Dr. Holub is an Associate Professor and Head of the Psychology Department at The University of Texas at Dallas. She earned her BS in experimental psychology at Millikin University (Decatur, IL) and her doctoral degree in developmental psychology at Bowling Green State University (Bowling Green, OH). Dr. Holub’s own experience as a first-generation student guide her mentoring efforts. Dr. Holub is active in her community and across the university. In 2015, she received the Aage Møller Teaching Award from the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences for her outstanding work in the classroom.

Dr. Holub’s research program seeks to understand and promote the physical and psychological health of young children. Her research is practical and recognizes the challenges parents face in the feeding domain. She has focused her research on how young children’s eating behaviors, body image, and weight biases develop and the role that parents, families, and other social agents play in this development. As the mother of two, she works hard to encourage healthy development in her own children, which includes love and respect for all bodies, regardless of size. 

Alyssa Gutierrez is a psychology PhD student and published poet. She holds a BS in psychology and writing from Texas Christian University, where she deepened her neuroscience expertise as a research assistant. In this role, she contributed to research on dyslexia-associated genes and their effects on auditory perception in rats. Alyssa is passionate about researching the development and treatment of eating disorders, particularly within Hispanic communities. Her advocacy for eating disorder recovery began at age 12 when she began writing for eating disorder clinics such as the Eating Disorder Recovery Center (ERC) and became a blog intern for the BALANCE Eating Disorder Treatment Center. She also created a website dedicated to raising awareness about eating disorders in Hispanic communities. In addition to her advocacy work, Alyssa has experience collaborating with mental health nonprofits across the U.S., writing articles on the importance of cultural awareness in eating disorder treatment, and working with psychiatrists and psychologists in Mexico City to explore the development of eating disorders in bi-cultural individuals. 

Anthony is a PhD student studying psychology. He earned his MS and BS in psychology and BS in child learning and development at UT Dallas. Anthony’s research interests include social cognition, epistemic development, and science learning. Before joining the Healthy Development Project, Anthony also worked in the Think Lab (UTD) with Dr. Candice Mills and the Cognition and Development Lab (Yale) with Drs. Kristi Lockhart and Frank Keil. He is passionate about open science, science communication, and supporting diversity at every step of the research process. You can learn more about him at AnthonyJMonroe.com

Donald is a psychology PhD student, social/personality concentration. His main research interest is exploring social, cultural, and personality influences on body image, eating behaviors, and weight bias. Prior to joining UT Dallas in Fall 2022, Donald earned a BS in psychology from Baylor University in Spring 2020 and an MA in psychological research from Texas State University in Spring 2022.

Jacob is a psychology PhD student, developmental concentration. He holds a BA in psychology from Baylor University. His main research interests are in the effect of parental language and attitudes about eating on the development of healthy eating behaviors and eating disorders in children. One day, Jacob hopes to develop intervention techniques that create meaningful, evidence-based change for children and families struggling from eating related issues.

Ashlyn is a junior studying psychology and child learning and development at UTD. They have been a member of the Healthy Development Project since spring of 2024. Ashlyn is interested in developing inclusive, accessible, and empirically based interventions for children struggling with disordered eating. She plans to graduate in the Fall of 2025 and pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology.

Harsha is a master’s student at UTD studying human development and early childhood disorders. She earned her BS in psychology here too. She joined the Healthy Development Lab in the Fall of 2024 and previously was a research assistant at the Integrative Laryngeal BioPhysiology Lab with Dr. Adrianna Shembel. Her research interests include child development, and after graduating, she plans to pursue a PhD in counseling psychology.

Mylea is an undergraduate psychology student at UTD and joined the Healthy Development Lab in Fall 2025. Her research interests include parent-child dynamics, self-perception and body image, and cross-cultural psychology. After completing her degree, she plans to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology and become a licensed clinical psychologist. Outside of academics, she enjoys adrenaline-seeking activities such as skydiving and zip-lining, and hopes to try bungee jumping next.

