Smoking and Nicotine Dependence Research Lab
Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology
Yeshiva University
Our Students
Esther (she/her/hers) is a fifth-year PhD student at Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology and a psychology extern at Memorial Sloan Kettering. Her research interests include trauma experience and addictions in women and racial/ethnic minorities with an emphasis on nicotine dependence. Her predoctoral project focuses on gender and trauma status on nicotine and tobacco cessation and relapse.
Previously, Esther has conducted neurology research at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai under the guidance of Leif Havton, MD PhD and at Columbia University Zuckerman Institute under the guidance of Michael E. Goldberg, MD. Esther lives with her husband in the Washington Heights community of Manhattan, and loves hosting large community meals and has contributed to the below publications.
Email: epstern@mail.yu.edu
Tanya Mehdizadeh is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Clinical Psychology, Health Emphasis Program. Tanya received her Master's degree in Clinical Psychology from Columbia University, Teachers College and graduated Cum Laude with Departmental Honors from George Washington University with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Psychology.
Her research interests include intersectional stigma, minority stress, attachment theory, psychedelic-assisted therapy, and substance use behaviors. She is also interested in mindfulness-based strategies and other "third wave" therapies for substance use treatment.
Tanya trained as a clinical psychology extern in the Parnes Clinic, in Brooklyn College's Personal Counseling Center, and at Nassau University Medical Center in the adult inpatient psychiatric unit and adult outpatient psychology department. Currently, she serves as a psychology extern in psycho-oncology at Northwell Health Cancer Institute. Additionally, she provides psychological evaluations at New York Bariatric Group.
Outside of her academic and clinical work, Tanya enjoys live music, snowboarding, and traveling.
Email: tmehdiza@mail.yu.edu
Frank Merenda is a second-year student in the Clinical Psychology, Health Emphasis PhD Program. His research interests include exploring the impact of religious affiliation on substance use patterns and general mental health outcomes. His work aims to understand how varying levels of religious involvement and spirituality influence mental health and substance use trajectories.
Frank obtained his Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marist College where he was the recipient of the 2024 Multicultural and Social Justice Advocacy Award. He has completed internships at an intensive outpatient substance use facility and two group private practices working with individuals of many ages and walks of life. Additionally, he served as a research assistant for three years, under the supervision of Thomas Killian, PhD evaluating the effects of early religious messages on ally development.
Outside of academia, Frank enjoys practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and reading about different philosophical perspectives.
Email: fmerenda@mail.yu.edu
Ana is a third-year student in the Clinical Psychology, Health Emphasis PhD Program. She previously earned her BA in Psychology, summa cum laude, from UCLA, and her MA in Psychology with a clinical focus from NYU.
At NYU, Ana used a mouse model to investigate the impact of early life stress on reward-seeking behaviors. At Ferkauf, her predoctoral project focused on the mediating role of smoking outcome expectancies in the relationship between depressive symptoms and cigarette smoking behavior among people living with HIV (PWH). Ana also coordinated a study on cigarette use behaviors and interest in cessation treatments among adults using HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP).
She is currently training as a clinical psychology extern at the Center for Neuropsychological Services (CNS) at Zucker Hillside Hospital in the lifespan track. She was previously an extern at the City College of New York (CCNY) Counseling Center, and the Max and Celia Parnes Family Psychological Services Clinic at Yeshiva University.
Outside of her academic work, she enjoys playing billiards, traveling, and spending time with her family in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Simay is a third-year student in the Clinical Health Psychology PhD Program at Ferkauf Graduate School. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience and Psychology. She researched the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy for irritable bowel syndrome patients in her honors program. Later, she worked at the OCD and Related Disorders Clinic at the Massachusetts General Hospital as a clinical research coordinator. She has worked with OCD, GAD, and MDD patients on a variety of treatment studies there.
Simay's research interests include stigma, alcohol use, and depression in adults living with HIV. She is also working on several projects on cannabis and tobacco co-use in this population. Additionally, she is a research intern at the Partnership to End Addiction, a national organization serving family members of individuals with substance use disorders. Previously, she served as a psychology extern at The City College of New York Counseling Center and the Parnes Clinic. Currently, she is an extern at Mount Sinai Tics, OCD, and Related Disorders at Icahn School of Medicine.
Outside of her academic work, she enjoys going to the movies, traveling, and cooking.
Email: sipek@mail.yu.edu
Deborah is a second-year student in the Clinical Psychology PhD Program with a Health Emphasis at the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and went on to complete an M.A. in Clinical Psychology at The New School for Social Research. Her master’s thesis explored the impact of long-COVID-related parosmia on mental health measures associated with Generalized Anxiety and Depression.
