Our Team

Katalin Szántó, MD

Principal Investigator

The goal motivating my work is to prevent death by suicide. I have extensive experience treating suicidal patients and their families. My research experience includes conducting a psychological autopsy study, a suicide prevention program in primary care, extensive experience in interviewing practitioners who have lost patients by suicide, and conducting a long-term follow-up study on risk and protective factors for late-life suicide. My current research focuses on decision processes in late-life suicide, including a behavioral economics based formulation of suicidal behavior.

Email Google Scholar

Hanga Galfalvy, PhD

Co-Investigator

Dr. Hanga Galfalvy has a Ph.D. in Statistics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After postdoctoral experience in the area of machine learning research, she started work in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute, where she is currently an Associate Professor of Clinical Biostatistics (in Psychiatry) with joint appointment in the Department of Biostatistics. She was the recipient of an NIMH K25 award for the study of statistical methodology for predicting suicide attempts, and has since collaborated locally, nationally and internationally on many observational and treatment studies of suicidal behavior, as well as other psychiatric illnesses, resulting in over 200 peer-reviewed publications. Her methodological interests include longitudinal data analysis, building predictive models for suicide and suicide attempts, and psychiatric genetics. She is also an experienced mentor for master-level biostatisticians and post-doctoral and junior faculty.

PubMed

Swathi Gujral, PhD

Co-Investigator

Dr. Gujral earned her PhD in clinical and biological health psychology from the University of Pittsburgh after completing a clinical psychology internship at the University of Maryland Medical Center/VA Maryland Healthcare System in Baltimore. She then undertook postdoctoral training through the US Department of Veterans Affairs VA VISN 4 MIRECC Advanced Fellowship in Mental Illness Research and Treatment fellowship program under the mentorship of Meryl Butters, PhD. Dr. Gujral has specialty training in geriatric neuropsychology and behavioral medicine, and her clinical and research work focus on assessing and treating cognitive dysfunction and depression in older adults.

PubMed

Sarah Stahl, PhD

Co-Investigator

Sarah Stahl is Co-Investigator of the PROTECT supplement and the Primary Investigator of the WELL study. She is a health psychologist and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh. Her research program focuses on understanding how changes in the "daily rhythms" of routine health behaviors in the wake of stressful life events common in later life, including spousal bereavement and dementia caregiving. Her goal is to identify risk factors for rhythm disruptions, and to develop and test interventions to help older adults to stabilize daily patterns of activities and thereby avoid common complications of major life stressors (e.g., decrements in health and well-being; increased depression). In addition to her research program, she is actively engaged in research mentorship and is an Adjunct Teaching Instructor for Pitt's Gerontology Certificate Program.

PubMed

Staff

Emma O'Brien, BA

Clinical Research Coordinator

Emma is Dr. Szanto’s Clinical Research Coordinator in the Longitudinal Research Program in Late Life Suicide. As a senior clinician, she manages participant screening, recruitment, scheduling, clinical assessment administration and training, undergraduate student managing, data entry, patient summary writing and presentation, manuscript submission, and NIH compliance. Emma holds a B.A. in Psychology and French from Earlham College, with College Honors and French Departmental Honors. Emma plans to pursue a Clinical Psychology PhD program in fall 2024. Her broad research goals are to investigate psychopathology, mental states, and resilience in order to bring adults wellness in life. She dreams of one day being a P.I. and running her own lab specializing in Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) research. Emma is originally from Minnesota and outside of research, she loves to run, travel, try new cooking and baking recipes, and spend time with friends. Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Email CV LinkedIn

Alexandra Khani, BS

Research Specialist

I am a research specialist within the Longitudinal Research Program in Late-Life Suicide, and my responsibilities include screening and recruitment, cleaning data, and conducting clinical assessments. After recently graduating from the University of Pittsburgh, I obtained a B.S. in Psychology, a B.A. in Sociology, minors in Spanish and Persian, and a certificate in Latin American studies. I appreciate working with the geriatric population and am interested in trauma's psychopathological and biological effects. I intend to conduct my own research in the future while providing therapy as a mental health professional. Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Email LinkedIn

Geixi Medina

Research Specialist

Hi! My name is Geixi (hay-zee) and I am a research specialist at the Longitudinal Research Program in Late-Life Suicide Study. As a psychology student, I became interested in research very early on. My interests lie in depression and other mental health disorders, so this lab seemed like a perfect fit. I enjoy the clinical aspect of psychology and hope to broaden my knowledge while working in the lab. I graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2023 with a bachelor’s in Psychology and plan to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology in the future.
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Michelle Perry, BA, BS

Medical Student Research Assistant

Michelle has a Bachelor's Degree from Penn State in Philosophy and from the University of Pittsburgh in Natural Sciences. She served as the lab's Research Coordinator for five years until she began attending the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in the Fall of 2021. During her time in the lab, Michelle co-first authored a paper entitled "A lifetime of challenges: Real-life decision outcomes in early-and late-onset suicide attempters" (Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 2021). Her clinical and research interests include suicide prevention and depression treatment in geriatric populations, and improved delivery of psychiatric care in the community setting. Michelle was awarded to be an AAGP 2023 scholar.

