Meet the Spring 2024 lab members!
Shandell Almanzar (she/her)
Social Media Manager/Content Creator
Majors: Psychology & Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Minor: Sociology
“I love the comfortable environment we foster in the lab each semester. I enjoy learning about sexual health and beyond, especially about communities that are often excluded from research and how we can implement our lab experiences into real life and our future careers.”
Jesenia (she/her)
Social Media Manager/Content Creator
Majors: Psychology & Communications
“I’m looking forward to being apart of an open-minded and intelligent group of women! Additionally, I can’t wait to learn more about women’s health.”
Lyana Costantino (she/her)
Website Manager
Major: Psychology
Minors: Public Health & Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
“I love the feeling of community within this lab and the amazing discussions that it promotes.”
Maddie Wolf (she/her)
Major: Psychology
Minor: Public Health
“I find most enjoyable the open and safe community space that is built in the lab. I love being surrounded by individuals like me with similar interests!”
Sabrina Sims (she/her)
Majors: Psychology & Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
“I love the warm, inviting space that fosters intellectual discussion and emotional connection!!”
Kaitlyn Verney (she/her)
Major: Speech Pathology & Audiology
Minor: Public Health
“I love the community that the lab offers to its members. Not only do I gain knowledge on important topics, but I get to connect and make memories with incredible individuals that make me a better person!”
Ellie Kerhin (she/her)
Majors: Psychology & Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Minor: Anthropology
“Being a part of a group that thinks critically and supports unconditionally has been invaluable to my time at TCNJ.”
Julia Canha (she/they)
Major: Psychology
“I’m really excited to be a part of a lab that focuses on reproductive health so I can learn about how shame and stigma regarding sexual health has impacted so many. I am also super excited to get to work with the other members who have already created such a warm and welcoming environment!”
Sydney Defreitas (she/her)
Major: Psychology
Minor: African American Studies
“I’m so excited to learn more about the emotional factors that menstruation, sex and reproduction add to Black women’s mental health outcomes!”
Natalie Sanchez (she/her)
Major: Psychology
“I am extremely excited to learn more about reproductive health and end the silence that is usually associated with menstruation. I am also very great full to be able to learn from the brilliant and powerful women who are a part of
this lab.”
Emma Vangeli (she/her)
Majors: Psychology & Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
“I’m super excited to begin my research journey, especially because I am exploring women’s health, which I am eager to learn more about!”
Saanya Bhargava (she/her)
Majors: Psychology & Biology
“I’m looking forward to learn more about women’s health!”
Meet the Fall 2023 lab members!
Sabrina Sims (she/her)
Lab Manager
Majors: Counseling and Clinical Psychology & Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
“I love and cherish the space that BT and other members create for myself and others to share their experiences and knowledge of reproductive health. Through this lab, I’ve discovered my passion within my work and I’m forever grateful for that.”
Ellie Kerhin (she/her)
Lab Manager
Majors: Psychology & Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Minor: Anthropology
“I keep choosing to come back because I love the research we do and the research skills I have gained. I also appreciate the support I have received from both lab members and Dr. B-T, in and out of lab.”
Shandell Almanzar (she/her)
Instagram Manager
Majors: Psychology & Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Minor: Sociology
“I love being part of the lab because we learn about social and health issues that often are overlooked through research and community outreach. I also love the sense of community we’ve built around it with Dr. BT and the other
members!”
Lyana Costantino (she/her)
Website Manager
Major: Psychology
Minors: Public Health & Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
“I joined because sexual and reproductive health is such an important subject, yet it’s so under-taught and a lot of people do not have access to essential knowledge and supplies. I’m really interested in that and want to be able to help bring positive change.”
Bianca Torres (she/her)
Major: Psychology
Minor: Spanish
“I decided to join and continue because I wanted to expand my knowledge on sexual and reproductive health especially how it affects marginalized groups, as well as loving the safe and welcoming environment BT and the other members create.”
Kaitlyn Verney (she/her)
Major: Speech Pathology & Audiology
Minor: Public Health
“I wanted to expand my knowledge on a topic I was not familiar with. Not only have I gotten to participate on engaging and important conversations regarding reproductive health but also become part of a supportive and empowering environment!”
Maddie Wolf (she/her)
Major: Psychology
Minor: Public Health
“I joined the lab to grow my knowledge of reproductive education and engage in discussion on topics that are important to me. I love what the lab stands for and the community and safe space that accompanies it!”
