PEOPLE
The PEP lab team is an interdisciplinary group of researchers and students who work together towards understanding positive emotional processes and their relevance for understanding adaptive and maladaptive mood and psychological-health outcomes.
Lab Photo Archive
Lab Director
June Gruber is a clinical psychologist and Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder, where she directs the Positive Emotion and Psychopathology Lab. Previously, she served as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Yale University and earned her Ph.D. and B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley. Her work explores the complexities of positive emotions and their role in psychological disorders and well-being. Her lab adopts a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach—spanning behavioral, experiential, psychophysiological, and neurocognitive methodologies—to study how positive emotions intersect with mental health. For more info. see Dr. Gruber's webpage.
Graduate Students
Cynthia Villanueva, M. A. (she/her)
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Cynthia M. Villanueva is a 7th-year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology PhD program and graduate student in the PEP lab and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship recipient. She is currently completing her clinical internship at the University of San Francisco. Her research interests focus on emotion-related processes in psychopathology, with an emphasis on examining individual differences in emotion language and emotion regulation in bipolar and unipolar mood disorders. She is also interested in how stigmas against talking about mental illness and expressed emotions may contribute to health inequities in minoritized communities.
Stevi Ibonie, M. A. (she/her)
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Stevi Ibonie is a 5th-year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology PhD program and graduate student in the PEP Lab. She obtained her B.A. in Psychology and minor in counseling, clinical, and school psychology from UC Santa Barbara. Previously, Stevi worked with Sheri Johnson, at UC Berkeley studying mood disorders, where she developed an interest in how social relationships may influence the trajectories of individuals with psychopathologies. Her interests focus on the influence of social functioning and relationships in mood and behavioral disorders. Stevi enjoys all kinds of outdoor activities, such as stand up paddle-boarding, hiking, and gardening with the help of her dog.
Bryn Manns, B.A.Sc. (she/her)
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Bryn is a 3rd-year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology PhD program and graduate student in the PEP Lab. She obtained her B.A.Sc. in Cognitive Science at McGill University. Her research interests concern emotional regulation processes and emotional experience in bipolar and unipolar mood disorders. She is especially interested in investigating how emotion regulation unfolds in naturalistic settings and how interoceptive processes may influence emotion regulation abilities. She hopes to use knowledge gained to inform actionable interventions for populations living with bipolar and major depressive disorders. In her spare time, Bryn is usually found dancing, hiking, camping, or doing photography!
Luiza Rosa, B.S., B.A. (she/her)
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Luiza (Lu) is a 3rd-year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology PhD program and graduate student in the PEP Lab and the CU Change Lab. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a B.S. in psychology and a B.A. in Art. After attending cultural psychology class in her undergraduate degree combined with her international student status, Luiza started wondering about how different cultures express verbally and physically different emotional states and how that may affect diagnosis and symptoms of psychopathology. Her main research interests center on how different cultural backgrounds affect and explain why we feel the way we feel. In her free time, Luiza enjoys painting, drawing, eating new foods and hanging out with her cat.
Ashby Cogan, B.A. (she/they)
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Ashby is a first-year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology PhD program and a member of the PEP Lab. After graduating from Yale with a BA in music, Ashby’s exploration of the human condition through the performing arts sparked a lasting curiosity about thoughts, emotions, and behavior. They went on to complete postbaccalaureate studies in psychology at UC Berkeley, contributing to research on emotion in psychopathology and cognitive-behavioral interventions for sleep and circadian health. Ashby sees research as a tool for justice and is interested in how mental health shapes emotional experience and reward processing. Outside of work, Ashby enjoys hiking, teaching tricks to animals, and doing bad improv.
Angie Gross, B.A. (she/her)
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Angie Gross is a 1st-year graduate student in CU's Clinical Psychology PhD program and graduate student in the PEP lab. She graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Psychology with Departmental Honors from University of California, San Diego where she worked in the Positive Emotion and Anxiety Lab and the Empathy and Emotion Lab. It was through these experiences that she caught the bug for research! Post graduation, she served as a research technician at Washington University in St. Louis on an NIH-funded project examining mechanisms of age-related change in emotion regulation. Angie's work examines emotions, especially in the context of close social relationships, and their associations with internalizing symptomology. Outside of the lab, Angie enjoys cooking nourishing food, swimming, and trying new things!
