Author: Magnoli, Jennifer

Isabelle Aragon-Menzel, Graduate Student Spotlight, March 2026

Posted on by

Headshot, Isabelle Aragon-Menzell

Isabelle Aragon-Menzel is a first-year PhD student specializing in Health, Wellbeing, and Prevention. Prior to coming to UConn, she earned her Master of Public Health (MPH) at the Colorado School of Public Health on the CU Anshutz Medical Campus, specializing in Population Mental Health and Wellbeing; and earned her BA at Colorado College, majoring in Sociology and double minoring in Education and English. During her MPH experience, Isabelle worked with her advisor on a mixed-methods needs-assessment on early adolescent mental health status in Darjeeling, India. The findings from the project were used to inform a community-based prevention program centering around community gardens. Additionally, Isabelle facilitated a pilot program for STEM-based learning with community partners in Denver through her work at the Hub for Justice-Centered Youth Engagement. Through this work, Isabelle has developed a passion for research surrounding adolescents’ mental health, community-based participatory research, and qualitative methodology.

At UConn, Isabelle is working with Dr. Beth Russell and the Center for Applied Research in Human Development (CARHD). As a doctoral student, she hopes to expand her research on adolescent mental health and applied research, focusing on specific adolescent mental health outcomes such as suicidality, substance use, non-suicidal self-injury, stress, and coping. She is currently a research assistant for two projects in Dr. Russell’s lab: the Connecticut School-Based Diversion Initiative and 21st Century. Over the course of her doctoral experience, she hopes to learn with and from her peers, gain experience in classroom-teaching, and develop her identity as a scholar, researcher, and lifelong learner. Her long-term goals are to conduct meaningful research and earn the opportunity to be a professor one day. Anchoring these goals are her core values of love, humanity, and equity for all.

Isabelle is a proud Minnesotan (brr!) but has called Colorado a second home for the past several years. In her free time, you can always find her working on a puzzle and watching a comfort TV show (for cold weather) or enjoying a run/walk/hike in the sun while listening to some good music (for warm weather). For all weather, spending time with loved ones – old and new – remains her favorite pastime!

Marianne Legassey, Faculty Spotlight, March 2026

Posted on by

Headshot, Marianne Legassey

Marianne Legassey is the Executive Director at the UConn Child Development Labs (CDL).  She started at the CDL as a classroom Master Teacher in 2004.  The dynamic classroom environment and need to manage many tasks simultaneously prepared Marianne for the challenge of being the director at CDL, a role that requires many hats.

At the CDL, HDFS Early Childhood Specializations (ECS) students receive mentoring and coaching in early childhood education.  Students who go through the ECS program in Storrs receive training by the teaching staff at the CDL, preparing them for work with children and families in their future careers.  Students from various UConn programs utilize the CDL for experiential learning opportunities.  Marianne and the CDL professional teaching staff welcome collaborations with Physical Therapy, Speech and Hearing, Psychology and other departments.  The CDL also employes student workers interested in working with young children.

As the CDL Director, Marianne hopes to establish a space on campus where all are welcomed and affirmed.  The goal is to support college students, children and families with high quality training, care, education and support.  Marianne utilizes trauma informed practices to provide a safe space and trusting relationships at the CDL.

Marianne and her family live, work and go to school in Storrs.  Marianne is a UConn alum, employee and parent.  She has held the roles of HDFS student with multiple placements at the CDL, CDL Master Teacher in multiple age groups, CDL parent, and most recently CDL Executive Director.

Shelby Borowski, Alumni Spotlight, February 2026

Posted on by

Headshot Shelby Borowski

Dr. Shelby Borowski graduated from UConn in 2014 with a double major in HDFS and Psychology. During her undergraduate studies, an HDFS Research Methods course first sparked her interest in research, leading her to seek out additional research opportunities in the department. She participated in research examining the quality of life among cancer survivors and completed an undergraduate research thesis in the HDFS honors program. She then continued her education at Virginia Tech, completing her MS in HDFS in 2016 and earning both her MPH in Health Education and PhD in HDFS in 2019. During her graduate studies, her research focused on quantitative methods and understanding how stressors impact health outcomes across different populations. She also gained hands-on experience in program evaluation through her work at the Virginia Tech Center for Public Health Practice and Research, collaborating with community partners across southwest Virginia to assess and improve public health programs. After graduate school, she built on this foundation in stress, health, and quantitative research by joining the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder at VA Boston Healthcare System as a data analyst and research associate. There, she led quantitative analyses and contributed to federally funded projects aimed at enhancing veteran mental health, well-being, and suicide prevention during the military-to-civilian transition, an often challenging period as veterans separate from military service and return to civilian life.

