Lab Director
Wesley R. Barnhart, PhD
Dr. Barnhart (they/he) is an Assistant Professor in the Clinical Program of the Department of Psychology at Suffolk University. Dr. Barnhart is dedicated to advancing our understanding of and treatments for eating disorders in minoritized and underrepresented populations. They use scientifically rigorous, transparent, and open science approaches to clarify the complex links between stigma, systems of oppression, and eating disorders. Dr. Barnhart unites their research program with their core values (e.g., multiculturalism; diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice) and identities as a Queer, gender-diverse, first-generation scholar with lived eating disorder experiences. Dr. Barnhart has published over 90 peer-reviewed manuscripts, which are routinely featured in flagship eating disorders (e.g., International Journal of Eating Disorders, Journal of Eating Disorders) and body image (e.g., Body Image) journals. Their research has been cited over 1,400 times according to Google Scholar (h-index = 21). Dr. Barnhart serves as Associate Editor for Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being (Q1; IF = 3.6) and Editor for Journal of Eating Disorders (Q1; IF = 4.5), flagship health psychology and eating disorders journals. Their research has been recognized through the receipt of several awards.
Prior to coming to Suffolk, they were an Eating Disorders track Doctoral Psychology Resident at the UNC Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders. Dr. Barnhart earned a BA in psychology and BS in neuroscience from Ohio State University and completed his graduate training (MA & PhD) in clinical psychology at Bowling Green State University.
Graduate Students
Katy Pasquariello, MS
Katy (she/her) is a fourth-year Clinical Psychology PhD student in the EMBRACED Lab. After graduating from Connecticut College in 2019, Katy worked at the Psychology Assessment Center of Massachusetts General Hospital, where she conducted neuropsychological assessments with individuals across the lifespan. This experience informed her graduate research, which focuses on understanding the neurocognitive correlates of psychological conditions, including eating disorders. She is interested in employing advanced analytic methods and technologies (i.e., network analysis; ecological momentary assessment) to understand these relationships cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Katy’s work will utilize network analysis to examine the architecture of eating disorder symptoms among sexual and gender minority populations. Outside of her clinical and research interests, Katy enjoys doing yoga, cooking, and spending time in the Berkshires, MA, with her family.
Graduate Student Affiliates
Souradeep Chakraborty, MA
Souradeep (he/him) completed his master’s in clinical psychology in India. His research interests focus on improving health-related outcomes among gender and sexual minorities, with a particular interest in how stress-related eating habits, social media exposure, online diet culture, and digitally constructed body ideals influence both physical and mental health and contribute to the development and persistence of disordered eating behaviors. As part of his involvement in the EMBRACED Lab, Souradeep will assist in the conceptualization of new studies (e.g., longitudinal trajectories of minority/intraminority stress and eating disorder symptoms; identifying high-risk eating disorder subgroups within the LGBTQ+ community) and contribute to the dissemination of ongoing studies through conference presentations and manuscripts. Souradeep aspires to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology and is eager to continue to build his research skills in the service of this goal.
Urvashi Dixit, MA
Urvashi (she/her) is a fifth-year PhD candidate in clinical-counseling psychology at the University of South Alabama. Urvashi earned a master’s degree in clinical-counseling psychology from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Delhi, India. As part of her involvement in the EMBRACED Lab, Urvashi assists in dissemination through conference presentations and manuscripts on minority/intraminority stress and eating disorder symptoms in the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, Urvashi conducts research in the Eating Behaviors and Health Lab under the mentorship of Dr. Erica Ahlich. Urvashi is particularly interested in using ecologically valid methodologies, such as experiments and ecological momentary assessment (EMA), as alternatives to retrospective self-report data on eating disorder symptoms. She also applies person-centered approaches, including Latent Class and Latent Profile Analysis, to identify clinically meaningful profiles of eating disorder symptoms.
