VIP Team
Director and Principal Investigator
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Dr. Alan Mendelsohn, MD
VIP Founder, Director, and Principal Investigator Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Population Health Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics NYU School of Medicine and NYC H+H/Bellevue Faculty Website Dr. Mendelsohn is a developmental-behavioral pediatrician at NYU School of Medicine and NYC H+H/Bellevue. He is the Director and Primary Investigator of the Video Interaction Project, as well as the Director of Research for the Divisions of General and Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Co-Director of Biostatistical Analysis Coursework for the NYU Clinical and Translational Science Institute - Masters of Science Program in Clinical Investigation, and member of: the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Early Childhood, the Academic Pediatric Association Child Poverty Task Force, and the NIH/NICHD Biobehavioral and Behavioral Sciences Subcommittee. He has received national recognition for his work as a Zero to Three Leaders for the 21st Century Harris Fellow. Dr. Mendelsohn's research has focused on poverty-related disparities in critical child outcomes including child development, obesity and chronic disease. He has investigated the role of environmental factors, both psychosocial (parent-child interactions, electronic media exposure, maternal depression, maternal literacy/health literacy, feeding practices) and biologic (lead), in relation to these outcomes. Dr. Mendelsohn's studies have demonstrated the potential role for the pediatric primary care setting as a universal platform for promotion of school readiness through enhanced parenting, through interventions such as Reach out and Read and the Video Interaction Project. Dr. Mendelsohn has been the recipient of NIH/NICHD R01 funding as a Principal Investigator since 2005. Dr. Mendelsohn is also a co-author of an instrument (StimQ) that can be used to assess the cognitive home environment in low income households. |
VIP Center of Excellence
Center of Excellence Directors
Caitlin Ford Canfield, PhD
VIP Director of Research
Caitlin is a developmental psychologist who completed a T32 Postdoctoral Fellowship program in Pediatric Primary Care Research at NYU School of Medicine. Her research focuses on how children’s characteristics and environments affect their individual development. She is currently studying how stressful life circumstances affect the regulation of children’s stress hormones, and how this relates to their physical and mental health, as well as their school functioning. Caitlin’s long-term goals involve using her research experience to determine how interventions aimed at improving children’s cognitive and emotional well-being can be tailored to meet each child’s individual needs.
VIP Director of Research
Caitlin is a developmental psychologist who completed a T32 Postdoctoral Fellowship program in Pediatric Primary Care Research at NYU School of Medicine. Her research focuses on how children’s characteristics and environments affect their individual development. She is currently studying how stressful life circumstances affect the regulation of children’s stress hormones, and how this relates to their physical and mental health, as well as their school functioning. Caitlin’s long-term goals involve using her research experience to determine how interventions aimed at improving children’s cognitive and emotional well-being can be tailored to meet each child’s individual needs.
Anne Seery, PhD
VIP Director of Operations
Annie is a developmental psychologist who joined our team in 2014. She received her BA in Psychology and Mathematics from Rutgers University and her Ph.D. in Human Development from Boston University, where her research focused on the linguistic, cognitive, and neural development of infants and young children. In particular, she is interested in language acquisition and development in infants and children who are at risk for developmental disorders or other issues as a result of biological and environmental factors.
VIP Director of Operations
Annie is a developmental psychologist who joined our team in 2014. She received her BA in Psychology and Mathematics from Rutgers University and her Ph.D. in Human Development from Boston University, where her research focused on the linguistic, cognitive, and neural development of infants and young children. In particular, she is interested in language acquisition and development in infants and children who are at risk for developmental disorders or other issues as a result of biological and environmental factors.
Center of Excellence Team
Aida Custode, MA
VIP Implementation Specialist
Aida has a Master's degree in Human Development & Social Intervention from NYU and started with our team in December 2013. She previously worked an applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapist, addressing the needs of children with autism and/or cognitive delays. Her research interests include immigrant families and the experiences that promote school-readiness as well as the development of interventions to close the achievement gap in education.
VIP Implementation Specialist
Aida has a Master's degree in Human Development & Social Intervention from NYU and started with our team in December 2013. She previously worked an applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapist, addressing the needs of children with autism and/or cognitive delays. Her research interests include immigrant families and the experiences that promote school-readiness as well as the development of interventions to close the achievement gap in education.
Maya Matalon, MPH
VIP Clinical Trainer & Supervisor
Maya received her BA in Psychology and Hispanic Studies from Oberlin College in 2012 and joined our team in 2014. She was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to teach English at the University level, and during that time also volunteered with women from Amazon communities in the Peruvian Amazon. She is continued her education in Public Health and is interested in maternal well-being and its intersection with parent child interaction and child development as well as working with underserved families.