Research Coordinators
Nina Le, B.A., B.S. (she/her)
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Nina Le is the lead research coordinator for the YEARS study and lab coordinator for the PEP Lab. She graduated with a double major in Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder Nina is interested in research related to depression, anxiety, and antidepressants. She is also interested in how positive emotions may negatively affect different mood disorders. Additionally, she is interested in these types of psychopathologies through the lens of neuroendocrinology and gastroenterology and how they may play a role in depression and anxiety. After graduating, she hopes to earn her PhD in a clinical psychology program. In her free time, she likes to sing/produce music with her brother, lift, and hang out with family and friends.
Eloise Nussbaum, B.A. (she/her)
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Eloise Nussbaum is a research coordinator for the YEARS and EMERGE studies in the PEP Lab. She graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Sociology. Her research interests center on how environmental factors influence mental health trajectories and behavioral outcomes, with a particular focus on criminal psychopathy. She is also passionate about the role of mental healthcare as both a protective factor against criminal involvement and a tool for rehabilitation within the justice system. Eloise plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, with the goal of working in mental healthcare within forensic or correctional settings. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, crafting, and cooking.
Allie Bundy, B.A. (she/her)
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Allie Bundy is a research coordinator on the YEARS study at PEP lab. As a recent graduate from the University of Colorado Boulder, with a BA in psychology and a minor in English literature, she is excited to explore the research world. She is particularly interested in studying factors that may cause differences in mood disorder severities, as well as interventions for preventative treatment. In the future, she is looking to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology and help treat mood disorders, especially in LGBTIA+ communities. In her free time she’s usually painting and doing freelance art in the fantasy book community!
Soni Chacon, B.A. (she/her)
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Soni Chacon is a research coordinator for the YEARS study focused on running MRI scans. Soni graduated from CU Boulder with a B.A. in Psychology and a Certificate in Public Health. Soni’s versatile interests are seeded in the interaction of neuro mechanisms and the psyche related to emotion, hormones, culture, and mental disorders. Outside of academics, she has developed an eclectic set of passions. This includes snowboarding, powerlifting, hiking, quilting, piano playing, taking photographs, listening to educational podcasts, volunteering, caretaking, building houses, designing spaces, and dancing at shows. “The day we stop growing is the day we die.”
Kim Pape, B.A. (she/her)
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Kim Christine Pape is a part-time (remote) research coordinator for the YEARS study, located at UC Berkeley. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with her BA in Psychology and is also a staff research associate at the CALM Program (PI: Sheri L. Johnson, PhD). Having explored response inhibition in relation to bipolar risk for her Honors thesis, Kim’s primary research interests involve expanding our understanding of the cognitive and emotional processes involved in bipolar spectrum psychopathology. She plans to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology and in addition to being passionate about research informed by lived experience, Kim enjoys expressing herself with fashion and makeup, seeing live music with friends, and making jewelry.
Leila Rosenberg, B.A. (she/her)
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Leila Rosenberg is a part-time (remote) research coordinator for the EMERGE study, located at UC Berkeley. Leila Rosenberg is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned her B.A. with honors in Psychology. She brings strong research and project leadership experience, and more recently served as a research coordinator for the Neurobehavioral Affective Control Training (N-ACT) Study in Dr. Sheri Johnson's Cal Mania (CALM) Program. Leila has contributed to a range of research projects spanning developmental, social, amd clinical psychology. Her research interests center upon early detection and developmental psychopathology pertaining to mood and anxiety disorders.
Research Assistants
Kaitlin Tollefson (they/she)
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Kaitlyn Tollefson is a senior at CU Boulder pursuing a BA in psychology with a certificate in public health. After graduation, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. Kaitlyn plans to focus on psychological research, treatment, and using policy change and community action to address the lack of access to mental healthcare. She is passionate about the integration of social connection as a protective factor against mental illness and exploring lifestyle approaches to promote psychological and whole body wellbeing, particularly as it applies to mood and personality disorders. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, working on mental health public policy initiatives, listening to audiobooks, and practicing circus arts.
