Staff

Uchechukwu is a recent graduate of Harris-Stowe State University, where they earned their B.S. in Biology. As an undergraduate, through BP ENDURE, they worked in Dr. Rogers’ WUNDER lab. They also work with children teaching after-school STEM enrichment programs. In the EEDP, Uchechukwu will be assisting with NOA, Big Doors conducting recruitment and EEGs.

Originally from Austin, Claire received her undergraduate degree at the University of Missouri at Columbia and her Master’s in Social Work at Portsmouth University in England in 2014. She then worked as a case manager in Children’s Social Care in the UK for two years before returning to St. Louis to focus on preventative work with the Wyman Center. Claire later returned to case management working as a foster care case manager and eventually a supervisor covering St. Louis City, St. Louis County and Jefferson County. Needing a change in 2020, she shifted to clinical research here at WashU. Claire was with Oncology for two years before finding her way to Psychiatry where she is now combining her social work and research skills to support the EEDP and the Hermann Center. She is primarily working on the THRIVE in Schools study as a CRC II in the EEDP. Claire has also lived in Moshi, Tanzania and Sulaymaniyah, Iraq working with local and international NGO’s.

Christina recently graduated from Washington University in St. Louis, where she earned her B.A. in Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology with minors in Music and Biology. As an undergraduate, she has worked as a research assistant on several studies in the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Emergency Department and Dr. English’s Emotion and Relationships Lab. In the EEDP, she will be assisting with the STARK study and Peer Experiences in Puberty study, conducting clinical interviews.

Laura graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a B.A in psychology in 2017. She works in Dr. Deanna Barch’s labs: EEDP and Cognitive Control and Psychopathology. She had a stroke with aphasia. In addition to her interest in stroke recovery, Laura has a longtime interest in children with autism.

Sarah Engle was born and raised here in St. Louis. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Truman State University and is currently working towards her Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from UMSL. With many years of experience working with children with emotional dysregulation and other special needs, Sarah has a passion for helping children develop and express their emotions in a healthy way. In the EEDP, Sarah does EEGs and assessments with children who are involved in the ‘Early Development of Overcontrol (eDOC)’ and ‘Mood, Emotion, and Stress in Youth’ studies. Sarah hopes to become a Licensed Professional Counselor and do parent-child interaction therapy, play therapy, or preventative/intervention work with children and adolescents who are at risk for substance abuse.

Julia graduated with a Bachelor of Social Work from Olivet Nazarene University in 2019 before completing a Master of Social Work with a focus in Mental Health from Washington University in St. Louis in 2020. During her graduate work, Julia completed a practicum at St. Louis Play Therapy Institute and was a Research Assistant for the Center for Mental Health Services Research. Julia has experience in clinical work with children and families effected by serious mental illness, trauma, and adverse life events. At the EEDP, Julia works on the THRIVE project with Dr. Luby and NOA project with Dr. Gilbert. During her free time, Julia can be found with family and friends at a park, getting coffee, or catching up on the latest book club read!

Berklea grew up in St. Louis before graduating from Indiana University with a BA in Theatre, with minors in Dance and Psychology.  After moving to New York City and performing in many professional musical theatre productions over several years, Berklea completed her Master of Science in Psychology and Neuroscience of Mental Health from King’s College London, while simultaneously performing in the ensemble and as a "Princess Anna" understudy on the tour of “Frozen the Musical”.  She is excited to be returning home to St. Louis to work with the EEDP and explore her passion for psychology.  In the EEDP, she will assist with the Sleep Study as well as the ‘Neurodevelopment of Overcontrol and Anxiety’ (NOA) study.

Mary graduated from the University of Iowa and was a Research Assistant for Marsha Rosner, PhD. at The University of Chicago Ben May Institute for Cancer Research. She then was a Research Biologist for Monsanto/Searle and later with Baxter and Abbot Laboratories where projects focused on both basic and product-oriented research in Immunology and Infectious Disease. Mary is an avid runner, mother of five and has her Early Childhood Credential from the American Montessori Society/Maryville University. She taught Montessori preschool and kindergarten and also adults in an accredited teacher education program (UMSL, Webster University). Currently, Mary is working on eLABE studies with infants and toddlers conducting developmental assessments, fMRIS, EEGs, and eye tracking.

Katie joined the EEDP upon returning home to St. Louis after graduating from Penn State University in May 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a minor in French. While there, she was a part of the Newman Lab for Anxiety and Depression Research working on various studies relating to social anxiety, mood disorders, and an online therapy program. In the EEDP, she will be working on recruitment, scheduling, and conducting EEGs on the NOA study and the PED-SI study.  

Morgan recently graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in 2021, where she earned her B.A. in Psychological and Brain Sciences and her B.A. in Anthropology: Global Health and the Environment. As an undergraduate, she worked as a research assistant in several labs including Dr. White’s Developmental Neuropsychology Lab and more recently Dr. Thompson’s Emotion and Mental Health Lab. In the EEDP, Morgan will be assisting with the MESY study, where she will help coordinate the Effortless Assessment of Risk States (EARS) component of the study. She will also be conducting EEGs and fMRIs.