Principal Investigator
Tiffany Brown, PhD (she/her)
I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Auburn University and Co-Director of the Auburn Eating Disorders Clinic (AEDC). My program of research focuses on developing and evaluating interventions for appearance-based and eating disorders in populations, or within constructs, that have been traditionally overlooked. My current research projects focus on developing prevention programs and treatments to reduce eating disorder and muscle dysmorphia risk for LGBTQ+ and male populations, understanding factors related to treatment outcome across gender and sexual identity, interoception, and gastric-specific anxiety sensitivity. Clinically, I have a particular interest in LGBTQ-affirmative eating disorder treatment, DBT, pediatric eating disorders, and ARFID across ages. When I am not working, I love hanging with my family and friends (inclusive of my dog Stella!), tending to my growing indoor/outdoor plant collection, and spending time in nature, and cooking up new recipes.
Graduate Students
Kristin Denmark, MS (she/her)
Kristin is a third-year clinical psychology graduate student in the ACCEPT Lab. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Auburn University in 2022. Her research interests include examining negative body talk and related pathological constructs within men experiencing body-related concerns or eating disorders. She hopes to aid in developing and implementing prevention and treatment methods for those underrepresented within eating disorder literature.
Xiaoyin Liu (Miracle), BA (she/her)
Miracle is a second-year clinical psychology graduate student in the ACCEPT Lab at Auburn University. She received her BA in Psychology and German Studies from Bryn Mawr College in 2025. Miracle’s research interests focus on examining how sociocultural factors, including oppression and discrimination, serve as stressors motivating disordered eating symptomatology and body image issues within marginalized populations. Additionally, she is interested in investigating comorbid conditions, such as substance use issues, in this context. Long term, Miracle aims to leverage research to guide the development of effective interventions for eating disorders, especially among underrepresented populations.
Harmony Vides-Varini (she/her)
Harmony is a first-year clinical psychology graduate student in the ACCEPT Lab. She received her B.S. in Psychology from Florida State University in 2023 and then worked as Project Coordinator and Manager of Dr. Pamela Keel’s Eating Behaviors Research Clinic at FSU for three years. Harmony is interested in sociocultural factors, such as minority stress and systemic inequalities, that influence eating pathology in underrepresented groups. She aims to further the development and implementation of identity-focused eating disorder intervention strategies and reduce systemic barriers to care for minority populations.
Kristin Denmark, MS (she/her)
Kristin is a fourth-year clinical psychology graduate student in the ACCEPT Lab. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Auburn University in 2022. Her research interests include examining negative body talk and related pathological constructs within men experiencing body-related concerns or eating disorders. She hopes to aid in developing and implementing prevention and treatment methods for those underrepresented within eating disorder literature.
Marley Billman Miller, MS (she/her)
Marley is a fourth-year clinical psychology student in the ACCEPT and REDS labs at Auburn. She received her BS in psychology from Penn State in 2020 and then served as the Clinical Research Coordinator for the Division of Adolescent Medicine at the Penn State College of Medicine for three years. Marley is interested in exploring individual differences in the development and maintenance of disordered eating and how intersectionality may impact response to treatment. Long term, she hopes to use data-driven approaches to individualize and improve eating disorder treatment.
Jennifer Finkelstein, MRes (she/they)
Jennifer is a third-year clinical psychology student in the ACCEPT lab at Auburn University. She received her BA in Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience from Elon University in 2019, and afterwards worked abroad as a psychology and neuroscience fellow in Copenhagen, Denmark. In 2022, Jennifer completed their Master of Research in Developmental Neuroscience and Psychopathology in a dual program at University College of London and Yale University. Jennifer's research interests center on eating disorders in marginalized populations and systemic barriers to care. They are particularly interested in the intersection of biological vulnerability and the unique sociocultural risk factors for development and maintenance of eating pathology in the LGBTQ+ community.
