Meet the Researchers

Principal Investigators

Betty-Shannon Prevatt

An alumna of Meredith College, Assistant Professor of Psychology Betty-Shannon Prevatt has a Master’s degree in clinical psychology from East Carolina University and a Ph.D. in psychology from NC State University. Prevatt’s current research interests focus on developing evidence-based interventions for improving maternal mental health. She is particularly interested in examining the needs and experiences of mothers who belong to marginalized groups. Her research has been highlighted by NPR and cited in Vogue magazine.

Pamela Norcross

Assistant Professor of Child Development and Child Development Program Coordinator Pamela Norcross has an M.S. and Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies from UNC Greensboro. Her research interests include infant development, attachment behaviors, parent-child relationships, and social-emotional development. Norcross has presented and published extensively on these and other related topics.

Lab Members

Rayna maleki

Rayna is a double major in mathematics and psychology at Meredith College, expected to graduate in May 2023. As an undergraduate research assistant, Rayna enjoys assisting in data management as well as working with the team on improving the undergraduate research environment at Meredith. Her research interests include applying mathematics topics such as graph theory and mathematical modeling to diverse fields in psychology. Rayna is also interested in the quantification and visualization of social support networks. Her research has been accepted for presentation at the American Public Health Association (APHA) conference in Boston, MA. View Rayna’s CV.

PEYTON FRYE

Peyton recently graduated from NC State with a B.A. in Psychology and B.S. in Business Administration with an Information Science concentration and a Criminology minor. As the Project Coordinator for AIMSS, she provides assistance in the management and implementation of AIMSS and works to strengthen the research environment at Meredith College through the engagement of undergraduate students in collaborative research. Her research interests include investigating factors that contribute to unhealthy coping behaviors that precede maladaptive behavior and applying these findings to inform community-based interventions and public policy implications for the mental health of vulnerable populations. View Peyton’s CV.

alexandria (lexi) crank

Lexi is a Psychology major with minors in Biology and Chemistry at Meredith College, expected to graduate in 2024. She loves analyzing the connections and limitations in data, specifically how they relate to the biopsychosocial model of health. Her research interests include the mind-body problem, personal identity, and their relationships with holistic health. She is specifically interested in the health of under-represented populations, such as BIPOC, those with disabilities, and the LGBTQIA+ community. View Lexi’s resume.

Lab Alumni

joselyn marroquin aparicio

Joselyn recently graduated from Meredith College with a B.S. in Biology and Public Health with minors in psychology and chemistry. As a research assistant for the AIMSS study, she assists with literature searches and data organization while also completing her independent research. Her research interests include examining how maternal mental health symptoms impact mother and child health outcomes. Her research has been accepted for presentation at the International Congress of Infant Studies (ICIS) conference in Ottawa, Canada. Joselyn is passionate about women’s reproductive health and hopes to attend medical school.