Currently, Shelby is a research scientist at Harvard Medical School in the Department of Health Care Policy. She has continued her research focusing on mental health and suicide prevention during the military-to-civilian transition. She also collaborates on projects evaluating interventions among active-duty military personnel. These projects use predictive analytics to identify those at greatest risk for suicide-related behaviors and evaluate targeted interventions to support service members during especially vulnerable periods of their service. In the future, she hopes to continue collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to further build and refine predictive risk identification tools and to evaluate practical, real-world suicide prevention strategies within military and VA settings. Her goal is to ensure that research findings translate into meaningful improvements in mental health care and suicide prevention efforts.

Outside of work, Shelby enjoys spending time with loved ones and her dog, reading, and being active. She also loves to travel and explore new places abroad.

Cora D’Alessandro, Faculty Spotlight, February 2026

Posted on by

Headshot Cora D'Alessandro

Cora’s career in early childhood development and education began at UConn more than 15 years ago and has continued to evolve through a commitment to reflection and growth. She began her college career as a music major at the Hartt School of Music but soon felt called toward a field that would allow her to make a broader impact. With a longstanding curiosity about early childhood development, she transitioned into the UConn HDFS program and completed her bachelor’s degree and the Early Childhood Specializations in 2010. This experience connected her with influential mentors who have continued to shape both her professional identity and her long-term commitment to the field.

Following graduation, Cora spent six years as a classroom teacher and six years as a center director of a high quality, Reggio-inspired program in New Haven County. These experiences grounded her in the belief that children learn best within respectful relationships that honor their curiosity, emotions, and unique developmental pace. While Cora loved working directly with children and families in this setting, she felt drawn to further explore the parent-child relationship. This interest led her back to UConn, where she completed her master’s degree in HDFS in 2018 while working full-time as a center director. During her graduate studies, she became a registered Circle of Security Facilitator, earned her Infant Mental Health Endorsement, and presented at the World Association of Infant Mental Health conference. She also discovered an enthusiasm for teaching undergraduates while serving as a teaching assistant, an experience that sparked her interest in higher education and led to her becoming an adjunct faculty member at UConn Stamford in 2019.

In 2022, Cora became faculty and Student Coordinator of the Early Childhood Specializations at UConn Stamford. In 2024, she transitioned to UConn Waterbury, where she is now actively building and strengthening Early Childhood Specializations. She is invested in preparing future early childhood professionals through hands-on learning and reflective practice. She is also focused on developing meaningful community partnerships with early childhood programs across the Greater Waterbury area, fostering reciprocal relationships that support both students and local programs.

Central to Cora’s work is an ongoing commitment to reflective teaching and professional growth. She continually refines her practice to stay current in the field. In addition to her university teaching, she provides regular professional development for current early childhood educators throughout Connecticut and serves as an early childhood consultant for several high-quality programs. These roles allow her to remain closely connected to classroom practice while supporting educators in strengthening their relationship-based practice. She is also a parent educator with Peace at Home Parenting Solutions and provides regular virtual workshops and private consultations to parents of young children across the country.

Cora sees her role as both an educator and mentor, striving to support students as they develop competence and a strong professional identity in the early childhood discipline, regardless of the career path they choose. She is passionate about uplifting the field, supporting families and educators, and advocating for universal childcare and play-based education.

Cora lives in Guilford, Connecticut, with her husband Brian, their sons Everett (4) and Warren (2), and their dog Ziggy. Outside of work, she enjoys playing flute with the American Chamber Orchestra, participating in group fitness classes, trying new restaurants, and spending time with family and friends.

