st year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program
Education: University of Oregon - B.S. in Psychology with a double minor in Spanish and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Past research experience: At the University of Oregon, I was a research assistant working on two studies offering parenting interventions for parents from low-income populations and parents with a history of substance use. After undergrad, I worked as a research assistant at Oregon Health and Science University, studying how the prenatal environment contributes to the development of neuropsychiatric conditions in young children.
Research/clinical interests: I am interested in the development and implementation of culturally informed, community-based interventions to support the needs of children involved in the child welfare system. Further, I am interested in identifying and utilizing protective factors to promote well-being and resilience among this population, and other populations of children/youth that face disproportionate barriers to experiencing mental wellness.
What I do for fun: For fun, I love to play soccer, ride my bike, dance, swim, go thrifting, craft, and try new foods.
My favorite things about Chicago: The lake, the food, and the people!
Email: olashley@luc.edu
Current Undergraduate &
Postbaccalaureate Research Assistants
Isabel Perez-Becerra (she/her)
Hometown: Willowbrook, IL
Year in School: 1st year Master of Social Work student
Research/Clinical interests: I’m broadly interested in the social structures surrounding foster care that shape families’ overall experiences with the system, factors such as individual strengths, community supports, and policies that enhance services to maximize support for families.
What I do for fun: rock climbing, rollerblading, reading, and cooking
My favorite thing(s) about Chicago: I love the diverse scenery that Chicago offers. My two favorite places in Chicago have to be the Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary and the Lakefront Trail. Both of these have incredible scenery, which helps make me feel a part of nature and the city life.
Leydn Yankoff
Hometown: Lebanon, OH
Year in School: Sophomore
Research/Clinical interests: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Marriage and Family Therapy
What I do for fun: Powerlift, Read Theology, Spend time alone, eat good food.
My favorite thing(s) about Chicago: I personally love the skyline and the lake.
Cella Porter (she/her/hers)
Hometown: Minneapolis, MN
Year in School: Senior
Research/Clinical interests: Currently, I'm interested in research concerning the benefits of wrap-around social services for youth development, the protective/risk factors for LGBTQIA+ youth in their macro and microsystems, and the rise of disordered eating among young women in the United States since the COVID-19 pandemic.
What I do for fun: I love to read, craft, and play mahjongg!
My favorite thing(s) about Chicago: I like to take walks along Lake Michigan, try new restaurants, and explore different shops in Andersonville.
Eliza Daigle (she/her)
Hometown: Norwich, VT
Year in School: Senior
Research/Clinical interests: My current research and clinical interests are in criminal behavior and the criminal justice system and its intersection with psychology. I am also very interested in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and becoming a therapist.
What I do for fun: Thrift, run, cook, and try new food!
My favorite thing(s) about Chicago: I love how diverse Chicago is. I love all of the different neighborhoods and restaurants. And of course, the lake and skyline too!
Ammar Haroon (he/him)
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Year in School: Junior
Research/Clinical interests: My research and clinical interests are child psychopathology and developmental psychology, particularly among vulnerable and underserved populations.
What I do for fun: For fun I like to be outdoors and stay active, cook, and explore the city.
My favorite thing(s) about Chicago: My favorite things about Chicago are the skyline, being close to the lake, and meeting all kinds of people
Riley Jacklitch (he/him)
Hometown: Eagan, MN
Year in School: Sophomore
What I do for fun: Rock climb, live music/concerts, read, and thrift
My favorite thing(s) about Chicago: I love being in a big city with endless things for me to explore. Amazing music scene, as all my favorite artists always come to Chicago to perform. Chicago also offers a lot of diversity, and some amazing food scenery.
Sofia Leon (she/her)
Hometown: Guayama, Puerto Rico
Year in School: Junior
What I do for fun: Foil surfing; I love water sports and anything that involves the beach.
My favorite thing(s) about Chicago:Definitely that we get all four seasons.
Kaitlyn Robinson (she/her)
Hometown: Tampa, FL
Year in School: First-year graduate student
Research/Clinical interests: My research interests are understanding factors influencing juvenile delinquency and recidivism rates.
What I do for fun: I enjoy kayaking, baking, and watching movies.
My favorite thing(s) about Chicago: My favorite thing about Chicago is the Chicago River.
