Students and Trainees: Sleep & Health Research Program

Students and Trainees

POSTDOCS

Gorovoy Suzanne Gorovoy PhD EdM

sgorovoy@email.arizona.edu

Dr. Gorovoy completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Case Western Reserve University, with dual specializations in Child Clinical and Pediatric Psychology. She completed her predoctoral psychology internship in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Arizona. Dr. Gorovoy also earned her EdM from Teachers College, Columbia University and worked for 14 years as a school psychologist (including here in Tucson). Her broad research interests include behavioral sleep medicine, treatment adherence, neuropsychological assessment, and pediatric psychology. Specific to behavioral sleep medicine, Dr. Gorovoy's research interests focus on adolescent adherence to CPAP, improving identification and screening of children with sleep problems in the community, and neurocognitive and behavioral sequelae of obstructive sleep apnea in children. When she is not working, Dr. Gorovoy loves to spend time with her three rescue dogs, volunteer at PACC, read, and bake treats for colleagues and friends.

Kelsey McDermott PhD

kelseymcdermott@arizona.edu

Kelsey is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the lab and is currently working on the Mind After Midnight (MAM) project. She earned her B.S. from the University of Rochester and worked as an undergraduate research assistant and eventually a Research Coordinator on projects investigating cognitive and exercise training interventions for older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment diagnoses. She completed her PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Arizona and studied age- and cognitive- related changes in the brain's noradrenaline system in nonhuman primates. She is excited to learn more about the impacts of sleep on cognitive and mental well-being. Outside of work, she enjoys running with her dog, cooking, and reading.

David Reichenberger PhD

dareichenberger@arizona.edu

Dr. Reichenberger completed his doctorate in Biobehavioral Health at the Pennsylvania State University. He completed a predoctoral fellowship in prevention and methodology at the Pennsylvania State University and a postdoctoral fellowship in translational science and cardiovascular research at Oregon Health & Science University. His research investigates the influence of daily behaviors (e.g., digital media, substance use) on sleep, health, and well-being, including the evaluation of biobehavioral interventions. His methodological and statistical expertise center on ecologically valid intensive longitudinal designs, wearable devices and passive sensing technologies, and advanced multilevel modeling and Bayesian inference. When not working, Dr. Reichenberger enjoys bicycling, reading science fiction, watching spooky movies, and chilling with his cats.

GRADUATE STUDENTS

Andrea Diaz-Pacheco MS

PhD Student, Neuroscience

andread1@arizona.edu

Andrea is a student in the Neuroscience GIDP program. She has a Clinical Psychology Masters degree and practiced as a licensed clinician. Since coming to the US, she has worked in research related to sleep disorders in healthy elderly and people with Parkinson's Disease.

Sherap Sangpo

Masters Student, Clinical and Translational Science

sangpo@arizona.edu

Sherap is a Masters student working on the including EBB/FLOW (Examining Blue Blockers for Light Optimization and Wearability) project. He earned his B.S. in Psychological Science from the University of Arizona, where he was an undergraduate member of the Sleep and Health Research Program for three years. He plans to complete a Master’s in Clinical Translational Science at the University of Arizona before applying to MD-PhD programs. In his role, Sherap enjoys solving problems across diverse studies and is particularly interested in translational science and the process of developing interventions. Outside of the lab, he spends time outdoors with his two doodles and enjoys running, biking, and working on hobby coding projects.

PSYCHOLOGY EXTERNS

Karla Vinces

karlagvinces@arizona.edu

Karla is a current Clinical Psychology PhD student at the University of Arizona. Her research examines the impact of sleep on cognition, with a particular interest in tailoring sleep-based interventions to maximize cognitive outcomes among middle-aged and older adults. In her free time, she enjoys rock climbing, baking, and discovering new coffee shops.

MEDICAL STUDENTS

Michael Amadei

mamadei@email.arizona.edu

Michael Amadei is a medical student at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson. A member of the lab since late 2022, Michael focuses on the intersection of behavioral sleep medicine, clinical assessment, and intervention. He is especially interested in the integration of wearable technologies to improve sleep & health outcomes. While his medical interests remain broad, he is dedicated to incorporating sleep health into his future clinical practice.

Ruya Arce

ruyaarce@arizona.edu

Ruya Arce is graduated from the University of Arizona in 2022 with a B.S. in Physiology and a B.A. in Spanish. She is currently a 2027 M.D. candidate, and her focus on sleep health stems from an interest in family medicine and sleep’s influence on chronic diseases. In her free time, she enjoys baking, hiking, and kickboxing.

Annie Chen

anniechen@arizona.edu

Annie Chen graduated from the University of Arizona in 2026 with a B. A. in Psychology and East Asian Studies. She is currently a M. D. candidate for the class of 2030 with the intention of pursuing psychiatry, and has an interest in the relationship between sleep and mental health on a population level scale. In her free time, she enjoys getting boba/matcha, watching horror, and playing video games!

