Biography

We are facing a global mental health crisis, especially among children and adolescents. Yet, there remains a significant gap in understanding how children’s mental health difficulties are being treated, and what the process of accessing care truly looks and feels like. Combining my backgrounds in psychology, public health, education, and creative writing, I am passionate about improving the lives of children and understanding their stories, particularly those from underserved or high-risk communities. During my undergraduate studies at Colgate University, I conducted mixed-methods research to examine how COVID-19 impacted children’s mental health. As an Alumni Memorial Scholar, I extended this work after graduation by studying the pandemic’s impact on rural communities in England. Following this, I worked as a researcher at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where I studied diagnostic testing for children with mental health difficulties and autism. My PhD at the University of Cambridge builds off of these experiences, using a simultaneous mixed-methods design to explore how children access mental health treatment, with a particular focus on waiting times and experiences of underserved groups. My research aims to inform policy and practice to improve mental health care for all children and young people.

Previous Education

Colgate University Major: Psychology; Minors: Education, Creative Writing 2021