Jennifer Sumner, PhD
Principal Investigator
Dr. Jennifer Sumner is a clinical psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychology at UCLA. Her program of research lies at the intersection of the psychological and physical health consequences of trauma exposure. Dr. Sumner received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Pomona College and her Masters and PhD in Clinical Psychology from Northwestern University. She completed her predoctoral internship program at the Charleston Consortium (Traumatic Stress Track) and received postdoctoral training as an Epidemiology Merit Fellow at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Prior to joining UCLA, Dr. Sumner was an Assistant Professor of Behavioral Medicine at the Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health at Columbia University Medical Center. When not in the lab, Dr. Sumner enjoys hiking in the Los Angeles mountains and practicing yoga.
Yasmin Barrientos Kofman, PhD
Post-doctoral Fellow
Dr. Yasmin Barrientos Kofman is a Postdoctoral Fellow on UCLA‘s T32 Program on Biobehavioral Issues in Mental and Physical Health. Before starting at UCLA and joining the Sumner Stress Lab, Dr. Kofman completed her PhD in Psychological Science at UC Irvine with specializations in Health Psychology and Quantitative Methods. Dr. Kofman’s research focuses on biobehavioral mechanisms linking trauma exposure and health, especially in women exposed to gender-based forms of violence. She is also interested in factors of personal, cultural, and community resilience that may buffer the detrimental health effects of trauma and adversity. In her spare time, Dr. Kofman loves to social dance, play volleyball, and watch scary movies.
Corinne Meinhausen
Graduate Student
Corinne is a doctoral student in the Health Psychology program. Her research focuses on the physiological impact of trauma exposure and the biological and behavioral forces related to healthy and pathological fear learning. She is particularly interested in the ways these mechanisms can be used to develop early interventions for post-traumatic stress disorder. Corinne graduated summa cum laude from the University of Arizona, with a BS in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science. She enjoys exploring Los Angeles with her dog, Ally.
Leah Cha
Graduate Student
Leah is a doctoral student in UCLA’s Health Psychology program. She graduated from the University of Georgia with a BS in Psychology and worked as a Research Assistant at the Center for Family Research. Leah’s research focuses on understanding the biological pathways of trauma and how environmental and societal factors affect PTSD risk. She is also interested in intergenerational transmissions of trauma. Outside of the lab, Leah enjoys crocheting and gardening.
Shiloh Cleveland
Graduate Student
Shiloh is a doctoral student in UCLA‘s Clinical Psychology program. Shiloh graduated with a Neuroscience degree from Barnard College in 2019 and worked as a Research Coordinator in the Sumner Stress Lab for four years. Shiloh’s research interests include employing dimensional models of PTSD and early life adversity in relation to health outcomes and examining resilience factors that impact posttraumatic health outcomes. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors, trying new restaurants around LA, and spending time with her puppy, Lola.
Kimberly Brown
Lab Coordinator
Kimberly graduated from UCLA in 2023 with a B.A. in Psychology. Her research interests include understanding how early life adversity and traumatic experiences impact the development of adverse mental and physical health outcomes among underserved communities. Kimberly hopes to integrate her prior experience in adolescent trauma and psychosis research with the work being done at the Sumner Stress Lab. During her free time, Kimberly enjoys baking, going to Dodger games, and spending time with friends and family.
Katherine Fu
Research Assistant
Katherine is an undergraduate student majoring in Psychobiology. Her research interests lie in understanding the relationship between psychological stress, the development of physical diseases, and aging. Furthermore, she is excited to explore the applications of research to disease prevention and treatment. After graduation, she seeks to pursue an MD and provide care to individuals with neurological disorders. In her free time, she enjoys thrift shopping, going to farmer’s markets, staying active, and exploring new cuisines.
Tanisha Gunby
Research Assistant
Tanisha is an undergraduate student at UCLA majoring in Psychology. Her research interests lie in how cardiovascular events are precipitated by stress and trauma. She is also interested in how expressing oneself through creative and meditative activities can lower stress and reduce cardiac symptoms. After graduation, she aspires to continue doing research and pursue a doctoral degree. Besides research, she enjoys visual arts and crafts, journaling, taking long walks, spending time with family, and volunteering for various organizations including the Los Angeles Public Library.
Bianca Lagman
Research Assistant
Bianca is an undergraduate at UCLA majoring in Economics, pivoting into the field of psychology. Her research interests lie in understanding how early-life adversity and trauma impact one’s mental and physical health across the lifespan. She is also interested in studying the impacts of sexual abuse on individuals and finding more effective treatment methods for women who have faced trauma, especially those who experienced these events in adolescence. Bianca plans to gain more research experience and apply to graduate school to work towards a Ph.D. in clinical or developmental psychology. Outside of the lab, Bianca loves singing, listening to podcasts, working out, and cats.
