Pediatric Obesity and Health Behavior Lab Members
Katherine (Katie) E. Spring, Ph.D.
Pediatric Obesity and Health Behavior Affiliated Team Members
Amanda E. Staiano, Ph.D., M.P.P.
Associate Professor, Population & Public Health Sciences
Director, Pediatric Obesity & Health Behavior Laboratory
Pennington Biomedical Research Center
6400 Perkins Road | Baton Rouge, LA 70808 USA
Video Overview of Implementation Science and Child Obesity
2007 | Louisiana State University | Bachelor of Science | Psychology
2009 | Georgetown University | McCourt School of Public Policy | Master of Public Policy
2010 | Georgetown University | Doctor of Philosophy | Developmental Psychology
2017 | Tulane University | Master of Science | Clinical Research
Dr. Amanda Staiano is a faculty member and Director of the Pediatric Obesity & Health Behavior Laboratory at Pennington Biomedical Research Center. She also holds an adjunct appointment in LSU's Department of Psychology. Dr. Staiano earned her PhD in developmental psychology and master of public policy at Georgetown University, followed by a master of science in clinical research at Tulane University. Her primary interest is developing and testing family-based healthy lifestyle interventions that utilize innovative technology to decrease pediatric obesity and its comorbidities. Her research has involved over 1500 children and adolescents, including randomized controlled trials and prospective cohorts, to examine the influence of physical activity and sedentary behavior on body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors.
Due to Dr. Staiano's specific interest in using technology to promote physical activity and healthy behaviors, she was recently PI of the GameSquad study, a randomized controlled trial that tested the efficacy of a 6-month physical activity program for children’s weight management delivered via exergaming, wireless activity monitoring, and telehealth counseling, funded by the American Heart Association (AHA 15GRNT24480070). Her other current trials utilize technology for behavior change, including developing and testing a mobile app for parents of preschoolers to increase children’s physical activity and improve self-regulation skills (NIH R21HD095035) and the use of telehealth counseling in a primary care-based pragmatic trial of children with obesity (PCORI PCS-2017C2-7542 and CDC U18DP006425 Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration/ CORD 3.0).
Her previous studies include two large epidemiological studies of children’s physical activity: an NIMHD-funded study of 175 preschool-aged children in daycare centers (U54MD008602-P02UAB) and a USDA-funded study of 342 adolescents 10 to 16 years of age, including 41% ethnic minority and 50% with overweight or obesity (USDA 3092-51000-056-04A). Dr. Staiano's research studies employ a variety of innovative behavioral tools including exergaming, mobile apps, and telehealth counseling, coupled with study designs that utilize dietary recall, remote data collection and intervention delivery, physical activity assessment via accelerometry and heart rate monitors, observational behavioral analysis of activity, the development and implementation of age-specific exercise protocols, and other behavioral and psychological assessments.
Drawing from her public policy training, Dr. Staiano participates in scientific advocacy at the national, state, and local level.
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Katherine (Katie) E. Spring, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Researcher
2015 | Holmes Community College | Associate of Arts | Pre-Physical Therapy
2017 | Mississippi State University | Bachelor of Science | Kinesiology | Clinical Exercise Physiology
2019 | Mississippi State University | Master of Science | Kinesiology | Exercise Physiology
2023 | Auburn University | Doctor of Philosophy | Kinesiology | Pediatric Obesity and Exercise Behavior
Katie joined the lab as a postdoctoral research fellow Summer 2023. After attending Holmes Community College to play tennis and obtain her Associate of Arts degree, she then went on to receive her bachelor's and master's degrees in Kinesiology from Mississippi State University. In the Fall of 2019, she began her doctorate work at Auburn University. Her research primarily focuses on the effects of physical activity and play on young children's physical, behavioral, and learning outcomes. She is especially interested in school-based approaches that incorporate movement into learning objectives.
Mónica Suárez Reyes, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Researcher
2007 | University of Santiago, Chile | Bachelor of Science | Physical Activity and Health
2013 | University of Chile, Chile | Master of Science | Nutrition and Health Promotion
2019 | Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium | PhD in Public Health Sciences
Mónica is a postdoctoral fellow and joined the lab in June 2023. Her career has been focused on studying the relationship between physical activity, health, and lifestyles habit. She obtained a Bachelor’s in Physical Activity Sciences and then completed a Master's degree in Nutrition and Health Promotion in Chile. Later on, she followed a Ph.D. training in Public Health at the Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium.