Zakiya Johnson, Graduate Student Spotlight, February 2026

Posted on by

Headshot, Zakiya Johnson

Zakiya Johnson is a first-year PhD student specializing in Diversity and Culture and Child and Adolescent Development. Prior to coming to UConn, she graduated magna cum laude with her Bachelors of Science in Psychology and a minor in sociology from Iowa State University. While at Iowa State, Zakiya participated in multiple research labs and projects, studying a range of topics from children’s and adolescents’ identity development to long-term romantic relationships in older adulthood. As an undergraduate student, Zakiya presented her research on Black girls’ and adolescents’ ethnic-identity development and its association with mental health and self-esteem at the 2023 Society for Research on Child Development. After graduating from Iowa State, Zakiya spent time in Minneapolis, working in clinical research, where she studied risk factors for dementia in aging Black Americans and biotechnology for atrial fibrillation patients. She has also served as a volleyball coach, study abroad mentor, and spent three years working in childcare and as a nanny. She credits these experiences for shaping her interest in youth development, education, and programming.

At UConn, Zakiya works under the mentorship of Dr. Marketa Burnett as part of The Dream Collab. Their work uses qualitative methods to center the voices of Black girls and parents to envision various ways to best support Black girls’ thriving. Long term, Zakiya plans to use research as a tool to create programming and influence policy that creates a more equitable society for all children, with a special interest in Black girls and adolescents. She aspires to produce research that amplifies the voices of marginalized youth, creating accessible, representative research that reflects and supports the experiences of under-researched populations.

Outside of academia, Zakiya enjoys playing volleyball, traveling, reading, knitting, and spending time with her friends and family. She is passionate about community building and engagement and enjoys volunteering, mentoring, and hosting events whenever her time allows.

Críscila Ramos, Graduate Student Spotlight, February 2026

Posted on by

Headshot, Criscila Ramos

Críscila Ramos is a first-year PhD student in the Diversity and Culture specialization. Before joining UConn, she worked as an attorney in Brazil, earned her bachelor’s degree in Law from Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora in Brazil in 2021, including a period of study at the Università Degli Studi di Camerino in Italy. She also completed her interdisciplinary master’s degree from Universidade Federal Fluminense in Brazil in Legal and Social Sciences in 2023. During this time, Críscila set out to analyze the international migration and work experiences of Brazilian women who emigrated to the United States, mainly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout her participation at the Human Rights Reference Center of the Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (Governador Valadares campus) and her professional career, she also contributed to outreach and research activities through educational initiatives and legal counseling for vulnerable communities in Brazil.

At UConn, Críscila explores the intersection of migration, human development, and social justice, examining how public policies shape the quality of life, health, and overall well-being of immigrant populations. She is advised by Dr. Kevin Ferreira van Leer and currently works on the Elevating Equity project, investigating how structural factors, such as variation in social policy exclusions for Immigrants, and the strengths and resources of Immigrant communities, such as community characteristics, are associated with the well-being of Immigrant families in the United States. Críscila believes in the benefits of a community engagement research approach and intends to continue using this methodology in her research to better understand the challenges these families face, with the goal of proposing more effective interventions that promote their health and well-being.

Críscila was born in the city of Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and enjoys spending her free time with family and friends, visiting new places, and learning new languages. She is passionate about research and intends to apply her interdisciplinary experience to promote the well-being of marginalized communities.

Angel Reed publishes article in Personality and Individual Differences

Posted on by

Headshot, Angel ReedCongratulations to Angel Reed for publishing an article in the journal Personality and Individual Differences! More information available here:

Hall, B. T., Rebaldo, T., Geist, A., *Reed, A., & George, D. (2026). Flirting for me or flirting for we? The Dark and Light Triads as predictors of flirting motive. Personality and Individual Differences, 251, 113565. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2025.113565

HDFS faculty receive funding from Annie E. Casey Foundation

Posted on by
Headshot, Kevin Ferreira van Leer
Kevin Ferreira van Leer
Headshot, Caitlin Lombardi
Caitlin Lombardi

Kevin Ferreira van Leer (PI), Caitlin Lombardi (Co-PI) and Trinidad Tellez (Co-PI) received funding from the Annie E. Casey Foundation for their grant, “Support for Research on Youth and Parent Experiences in NH.” This grant supports a community-based participatory research project between researchers at UConn and Centro Latino de New Hampshire which aims to better understand the perceptions of well-being in the current sociopolitical climate by immigrant Latine parents and their children, including how they are experiencing the rapidly changing policy context and the resources they are turning to.