Zoe Winters (she/her)
Hometown: Milwaukee, WI
Year in School: Junior
Research/Clinical interests: My research interests for the website are childhood psychopathology and the impact of early trauma on emotional and psychological development.
What I do for fun: I love spending time with my friends and family, reading a good book, and trying new foods and hobbies!
My favorite thing(s) about Chicago: There is always a new neighborhood, farmers market, restaurant, or activity to explore. It is impossible to get bored of this city!
Previous Graduate Students
Jenny Osborne
Research/Clinical interests: I'm interested in identifying and bolstering sources of support for children in contact with the child welfare system and examining multi-informant reporting among youth in care. I'm currently completing a pre-doctoral internship at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan with an emphasis in pediatric neuropsychology. On internship, I conduct neuropsychological assessments for children and youth with complex medical and neurodevelopmental histories. I also see youth navigating new medical diagnoses and chronic pain as an outpatient mental health therapist and as a consultation liaison.
Nicole Hodgkinson
Nicole graduated from Whitman College in 2016 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Nicole worked as a research assistant at the VA Puget Sound Health Care system studying chronic pain management before transitioning to a direct service role providing mental health crisis response for youth in King County, many of whom were involved with the foster care system. Nicole’s current research interests include improving psychosocial outcomes for children in the Child Welfare System through program evaluation and intervention development.
Thesis: Kinship Involvement and Strength Development in the Child Welfare System
Nathan earned his Bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in neuroscience from Miami University in 2015. For the next two years, Nathan worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in a lab that focused on the complex health needs of youth in the child welfare system. Nathan spent most of his time working on a project that developed an intervention to aid adolescents who were aging out of the system. His research interests are centered around continuing to evaluate and develop interventions for this population, and he is also interested in learning about the effects of various forms of maltreatment and how to lessen their impact throughout one's childhood.
Lauren Hindt
Lauren earned her Bachelor's degree in child psychology, along with minors in neuroscience and public health, from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in 2014. Her research interests include strengthening families and supporting children at risk for social and emotional difficulties from underserved populations, with an overarching goal of improving health equity and reducing disparities. Lauren's current research involves children and families in the context of the foster care system and parental incarceration.
Thesis: Impact of Visitation with Incarcerated Fathers on Behavioral Adjustment among Children in the Foster Care System pdf
Brynn Huguenel
After receiving her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Boston College in 2012, Brynn worked in the Schizophrenia Neuropharmacology Research Group at Yale University Medical School for three years. Her research interests include risk and resilience factors of mental health outcomes in children with abuse or neglect, as well as treatment or program evaluation.
Thesis: Fear of Missing Out: A Moderated Mediation Approach to Social Media Use pdf
PACE Lab Alumni
Grace Jhe Bai: Class of 2018
Thesis: The Protective Effect of Kinship Support on the
Adjustment of Youth in Foster Care pdf
Dissertation: Child Maltreatment and Psychosocial Functioning
Among Foster Care Youth: Self-Concept as a
Mediator and a Moderator pdf
Anne Fuller: Class of 2017
Thesis: Sexual Behavior Problems in Child Welfare:
Predictors of Reliable Change pdf
Dissertation: Social Support and Well-Being Among Foster Care
Youth: Self-Concept as a Mediator pdf
Alison Stoner: Class of 2014
Thesis: Predictors of Mental Health Outcomes Among
Foster Care Children Receiving Community-Based
Services pdf
Dissertation: Closing the "Revolving Door": Identifying
Predictors of Time to Rehospitalization in a Sample
of Psychiatric Inpatient Youth pdf
Amy Lyons Usher: Class of 2012
Dissertation: Measures of Executive Functioning and Their
Relation to Functional Outcomes in a Sample of
Youth with Attention-Deficit/hyperactivity
Disorder (add) pdf
Jeff Sieracki: Class of 2010
Thesis: Measuring Mental Health Improvement Among Children
Receiving Community-Based Services in a System of Care;
An Idiographic Approach pdf
Dissertation: In Whose Best Interest? Using an Experimental
Vignette to Assess Factors Influencing Placement
Decisions in Child Welfare pdf
Brittany Lakin: Class of 2008
Dissertation: Burnout in Children’s Residential Treatment Center
Staff: A Look at the Organizational Context Using a
Person-Job Fit Model
Jessica Snowden-Patel: Class of 2007