Natalie Malek
Lab Manager
Natalie is the Lab Manager and manages multiple clinical trials, including the design and implementation of operations, utilization of data entry systems, and financial tracking. Natalie supervises clinical team members to ensure participant safety and compliance with GCP and research study protocols. She also serves as the central hub for trial communications within the team and the study sponsor, investigators, and collaborators.
Angelle Graham Ullmer, RDN
Manager - Pediatric Nutrition
Angelle is the Master Health Coach for the Louisiana clinics participating in the PCORI Pediatric Obesity Project called TEAM UP. She is certified in Family Based Behavioral Treatment for the treatment of child obesity. After graduating Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics, Angelle began working in the outpatient clinic at Pennington Biomedical as a study coordinator. She went back to school to become a Registered Dietitian and completed a Master in Science Health and Human Performance at McNeese. She returned to PBRC as a health coach for the PROPEL Study in New Orleans and currently works with the TEAM UP study.
Lauren Himel Cherry, MS, CHES
Project Manager
2018 | Southeastern Louisiana University | Bachelor of Science | Kinesiology and Health Education and Promotion
2021 | Southeastern Louisiana University| Master of Health and Kinesiology
Lauren Himel is a project manager who joined the lab in Summer 2021. She received a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Health Education and Promotion from Southeastern Louisiana University. She worked as a health coach for a year before going back to school to receive her Master of Science in Health and Kinesiology with a concentration in Health Studies. During graduate school, Lauren worked with professors who research related to health promotion and education for various population groups. She also did an internship with the health center on campus to provide health education to the student body on campus. Lauren is currently a Certified Health Education Specialist.
Lena Marcus, MS
Research Specialist II
2013 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | Bachelor of Science |
Kinesiology | Exercise Science
2016 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | Master of Science |
Kinesiology | Exercise and Sport Science
Lena joined the Pediatric Obesity and Health Behavior Lab as a
Research Specialist II in June 2024. She is a Florida native who
moved to Louisiana in 2007. Her research experience started in the Exercise Physiology and Metabolism Lab at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette where she earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in Kinesiology. Lena's research interests primarily in exercise physiology and metabolism. She has served as the primary investigator for multiple nutritional supplement and performance studies. In 2020, she enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she earned Doctor of Philosophy credits in Exercise Physiology. While at UNCC, her studies focused on investigating bone mineral density in college-aged dancers and pediatric physical activity guidelines. Lena is very passionate about clinical research, and very excited to be a part of the POHB Lab at Pennington.
Kaitlyn Corkern
Research Specialist I
2021 | Louisiana State University | Bachelor of Arts | Sociology
Kaitlyn Corkern is a Research Specialist for the Pediatric Obesity and Health Behavior Lab. She is a Baton Rouge native and began working for Pennington in April of 2023. Kaitlyn holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Louisiana State University with a minor in Leadership and Human Resource Management and Political Science. She comes from a research administration background, and her primary interests are ways to help underprivileged communities make sustainable changes towards a healthy diet and exercise in their day to day lives.
Ethan Abbenante, BS
Research Specialist I
2024 | Louisiana State University | Bachelor of Science
Ethan Abbenante is a Research Specialist in the Pediatric Obesity Health and Behavior Lab. He joined the team in 2022 and currently assists on the TEAM UP and Greaux Healthy research studies. He completed a Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology at LSU and intends to apply to medical school.
Rebecca Hill
Administrative Coordinator
Rebecca Hill is the administrative coordinator for the Pediatric
Obesity and Health Behavior Lab, where she recently joined in July
of 2024. She comes from an administrative and accounting background and is excited to put her extensive skill set to use within this lab and organization that has made an incredible impact on the local community, as well as communities around the world.
Peyton Murray, MA
Data Manager
2015 | Louisiana Tech University | Bachelor of Science | Family and Child Studies
2017 | Louisiana Tech University | Master of Arts | Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Peyton Murray is the data manager for the lab working on the RYSE and GamerFit studies. She has been working in research since 2014 starting out as an undergraduate Research Assistant at Louisiana Tech University. Her experience in research includes project management, regulatory coordination, and data management. While her research focus has been pediatric obesity, she’s also worked on projects focusing on breast cancer, COVID-19, early literacy, & classroom management.