Rachel Henderson, MS
Rachel (she/her) is a third-year doctoral student in the combined clinical and counseling psychology PhD program at the University of South Alabama. She completed her master of science in clinical mental health counseling in 2023, during which she trained at a certified community behavioral health clinic providing treatment for veterans and other individuals recovering from substance use disorders. Through both her clinical work and personal interests in bodybuilding, Rachel observed a unique overlap between substance use and body image concerns, sparking her clinical and research interests in eating disorders. These experiences shaped her emerging research interests in binge eating and impulsivity, as well as her clinical commitment to supporting adolescent and young adult individuals facing eating- and anxiety-related challenges. As part of her involvement in the EMBRACED Lab, she contributes to research on eating disorder symptoms in the LGBTQ+ community, specifically projects related to impulsivity, minority stress, and eating disorder symptoms in the LGBTQ+ community. Outside of her professional work, Rachel enjoys spending time with her husband, son, and two cats, as well as gardening and going to the beach.
Xiaoyin (Miracle) Liu
Miracle (she/her) is a first-year clinical psychology doctoral student at Auburn University. She earned her BA in psychology and German studies from Bryn Mawr College in 2025. Miracle’s research interests focus on understanding how sociocultural factors, including oppression and discrimination, function as stressors contributing to disordered eating and body image concerns among marginalized communities. She is also interested in exploring comorbid conditions that intersect with these experiences. As part of her involvement in the EMBRACED Lab, Miracle contributes to research on sociocultural stress, body image, and eating pathology among LGBTQ+ populations. Her long-term goal is to translate research findings into effective, culturally sensitive interventions for eating disorders, especially among underrepresented populations. Outside of her professional endeavors, Miracle enjoys watching German films/TV series, playing the piano, and picnicking in the sunshine.
Reza Sahlan, MS
Reza (he/his) completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in clinical psychology in Iran. He came to the United States to pursue his PhD at the State University of New York at Buffalo. As part of his involvement in the EMBRACED Lab, he contributes to research on eating disorder symptoms in the LGBTQ+ community, including conference presentations and manuscripts. Currently, his primary interests involve longitudinal studies to examine the directionality of psychopathology in relation to eating disorder symptoms. He is particularly interested in using person-centered methods to identify clinically meaningful patterns of ED symptoms. In addition, he employs advanced methods (e.g., Network Analysis, Ecological Momentary Assessment, Machine Learning) to better understand the relations between psychiatric and eating disorder symptoms cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Reza plans to pursue a faculty position in a clinical psychology program in the future.
Doria Wohler, MFA
Doria (she/her) is a master's student (MPH) in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at Temple University's College of Public Health. She has her MFA in creative writing (fiction) from Temple University and her BA in english/interdisciplinary studies from CUNY Hunter College. Doria's research focuses primarily on disordered eating as an outcome of high-stress environments, looking specifically at how policy-driven issues such as food security/access, health education, and systemic weight stigma can exacerbate the prevalence of disordered eating behaviors in marginalized groups. Doria has been involved in research projects investigating the social and behavioral outcomes of GLP-1 use in patients at a safety-net healthcare system, and she is currently working on a systematic review of eating disorder treatment and shared decision-making.
Undergraduate Students
Ana Célérier Salcedo
Ana (she/her) is a senior at Suffolk University pursuing dual bachelor of arts degrees in psychology and journalism. She currently works as a Mental Health Specialist at McLean Hospital, where she supports individuals navigating schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. As a McNair Scholar under the mentorship of Dr. Sukanya Ray, Ana’s research focused on how adverse childhood experiences affect the long-term mental health of young Latina women in the United States. As part of her involvement in the EMBRACED Lab, Ana will participate in supporting a longitudinal study on the short- and long-term effects of minority and intraminority stress on eating disorder symptoms in sexual minoritized women and men. Ana is deeply passionate about providing culturally competent care and bridging mental health gaps in minoritized, underrepresented, and low-income communities. Outside of her academic and professional work, she enjoys exercising with friends, exploring nature, traveling, and spending time with her loved ones. Ana hopes to pursue an advanced degree in the mental health field after graduating from Suffolk.