Graduate Student Affiliates
Vani Kakar, PhD (she/her)
Dr. Vani Kakar is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Psychology at San Francisco State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Psychology from Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. Her doctoral thesis examined beauty ideals and body image among adolescent girls in Australia, China, India, and Iran, and she was awarded the Vice Chancellor’s Commendation for Academic Excellence (2022). Dr. Kakar's academic credentials include an M.Phil. in Educational Planning and Administration from the National University of Educational Planning and Administration (2016), an M.A. in Applied Psychology with a specialization in Clinical Psychology from the University of Delhi (2013), and a B.A. Honors in Psychology from Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi, India (2011). Broadly, she examines how sociocultural influences, such as media, family, peers shape appearance ideals and relate to body image concerns. Her work focuses particularly on people of color and individuals in low- and middle-income countries.
Dominic Denning, BA (he/him)
Dom is a fifth-year graduate student in the clinical science program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His current program of research focuses on the assessment and intervention for life-threatening behaviors (e.g., suicide, nonsuicidal self-injury, disordered eating). He utilizes intensive longitudinal designs to identify ecologically valid predictors of risk within and between individuals. He is particularly interested in identifying proximal risk in sexually and gender diverse populations and developing idiographic just-in-time interventions.
Maurício Almeida, MS (he/him)
Maurício Almeida is a PhD student and holds a Master's degree in Physical Activity and Health from the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (Brazil). He has a background in Physical Education, Pedagogy, and Sociology. His interests include cross-cultural adaptation and measurement in different populations and sociocultural groups. He is also involved in the development, adaptation, and implementation of interventions to prevent eating disorders & muscle dysmorphia. Currently, he is a member of the Interprofessional Center for Studies and Research on Body Image and Eating Disorders (NICTA/CNPq/Brazil), the AMBULIM Research and Teaching Center (NUPE/FMUSP/Brazil), and the AppearanCe Concerns, Eating, Prevention, & Treatment (ACCEPT) Lab (USA).
Regan Moss, MPH (she/her)
Regan Moss (MPH, Columbia University) is a first-year doctoral student at Tulane University in Social, Behavioral, and Population Health Sciences and a 2024 Society of Family Planning Emerging Scholar. She is an affiliate researcher with the Mary Amelia Center for Women's Health Equity Research, Newcomb Insitute, Tulane Center of Excellence in Maternal Child Health, and ARRWIP at Johns Hopkins University. She is the Tulane site lead for the HRSA-funded Cross-Center Collaboration for Justice-Involved Women and Children (JIWC). Her research integrates social and legal epidemiology, legal feminist theory, behavioral science, and multi-level health and social policy/law perspectives to address maternal (mental), menstrual, and reproductive health inequities and health disparities. She also studies maternal and reproductive psychology, situated within the structural and political determinants of health frameworks, with the Maternal and Reproductive Psychology Lab at Columbia University.
Taylor Perry, PhD (she/her)
Taylor is currently a 5th-year Clinical psychology PhD student at SUNY Albany under the mentorship of Dr. Drew Anderson and a current psychology intern at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Taylor’s research interests are in the overlap between anxiety and eating disorders, adapting exposure-based interventions for eating disorders, and examining treatment outcomes for eating disorder treatment.
Research Staff
Skylar McIlvanie, BS, BA (they/she)
Sky is the research coordinator for the ACCEPT Lab. They graduated from the University of Florida with a BS in Psychology with a concentration in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, a BA in Women's Studies, and a minor in Health Disparities. Sky's research interests focus on understanding how discrimination, minority stress, and identity-affirming interventions influence mental health outcomes among marginalized populations. More specifically, they are interested in disordered eating behaviors among LGBTQ+ individuals and the social, cultural, and interpersonal factors that contribute to risk and resilience within these communities. She is particularly interested in how minority stress, intragroup stigma, and body image norms influence eating pathology and related mental health concerns. Additional interests include ARFID assessment and intervention, muscle dysmorphia, body image concerns, and eating-related psychopathology among men and gender-diverse populations. Sky plans to earn a PhD in Clinical Psychology to improve access to culturally responsive, evidence-based care for individuals with eating disorders and related mental health concerns.