Affiliated Team Members
Renee Underwood, PhD, CHES
Dr. Underwood earned her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from Southeastern Louisiana University in 2008 and 2011. She has 10 years of field experience working in Health Education and Promotion and Public Health. Much of her work experience was with the Office of Public Health where she managed a variety of CDC funded grants and grant activities focused on chronic disease prevention and health promotion. Dr. Underwood earned a PhD in Behavioral and Community Health Sciences from LSU Health Sciences Center, School of Public Health in New Orleans in 2021. She works full time as an Assistant Professor of Health Sciences at Southeastern Louisiana University, where she teaches Program Planning and Evaluation to undergrad and grad students in the Kinesiology and Health Studies department. Dr. Underwood joined the Pediatric Obesit and Health Behavior laboratory in June 2024 as a consultant and enjoys working with the team on grant reporting, manuscript development, mentorship of team members, and evaluation planning.
Ricky Brock, RN
Ricky is a graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology, following with an RN Diploma from the Baton Rouge General School of Nursing. He trained in Emergency Medicine and Intensive Care working at a large, local medical center, and then as a travel nurse in hospitals across the U.S. for a couple of years. From his start at Pennington Biomedical as a Nurse Coordinator, he has moved into several diverse roles helping set up and manage the Inpatient Metabolic Unit at Pennington and managing the Clinical Trials Outpatient Unit for over 8 years. Also, during this time he managed several larger, multi-center trials helping to establish a Coordinating Center at Pennington Biomedical along with a network of physicians and clinical sites across Louisiana, and helped create a private company to expand the Coordinating Center capabilities for Pennington. After working as a Senior Research Associate with a group of research consultants based in New Orleans for a few years, he returned to Pennington Biomedical in 2011 as Director of Medical Services, working as the Project Director for Heads Up, a large, multicenter behavioral and bariatric surgery program for state employees. He is managing the Data Coordinating Center and clinical operations for the TEAM UP study.
Students
Alexis Bourgeois
Undergraduate Student Worker, 2024-present
Louisiana State Univeristy | Bachelor of Science
Alexis Bourgeois is a student worker in the Pediatric Obesity Health and Behavior Lab. She joined the team in October 2024 and currently assists on different studies by collecting data and conducting literature searches. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Pre-Med Biochemistry.
Postdoctoral Fellows Alumni
Alyssa Button, PhD
Postdoc Fellow (Dr. Staiano was Primary Mentor), 2022-2024
Currently Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrcis, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU
Chelsea Kracht, PhD
Postdoc Fellow (Dr. Staiano was Primary Mentor), 2018-2021
NICHD K99 Recipient
Currently Assistant Professor in the Division of Physical Activity & Weight Management, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center
Maura Kepper, PhD
Postdoc Fellow (Dr. Staiano was Co-Mentor), 2016-2019
Currently Assistant Professor- Tenure Track, Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis
Staff Alumni
Sophia Ramirez, MS
Research Specialist II, 2023-2024
Currently Lab Manager for the Body Composition Lab at Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Nicholas Bennett, MS
Research Specialist I, 2023-2024
Lindsay Hall, MA
Data Manager, 2018-2023; previously in Dr. Corby Martin's Lab, 2010-2018
Currently REDCap Administrator at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Sydney Vidrine, MPH
Research Specialist II, 2021-2023
Ken Singletary, MHS, CCRA, CCRC
TEAM UP Regulatory Research Specialist, 2018-21
Director of Ninja Warrior Program at Athletes in Motion (AIM)
Jill Hancock, MPH
TEAM UP Research Specialist, 2020-21
Currently Clinical Research Coordinator II at University of Alabama at Birmingham
Megan Herold
TEAM UP Research Specialist, 2018-21
Megan Lee
TEAM UP Research Specialist, 2020-21
Arwen Marker, PhD
Project Manager, 2012-15
PhD, Clinical Psychology, 2020, University of Kansas
Completed Postdoctoral Fellowship in Pediatric Psychology at Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah
Currently Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Department of Pediatric Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, University of Utah School of Medicine