Chase Savela
Research Assistant
Chase is an undergraduate student at UCLA majoring in Psychology. He is interested in learning more about the bidirectional relationship between mental health and physical health, which he seeks to apply in research on the model of integrated mental healthcare. He is passionate about exploring ways to improve the accessibility and quality of current interventions for young people that struggle with trauma and internalizing disorders. After graduating, Chase plans to pursue a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology. Outside of the lab, he loves rock climbing (and coaching it), slacklining, and spending time outdoors!
Catherine Andres
Research Assistant
Catherine is an undergraduate student at UCLA majoring in Psychology, graduating in June 2025. With a strong foundation in behavioral science and developmental psychology, Catherine’s academic interests focus on the impacts of early-life adversity on health and development. Catherine aspires to attend graduate school or medical school, with the goal of becoming either a clinical psychologist or pediatrician. She combines her professional experience with a curiosity for trying new things and pursuing diverse hobbies, which enrich her creative approach to research and patient care. Catherine is excited to contribute to research that explores stress, health, and resilience, bringing a unique perspective shaped by her passion for developmental psychology and well-being.
Kristy Sun
Research Assistant
Kristy is an undergraduate student at UCLA majoring in Psychobiology, graduating in June 2027. She is interested in learning how anxiety and stress impact patients‘ health. In investigating the correlation between one’s physical and mental health, she hopes to explore routinary interventions that can alleviate patients’ distress, which may promote their physical recovery in return. After graduation, Kristy aspires to pursue medical or graduate school with the goal of becoming a psychiatrist or a clinical psychologist. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading detective novels, listening to music, and playing the guitar.
Brandon Melamed
Research Assistant
Brandon is an undergraduate student majoring in Psychology and minoring in Brain and Behavioral Health. His research interests include the relationship between mental health and physical health, as well as the origins and progressions of psychopathology in children and adolescents. After graduating, he plans to pursue a doctoral degree in clinical psychology. In his free time, Brandon can be found playing piano or guitar, playing intramural volleyball games with his friends, or spending time with family.
Alumni
Sarah Hong
Research Assistant (March 2023 - January 2025)
Sumner Stress LabShauna Wegher
Research Assistant (May 2023 - December 2024)
Sumner Stress LabTiffany Chen
Lab Coordinator (August 2021 - August 2024)
Sumner Stress LabLauren Perez
Research Assistant (June 2023 - June 2024)
Sumner Stress LabJordan Thomas
Graduate Student (2020 - June 2024)
Sumner Stress LabAarti Patel
Research Assistant (December 2019 - March 2021)
Sumner Stress LabAnnie Jeong
Research Assistant (November 2019 - March 2021)
Sumner Stress LabKristina Reed, BA
Lab Coordinator (August 2019 - May 2021)
Sumner Stress LabAileen Hsu
Research Assistant (October 2019 - June 2021)
Sumner Stress LabJessica Nguyen
Research Assistant (December 2019 - June 2021)
Sumner Stress LabSheila Zhang
Research Assistant (March 2020 - June 2021)
Sumner Stress LabJoan Li
Research Assistant (January 2021-June 2022)
Sumner Stress LabJaifreen Bhangu
Research Assistant (February 2021-June 2022)
Sumner Stress LabSameen Mahmood
Research Assistant (February 2021-June 2022)
Sumner Stress LabDaiJa Moorehead
Research Assistant (November 2021-June 2022)
Sumner Stress LabAnusha Fatehpuria
Research Assistant (December 2020-March 2023)
Sumner Stress LabSegen Araya
Research Assistant (May 2021-June 2023)
Sumner Stress LabLauren Perlmutter
Research Assistant (November 2021-June 2023)
Sumner Stress LabDestiny Clark
Research Assistant (June 2022-June 2023)
Sumner Stress LabAkriti Ratti
Research Assistant (October 2022-June 2023)
Sumner Stress LabAmanda Gong
Research Assistant (June 2022-March 2024)
Sumner Stress LabEmily Wan
Research Assistant (June 2023-June 2024)
Sumner Stress LabOur Collaborators
Hover to learn more
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UCLA School of Medicine and VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA
Ramin Ebrahimi, Tzung Hsiai, Kate Wolitzky-Taylor, Olujimi Ajijola
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Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
Karestan Koenen, Laura Kubzansky, Eric Rimm, Andrea Roberts
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Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Kate McLaughlin
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National Center for PTSD, Boston, MA
Erika Wolf
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Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY
Donald Edmondson, Ian Kronish, Daichi Shimbo, Joseph Schwartz
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Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Tanja Jovanovic
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Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
Vasiliki Michopoulos, Rebecca Hinrichs
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Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
Jaimie Gradus, Anthony Rossellini, Sandro Galea
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Stanford University, Stanford CA
Katharine Sears Edwards
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Alexandria, VA
SCAD Alliance