Mira Marwah

miramarwah@arizona.edu

Mira Marwah graduated from Arizona State University with a B.S in Biological Sciences and is currently a Class of 2027 M.D. candidate. She is interested in how sleep affects the prevalence of different mental health disorders. During her free time, she loves to cook, try new restaurants, and watch basketball!

Pranav Saravanan

psaravanan1@arizona.edu

Pranav is a first-year medical student at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson with interests in sleep, human performance, and the ways physiology can be used to improve health and performance. He has been involved in the Sleep and Health Research Program, studying the relationship between sleep health and physical and mental well-being. Outside of medicine and research, Pranav enjoys fitness, sports, and playing guitar.

Fawaz Stipho

fstipho1@arizona.edu

Fawaz Stipho is a first-year medical student at the University of Arizona College of Medicine with interests in psychiatry, community health, and medical innovation. He serves as a lead for MIND Clinic, MexZona, the Psychiatry & Mental Health Interest Group, and AI in Medicine, focusing on expanding access to care, strengthening student-led clinical initiatives, and advancing practical applications of AI in healthcare.

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANTS

Rohan Aluru

rohanaluru@arizona.edu

Rohan is a second-year honors student majoring in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, with a minor in Political Science. As a member of the APME program, he will be attending medical school following graduation. He is excited to join the Sleep and Health Research Program and better understand how sleep impacts mental health outcomes.

Joan Manuel Araujo

WORD4WISDOM@ARIZONA.EDU

Joan Manuel Araujo is a U.S. Army combat veteran and undergraduate at the University of Arizona's W.A. Franke Honors College, pursuing a B.S. in Practice-Focused Integrative Medicine. Under the mentorship of Dr. Michael Grandner in the UA Sleep and Health Research Program, he is completing an honors thesis reviewing psychedelic-assisted interventions for PTSD in veteran populations, with attention to comorbid traumatic brain injury, sleep, and the evidence gaps a responsible pilot study would need to close. His broader interests include health equity and translating research into interventions that serve veterans and other trauma-impacted communities. He plans to pursue an MPH in Health Services Administration at the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health.

Alyona Bairagoni

alyonab@arizona.edu

Alyona is an undergraduate honors student majoring in Physiology and Medical Sciences with a minor in HHV and Psychology. She is excited to join this research program to learn more about the relationship between sleep and health. After graduation, she hopes to attend medical school to pursue a career as a physician.

Teddy Block

blockt@arizona.edu

Teddy is an undergraduate Honors student majoring in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science and Anthropology. They are interested to learn more about how sleep might impact memory and learning. They hope to become a researcher in the future and outside of academics. They enjoy reading, writing, and music criticism.

Anna Chen

annachen1880@arizona.edu

Anna is an undergraduate at the University of Arizona. Majoring in biology, she has an avid interest in the sciences especially when it concerns the environment or the human brain. Other interests are watching movies and spending time with her dog!

Mark DiFalco

markdifalco12@gmail.com

Mark DiFalco is an undergraduate student at the U of A majoring in Psychology. He plans to move forward towards graduate work in clinical psychology with a specialization in neuropsychology. Mark has a strong interest in how knowledge of the brain can be used to better understand and treat clinical conditions as well as improve daily life. Mark is excited to begin to understand how the essential function of sleep affects one's health and quality of life. Outside of studying, Mark has a deep love for being out in the mountains through various methods, mostly trail running. He also has a love for social work, and enjoys reading, cooking and spending time with friends.

Arya Eksambe

aeksambe@arizona.edu

Arya is a sophomore majoring in Physiology and Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB), with a minor in Creative Writing. Her research interests broadly include cardiovascular function and disease, particularly exploring the interactions between sleep health, physiological processes, and mental health. Outside her academic pursuits, she enjoys creative writing, reading, and experimenting with coffee!

Edlyn Jaja

edlynjaja@arizona.edu

Edlyn is a junior studying Neuroscience and Cognitive Science with a minor in Biochemistry and hopes to pursue a career in medicine. She is particularly interested in understanding the role sleep plays in overall health and well-being. In her free time, she enjoys baking and trying new creative activities.

Ryleigh Johnson

ryleighjohnson@arizona.edu

Ryleigh is a sophomore majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology, minoring in Psychology. Currently, she is interested in the lab's research on treatment for anxiety and how sleep impacts cognition. She looks forward to being involved in this research.

Serre Klijian

klijian1@arizona.edu

Serre is a senior Psychology B.S. student with a minor in Biochemistry. She plans on going to medical school and pursuing her passion in human anatomy. She is so excited to be a part of this lab and contribute to this research!

Bianca Leonard

biancaleonard6@arizona.edu

Bianca is a sophomore undergraduate student at the University of Arizona studying Neuroscience & Cognitive Science. She aspires to be a physician specializing in either neurology, psychiatry, or aerospace medicine. While attending UofA, she wants to gain as much experience in medicine as possible, whether that be in a research or clinical setting. She is thrilled to be part of this team and excited to see how our research contributes to improving health and wellness.