Erika Rodriguez-Guzman
TEAM UP Research Specialist, 2018
Clinical Research Coordinator II, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Graduate Alumni
Gabrielle Gonzales, MPH, BS
Graduate Student Intern, 2020-2021
MPH, 2021, Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Louisiana State University Health Sciences
BS, 2019, Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University
Current PhD candidate in Community Health Sciences, Louisiana State University Health Sciences
Caroline Barbaree, MBA, BS
Policy Intern, 2016-17
MBA, 2017, Flores MBA Program, Louisiana State University
BS, 2015, Business, E. J. Ourso College of Business, Louisiana State University
Current Client Associate at Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
Lanell Kent-Craig, PhD, MSN, RN
Research Trainee, 2019
PhD, Nursing, Southern University Current Assistant Professor at Southern University School of Nursing
Nicole Dominique, MD, MPH, BS, BA
Medical Student Trainee, 2018
BS, 2017, Microbiology, Louisiana State University
BA, 2017, English Literature, Louisiana State University
MD, MPH, 2021, Louisiana State
University Health Sciences Center- New Orleans
Albert Schweitzer Fellowship Recipient
Won 2nd place at annual LSUHSC Medical Student Research Day for Project Power Current Pediatric Resident at Stanford Medicine
Neelima Gonugunta, MBBS
Research Trainee, 2014 Current Clinical Research Assistant at Eye Associates of Northeast Louisiana
Noelle Hadley, MPH, BS
Research Trainee, 2015
MPH, Biostatistics, Tulane University
Current Biostatician Manager at BRIGHT Research, Minnesota
Amber Jarrell, MD, BS
Medical Student Trainee, 2016-17
BS, 2012, Biology, Southern University and A&M College
MD, 2019, LSU Health Sciences Center - New Orleans
Won 3rd place at the annual LSUHSC Medical Student Research Day for Our Lifestyles Our Lives
Co-authored manuscript (Staiano et al., Childhood Obesity 2017;13:4)
Current Board Certified Pediatrician at Pediatric Center, LLC in Texas
Erica Joseph, PhD, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, NP-C
Research Trainee, 2018
PhD, Doctor of Philsophy, Nursing, 2020
DNP, 2015, Southern University & A&M College
Post-Masters, 2012, Southeastern Louisiana University
MSN, 2008, Southern University & A&M College
BSN, 1999, Southern University & A&M College
Current Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner at Southeast Louisiana Veterans Healthcare System
Michelle Liu, BS, BA
Research Assistant, 2015
BS, 2013, Neuroscience, Tulane University
BA, 2013, Anthropology, Tulane University
Currently an MD candidate (2018), Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
Madeline Morrell, MPH, BS
Graduate Trainee, 2015
MPH, 2015, Epidemiology, Tulane University
Formerly a Data Management Specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Currently a Health Informatics Epidemiologist with the State of Tennessee Department of Health's Outbreak and Chronic Disease Division
Jessica Seay, BS
Graduate Trainee, 2019
MD/MPH (Candidate), 2021, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
Amanda Weathers-Meyer, MS
Graduate Trainee, 2017-19
Currently pursuing a PhD in Kinesiology and MEd in Counseling, Louisiana State University
Undergraduate Alumni
Lucia O-Byrne, BS
Undergraduate Student Worker, 2024
BS, 2024, Biological Sciences, Minor in Psychology, Louisiana State University
Hannah Abney, BS
Undergraduate Trainee, 2014
BS, 2017, Pre-Dental and Biology, Minor in Psychology, Louisiana State University
Maggie Bain Brill, BS
Undergraduate Trainee, 2014
BS, 2016, Kinesiology, Louisiana State University
Currently Director of Student Development at Fusion Academy & Learning Center in Houston, TX
James Burns Jr, BS
Undergraduate Trainee, 2017
BS Candidate (2017), Kinesiology / Fitness Studies, Louisiana State University
Gabriella “Gabbi” Chauvin, BS
Undergraduate Trainee, 2017
BS, 2021, Nursing and Allied Health Professionals, University of Louisiana, Lafayette
Alexandra DeWitt, BS, PharmD
Graduate Trainee 2017
Doctor of Pharmacy, 2020, University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy
BS, 2016, Biology, Louisiana State University
Beatriz Fernando-Coelho, BS
Undergraduate Trainee, 2018-19
Pursuing MPA (2024), LSU Health Sciences Center BS, 2021, Kinesiology and Exercise Science, Louisiana State University
Johannah Frelier, BS
Research Assistant, 2014-2015
BS, 2014, Psychology, Louisiana State University
MPH, 2017, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Research Assistant at Harvard School of Public Health with Dr. Sara Bleich (2017-2019)
Currently Louisiana Farm to School Manager at LSU AgCenter