Neha is an undergraduate student majoring in healthcare studies at UTD and joined the Healthy Development Lab in Fall 2025. Her research interests focus on how environmental factors influence neurological development and contribute to emerging delays. After completing her degree, she plans to pursue medical school and become a physician. In her free time, she enjoys using emoticons more than emojis 🙂

Nina is an undergraduate neuroscience student at UTD and joined the Healthy Development Lab in Summer 2025. Her research interests focus on how parents influence children’s development and eating habits. After completing her degree, she plans to pursue a PhD in neuroscience and continue working in research. In her free time, she enjoys knitting and crocheting.

Phyllis is a pre-med student at UTD double majoring in psychology and child learning and development. She joined the Healthy Development Project in Spring 2024 due to her interest in child psychology and eating development. Outside of lab, Phyllis spends her time tutoring on campus, volunteering with children, and working as an EMT-B. 

Rhema is a master’s student in psychology at UTD and joined the Healthy Development Lab in Fall 2025. Her research interests include early childhood disorders and abnormal psychology. After completing her degree, she plans to pursue a career as a research manager. In her free time, she enjoys drawing and exploring new creative skills.

Rida is an undergraduate psychology student at UTD and joined the Healthy Development Lab in Summer 2025. Her research interests focus on cognition in child development, neurology, and cultural influences. After completing her degree, she plans to pursue postgraduate studies and continue working in the research field. Outside of academics, she has a growing interest in learning samurai sword wielding.

Srividya is a sophomore undergraduate student majoring in psychology and minoring in Spanish. She is currently on the pre-med track and plans to enter medical school to become a child and adolescent psychiatrist. Srividya joined the Healthy Development Project in the 2023 Summer semester, and her research interests include body image, cognitive biases, and cross-cultural psychology. She is passionate about mental health and enjoys reading and learning new languages in her free time.

Tanvi is pursuing a BS in biology and a minor in psychology at UTD. She joined the lab in Fall 2024 and is interested in research related to family mealtime behaviors and body image struggles. She hopes to continue her role in the Healthy Development Project and aspires to become a future doctor. Outside of academics, Tanvi loves reading fiction, going on long walks, and spending time with family.

Tory is an undergraduate student double majoring in child development and psychology at The University of Texas at Dallas. She joined the Healthy Development Project with Dr. Holub in September 2024. Her research interests include socioemotional development, parental influence on child development, and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Tory’s plan after completing her BS is to get an MS in human development and early childhood disorders at The University of Texas at Dallas, then get a PsyD in clinical psychology. Tory’s passions outside of psychology include horror movies, rock climbing, rugby, and playing guitar. 

Yousef is an undergraduate student majoring in child learning and development at UTD and joined the Healthy Development Lab in Fall 2025. His research interests include child development in relation to eating behaviors and self-regulation. After completing his degree, he plans to attend medical school and specialize in child psychiatry. In his free time, he enjoys cooking and sharing recipe videos on social media.

Zahra is an undergraduate student majoring in child learning and development at UTD and joined the Healthy Development Lab in Fall 2025. Her research interests include child temperament and behavior, influences on eating habits, and body image. After completing her degree, she plans to apply to medical school and begin her professional career. She also enjoys working with children and is currently tutoring four students, including three second graders and one fourth grader.

Marissa earned her master’s degree in applied psychology with a major core field in developmental psychology. She joined the lab in August 2023 after graduating from Texas Tech University, where she first developed her interest in psychology. Her research interests focus on child development, with an emphasis on health psychology, positive psychology, self-perception, and interpersonal relationships. She plans to pursue a PhD with the goal of becoming a private practice psychologist.

Melissa Heinrich earned her PhD in psychology from the University of Texas at Dallas, where she worked under the mentorship of Dr. Shayla Holub. She received her BA in psychology from The University of New Mexico in 2017. Her research focuses on how adolescent girls develop positive and negative body image and the influence mothers can have on their daughters’ perceptions. In her spare time, she enjoys taking dance classes and spending time with her bichon frise.