Research Assistants
Kate McRae (she/her)
Kate is undergraduate research assistant here at the ACCEPT lab. She is an aspiring dietitian, so she is working towards her BS in nutrition dietetics at Auburn University. She wants to work with children and adolescents with eating disorders, so she fits right in at the lab working towards a similar goal. She is inspired to do the best she can to learn more about eating disorders through research, but her final goal is client based clinical work.
Hailey Zoeller (she/her)
Hailey Zoeller is a psychology student at Auburn University with a strong interest in clinical psychology and mental health research. Her academic interests focus on understanding the psychological factors that contribute to emotional well-being, self-esteem, and resilience, particularly among young adults and individuals who have experienced significant life challenges. She is passionate about exploring how early life experiences influence mental health outcomes and how evidence-based treatments can help individuals lead healthier, more fulfilling lives. She hopes to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology and eventually establish a private practice that combines compassionate, client-centered care with research-informed treatment approaches. Outside of academics, Hailey enjoys baking sourdough, reading, and playing pickleball.
Lona Anderson (she/her)
Hi! My name is Lona Anderson and I am a junior at Auburn University. I am majoring in Psychology and minoring in Counseling and Sports Coaching. After graduation, I plan to attend a PhD program in Clinical Psychology. I have specific interests towards Sports Psychology and would love to pursue a career working with athletes in a counseling setting. Outside of my academics, I love to read books, workout, bake, and spend time with friends!
Lab Alumni
Auburn University Graduate Students and Full Time Staff
Kennedi Burton (ACCEPT Lab Research Coordinator, 2024-2026)
Jorge Castro Lebrón (ACCEPT Lab Research Coordinator, 2022-2024)
Eli Gebhardt, MS (Clinical Psychology, Graduated 2024)
Jordan Alvarez, MA (Counseling Psychology, 2022)
Auburn University Undergraduates
Nikkiye Dzambazi (2021-2022)
Will Kirby (2022)
Alex Behr (2022-2023)
Lindsey Simpler (2022-2023)
Erin Cleary (2023)
Sera Williams (2022
Luke Alexander (2021-2023)
Kaelin Marshall (2022-2023)
Hannah Sullivan (2023)
Sophie Henegar (2023)
Isaiah Bohn (2023)
Rylee Lusich (2021-2023)
Yaimairi Valdez (2023)
Miriam Stark (2022-2024)
Becca Hill (2022-2024)
Reese Hanson (2022-2024)
Seba Bakoyema (2022-2024)
Jordan Beverly (2022-2024)
Minh Le (2022-2024)
Alex Lewis (2023-2024)
Alex Barton (2023-2024)
Nicholas Johnson (2023-2025
Colin Young (2023-2025)
Emily Broome (2024-2025)
Sydney Eng (2024-2025)
Faith Bush (2024-2026)
Kate Culverhouse (2025-2026)
Gracie Scoggins (2025-2026)
University of California San Diego Undergraduates
Cesar Rodriguez-Correa (2020-2022)
Carl Hermes Castillo (2020-2022)
Kevin Lin (2020-2022)
Majd Jarjour (2020-2022)
Matthew Jervis (2020-2022)
Nathalie Marquez-Larrondo (2020-2022)
Vicky Nguyen (2020-2022)
Reema Temor (2020-2021)
Sabrina Chen (2020-2022)
Veronica Ho (2020-2022)
Darryl Contrano (2021)
Amy Kung (2021-2022)
Christine Wang (2021-2022)
Emma Thomsen (2020-2021)
Jack Daly (2021-2022)
Nelson Kang (2021-2022)
Angie Yogaratnam (2021-2022)
Thomas Bowers (2021-2022)
Varsha Matthew (2021-2022)
Zachary Boender (2021-2022)