Alexandra Gillio, BS
Undergraduate Trainee, 2014
BS, 2015, Kinesiology, Louisiana State University
Caroline Goodner, BS, MD
Undergraduate Trainee, 2016
BS, University of Texas
MD, 2021, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine
Hayden Guidry, MD, MPH
Undergraduate Trainee, 2017
BS, 2020, Biology, Louisiana State University
Currently second year MD/MPH student at LSUHSC New Orleans
Hannah Haddad, BS, DO
Undergraduate Trainee, 2016-
BS, 2018, Pre-Medical, Nutrition and Food Sciences Minors in Health Sciences and Sociology, Louisiana State University
Ogden Honors College DO, 2023, Kansas City University Currently a first year resident at LSU Health New Orleans
Ellery Hayden, BS, MD
Research Assistant, 2015
BS, 2018, Rhodes College
MD, 2022, LSU School of Medicine New Orleans
LSUHSC Medical School student, 2018-22
Alex Henderson
Undergraduate Trainee, 2017
BS Candidate (2018), Microbiology, Louisiana State University
Cullen Hodges, BS
Student Worker, 2014-2015
BS, 2017, Pre-Med, Biology, Louisiana State University Current graduate student, Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University
Elizabeth Joseph, BS, PhD
Undergraduate Trainee, 2017-19
Ogden Honors College Graduate
Recipient of the LSU Undergraduate Distinguished Researcher Medal
First authored manuscript (Joseph et al., Global Pediatric Health 2019)
Co-authored manuscript (Kracht, Joseph, & Staiano, Current Obesity Reports, 2020;9(1))
Presented at the Society of Behavioral Medicine conference, 2018 (Ann Beh Med 2018;25(Suppl 1):S304)
PhD, 2023, Experimental Psychology, Texas Christian University Currently a visiting professor at University of North Texas
Amelie Kramer, BS, MA
Undergraduate Student Worker, 2016-19
BS, 2019, Child and Family Studies, Louisiana State University MA, 2021, Higher Education Administration, Louisiana State University
Molly Mallory, MHA
Undergraduate Trainee, 2016
BS, 2017, Psychology, Minor in Kinesiology, Louisiana State University
MHA, 2021, Tulane's School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
Currently Senior Project Manager at Children's Hospital New Orleans
Annie McLemore, BS
Undergraduate Trainee, 2016
BS, 2016, Nutrition & Food Sciences: Dietetics, Louisiana State University
Currently a Clinical Dietitian at Children's National Hospital, Washington DC
Paige Menier, BS, CCRC
Undergraduate Student Worker, 2017
BS, 2013, Business Management, Louisiana State University
BS, 2017, Dietetics, Louisiana State University
Clinical Research Coordinator at Ochsner Heath Center - Summa
Currently Regional Director of Clinical Operations, Circuit Clinical
Sai Pochana
Student Worker, 2018-2021
BS, 2021, Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University
LSUHSC Medical Student, 2022-26
Abigail Randolph
Undergraduate Trainee, 2021-2022
BS, 2022, Biological Science and Psychology, Louisiana State University
Currently pursuing a PhD in neuroscience at Florida State University to examine how early life adversity influences neural circuit adaptations and the physiological processes that mediate these behaviors.
Recipient of National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) award, 2024.
Claire Tate
Undergraduate Trainee, 2021
BA, 2024, Neuroscience and Medicine, Health, and Society, Vanderbilt University
Currently attending medical school at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas
Ansleigh Thibodeaux
Undergraduate Trainee, 2016
BS Candidate (2019), Psychology, Minors in Health Sciences and Sociology, Louisiana State University
Currently a secretary at Lisa Jordan Dale - Attorney at Law
Aimee Troxclair, BS
Undergraduate Trainee, 2015
BS, 2015, Kinesiology, Southeastern University
Jordan "Gracie" Wilburn
Student Worker, 2019-2021
BS, 2021, Psychology, Sociology, Louisiana State University
Currently pursuing MS, 2023, Northwestern State University
Zoe Wilhelm
Louisiana Service and Leadership (LASAL) Trainee, 2017
BS Candidate (2018), Pre-Medical, Nutrition and Food Sciences, Minor in Music, Louisiana State University
Ogden Honors College
Currently Clinical Research Coordinator II at Baylor College of Medicine
Courtney Wright, BS
Undergraduate Trainee, 2014
Robert Noyce Research Scholar, Summer 2014
BS, 2016, Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University
Student teacher at Sherwood Middle Academic Magnet School (2016-)
Andrew Sellers
Student Worker, 2022-2023
BS Candidate (2025), Psychology, Louisiana State University
Kathy Hu
Undergraduate Trainee
BS Candidate (2028), Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Chosen as Presidential Scholar, awarded scholarship for future female STEM graduates