OUR LAB
Lab Director
Dr. Kirsty A. Clark (she/her/hers) is a social and psychiatric epidemiologist. She serves as an Assistant Professor of Medicine, Health, and Society and Public Policy Studies at Vanderbilt University and as Associate Director of the Vanderbilt LGBTQ+ Policy Lab. Dr. Clark’s program of research focuses on examining mental health disparities, especially suicide, disproportionately impacting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) populations and developing evidence-based interventions to disrupt the course of such disparities. She has published more than 60 peer-reviewed papers focused on LGBTQ+ mental health. Dr. Clark is the PI of a NIMH K01 award which aims to use novel real-time assessment methods to capture associations between stigma-related stressors and suicidal ideation among LGBTQ+ adolescents in the US Southeast. At Vanderbilt University, she teaches LGBTQ+ Health Disparities in the Department of Medicine, Health, and Society.
Clinical Director
Dr. Melissa Cyperski (she/her/hers) is a licensed clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor with the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Dr. Cyperski provides mental health services in an outpatient care setting. She also works as an educator and supervisor, training students and community partners in trauma-informed, affirmative mental health practices. She is passionate about improving access to quality care for diverse populations. Dr. Cyperski considers it an honor to serve and advocate for LGBTQ+ children, adolescents, young adults, and their families. She is the Clinical Director for the lab, collaborating with the team around procedures and protocols that support discovery and implementation of research in a sensitive manner. We value your safety, privacy, and wellbeing.
Postgraduate Research Associate
Kaitlyn Phillips (she/they) is a full-time study coordinator for the Clark Lab. She recently graduated from the Vanderbilt University master’s program in Community Development and Action. Before that, she graduated from the University of South Carolina in May 2022 with her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Counselor Education. At the University of South Carolina, Kaitlyn served as a research assistant in a lab examining individual, interpersonal, and structural factors impacting the health experiences of different communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a CDA student, her research goals are community-oriented and emphasize the role of structural stressors on community wellbeing and functioning. She is interested in the role of comprehensive sexual education as a preventative intervention against perpetration and victimization of gender-based violence. Outside of the lab, Kaitlyn enjoys cooking, painting, traveling, and going to concerts.
Graduate Students
Alexandros (Alex) Nikolaidis Konstas (he/him/his) is a second-year master’s student in the Quantitative Methods program. He graduated from Davidson College in May 2022 with a Bachelor of Science (Magna Cum Laude, Honors in Psychology) and double majored in Psychology and Studio Art. During his undergraduate studies, Alex worked on multiple research projects that primarily revolved around identity and online phenomena, presented at conferences, and worked on a publication as an equal first author. He is broadly interested in research on identity, social perception, and inclusivity. In his free time, Alex enjoys visiting art museums, drawing, and spending time with friends.
Emma Headley (they/them) is a first-year master’s student in the Quantitative Methods program. They earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2021. Prior to this position, they worked in a psychosis-risk research lab at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center as a Research Coordinator. They also worked as a Research Assistant in a sleep lab focusing on the impact of sleep and inflammation, particularly in people with HIV at the University of Pittsburgh. Emma plans to one day pursue a career in psychometrics. Outside of the lab, Emma enjoys reading, exploring new parks, and spending time with their cat, Cordelia.
Lucy Gruber (she/her/hers) is a first-year master’s student in the Human Development Counseling program on the Clinical Mental Health Counseling track. She graduated from Rice University in 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology. During her time as an undergraduate, Lucy worked as a research assistant and lab manager in an industrial-organizational psychology lab examining diversity and discrimination. She is particularly interested in understanding how trauma impacts LGBTQ+ populations and what mental health professionals can do to best support the community. In her free time, Lucy enjoys going to concerts, reading, and crafting.
Nikita Rohila (2023-2024) | Currently: Research Assistant for Gilbert Gonzales, PhD, MHA
Elisa Park, B.A. (2021-2024) | Currently: Social and Behavioral Sciences Ph.D. Student at Yale University
Emma Walker, M.Ed. (2023-2024) | Currently: Senior Research Program Coordinator at Johns Hopkins University
Ingrid Shragge, B.A. (2023-2024) | Currently: Multisensory Research Lab at Vanderbilt Kennedy Center
Alex Argiros, M.Ed. (2021-2023) | Currently: Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Student at McGill University
Joseph Sexton, B.S. (2022-2023) | Currently: Vanderbilt Michael B. Keegan Traveling Fellow
Danait Issac, B.A. (2022-2023) | Currently: Vanderbilt University Graduate
Rachel Marlowe, M.Ed. (2021-2022) | Currently: Clinical Translational Research Coordinator at Vanderbilt University Medical Center