Dr. Sara Rimm-Kaufman conducts research on classroom social processes and their influence on children’s social and academic growth in the early years of school. Her research is interdisciplinary, drawing from the fields of psychology and education. Sara trained as a developmental psychologist and received her Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1996. She has been at the University of Virginia since that point, first in the role of post-doctoral fellow and now as an Associate Professor. Currently, she is the Associate Director of the Doctoral Training Program in Risk and Prevention in Education Science. She teaches courses on Learning and Development, Classroom Social Issues, and Social Development. For fun, Sara enjoys spending time with her family and running.

Tashia Abryis a first year doctoral student in the Educational Psychology – Learning and Development program. Her research interests include social and emotional development as a protective factor, implementation fidelity, and quantitative methodology, which were all greatly influenced by her prior work as Prevention Coordinator for an area community service board. Outside of her studies, Tashia enjoys spending time with her husband, Dennis and dog, Chiti, as well as travel, good food, running, time outdoors, and arts and crafts.

Alix J. Brewer is responsible for managing the organization and coding of data as well as conducting research. She is a clinical social worker whose academic interests include trauma and resiliency as well as the impact of environmental stressors and learning disabilities on school performance and quality of peer interaction. Prior to coming to Virginia, Alix spent several years as a school social worker. She then worked conducting and managing assessments at the Preschool Language and Literacy Lab at UVa before joining the Social Development Lab in January 2008.

Alix enjoys spending time with her husband, Ben, and nearly-two-year-old sons, Max and Nathan. She also enjoys sharing good meals with friends, writing, painting and running.

Nicole Fedoravicius is the Senior Project Manager for the Responsive Classroom Efficacy Study. She is responsible for setting-up, managing and overseeing the study. She has a background in public health and has been working in research since 1995. In her free time she enjoys traveling, good food and great company.

Tom Fruscello is our Lab Manager. He oversees the budget, procurement, staffing, and the lab’s database and IT infrastructure. A former project manager with IBM/PwC Consulting and a graduate of the Darden School of Business, Tom has discovered his greatest management challenge is getting the kids to and from school on time while preparing gourmet meals for a family of four. Tom also volunteers at Habitat for Humanity where he built and manages the chapter’s financial analysis system.

Erin McCracken is a first year graduate student in the Risk and Prevention Program in Education Sciences. She is evaluating the mathematics measures for the Responsive Classroom Efficacy Study. Her research interests include elementary mathematics, motivation, second language learning, and self-efficacy. Erin also coaches swimming and enjoys photography and traveling the world.

Abby Moncrief is the Research Specialist for the Responsive Classroom Efficacy Study. Located in Fairfax County, she is responsible for the daily operations of the study. Abby graduated from the University of Virginia and is very excited to be working for her alma mater. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Kevin, trying new restaurants, and exercising.

Lori Nathanson is a third year graduate student in the Risk and Prevention Program in Education Sciences. She worked as a project coordinator for the Early Learning Study during her first years of graduate school. She has strong interests in educational measurement as well as the translation of research to policy. Lori enjoys traveling in her free time.

Claire Cameron Ponitz is a postdoctoral research associate. Her work focuses on the measurement and development of self-regulation, such as paying attention, remembering directions, and controlling behavior in early school contexts. After 9 years and 4 degrees from the University of Michigan, Claire can usually succeed when given her own assessment of behavioral self-regulation, the Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders task. When she is not writing or analyzing data, she plays tennis, tries new recipes, and practices Spanish.

Michelle Yoon is in the Ph.D. program in Educational Psychology (Learning & Development emphasis). Some of her academic interest areas include obesity and temperament as developmental risk factors, and how students learn math and science. Prior to coming to the Ph.D. program, Michelle was a college career counselor, and high school counselor. Outside of school, Michelle swims regularly, and loves scrabble and word puzzles, gardening, playing the piano, baking and knitting.

Jennifer Williams is the Project Coordinator for the Responsive Classroom Efficacy Study. She works, and is responsible for, all study activities in Fairfax County. Jennifer brings prior experience as a community health educator and elementary classroom volunteer to the study. In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her family, and being an active member of Red Sox Nation.

Grace Zoller is a research assistant in the lab. She graduated from Virginia Tech with a B.S. in Psychology in 2007 and is now pursuing a Post-Graduate Masters of Teaching in Early Childhood & Developmental Risk. Grace’s research interests include the study of emotion, temperament, and individual differences in learning and memory in early development. In her free time, Grace enjoys reading and exercising.