Our Team
Dr. Adam J. Hoffman
Lab Director
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Dr. Hoffman is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Cornell University. He completed postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Michigan and North Carolina State University. Dr. Hoffman earned his MA and PhD in Developmental Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his BA in Psychology from Quinnipiac University. He researches the development of ethnic-racial and sexual and gender minority identities in adolescence and their implications for academic, psychosocial, and mental health outcomes.
Vicki Baum
Graduate Research Assistant
Vicki earned her BA in Psychology from the State University of New York (SUNY) - Geneseo in 2015. She then went on to earn my Master of Public Health and Master of Social Work degrees at SUNY - Albany in 2019.​ She is interested in studying social systems supporting identity development in adolescence and young adulthood and originally from Spencerport, NY. ​ Now, she's a Ph.D. student in Human Development & Family Studies, Social & Personality Development​.
Rob Klein
Graduate Research Assistant
In 2018 Rob earned his BA in Agricultural Leadership from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Then, in 2023, he earned his Master of Science in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.​ Broadly, he's interested in how social identity development contributes to flourishing in adolescents and young adults. He has methodological interests in scale design, growth models, and participatory research. Rob is from Northbrook, IL and now is a Ph.D. student in Developmental Psychology.
Arianna Regis
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Arianna is interested in developmental psychology and neuropsychology. She is particularly interested in studying the different ways in which mental disorders present in minority individuals. She is from Brooklyn, New York, and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Music.​
Danna Taboada
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Danna is interested in clinical psychology with the goal of becoming a clinical psychologist. As she continues to explore this field, she is currently interested in developing effective treatments for children from minority communities to improve their mental health. She is from Long Island, New York, and is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Additionally, she plans to minor in English and Latino Studies.
Ava Ingebrigtsen
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Ava has many research interests, but she hopes to study how the relationships we have contribute to development during childhood. Her hometown is Wantagh, New York and she is getting her Bachelor of Science in Human Development​ and a minor in American Studies and English.
Mia Bakota
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Mia is from Severna Park, Maryland, and is interested in clinical psychology, with plans to pursue a Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program and the long-term goal of becoming both a professor and clinician. Her research interests center on neurodivergence, mental disorders, and how social and developmental contexts shape mental health outcomes. She is currently majoring in Psychology and has additional interests in Cognitive Science at Cornell University.
Julian Iwasko
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Julian is interested in the development of LGBTQ+ identity and intersections with other social identities and their impact on the mental health of LGBTQ+ adolescents. He's from​ Dallas, Texas and is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Human Development with a double minor in Anthropology and Inequality Studies.
Gabriella Shires
Undergraduate Research Assistant
​Gabriella is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Human Development with a minor in Policy Analysis & Management. She is interested in clinical psychology with the goal of becoming a clinical psychologist. Her experiences have shaped her passion for supporting children and youth, particularly those with special needs and those navigating identity-related challenges. Originally from South Florida, she is eager to contribute to research on how developmental and social factors influence youth mental health.
Faculty Collaborators
Dr. Hannah L. Schacter – Wayne State University
Dr. Robert Marx – San Jose State University
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Dr. Brianna Byllesby – University of South Dakota
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Dr. Deborah Rivas-Drake – University of Michigan
Dr. Kelly Lynn Mulvey – North Carolina State University
Dr. Beth Kurtz-Costes – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Lab Alumni
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Kiara Shan (2023–2025)
McKenzie Murray (2022–2024)
Philly Latorre (2022–2023)