Prior to beginning her doctoral studies, Deborah worked as a practice manager at a New York–based group practice, where she conducted intakes for patients presenting with OCD, GAD, MDD, BPD, and disordered eating. In her doctoral studies, Deborah is interested in examining the relationship between gender, e-cigarette use, and depression in adolescents. Currently, she serves as a psychology extern at The City College of New York Counseling Center and the Parnes Clinic. Additionally, she provides psychological evaluations at Strive Surgical.
Outside of her academic work, Deborah enjoys cooking, reading, and spending time with her friends, family, and her puppy, Charlie.
Email: djarmel@mail.yu.edu
Morgan Millstein is a second-year student in the Clinical Health Psychology PhD program at the Ferkauf Graduate School. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in Psychology. Morgan is currently a student therapist at the Parnes Clinic and a psychology extern at New York Presbyterian Addiction Recovery Unit. Additionally, she is a research intern at the Partnership to End Addiction, a national organization serving family members of individuals with substance use disorders.
Outside of her studies, Morgan enjoys pickleball, Broadway, scrapbooking, and traveling.
Email: mmillste@mail.yu.edu
Erin is a second-year student in the Clinical Health Psychology PhD Program at Ferkauf Graduate School. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Human Development from Tufts University. After graduating, she worked at a school in Tel Aviv serving children of asylum seekers. She then worked as a clinical research coordinator for the Child Mind Institute’s Healthy Brain Network.
In her graduate studies, Erin works on several projects focused on substance use and addictions. She is also a research intern at Partnership to End Addiction, a national organization serving family members of individuals with substance use disorders. For her predoctoral thesis, she is examining the moderating role of family vulnerability in the association between trauma exposure and alcohol misuse. Currently, she serves as a psychology extern at Mount Sinai's Eating and Weight Disorders Program.
Outside of her academic work, she enjoys traveling, attending live music events, and doing the New York Times crossword puzzles.
Lilly is a first-year student in the Clinical Psychology with Health Emphasis PhD program. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience from the University of Michigan. Lilly has research experience in drug addiction, autism spectrum disorder, and pancreatic neurobiology. In her graduate studies, Lilly is interested in neuropsychology, and more specifically examining the relationship between substance use and cognitive function.
Outside of science, Lilly loves to read, go to the beach, and spend time with her friends and family.
Email: lrosenb7@mail.yu.edu
Allison is a first-year in the Clinical Psychology PhD program with a Health Emphasis at the Ferkauf Graduate School. She graduated summa cum laude from Trinity College (CT) with a B.S. in Psychology and minor in Cognitive Science. After graduation, Allison worked at the Health through Flourishing Lab at Massachusetts General Hospital as a clinical research coordinator. Her research centered around smoking cessation treatment via positive psychology–based app for people with HIV and people who smoke nondaily. Additionally, she supported studies researching recovery community centers.
Her current research interests focus on nicotine dependence among special populations (e.g., nondaily smokers, polysubstance users, and people living with HIV), and understanding how physical, cognitive, affective, spiritual, and community-level factors can inform treatment for addictive behaviors.
Outside of academia, Alli enjoys practicing yoga, running, and hanging out with family and friends.
Mia is a first-year student in the Clinical Psychology with Health Emphasis PhD program at Ferkauf. She received her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park (Go Terps!). As an undergraduate, she gained research experience in both the ADHD and Learning Differences Program Lab and the POLER (Plasticity Of Language and Epilepsy Research) Lab at Children's National Hospital. Following graduation, Mia spent 2 years as a Clinical Research Assistant at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where she worked on the Brains Change Program: a longitudinal, multimodal investigation of structural and functional brain development in children with and without autism spectrum disorder.
Mia's research interests are rooted in the bidirectional relationship between neurodevelopment and health. She is particularly interested in the intersection of neuropsychology, neurodevelopment, and substance use.
Outside of academia, Mia loves to read, dance, and spend time with friends and family.
Email: mpearce@mail.yu.edu
Kaitlin (Kait) Cuddleston is a third-year student in the Clinical Psychology, Health Emphasis PhD Program at Ferkauf. She received her master’s degree in psychology at New York University, where she completed her thesis under Dr. Andrei Cimpian and Dr. Katharina Block, examining the intersections between culture and personality. As an undergraduate, Kait attended the University of Nevada, Reno, where she earned her B.S. in physics with dual minors in mathematics and astronomy.
Kait’s research interests include minority mental health, substance use, and diversity science. Kait’s predoctoral research project aims to identify and analyze trends in alcohol, cannabis, and cigarette use in a sample of American Indian individuals who simultaneously identify as Lesbian, Gay, or Bisexual. She is training as a psychology extern at the John Jay College Counseling & Wellness Center and the Parnes Clinic. Kait is also an adjunct instructor at Hunter College, where she has taught courses in experimental research methods and introduction to psychology. In her free time, Kait enjoys reading, painting, and caring for her three cats, Malone, Ned, and Merlin.
Email: kcuddles@mail.yu.edu