Lab Director
Dr. Ann F. Haynos, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
Dr. Haynos' research marries neuroscience and clinical science, embracing a bench-to-bedside philosophy that allows mutual feedback between mechanistic and intervention questions. Haynos uses a multi-method approach (e.g., neuroimaging, neurocognitive tasks, ecological momentary assessment) and advanced analytical techniques (e.g., computational modeling) to identify decision-making mechanisms (e.g., emotion regulation, reward, cognitive control) that promote disorders of excess goal pursuit. In Haynos' intervention work, she develops and adapts neuroscience-informed treatments to target the processes that cause people to get stuck narrowly pursuing a goal that causes them harm. Outside the lab, Dr. Haynos is busy chasing around her three children and dog, but when she catches her breath, enjoys reading, running, being in nature, and being an (extremely) amateur cinephile, foodie, and sommelier.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Dr. Bek Urban, Ph.D.
Bek Urban is a postdoctoral research fellow in the REPEAT Lab. Bek received their PhD in Counseling Psychology from Oklahoma State University in 2025. Bek’s research uses a health equity lens to better understand how individuals’ community context, identities, and experiences of social marginalization impact disordered eating. They have a specific focus on the roles of social stress, rejection expectancy, and social reward as risk and maintenance factors in restrictive eating among sexual and gender minority individuals and using this knowledge to develop community-informed prevention and interventions. Bek is passionate about mentorship, baking, live music, trying new things, and building community.
Graduate Students
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Hannah Heintz-Monette, MS
Clinical Psychology Behavioral Medicine
Hannah is a fourth year doctoral student in VCU's Clinical Psychology program with a concentration in Behavioral Medicine. Prior to coming to VCU, Hannah completed her undergraduate studies at University of Vermont and worked in research. Hannah is interested in the intersection between cognition, physical health, and psychiatric disorders, with a focus on older adult populations. Her research seeks to integrate neuroeconomic theories and methods in examining and characterizing mental illness in late life. Outside of research, Hannah enjoys watching horror movies, seeing live music, and exploring central Virginia's wineries with her husband.
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Grace Lee, MA
Clinical Psychology Behavioral Medicine
Grace is a third year PhD student in clinical psychology at VCU working under the mentorship of Dr. Annie Haynos. Before joining the REPEAT lab, she completed her BA and MA from Korea University, where she studied the neural mechanisms of emotional processing in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). Grace's research interests lie in understanding NSSI and suicidality in anorexia nervosa, as well as exploring why these conditions frequently co-occur. She is interested in using neuroimaging and real-time monitoring techniques to elucidate dysfunctions in reward mechanisms that may give rise to NSSI and suicidality in individuals with anorexia nervosa.
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Amanda Makara, MS
Clinical Psychology Behavioral Medicine
Amanda Makara is a third year clinical psychology student with Dr. Annie Haynos. Before arriving at the REPEAT Lab, Amanda graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2020 and spent three years as a clinical research coordinator at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Amanda is interested in investigating maintenance factors of restrictive eating behaviors across the weight spectrum with special interests in weight stigma and affective mechanisms. Outside the lab, Amanda enjoys trying new recipes, taking dance classes, and spending time with loved ones.
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Kira Venables, BA
Clinical Psychology Behavioral Medicine
Kira Venables is a first year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program at VCU. Before starting graduate school, Kira received her BA in Psychology from Smith College and worked as a clinical research coordinator in the REPEAT Lab. Kira is interested in the affective mechanisms that maintain eating disorders and the development of novel treatments. She is specifically interested in reward and interpersonal functioning in restrictive eating disorders, with a special interest in sexual and gender minority populations. Outside of the lab, Kira loves going to concerts, baking, watching Survivor, and spending time with her dog and leopard gecko.
Research Coordinators
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Angala Rajasegaran, BA
Angala graduated from Johns Hopkins University in May 2025, with B.A.s in Psychology and Film and Media Studies. Her primary research interests are identifying neurobiological mechanisms (eg. reward responses and decision-making processes) and psychosocial factors (eg. adverse childhood experiences, social media use, sociocultural stigma etc.) that elevate risk for eating disorders in children and adolescents. Outside the lab, Angala loves to watch movies and tv shows, explore cute cafés and restaurants, go to concerts, and keep up with Formula One races.
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Olivia Chapman, BS
Olivia is the lead research coordinator for the VIBRANT (Virtual Interventions to Bolster Recovery following Anorexia Nervosa Treatment) Study. She received her BS in Behavioral Neuroscience at University of Virginia (UVA) in 2025. Olivia is broadly interested in examining the intersection of mental and physical health, with a focus on depression, suicidality, and related affective processes among individuals living with chronic health conditions. Outside of the lab, Olivia enjoys discovering new TV series, reading, and visiting new coffee shops.
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Kevin Danaher, MS
Kevin is a research coordinator in the REPEAT Lab assisting with both the VIBRANT and Decision-Making studies. He received his MS in Sports Psychology from Ithaca College in 2023 after his BS in Psychology and Biology from St. Lawrence University in 2020. Kevin’s research interests center around body image concerns and eating disorders in men, the intersection of athletics and eating disorders, and overall resilience and well being. Outside of the lab, Kevin enjoys reading, playing pickleball, and cycling.
Volunteers
Current Volunteers
Abigail Smith, Volunteer Research Assistant
Sarah Daniels, Postbaccalaureate Volunteer Research Assistant
Rachael Gonzales, Undergraduate Volunteer Research Assistant
Nina Michael, Undergraduate Volunteer Research Assistant
Our Collaborators
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Dr. Kelsey Hagan, Ph.D.
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External Collaborators
Samantha Abram, Ph.D., San Francisco VA Health Care System & University of California, San Francisco
Lisa Anderson, PhD. University of Minnesota
James Bjork, Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth University
Olivia Calvin, Ph.D., University of Minnesota
Christine Conelea, Ph.D., University of Minnesota
Michelle Craske, Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Scott Crow, M.D., University of Minnesota
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Amy Gross, M.D., University of Minnesota
David Kolar, Ph.D., University of Regensburg, Germany
Liangsuo Ma, Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth University
Angus MacDonald, III, Ph.D., University of Minnesota
Carol Peterson, Ph.D., University of Minnesota
Anthony Pinto, Ph.D., Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra
David Redish, Ph.D., University of Minnesota
Shirley Wang, PhD. Yale University
Anna Zilverstand, Ph.D., University of Minnesota
Former Members
Dr. Courtney E. Breiner, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Danny Valerio Montero, Research Coordinator
Adanya Johnson, Research Coordinator
Sarah Durisek, Volunteer
Falzah Farooq, Volunteer
Mariya Shahid, Volunteer
Yubi Mamiya, Volunteer
Krupa Patel, Volunteer
Ariana Bazzi, Volunteer