VIP Clinical Trainer & Supervisor
Maya received her BA in Psychology and Hispanic Studies from Oberlin College in 2012 and joined our team in 2014. She was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to teach English at the University level, and during that time also volunteered with women from Amazon communities in the Peruvian Amazon. She is continued her education in Public Health and is interested in maternal well-being and its intersection with parent child interaction and child development as well as working with underserved families.
Yuliya Gurevich
VIP Administrative Project Assistant
Yuliya graduated with honors from New York City College of Technology with a BA in Healthcare Administration, and she joined the BELLE Project in 2017. Her extended experience in the healthcare field, as well as her volunteer experience at NYU Lutheran Medical Center, brings unique organizational and administrative skills. Yuliya plans to further her career in Public Health and Administration. Her interests include child and adolescent mental health, as well as policy improvement in order to establish easy access to services and to deliver quality care.
VIP Administrative Project Assistant
Yuliya graduated with honors from New York City College of Technology with a BA in Healthcare Administration, and she joined the BELLE Project in 2017. Her extended experience in the healthcare field, as well as her volunteer experience at NYU Lutheran Medical Center, brings unique organizational and administrative skills. Yuliya plans to further her career in Public Health and Administration. Her interests include child and adolescent mental health, as well as policy improvement in order to establish easy access to services and to deliver quality care.
Center of Excellence Investigators
Dr. Benard Dreyer, MD, FAAP
VIP Co-Founder and Co-Investigator
2016 President, American Academy of Pediatrics
Professor of Pediatrics, NYU School of Medicine
Director of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics at NYU School of Medicine
Director of Pediatrics at NYC H+H/Bellevue
Faculty Website
VIP Co-Founder and Co-Investigator
2016 President, American Academy of Pediatrics
Professor of Pediatrics, NYU School of Medicine
Director of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics at NYU School of Medicine
Director of Pediatrics at NYC H+H/Bellevue
Faculty Website
Carolyn Brockmeyer Cates, PhD
VIP Co-Creator, Co-Investigator
Assistant Professor of Psycholoy - SUNY Purchase
Faculty Website
VIP Co-Creator, Co-Investigator
Assistant Professor of Psycholoy - SUNY Purchase
Faculty Website
Samantha Berkule Johnson, PhD
VIP Co-Creator, Co-Investigator
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics- Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
Assistant Professor of Psychology- Marymount Manhattan College
Faculty Website
Marymount Manhattan Website
VIP Co-Creator, Co-Investigator
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics- Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
Assistant Professor of Psychology- Marymount Manhattan College
Faculty Website
Marymount Manhattan Website
Adriana Weisleder, PhD
VIP Co-Investigator
Assistant Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Northwestern University
Faculty Website
Adriana is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Northwestern University School of Communication, and was previously an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at NYU Langone Health and the project director for the BELLE Project for Early Language, Literacy, and Education Success. She received her PhD in Psychology from Stanford University, where she conducted research on infants’ language processing. Her research focuses on how early environments, particularly parent-child interaction, shape trajectories of language and cognitive development in diverse groups of children. She is particularly interested in translating knowledge and methods from developmental psychology to inform and evaluate pediatric-based interventions seeking to promote school readiness in at-risk children.
VIP Co-Investigator
Assistant Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Northwestern University
Faculty Website
Adriana is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Northwestern University School of Communication, and was previously an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at NYU Langone Health and the project director for the BELLE Project for Early Language, Literacy, and Education Success. She received her PhD in Psychology from Stanford University, where she conducted research on infants’ language processing. Her research focuses on how early environments, particularly parent-child interaction, shape trajectories of language and cognitive development in diverse groups of children. She is particularly interested in translating knowledge and methods from developmental psychology to inform and evaluate pediatric-based interventions seeking to promote school readiness in at-risk children.
Erin Roby, PhD
T32 Postdoctoral Fellow
Erin is a developmental psychologist and a T32 Postdoctoral Fellow in the Pediatric Primary Care Research Program at the NYU School of Medicine. Her research focuses on the factors that contribute to social cognitive development during the first years of life as well as individual differences in social cognitive skills that exist across the lifespan. More specifically, Erin is interested in how particular aspects of early parent-child interactions facilitate children’s social and cognitive development, and how interventions on these interactions can promote positive outcomes for at-risk children and families.
T32 Postdoctoral Fellow
Erin is a developmental psychologist and a T32 Postdoctoral Fellow in the Pediatric Primary Care Research Program at the NYU School of Medicine. Her research focuses on the factors that contribute to social cognitive development during the first years of life as well as individual differences in social cognitive skills that exist across the lifespan. More specifically, Erin is interested in how particular aspects of early parent-child interactions facilitate children’s social and cognitive development, and how interventions on these interactions can promote positive outcomes for at-risk children and families.
