Study of Autism and Self Regulation (STAR) research team

Current Research Vertical Team (RVT) members

Julianne Myers, M.S.

Email: jmyers@spu.edu

Expected completion year: 2023

Hometown:
Mission Viejo, California  

Previous education: BA, Reed College 

Practica: UW LEND Fellow, UW FAS-DPN, Seattle Children’s RUBI Program, Seattle Children’s SNACS Clinic, Swedish Pediatrics Behavioral Health

Research interests/dissertation topic: Sensory processing impacts on sleep patterns in children with neurodevelopmental disorders during a pandemic; ASD,  prenatal alcohol exposure, social attention, sensory processing, sleep development, language and motor development

Vanessa Zhou, M.S.

Email: zhouv@spu.edu

Expected completion year: 2023 

Hometown: Issaquah, Washington 

Practica: Seattle Children's Autism Center, Child Study and Treatment Center, Interconnections Healing Center

Previous education: BA, University of Washington 

Research interests: executive function, mindfulness-based interventions, developmental disability, mental health inequity, multicultural psychology, racial trauma

     

Chloe Quinnett, M.S.

Email: quinnettc@spu.edu 

Expected Completion Year: 2023 

Hometown: Moscow, Idaho 

Previous Education: B.A., Whitworth University

Practica: Seattle Children's Hospital, University of Washington FAS-DPN 

Research Interests: Parent-child interactions, self-regulations, attachment, effects of trauma in children

     

Miles Feller Mende, M.S.

Email: fellerm@spu.edu

Expected completion year: 2024  

Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah 

Previous education: BA, University of Washington 

Practica: Seattle Children's PEARL Clinic, Child Study and Treatment Center, Sound Mental Health

Research interests/dissertation topic: ADHD and how it's symptoms are perceived by educators, particularly for BIPOC students, LGBTQ+ and it's intersection with other marginalized identities, community-based participatory research, addressing inequities in neuropsychological testing for underrepresented communities 

John Strom, M.S.

Email: stroma1@spu.edu

Expected Completion Year: 2024

Hometown: San Diego, California

Previous Education: BA, University of California Riverside

Practicum: Seattle Children's Mood and Anxiety Program

Research Interests: autism spectrum disorder, executive functioning, emotional regulation, neuropsychological evaluation


     

Kaitlyn Drafton, M.S.

Email: draftonk@spu.edu

Expected completion year: 2025

Hometown: Phoenix, AZ

Previous Education: B.S., Arizona State University

Practicum: Providence Autism Center, The Seattle Clinic

Research interests: neurodevelopment disorders, ASD pathology, executive functioning

Taylor DeMotta, B.A.

Email: demottat@spu.edu

Expected completion year: 2026

Hometown: Honolulu, HI

Previous Education: B.A., University of Washington

Pre-Practicum: The Incredible Years: Dinosaur School at The Seattle Clinic

Research interests: Ethnically diverse children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders, parent-child relations, and relations between gastrointestinal symptoms and internalizing and externalizing behaviors


Lauren Perovsek, B.A., B.S.

Email: perovsekl@spu.edu

Expected completion year: 2025

Hometown: Cleveland, OH

Previous Education: B.A., B.S., Ohio University

Pre-Practicum: The Incredible Years: Dinosaur School at The Seattle Clinic

Research interests: ASD, developmental disorders, externalizing and internalizing behaviors


Taniyah Roach, B.A.

Email: roacht@spu.edu

Expected completion year: 2027

Hometown: Las Vegas, NV

Previous Education: B.A., University of Reno 

Research interests: neuropsychology, neurodevelopmental disorders, fetal-alcohol spectrum disorders, prenatal drug exposure, ASD, parent-child interaction, and evidence-based interventions for underserved, at-risk and/or neglected youth


Jasmin Barrett, B.A., B.A.

Email: jbarrett@spu.edu 

Expected completion year: 2027

Hometown: Seattle, WA

Previous Education: B.A. Psychology, B.A. Early Childhood & Family Studies, University of Washington

Research interests: Neurodevelopmental disabilities and relationship with mood/anxiety disorders and internalizing behaviors; Trauma based care with children; Adverse childhood experiences and risk intervention; Parent-Child relationships


Research Vertical Team (RVT) Members at Internship

Tara Rutter, M.S.

Email: ruttert@spu.edu

Expected completion year: 2022 

Hometown: San Francisco, California 

Previous education: MS, Seattle Pacific University; BA, University of California, San Diego 

Internship: Oregon Health and Science University: Autism Track 

Research interests/dissertation topic: Emotion recognition across modalities in young children with ASD, biological basis of neurodevelopmental disorders