Our Team
Dr. Lindsay Bodell
Lab Director
Dr. Bodell is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Western University. She received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Florida State University under the mentorship of Drs. Pamela Keel and Thomas Joiner. She completed postdoctoral training at the University of Pittsburgh (Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic) and the University of Chicago under the mentorship of Dr. Jennifer Wildes. In her free time, Dr. Bodell enjoys spending time with her family and watching shows on Netflix.
Graduate Students
Abbigail Kinnear
PhD Candidate
Abby Kinnear is a PhD student in Clinical Psychology. She defended her MSc in Clinical Psychology under the supervision of Dr. Bodell in 2021, and received her BA in Honours Psychology from the University of Waterloo in 2019. She is interested in the shared mechanisms that drive both eating pathology and non-suicidal self-injury. In her spare time, she likes to hike and watch tiny house videos.
Samantha Withnell
PhD Candidate
Samantha Withnell is a PhD student in Clinical Psychology. She defended her MSc in Clinical Psychology under the supervision of Dr. Bodell in 2021, and received her BA (Hons.) in Psychology from the University of Calgary in 2017. Her doctoral research examines the transdiagnostic role of weight suppression and dietary restriction on cognitive inflexibility in eating disorders. In her free time, she enjoys cuddling with her cat and reading Terry Pratchett novels.
Genny Bianchini
PhD Candidate
Genny Bianchini is a PhD candidate in Clinical Psychology. She received her BA Honours in Psychology from Queen’s University in 2019 and her MSc in Clinical Psychology from Western University in 2022. She is interested in suicidal thoughts and behaviours and developing accessible interventions for 2SLGBTQIA+ populations. In her free time, she enjoys bouldering, reading, and baking cookies.
Brianna Meddaoui
PhD Candidate
Brianna Meddaoui is a PhD candidate in Clinical Psychology. She received her BA Honours in Psychology from Queen’s University, her MA in Psychology from Columbia University, and her MSc in Clinical Psychology from Western in 2022, under the supervision of Dr. Erin Kaufman. She is interested in examining how vulnerability factors (e.g., cognitive, affective, physiological) transact with contextual stressors to confer risk for suicide among adolescents and adults, particularly those vulnerable to Borderline Personality Disorder. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking with her pups, reading, baking, and musical theatre.
Kendall Schmidt
PhD Candidate
Kendall Schmidt is a PhD 2 student in the PEAR Lab. She received her BS in Psychology from Yale University in 2019 and her MSc from Western University in 2023. She is interested in transdiagnostic factors that contribute to eating disorders, depression, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. In her free time, Kendall likes to read and embroider.
Lisa Y. Zhu
PhD Candidate
Lisa Y. Zhu is a PhD 1 student in Clinical Psychology. She received her MSc in Clinical Psychology Western University in 2025 and completed her BSc in Honours Psychology at McGill University in 2022. Lisa is interested in the shared mechanisms between anxiety disorders and eating pathology, particularly maladaptive exercise in men and women. In her spare time, she likes to read and run.
Taylor N. Breddy
MSc Candidate
Taylor Breddy (she/her) is a first year MSc student in Clinical Psychology. She also worked in the lab as a lab coordinator. She completed her MSc in Neuroscience at Western University in 2025. She is interested in transdiagnostic biopsychosocial factors (e.g., reward processing) related to disordered eating, different forms of exercise, and substance misuse. Taylor is also passionate about swimming, traveling, and animal conservation.
Lab Coordinators
Avery Bender
Lab Coordinator
Avery is a lab coordinator and pursuing an Honours Specialization in Psychology (BSc). She is passionate about understanding the development and maintenance of eating disorders, as well as the various treatment approaches available. Avery is also intrigued by the impact of eating disorders on an individual's peers. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with friends and family. (abender7@uwo.ca)
Helena Burrows
Lab Coordinator
Helena Burrows has recently graduated with a BSc Honours Specialization in Psychology. She is interested in muscularity-oriented disordered eating, particularly associated traits and shared mechanisms with other eating disorders. In the future, she hopes to become a practicing clinical psychologist. In her free time, she enjoys working out, spending time with friends, and watching sports.
Honours Thesis Students
Kira Cocco
Honours Thesis Student
Kira Cocco is a fourth year candidate for an Honours Specialization in Psychology and a Minor in Childhood and Youth Studies. She is interested in researching the biopsychosocial risk factors related to eating disorders in adolescence, as well as the development of proactive interventions based on these factors. Kira hopes to pursue further education in clinical psychology as she aspires to work in child psychology. In her free time, Kira enjoys hiking, singing, and playing volleyball.