Juliane Lucius

jullucius@arizona.edu

Juliane (goes by Jules) is a Neuroscience and Cognition major, emphasis in Neurobiology. She came from Engineering background.

Malia Meek

maliameek@arizona.edu

Malia Meek is a senior at the University of Arizona majoring in Psychological Sciences and minoring in Spanish. She is currently working as a psychiatric scribe at a behavioral health hospital, with a plan on pursing a career as a Physician Assistant. She is interested in participating in this research program to learn how sleep affects mental health.

Valentina Mesa-Fernandez

vmesafernandez@arizona.edu

Valentina is an undergraduate student studying Physiology with a medical emphasis as well as minoring in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacology & Toxicology. Her dream is to go to medical school and specialize in forensic pathology. In her free time she enjoys hanging out with friends, playing video game, and taking care of her cats and plants. She previously worked as a clinical research coordinator working on Moderna vaccine studies and has been exploring all the different options in research in an academic setting.

Olivia Minicucci

Minicucci@arizona.edu

Olivia is a sophomore at the University of Arizona pursuing a dual degree in Psychological Science and Neuroscience & Cognitive Science on a Pre-Medical track. She is passionate about behavioral research, with a strong interest in understanding how sleep influences cognition and overall brain function. Her academic and career goals are centered around exploring the neurological and psychological mechanisms behind sleep. She is excited to contribute to research that deepens our understanding of the true impact of sleep on mental performance and well-being.

Morgan Rhodes

morganrhodes@arizona.edu

Morgan is a fourth year Neuroscience major with a strong interest in the intersection of brain health, cardiometabolic health, and bioinformatics. She enjoys working with complex datasets and exploring how a data-driven approach in the development of neurodiagnostic models can augment multidisciplinary research in the field of Neuroscience. She is very excited to contribute to projects that bridge this aspect of Neuroscience research with real-world health outcomes!

Alondra Rodriguez

rodz.alo796@gmail.com

Alondra is majoring in Psychology with a minor in Pharmacological Sciences. She is interested in learning more about how sleep and stress can affect people, as well as how adolescents can be affected by stressors in their homes.

Korey Schneider

koreyschneider@arizona.edu

Korey is a 2nd year undergraduate student double majoring in Psychological sciences and neuroscience/cognitive science. He is very interested in health sleep loss affects the circadian rhythm and mental health.

Daniella Serrano

dserrano1@arizona.edu

Daniella is a student in Honors majoring in Physiology and Medical Sciences with a minor in Care, Health, and Society. She hopes to pursue pediatrics in the future. Her interest is to bridge the gap between medicine and sociology by studying how social experiences influence physical and mental health. Through the Sleep and Health Research Program, she hopes to gain necessary skills and contribute to the project. She is especially interested in exploring how adverse childhood experiences may affect sleep quality, nightmares, and long-term health. She would also like to understand the mechanism of how burnout culture is associated with the body’s neurobiological stress systems. Outside of academics, she enjoys creating art, being with friends, and cooking.

Ramon Serrano

rserrano1012@arizona.edu

Ramon is currently pursuing a double major in Medicine: Basic Medical Sciences and Spanish: Interpretation and Translation, along with minors in Biochemistry and Spanish at the University of Arizona . He is passionate about combining science, language, and patient care to make a meaningful impact in healthcare. His goal is to become a physician who provides compassionate, evidence-based care while serving diverse communities. He is excited for the opportunity to participate in the Sleep and Health Research Program, where he hopes to expand my understanding of sleep research, contribute to meaningful projects, and gain valuable experience that will support his future career in medicine.

Anastasia Sheleg

asheleg@arizona.edu

Anastasia is majoring in Biology and Public Health at the University of Arizona with the goal of pursuing a career in medicine. She has always been fascinated with the connection between our mind and body and how factors such as sleep and stress can impact both mental and physical health. This curiosity led her to pursue research because not only can it help us understand these relationships, but it can ultimately help us improve patient care. Outside of academics She love working with kids and has been a swim teacher for over 5 years.

Erin Shyjy

erinshyjy@arizona.edu

Erin is a sophomore majoring in Physiology and Medical Sciences and minoring in Health and Human Values. She is excited to join this lab to learn more about the impacts of sleep on overall health, with the goal of improving others' quality of life.

Maryam Soofiani

maryamsoofiani@arizona.edu

Maryam is an undergraduate student majoring in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science at the University of Arizona. She has experience working with virtual reality, eye-tracking, and EEG studies. She is interested in learning more about sleep, memory, and how sleep affects the brain and overall health. In the future, she hopes to pursue a career related to neuroscience and psychiatry.

Seha Uysal

sehauysal@arizona.edu

A passionate Honors Neuroscience and Cognitive Science major at the University of Arizona.

Emily Wyatt

emilywyatt@arizona.edu

Emily is an undergraduate student at the University of Arizona majoring in Biochemistry. She is interested in learning more about the interactions between sleep, health, and wellness, and is excited to join SHRP as a volunteer. Emily also enjoys reading, hiking, and learning about everything she can.