Meet our team
The people behind every Zoom call, home visit, and conversation with families. We're researchers, students, and clinicians — and many of us are parents too.
Dr. Natalie H. Brito
Natalie Hiromi Brito is a developmental psychologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Columbia University. Dr. Brito's research explores how social and cultural contexts shape the trajectory of brain and behavioral development, with the goal of better understanding how to best support caregivers and create environments that foster healthy development. Her ongoing studies examine how proximal factors (e.g., caregiver mental health, caregiver-child interactions) and distal influences (e.g., social policies) impact the development of attention, memory, and socioemotional skills during infancy and toddlerhood. Dr. Brito has been honored with the APA Boyd McCandless Award, the APS Rising Star Award, recognition as a CIFAR Global Scholar, and the ISDP Kucharski Young Investigator Award.
Researchers, students & lab staff
Sasha Andrews
Lab ManagerSasha graduated from the University of Denver in 2022 with a BA in Psychology and Spanish. She is interested in biological bases of behavior and how early experiences shape the functions of the brain. Sasha is an aspiring clinical psychologist with an interest in pediatric neuropsychology.
Alejandra Lemus
Research AssociateAlejandra graduated from Florida International University with a BA in Psychology and earned a Master's in Clinical Neuropsychology in Bogotá, Colombia. She is interested in how social environment, bilingualism, and socioeconomic status correlate with cognitive skills during childhood, and hopes to pursue a doctorate in Clinical Psychology.
Chloe Rice
Research AssociateChloe graduated from the University of Bath in 2025 with a BSc in Psychology, including a research placement year at Yale University. She is particularly interested in how early adverse and positive experiences influence brain development and cognition, with a focus on executive function.
Annie Aitken
Research AffiliateAnnie is a doctoral student in the Developmental Psychology department. As an NSF Fellow, she incorporates EEG methods to better understand the relationship between SES and academic achievement, with the goal of informing intervention methods.
Amy Hume
Research AffiliateAmy is a third-year undergraduate student pursuing a BS in Psychology at the University of Bath, completing a year-long internship at the lab. She is interested in the neurocognitive development of language and gender identity, and how these are influenced by bilingualism, socioeconomic status, and attachment.
Gianina Perez
Doctoral StudentGianina is a doctoral student in Developmental Psychology at NYU Steinhardt. She is interested in maternal mental health and how bilingualism in infancy influences neurocognitive development, with the goal of supporting bilingual families.
Lissete Gimenez
Doctoral StudentLissete is a doctoral student in developmental psychology at NYU Steinhardt. Her research examines how bilingual language environments during infancy impact cognitive development.
Maggie Zhang
Doctoral StudentMaggie is a doctoral student in the Psychology program at Columbia University. Her research interests include how environmental factors play a role in the development of bio-behavioral synchrony in caregivers and infants.
Michelle Masiello
Research AssistantMichelle graduated from NYU with a BS in Applied Psychology and Global Public Health. She focuses on how infant and child-directed speech influences cognitive development and resilience, and on linkages between psychology and public health.
Jamiez Vo
Research AssistantJamiez is pursuing a BA in Digital Design and Psychology with a minor in Child and Mental Health Studies. She works on the OWLET project, hoping to enhance the experience of online assessment for caregivers and their babies.
Carolyn Zazueta
Research AssistantCarolyn is a senior at NYU pursuing a BS in Applied Psychology with a minor in American Sign Language. She is interested in community-based prevention research and the intersection of the naturalistic world with psychology.
Angelina Grzybowski
Research AssistantAngelina is a junior at NYU pursuing a BS in Applied Psychology with a minor in Chemistry on the pre-health track. She is interested in how physical and mental health interact and the impact of culture on early development.
Paulina Chin-Wong
Research AssistantPaulina is a sophomore at NYU Steinhardt, pursuing a BS in Applied Psychology with a specialization in Child and Adolescent Mental Health. She is passionate about the impact of early childhood experiences on neurological development.
Massiel Velarde Perez
Research AssistantMassiel is an undergraduate at Columbia University, studying Cognitive Science on the pre-med track. She is interested in developmental neurocognition and how trauma affects the brain and cognitive development.
Sophia Ho
Research AssistantSophia is a senior in the Dual BA Program with Trinity College Dublin and Columbia University, majoring in Neuroscience & Behavior. She is passionate about public health and the ways neuroscience can inform policy.
Chiara Smith
Research AssistantChiara is a sophomore at Columbia College pursuing a double major in Psychology and English. She is interested in how young people construct meaning through cognition and narrative.
Sabrina Du
Research AssistantSabrina is an undergraduate at Columbia University planning to major in Neuroscience & Behavior. She investigates how maternal health conditions influence children's cognitive and social development.
Looking for past members? Visit our lab alumni page.
Want to work with us?
We welcome inquiries from prospective students, collaborators, and community partners.
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