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Kira is currently examining how neural responses differ between adolescent girls with and without eating disorders when they are anticipating evaluation from their peers, as well as how fear of negative evaluation can moderate how girls anticipate peer evaluation.
Research Assistants
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Monica Sadowski
Research Assistant
Monica Sadowski worked as a lab coordinator at the PEAR Lab, and graduated from UWO with an honours specialization in psychology. She is interested in learning about how positive psychology can be used to understand and treat eating disorders, especially in the context of self-compassion versus self-criticism. She loves baking and hiking!
Michelle Paik
Research Assistant
Michelle Paik is a fourth-year Medical Sciences student pursuing an Honours Specialization in One Health. She is passionate about exploring the onset of mental disorders through an interdisciplinary approach, focusing on psychological, social, and biological factors. At the PEAR Lab, Michelle is eager to study the role of reward processing in the development of eating disorders. In her spare time, she enjoys watching Netflix, going for runs, and making the perfect cup of coffee!
Valentina is a fourth year student at Western University, pursuing an Honours Specialization in Psychology. Valentina has a strong interest in exploring the causes and effects of eating disorders. In the future, Valentina aspires to become a clinical psychologist and open her own practice. In her free time, she enjoys working out, travelling and spending time with friends.
Valentina Milano
Research Assistant
Sharani Santhiramohan
Research Assistant
Sharani Santhiramohan is a third-year Medical Sciences student pursuing an Honours Specialization in One Health. She is passionate about understanding mental disorders by looking at the interrelated relationships between biology, psychology, and culture. She aspires to work as a child and adolescent psychiatrist in the future. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, and enjoying time in the fresh air! (ssanthi9@uwo.ca)
Fiona (Ziyan) Fan
Research Assistant
Fiona (Ziyan) Fan is a forth-year student pursuing a dual degree in Honors Specialization in Psychology and Honors Business Administration. She is fascinated by the complexities of the human brain and reasoning, with a particular interest in effective interventions for eating disorders. Fiona aspires to further her studies in psychology and pursue a career as a psychologist. In her free time, she enjoys theater, singing, traveling, and exploring cafes.
Kylee Ayala
Research Assistant
My name is Kylee. I am a fourth-year student at Western University, and I will be entering my fifth year this fall, pursuing an Honours Double Major in Sociology and Psychology. I am especially interested in the development of mental health challenges in youth and adolescents, and how social, psychological, and biological factors interact over time. At the PEAR Lab, I am excited to explore how reward processing may play a role in the development of eating disorders. In the future, I hope to pursue a Master’s degree in Developmental Psychology and open my own private practice. In my free time, I enjoy watching movies and TV shows, spending time with my cat, and being with friends and family.(kayalasa@uwo.ca)
Sarina Khaleghi
Research Assistant
My name is Sarina. I am a fourth-year student in the Honours Specialization in Physiology and Pharmacology. I am interested in the psychobiology of disordered eating, especially how psychological behaviours relate to underlying physiological mechanisms. At the PEAR Lab, I am excited to learn more about techniques like facial electromyography (fEMG) and how they can help us understand emotional and reward responses. In my free time, I enjoy baking, travelling, and spending time with friends and family.
(skhaleg2@uwo.ca)
Soumya Gupta
Research Assistant
Soumya Gupta is a second-year student pursuing Health Sciences. She is interested in how cognitive processes contribute to eating disorders, particularly the roles of reward sensitivity and weight-related stigma in shaping eating behaviours. At PEAR Lab, she is excited to gain experience working directly with participants, learning how studies are conducted from start to finish, and building a deeper understanding of how research can inform prevention and treatment approaches. In her free time, she enjoys painting, photography, and playing the piano.
Arithro Kazi
Research Assistant
Arithro Kazi is a fourth-year Honours Specialization student in Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences. His research interests focus on suicidal ideation in vulnerable populations. He is particularly interested in how individuals utilize suicide-related coping and self-efficacy in response to psychological distress. Arithro aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the factors that influence mental health outcomes. In the future, he plans to pursue further education in medical school. Outside of academics, Arithro enjoys reading, watching sports, and spending time outdoors.
Maya Feehely
Research Assistant
Maya Feehely is a third-year undergraduate student pursuing a dual degree in Medical Sciences and an Honors in Business Administration at the Ivey School of Business. She is passionate about exploring the long-term effects of psychological disorders on physical and mental health. At the PEAR Lab, Maya is excited to study how different mood states are related to different patterns of eating. In her spare time, she enjoys going to the gym, volunteering and cooking!