EMBRACED Lab Collaborators
Tiffany A. Brown, PhD, ACCEPT Lab, Auburn University
Cynthia M. Bulik, PhD, FAED, and Laura M. Thornton, PhD, UNC Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders
C. Blair Burnette, PhD, ARISE Lab, Michigan State University
Alexandra Convertino, PhD, RESETS Lab, California State University, Dominguez Hills
Jinbo He, PhD, SCI-Cream Lab, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
Jason Nagata, MD, MSc, Nagata Lab, University of California San Francisco
Jennifer J. Thomas, PhD, FAED, and Kamryn T. Eddy, PhD, FAED, Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
EMBRACED Lab Undergraduate Alumni
Jonah Guthrie
Jonah (she/her) graduated from Bowling Green State University (BGSU) with her BA in psychology and is a graduate student at BGSU in the Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. Jonah was an undergraduate research assistant in the EMBRACED Lab from Spring 2024 to Spring 2025, assisting with IRB submissions, data collection, and dissemination (e.g., conference presentations, manuscripts for publication). When not studying, she is usually hanging out with her dog and snake, getting lost in a good book, or tending to her ever-growing jungle of houseplants.
Camryn (Cami) Kadel
Cami (she/her) holds a BS in neuroscience with a minor in chemistry from Bowling Green State University. Cami was an undergraduate research assistant in the EMBRACED Lab from Fall 2023 to Spring 2025, assisting with IRB submissions, data collection, and dissemination (e.g., conference presentations). She currently works in substance use disorder treatment, facilitating therapeutic groups in partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs, as well as therapeutic behavioral services groups for clients in nursing home settings. Cami plans to pursue graduate studies in counseling or clinical mental health to become a licensed marriage and family therapist.
Kaylee Ries
Kaylee (she/her) holds a BA in psychology with dual minors in neuroscience and human development and family studies from Bowling Green State University. As an undergraduate research assistant in the EMBRACED Lab from 2022 to 2024, she contributed to projects on eating disorders and body image, assisting with IRB submissions, survey development, data collection, and dissemination. Kaylee also completed an honors thesis, entitled What Factors Impact Empathy in Undergraduates in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic?: Understanding the Role of Vaccination Status (Defended: 04/19/2023), with Dr. Barnhart as her primary advisor. She was also a Ronald E. McNair Scholar, Newman Civic Fellow, and Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholar, honors culminating in broad research experiences on resilience, trauma, and community-based interventions. Kaylee currently works as a case manager at Findlay Recovery Center, providing trauma-informed support and coordinated services for individuals in recovery. She plans to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology, with a focus on resilience to trauma and interventions that promote healing in underserved communities.
Audrey Stanley
Audrey (she/her) is currently an undergraduate student at Bowling Green State University pursuing a BS in psychology with a minor in biology. Her academic and research interests center on clinical psychology, particularly the study of trauma-related disorders and mood disorders. Audrey was an undergraduate research assistant in the EMBRACED Lab from Spring 2024 to Spring 2025. She supported preparing an IRB and data collection for a cross-cultural research project on body image and disordered eating. After graduation, she plans to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology to become a licensed clinical psychologist. She is passionate about advancing research that supports evidence-based interventions and the field of clinical practice.
Trey Williams
Trey (he/him) is a Bowling Green State University alumnus with his honors BA in psychology and sociology. Trey was an undergraduate research assistant in the EMBRACED Lab from Fall of 2024 to Spring of 2025. In this position, he assisted with study conceptualization, data analysis, manuscript writing, and conference presentations through a year-long research project as a Ronald E. McNair Scholar. This resulted in several conference presentations (e.g., the 2024 UCLA National McNair Conference, Los Angeles, CA, USA) and a peer-reviewed manuscript submission to the Journal of Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology (currently under review). Currently, Trey is a graduate student and research assistant at Wake Forest University, pursuing his Master of Science in Psychology. After this, Trey plans to pursue a Clinical Psychology PhD program in hopes of opening his own practice that uses research to inform therapeutic work.