Past Members
![Text on top of a red background reading: "Meet our current members. View our current students in the Sexual Health and Reproductive Education Lab for Fall 2022 and hear why sexual health and education is important to them." There is then a photo of the lab members and professor sitting together and smiling.The image then introduces each of the members. "01. Becca Stein. Psychology Major with a minor in WGS, "Sexual Health is such a necessary topic, yet [is] considered so taboo! It is just as important as learning about other parts of your body." This is followed by a photo of Becca. "02. Bianca Torres. Psychology Major with a minor in Spanish, "Sexual Health is power, and educating people on this topic can reduce stigmas and taboo surrounding sex and reproductive health." This is followed by a photo of Bianca. "03. Brooke Tindall. Psychology with a minor in WGS and QSS, "Sexual Health is important to me because I value the wellbeing of humanity." This is followed by a photo of Brooke. "04. Ellie Kerhin. WGSS and Psychology Major, Anthropology Minor, "Sexual health is important to [me] because it is the only aspect of health where it is considered acceptable to lie about it. Each of those lies can impact the rest of a person's life in many ways." This is followed by a photo of Ellie. "05. Jake Hoegler. Psychology and WGS Major, "Sexual health is important to me because growing up I was surrounded by such rampant misinformation, I knew I needed to create change through education on this topic." End of image.](http://sexualhealth.pages.tcnj.edu/files/2022/12/Meet-our-current-members-5.png "Meet our current members 5")
![An image introducing the members of the lab. This image is part 2 to the previous image."06. Maeve Franklin. Biopsychology Major and Chinese Minor; "Sexual Health is important to me because ...". This is followed by a photo of Maeve. "07. Sabrina Sims. Counseling and Clinical Psychology Major with German Minor, "Sexual health is an important part of overall health the same way mental health is." This is followed by a photo of Sabrina. "08. Stella Petrou. Psychology Major and Spanish Minor, "Sexual Health is important to me because I want to be able to educate younger generations on how to take care of their bodies and embrace everything that comes their way, free of shame." This is followed by a photo of Stella. "09. Kat Devito. Psychology Major, "Sexual health is important to me because there is a culture of silence and shame around our reproductive bodies." This is followed by a photo of Kat. "10. Shandell [Almanzar]. Psychology and WGS Major, Sociology Minor, "Sexual Health is important to me because it affects our physical and mental well being." This is followed by a photo of Shandell. "11. Linda Truong. Psychology Major with Public Health Minor; "Sexual health is important to me because it affects my physical, mental, and emotional health." This is followed by a photo of Linda. "12. Lexi Hoeman. Public Health Major; "I am passionate about Womens health, so joining the ShaRED lab has been such a exciting and rewarding experience!" This is followed by a photo of Lexi. End of image.](http://sexualhealth.pages.tcnj.edu/files/2022/12/Meet-our-current-members-6.png "Meet our current members 6")
Current Members for Spring 2019
From left to right: Gabriella DeVito, Cassandra Halper, Jillian Duff, Dr. Jessica Barnack-Tavlaris, Nikita Pate, Sara Breheny, Emma Pranschke, and Farihah Shameem.
MEMBER BIOS:
SARA BREHENY
I am a sophomore psychology major on a premed track. I decided to join the Reproductive and Sexual Health Lab because it is such an important area of study, but is often overlooked or ignored. I think that learning and studying different issues pertaining to reproductive and sexual health can help to end the stigma and hopefully educate people on these topics.
GABRIELLA DEVITO
I am a junior psychology major with a minor in Spanish. Initially, I came to TCNJ wanting to go into the medical field as a biology major, but I have found the relationship between psychology and medicine to be even more interesting and now am pursuing a career specializing in eating disorders. Along with this, I find the concepts of reproductive and sexual health to be intriguing and vital to understanding how human relationships are established and maintained.
JILLIAN DUFF
I am a sophomore Psychology major here at TCNJ. After taking Psychology of Women last semester, I became more interested in learning about social processes and stigma that affect women on a daily and long-term basis. After talking with Dr. B-T, I found that this lab would enable me to deep-dive in this subject. I hope that in the future I can spread my newfound knowledge to others and make more informed decisions about my own health. I think that this lab will teach me how to hold more necessary conversations about women’s rights and health in general, especially in today’s political climate.
CASSANDRA HALPER
I am a junior psychology and communications double major. I think learning about and breaking down stigmas related to women’s sexual and reproductive health is extremely important. I want to be an advocate both on and off campus for women and spread awareness to health disparities. I look forward to learning more in this lab and researching various topics within sexual and reproductive health.
NIKITA PATE
I am a sophomore Psychology major on the Pre-Medicine track. Growing up I always knew that I wanted to go into the medical field, specifically to be an OBGYN. While taking WRI 102 I saw myself writing mostly about women’s reproductive and sexual health and the stigmas and disparities surrounding it. After that I learned about Dr B-T’s lab and knew that I would fit right in. I think it is important to find the roots and causes for such troubling stigmas and disparities and through this lab, I will be able to do that and more.
EMMA PRANSCHKE
I am a senior psychology major and sociology minor at TCNJ. I’ve found that the stigma surrounding issues in sexual and reproductive health often hinder people from vocalizing important concerns, or educating themselves on healthy behaviors. I especially think that women’s health concerns are often overlooked in society. I hope to be an advocate for reproductive and sexual health to help abate the stigma surrounding sexual health concerns and contribute to movements toward gender equality.
FARIHAH SHAMEEM
I am a Senior Psychology major at TCNJ. I have been involved in various psychology labs during my time here and love being involved in research. I was interesting in joining this lab because I believe sexual and reproductive health is a subject that is not discussed enough in today’s society. Through this lab, I would like to become more educated on the topic and make larger efforts toward ending negative stigma around it.
Click photos to learn about Previous Members:
Spring 2018 Lab Members
Fall 2017 Lab Members
Spring 2016 Lab Members
Top Row, From Left to Right: Sarah Melamed, Caleigh Lans, Madeline Dec, Victoria Michels, Alina Ashan, Julia McGovern, Jessica Milne
Bottom Row, From Left to Right: Rachel Fikslin, Alicia Lalicon, Dr. Barnack-Tavlaris, Noelle Skrobola, Anna Mitarotondo
Previous Members:
