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People

Project Staff and Partners

Janis Whitlock, Ph.D., MPH is the Director of the Cornell Research Program on Self-Injurious Behaviors. Janis has worked extensively in the area of adolescent and women's health and possesses formal training in Public Health and Human Development. She is particularly interested in the social, cultural, and contextual factors which influence adolescent development and identity formation. She has published in the areas of adolescent connectedness to school and community and, more recently, in self-injurious behavior in adolescents and young adults.

Amanda Purington, B.S. is the Study Coordinator for all studies undertaken as part of the research program on self-injurious behaviors. Amanda is a graduate of Cornell University with a degree in Human Development. She also works as a research support specialist with the ACT for youth initiative. Amanda is interested in the ways in which collaborative community initiatives can be used to foster adolescent well-being.

John Eckenrode, Ph.D. is a project partner and co-PI on several of the studies currently underway. He is Professor of Human Development and Director of the Family Life Development Center. He is also Director of the National Data Archive of Child Abuse and Neglect. His research concerns child abuse and neglect, the effects of preventive interventions, and stress and coping processes and he has authored numerous books and articles in this and related areas.

Jane Powers, Ph.D. is a project partner. She has a special interest in the role the Internet plays in adolescent well being and mental health. Jane is longtime member of the research faculty in the Family Life Development Center and has worked on numerous projects related to adolescent risk and well being. Jane is also the Project Director for the New York state ACT for Youth initiative.

Undergraduate Students

Saskya Caicedo is a senior at Ithaca High School. Upon graduation she plans to attend college in Canada and then eventually move to California. She is interested in pursuing a career in psychology and is working on common misconceptions people have about self-injury.

 

Jackie Goodman is a sophomore at Cornell University, majoring in Human Development. She hopes to pursue a career that involves mental health and law. Jackie is currently researching various web interventions for self-injurers. She is also working on the movie coding project and helps in maintaining the self-injury database and literature collection.

Ericka Kilburn is a senior at Cornell, majoring in Human Development. Her concentration is in social and personality development and she is primarily interested in the fields of social work. In addition to her work on the movie coding project, Ericka is responsible for collecting self-injury literature and maintaining the self-injury database. She is also working on the development of the self-injury webpage.

Randi Pochtar is a sophomore at Cornell University, majoring in Human Development in the school of Human Ecology. She is interested in pursuing a career in clinical psychology and her primary interests are in child and adolescent mental health. Randi is currently working on the movie coding project, which hopes to illuminate media effects on the spread of self-injury. She also helps in maintaining the self-injury database and literature collection.

 

Miranda Sweet is a junior in the College of Human Ecology, majoring in Human Biology, Health, and Society. She is hoping to graduate in December 2008, then move to California to serve a term in Americorps. Miranda is ultimately interested in pursuing a career in women's health. She is currently researching the role of parent relationships on adolescent self-injury.

Laura Transue is a sophomore Cornell Film major and College Scholar. With the College Scholars Program, she is studying media influence on and portrayal of women’s issues and adolescent issues, specifically in mainstream popular and teen film.  She is interested in working to develop positive, supportive programming for teenage girls and marginalized women as well as working in British film and television.  Laura is currently working on the Youtube Project and the development of the self-injury webpage.

 

Tim Marchel, Director of Mental Health Policy Initiatives, Cornell University

Greg Eells, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services, Gannett Health Services, Cornell University

Nina Cummings, Health Educator, Gannett Health Services

Janet Corson-Rikert, Director of Gannett Health Services

Daniel Silverman, Director of Princeton University Health Services

Gina Baral, Coordinator of Health Promotion Services at Princeton University Health Services

Paul Barreira, Associate Professor of Psychiatry & Director of Behavioral Health and Academic Counseling Harvard University Health Services

Kerry Knox, Associate Professor, Community and Preventive Medicine, University of Rochester