Emilee Croswell, BA

Research Coordinator

Emilee Croswell is a Research Coordinator for the Longitudinal Research Program in Late-Life Suicide Study. Emilee assists Dr. Szanto manage various research studies and workflow at the lab. Her career also includes coordination of Dr. Sarah Stahl’s studies since 2020, helping to facilitate several studies at the Center for Research on Healthcare at University of Pittsburgh focusing on disparities in kidney transplantation and assistance on studies of various topics conducted at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System. In her spare time, Emilee likes to sew, cook, play acoustic music, and visit parks with her toddler and husband.

Ashlie Gariepy, BS

Research Project Assistant

I am the Research Project Assistant within Dr. Szanto’s Longitudinal Research Program in Late-Life Suicide. As a senior clinician, I manage and collaborate with the team on participant screening, recruitment and referral, and scheduling. I conduct clinical interviews, administer psychological and neuropsychological assessments, summarize and represent participant outcomes, and train new lab members on this. I hold a B.S. in Psychology and Community and Justice Studies from Allegheny College, and am currently working toward a Master’s in Counseling Psychology at Chatham University. One day, I plan to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology and dream of being a P.I. in my own interventional research program to combine two of my favorite things: research and patient success! Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Email LinkedIn

Beth Campbell, BA

Data Coordinator & Analyst

I am the Data Coordinator & Analyst for the Longitudinal Research Program in Late-Life Suicide. I completed my undergraduate degree from Smith College in January of 2022 where I majored in psychology and gained research experience in developmental psychology. My research interests involve the intersection of inner experience, social cognition, and moral decision-making. I plan to eventually pursue a Ph.D. in social psychology.
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Email CV

Meghan Wong, MS

Data Coordinator & Analyst

Meghan is currently a data coordinator & analyst for the Longitudinal Research Program in Late-Life Suicide. Meghan graduated with a B.S. in Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior from the University of California, Davis and received an M.S. in Clinical Psychology from California Lutheran University. Broadly speaking, Meghan’s research interests revolve around identifying adolescent risk factors for self-harm and suicidal behaviors in order to establish effective prevention and intervention strategies. Before relocating to Pittsburgh, Meghan lived in Illinois, Hong Kong, and California and spent time working with neurodivergent children and teens. Pronouns: She/They

Email LinkedIn

Laura Kenneally, BA

Graduate Student Research Consultant

Laura Kenneally, M.S. is a doctoral student in the Virginia Consortium Program for Clinical Psychology in Norfolk, VA. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University at Albany, State University of NY, where she researched intersecting biological and community risk factors for externalizing behavior in children. Her interest in more clinical research prompted her to join the Longitudinal Research Program for Suicide in Late-Life full time as a Research Specialist after graduation, eventually moving into a position as Research Coordinator. This experience offered opportunities for immeasurable gains in both clinical and research domains, spanning suicide risk assessment, diagnostic clinical interviewing, successful R01 grant submission exposure and detailed discussions of research methodology. During her tenure, Laura wrote one first author manuscript on the familial and social transmission of suicidal behavior and co-authored one manuscript on the prospective predictors of suicidal behavior in late-life. These experiences helped shape her current clinical and research interest in the role of personality pathology and emotion regulation in interpersonal functioning, particularly within couples and families.

Student Staff

Suzi Huang

Student Research Assistant

Hello! My name is Suzi, and I am a Junior studying Biological Sciences and Psychology. I became a research assistant at the Longitudinal Research Program in Late-Life Suicide during the summer of 2023. My passion lies in supporting individuals who struggle with mental health disorders that are frequently underestimated and overlooked. I value one-to-one interactions and establishing connections with others, which was what drew me into the field of psychology and medicine. Additionally, I am interested in exploring how social environments contribute to mental development and influence decision-making, behaviors, and thought processes. So to achieve my aspirations and future goals, I hope to attend medical school and pursue a career in psychiatry.

Camille Scordis

Student Research Assistant

Hello, my name is Camille Scordis and I am an undergraduate research assistant at the Longitudinal Research Program in Late-Life Suicide. After completing my degree in History and Philosophy of Science in 2025, I plan to attend medical school to become a psychiatrist that works with military personnel and veterans. Part of the reason why I decided to join this lab was because it focuses on mental health surrounding older individuals, something that aligns well with my interest in mental health support in the military.

Former Staff

Cortnee Williams, RN:

Kathrine Whitman, BA:

Yama Chang, MA:

Lizzie Schumacher, MBA:

Morgan Buerke, BS:

Gosia Fryc, BS:

Kexin Chen, MPH:

Emily Rose Reagan, BA:

Jiazhou Chen, BS, BA:

Ashley Lee, BS:

Thandi Lyew, BA:

Swathi Gujral, PhD:

Akira Wang, MPH:

Jaspreet Singh, BS:

Maria Alessi, BS:

Josh Feldmiller, MPH:

Jonathan Wilson, BS:

Erika Olsen, BS:

Modhurima Moitra, MPH:

Cori L. Shollenberger, MD:

Melissa Milbert, NCC, LPC:

Natalie Truty, CFP®:

Amanda Collier, BS: