Amy Egbert, Ph.D.
Amy Egbert, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Psychological Sciences at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Egbert is a clinical psychologist whose research aims to understand and treat problematic eating behaviors in youth. Her work focuses on understanding the social and environmental factors that influence eating behaviors, and to elucidate when problematic eating behaviors become eating disorders. In addition to examining individual factors, Dr. Egbert also investigates how structural level influences contribute to eating behaviors in youth. Dr. Egbert has an undergraduate degree in Psychology and Spanish from Washington University in St. Louis. She earned a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Loyola University Chicago. Dr. Egbert completed her predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at Brown University.
Research Program Manager
Jake Goldberg
Jake (he/him/his) joined the EMPOWER Lab in July 2025 as the new Research Program Manager. He graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a B.A. in Psychological & Sciences with a concentration in Experimental Psychopathology and minors in Anthropology: Global Health and Environment and Jewish, Islamic, and Middle Eastern Studies. His research interests include the treatment and prevention of eating- and weight-related disorders in child and adolescent populations and the role of food deserts in perpetuating obesity in marginalized populations in the United States. In the future, Jake hopes to earn a graduate degree in psychology to help people build healthier relationships with food. In his free time, he enjoys teaching and taking group fitness classes (specifically indoor cycling and kickboxing) and singing choral music!
Samantha Schram
Isabella Naso
Isabella (she/her/hers) is a third-year pre-medical undergraduate honors student at the University of Connecticut majoring in Chemistry and dual-minoring in Physiology & Neurobiology and Italian Literary and Cultural Studies. Her research interests include improving health equity and reducing health disparities in minority populations, understanding gut-brain interactions that contribute to disordered eating behaviors, and investigating the role of genetics in eating disorder prevalence. After graduation, Isabella plans on pursuing a career in pediatric gastroenterology and doing research in the field.
Iva Filipovic
Iva Filipovic (she/her/hers) is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of Connecticut specializing in Psychological Sciences with a minor in Crime and Justice. Iva’s research focus includes how neural mechanisms relate to emotional regulation and impulsivity in adults. She hopes to pursue a career in forensic psychology. In her free time, Iva likes to travel, play hockey, and spend time with friends.
Jenna Griesing
Jenna (she/her/hers) is a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Connecticut studying a major in Psychological Sciences and a minor in Sociology. She is interested in pursuing a career in Clinical Child Psychology or Developmental Psychology research. She has many research interests; a couple being understanding disordered eating and child development. For fun, Jenna likes to bake, read, and go to concerts.
Katie Tutillo
Katie (she/her/hers) is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of Connecticut majoring in Psychology with a minor in Communications. Katie's research interests include mental health disorders in marginalized and underrepresented communities. In her free time, Katie likes to work out, hike and immerse herself in nature, read, bake, travel, and create art!
Neena Bisconti
Neena Bisconti (she/her/hers) is a second-year undergraduate student at the University of Connecticut pursuing a major in Psychological Sciences on the Pre-Medical track. Her research interests include reducing health disparities in minorities for disordered eating treatments. After graduation Neena plans to attend medical school and pursue a career in psychiatry. In her free time, Neena enjoys traveling and spending time with her family and friends.
Seth Friedeman
Seth (he/him/his) is a third-year undergraduate honors student at the University of Connecticut, seeking a dual-degree in both Molecular and Cell Biology, and Nutritional Psychology and Disordered Eating. His research interests include the impacts of disordered eating on young adults and college students, and how sociocultural factors impact the development of eating disorder pathologies. In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball, reading, or relaxing with friends.
Arianna Mullings
Arianna (she/her/hers) served as the Research Program Manager from 2023-2025. She graduated from the University of Connecticut with a BA in Psychological Sciences and a minor in Human Development and Family Sciences. She is interested in the discussion of mental illness, specifically depression, in young teens. Arianna aims to be a counseling psychologist or a family and marriage therapist in the future. Her hobbies include traveling, listening to music, and reading. Fun fact; she’s traveled to South Africa, China, and South Korea.
Isabela Londono
Isabela(she/her/hers) is a fourth-year undergraduate honors student at the University of Connecticut pursuing a major in Psychological Sciences with a minor concentration in Neuroscience. Isabela's research interests include how one's experience as a child leads to their development, risk for mental health/illness, or success. She is interested in working with children and/or adolescents from underrepresented populations and low socioeconomic communities. For fun, Isabela enjoys traveling, exercising, and spending time with family and friends.