VIP Coaches
Melanie Miranda
VIP Coach (NYC H+H/Bellevue and Children's Aid)
Melanie received her Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology from New York University in 2018. She has worked with under-resourced families and young children through research at NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, as well as a volunteer in schools in London and Buenos Aires. She plans to continue her education in early child development and is interested in parent-child interactions and early language development.
VIP Coach (NYC H+H/Bellevue and Children's Aid)
Melanie received her Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology from New York University in 2018. She has worked with under-resourced families and young children through research at NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, as well as a volunteer in schools in London and Buenos Aires. She plans to continue her education in early child development and is interested in parent-child interactions and early language development.
Nina Robertson
VIP Coach (NYC H+H/Woodhull)
Nina received her BA in psychology from College of the Holy Cross and joined the VIP team as an interventionist at Woodhull in 2017. She was previously involved in a cognitive development lab at Holy Cross, which explored spatial thinking and relational scaffolding in Elementary school astronomy. Nina is particularly interested in the cognitive and linguistic development of young children, especially within different socioeconomic backgrounds. In the future, Nina hopes to further her career in child development and continue working with young children at risk for language or cognitive delays.
VIP Coach (NYC H+H/Woodhull)
Nina received her BA in psychology from College of the Holy Cross and joined the VIP team as an interventionist at Woodhull in 2017. She was previously involved in a cognitive development lab at Holy Cross, which explored spatial thinking and relational scaffolding in Elementary school astronomy. Nina is particularly interested in the cognitive and linguistic development of young children, especially within different socioeconomic backgrounds. In the future, Nina hopes to further her career in child development and continue working with young children at risk for language or cognitive delays.
Sabrina Vasques
VIP Coach (NYC H+H/Elmhurst and NYC H+H/Woodhull)
Sabrina received her BA in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a concentration in Teaching Students with Disabilities from Pace University. Sabrina completed her clinical practicum at the Escuela Hispana, Thom J McCann Q125, and Pace’s Speech and Hearing Clinic, assessing and treating a variety of speech and language disorders. Sabrina was also a research assistant at Pace University’s psycholinguistics lab where she focused on examining sex difference in sound expression mapping of schematic figures. Sabrina is planning on continuing her education in Speech Pathology and hopes to research the connection between early childhood feeding disorders and later language delays.
VIP Coach (NYC H+H/Elmhurst and NYC H+H/Woodhull)
Sabrina received her BA in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a concentration in Teaching Students with Disabilities from Pace University. Sabrina completed her clinical practicum at the Escuela Hispana, Thom J McCann Q125, and Pace’s Speech and Hearing Clinic, assessing and treating a variety of speech and language disorders. Sabrina was also a research assistant at Pace University’s psycholinguistics lab where she focused on examining sex difference in sound expression mapping of schematic figures. Sabrina is planning on continuing her education in Speech Pathology and hopes to research the connection between early childhood feeding disorders and later language delays.
Miguel Rodriguez Torres
VIP Coach (NYC H+H/Gotham Health, Gouverneur)
Miguel received his BA in Social Welfare from the University of Washington and joined the VIP team in 2019. He has worked with low-income children and families promoting early learning through Early Head Start. Most recently, he worked as a Services Coordinator helping families navigate services for children with developmental delays. Miguel is interested continuing his education in child development around language and parent-child interactions.
VIP Coach (NYC H+H/Gotham Health, Gouverneur)
Miguel received his BA in Social Welfare from the University of Washington and joined the VIP team in 2019. He has worked with low-income children and families promoting early learning through Early Head Start. Most recently, he worked as a Services Coordinator helping families navigate services for children with developmental delays. Miguel is interested continuing his education in child development around language and parent-child interactions.
VIP Research Team
Caroline Raak, MA
Research Coordinator (VIP in Flint)
Caroline received her BS in Human Communication Sciences from Northwestern University and her master’s degree in Childhood Development from Sarah Lawrence College; she has been a part of our team since 2013. Her main academic focus lies in early childhood development, particularly in atypically developing and at-risk populations. She is interested in researching different techniques and practices that would benefit families, across cultural and socioeconomic groups, in providing enriched early experiences for children in the hopes of achieving improved academic, economic, and health outcomes later in life.