Jake O'Donnell (he/him)
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Jake O’Donnell is a senior at CU Boulder pursuing a BA in psychology with a minor in political science. After graduation he plans to enter a clinical PHD program and with the goal of becoming a postdoctoral researcher. Jake is interested in the underlying cognitive mechanisms behind mood disorders such as depression, bipolar, and anxiety. Mechanisms of interest include rumination, learned helplessness, cognitive inflexibility, and impaired prospection. Outside the lab Jake gets to the mountains whenever possible, where he enjoys hiking, mountain biking, camping, and skiing.
Danielle Bader (she/her)
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Danielle Bader is a junior at the University of Colorado Boulder pursuing a B.A. in Psychology, with a minor in Sociology and a certificate in Health, Care, and Resilience. She plans to pursue a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology after graduation, with the goal of becoming a clinical therapist. Danielle is passionate about improving mental health care and is drawn to one-on-one therapeutic work. She values the importance of empathy and connection in all aspects of life. Outside of school, she enjoys creative writing, watching films, practicing yoga, hiking, and taking long walks along the creek.
Wyatt Bowland (he/him)
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Wyatt is a sophomore at CU, working on a bachelor’s degree in psychology. After graduation, he hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, eventually becoming a clinical psychologist. Wyatt seeks to continue to grow his knowledge and experience in clinical research and learn more about what it looks like to be successful in psychology. He is passionate about uplifting individuals and developing a sense of community through psychology and is incredibly excited to be a part of the PEP lab. Outside of academics, Wyatt enjoys climbing, cooking, listening to music, and hanging out with his two cats, Ollie and Eddie!.
Arista Samarsky (he/him)
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Arista Samarsky is a 3rd-year undergraduate psychology and sociology student at CU Boulder currently interning at the PEP lab. After graduation, Arista plans to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology, with a particular interest in personality disorders and criminal psychology. While keeping his options open, he hopes to go into therapy or forensic psychology after his education is complete. When away from his studies, he enjoys creative writing, figure drawing, and spending time horseback riding.
Zoe Laird (she/her)
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Zoe Laird (left) is a sophomore at CU Boulder, where she is double majoring in Psychology and Religious Studies. She hopes to pursue graduate school and become a clinical psychologist. Zoe is passionate about understanding what helps people thrive, and she’s excited to be part of the PEP Lab and continue learning about the science of well-being. She has a twin sister named Zibi (right) and a beloved black-and-white cat named Apollo. In her free time, Zoe enjoys hiking, skiing, traveling, and reading.
Sophia Bartolone (she/her)
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Sophia Bartolone is a junior at CU Boulder pursuing a BA in psychology and a certificate in Care, Health, and Resilience. After graduation, she plans to apply to Ph.D. programs in clinical psychology with the hope of one day becoming a psychedelic therapist. Sophia is passionate about the burgeoning field of psychedelic medicine and the power of ego-dissolving experiences to create lasting changes in one's positive emotions and sense of purpose Outside of school, Sophia enjoys meditation, reading, hiking, and snowboarding.
Molly Percival, B.A. (she/her)
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Molly Percival is assisting with research in the PEP lab as a recent graduate of UC Santa Barbara, where she majored in Global Studies and minored in Applied Psychology. Her minor's Positive Psychology course led her to gain an interest in positive emotion and psychopathology, which she hopes to expand on in her work with the AWESOME study. Her other interests, which she was introduced to by her Honors Thesis, include women's mental health, health psychology, and the emotional impacts of a medical provider's racial and gender bias on their patients. Her hobbies include creative writing, hiking, and listening to music or podcasts.
Ansel & Silvan Gruber-Saucedo (he/him)
Ansel and Silvan are Boulder natives and the youngest members of the PEP lab. They are deemed high on sociability and approach related positive affectivity, and current projects include enhancing emodiversity and optimizing emotion regulation skillsets. They have been known to offer advice about mixed emotions and engage in art as a medium of emotion expression in the lab.
Recent Collaborators
Paulo Boggio – Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Sidney D'Mello – University of Colorado Boulder
Brett Ford – University of Toronto
James Gross – Stanford University
Sheri Johnson – UC Berkeley
Dacher Keltner – UC Berkeley
Hedy Kober – Yale University
Kateri McRae – University of Denver
Iris Mauss – UC Berkeley
Greg Murray – Swinburne University of Technology, Australia
Jordi Quoidbach – ESADE
Maya Tamir – The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
Diana Tamir – Princeton University
Jeanne Tsai – Stanford University
Lauren Weinstock – Brown University
Jamil Zaki – Stanford University