Research Coordinator (VIP in Flint)
Caroline received her BS in Human Communication Sciences from Northwestern University and her master’s degree in Childhood Development from Sarah Lawrence College; she has been a part of our team since 2013. Her main academic focus lies in early childhood development, particularly in atypically developing and at-risk populations. She is interested in researching different techniques and practices that would benefit families, across cultural and socioeconomic groups, in providing enriched early experiences for children in the hopes of achieving improved academic, economic, and health outcomes later in life.
Angelica Alonso, MA
Research / Project Associate & Coordinator (Smart Beginnings)
Angelica received her BA in Psychology from New York University and her MA in Human Development from Teachers College. She joined our team in 2015 and previously worked as a research assistant at NYU's Center for Research on Culture, Development and Education, where she became interested in the role that context and culture play in shaping children’s development. Her research interests include the effects of parental undocumented status and deportation on children’s early experiences and development, and how parent-child interactions and parental beliefs relate to young children’s cognitive and language skills, particularly among Latino families. She is also interested in developing parenting interventions to promote positive long-term developmental outcomes in children of Latino immigrants.
Research / Project Associate & Coordinator (Smart Beginnings)
Angelica received her BA in Psychology from New York University and her MA in Human Development from Teachers College. She joined our team in 2015 and previously worked as a research assistant at NYU's Center for Research on Culture, Development and Education, where she became interested in the role that context and culture play in shaping children’s development. Her research interests include the effects of parental undocumented status and deportation on children’s early experiences and development, and how parent-child interactions and parental beliefs relate to young children’s cognitive and language skills, particularly among Latino families. She is also interested in developing parenting interventions to promote positive long-term developmental outcomes in children of Latino immigrants.
Juliana Gutiérrez
Research / Project Associate (Smart Beginnings)
Juliana Gutierrez received her BA in Educational Studies and Political Science from Swarthmore College. She joined our team in 2019 as a Smart Beginnings Research Assistant. Previously, she assisted researchers on an impact evaluation of the Middle School Quality Initiative at the NYC Department of Education, and a parenting intervention focused on father-son relationships in New York City’s African- American and Latino communities through NYU’s Center for Latino and Adolescent Health. She is interested in the research and design of initiatives to support underserved families as they and their children navigate the school system, particularly addressing the children and adolescent’s social-emotional development in families of diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
Research / Project Associate (Smart Beginnings)
Juliana Gutierrez received her BA in Educational Studies and Political Science from Swarthmore College. She joined our team in 2019 as a Smart Beginnings Research Assistant. Previously, she assisted researchers on an impact evaluation of the Middle School Quality Initiative at the NYC Department of Education, and a parenting intervention focused on father-son relationships in New York City’s African- American and Latino communities through NYU’s Center for Latino and Adolescent Health. She is interested in the research and design of initiatives to support underserved families as they and their children navigate the school system, particularly addressing the children and adolescent’s social-emotional development in families of diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
Jennifer Ledesma
Family Check-Up Interventionist (Smart Beginnings)
Jennifer earned her BA in Psychology from Hunter College. She started her work with underprivileged families at New York University’s Steinhardt Center for Research on Culture, Development and Education and joined our team since 2010. Her research interests include cultural differences in parenting styles and its impact on children’s cognitive, social and emotional development. In addition to this she is also interested in early language development and literacy.
Family Check-Up Interventionist (Smart Beginnings)
Jennifer earned her BA in Psychology from Hunter College. She started her work with underprivileged families at New York University’s Steinhardt Center for Research on Culture, Development and Education and joined our team since 2010. Her research interests include cultural differences in parenting styles and its impact on children’s cognitive, social and emotional development. In addition to this she is also interested in early language development and literacy.
Luciane Piccolo, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Luciane is a Psychologist with a PhD in Developmental Psychology. Her research integrates Developmental Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience and focuses on poverty-related disparities in child cognitive outcomes, especially language, memory and executive functioning. She particularly aim to understand how early childhood experiences are associated with cognitive and brain development and the modifiable environmental factors (such as stress and family language environment) by which socioeconomic disparities operate. In BELLE project she is interested in design and conduct preventative interventions in the U.S. and Brazil, which may increase the likelihood of positive outcomes among disadvantaged children.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Luciane is a Psychologist with a PhD in Developmental Psychology. Her research integrates Developmental Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience and focuses on poverty-related disparities in child cognitive outcomes, especially language, memory and executive functioning. She particularly aim to understand how early childhood experiences are associated with cognitive and brain development and the modifiable environmental factors (such as stress and family language environment) by which socioeconomic disparities operate. In BELLE project she is interested in design and conduct preventative interventions in the U.S. and Brazil, which may increase the likelihood of positive outcomes among disadvantaged children.
In addition, many collaborators, student interns, volunteers, and partner organizations contribute to VIP!
