Dr. Steph(anie) Tavarez

Dr. Stephanie Tavarez is an I/O psychologist with seven years of applied industry/experimental research and higher education experience. Her applied and collaborative work addresses the following topics: diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), training program development and evaluation, personnel assessments, and higher education and employability. Dr. Tavarez is proactive and professionally committed to developing individuals in diverse populations and building workplace capacity to achieve business outcomes. In her daily work, she leads organizational development initiatives that contribute to facing organizational challenges for private and federal clients. She received her Ph.D. in I/O Psychology at Capella University in June of 2020. Ms. Tavarez earned both her Master's of Science in Organizational Psychology and a Bachelor's in Psychology from the University of Hartford. She is passionate about teaching at her alma mater and building students' learning profile through critical thinking and creativity.

Bunny Burchett

Bunny Burchett is a master's student in the dual Organizational Psychology and MBA program at the University of Hartford. Her research interests center on corporate learning and development, gamification, and the inclusion of neurodiverse employees in workplace training and engagement. Alongside her graduate studies, Bunny works as a Video Prompting Trainer with Mercor, where she supports the development of artificial intelligence and large language models. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Information Technology with a concentration in Cybersecurity and a double major in Psychology from Southern New Hampshire University. Before pursuing graduate school, Bunny designed and delivered training for call center agents in the United States, Colombia, and the Philippines. These experiences shaped her passion for accessible, technology-enhanced learning environments that promote equity and engagement for adult learners. Outside of academics, Bunny enjoys reading, playing video games, crocheting, and discovering music from around the world.

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Meagan Boissonneault

Meagan Boissonneault has a Bachelor of Science in Fashion Merchandising from Framingham State University and a Master's of Science in Organizational Psychology from University of Hartford. She has over ten years of experience in global sourcing within a variety of industries ranging from apparel and footwear to utilities. She is passionate about DEI, burnout prevention, employee motivation, job design, emotional intelligence, and cross-cultural communication. In her free time, she enjoys reading, knitting, and trying out new recipes.

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Amna Jasim

Amna is an I/O practitioner and People Experience professional with over ten years of experience in the nonprofit sector. She is also a member of the SHINE Lab and works as a growth and development consultant and coach. Amna is deeply passionate about helping others and has found her calling in emotional intelligence, where she designs and delivers impactful training and coaching programs for individuals and organizations. She believes emotional intelligence is not just a skill developed in adulthood, but a foundation that begins early in life and evolves over time. Through her work, Amna supports individuals across different stages of their journey in building self-awareness, emotional regulation, and meaningful connections—both personally and professionally. Her approach centers on fostering emotionally healthy environments that support growth from early development through adulthood. She holds a Master's degree in Organizational Psychology from the University of Hartford and is a member of SIOP. Her work focuses on using emotional intelligence to support overall well-being, deepen self-awareness, and build healthier, more connected relationships across all areas of life. Outside of her professional work, Amna enjoys painting, writing, spending time with her family, and being present in the everyday moments that inspire her work in emotional intelligence.

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Laura Chacón Marmolejos

Lab Manager 2023-2025

Laura Chacón Marmolejos is an organizational development consultant and researcher focused on leadership development, training design, and organizational effectiveness. Her work supports teams and organizations navigating growth, complexity, and change, with an emphasis on translating insight into clear, sustainable practice. She is particularly drawn to systems thinking and the use of structured frameworks to bring clarity and alignment to complex challenges. She brings experience across consulting and applied research in nonprofit, public sector, and academic settings, contributing to workforce development and large-scale training initiatives. Her multidisciplinary background in social work, organizational psychology, and business administration, alongside her multicultural perspective, informs a thoughtful and context-aware approach. Laura holds a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and dual Master's degrees in Organizational Psychology and Business Administration from the University of Hartford. She is passionate about mentorship and early career development, and is committed to creating meaningful, hands-on learning experiences that support emerging professionals.

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Kim Peirano

Lab Manager 2025-2026

Kim Peirano, MSOP, is an organizational consultant focused on helping leaders and teams build integrity-centered cultures grounded in psychological safety and ethical decision-making. Kim brings an uncommon, inside-out understanding of how high-control dynamics, misinformation, and charismatic authority can emerge in workplace settings and maintains a deep commitment to supporting organizations and leaders in developing and implementing the ethical frameworks needed to curb toxicity and destructive behaviors. She is also the developer of the Organizational EcoSystem Model (OESM), a comprehensive framework and assessment tool that maps the interconnected elements of workplace culture, shifting the focus from performance alone to creating environments that actively support employee well-being, autonomy, and quality of life. In addition to supporting organizations with leadership development, she offers teamwork and engagement workshops, support for invisible illness and disability inclusion, and organizational assessments and planning for small- to mid-size businesses and non-profits struggling with optimization and clarity.

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Shija Sapru

Shija Sapru holds a B.Tech. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from TKM College of Engineering, Kerala, India; an EMBA in Operations Management from SP Jain Center for Management, Dubai, UAE; a Certificate in Twice-exceptional Education from the Bridges Graduate School, Los Angeles; and an MS in Organizational Psychology from the University of Hartford. Shija completed the certificate program alongside her MSOP to maximize the impact of her capstone, which focuses on gifted and twice-exceptional adults in the workplace. As a parent of two neurodivergent (twice-exceptional) children, she is passionate about strength-based, individualized education tailored to students' abilities and interests. Shija works as a consultant, mentoring parents of neurodivergent children, supporting professionals with neuroaffirming, strength-based strategies, and speaking on neuroinclusion at workshops and events. She is also deeply interested in exploring schools as neuroinclusive workplaces.

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Ava Byroads

Ava Byroads is a Training & Development Coordinator with a foundation in psychology and human development and is currently advancing her expertise through a Dual Master of Science in Organizational Psychology and Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Hartford. Ava earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a Minor in Human Development from SUNY Geneseo, where she held multiple roles, including Research Assistant, Coding Group Leader and Head Research Assistant of SUNY Geneseo's Sibling-Peer Research Group (SPRG) Lab. She is passionate and committed to building a career in Human Resources that blends strategic HR leadership and data analysis with a deep understanding of organizational behavior-with an eye toward consulting. Outside of academics and work, Ava enjoys drawing, reading, hiking and traveling for the occasional concert.

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Danielle LaSalle

Danielle LaSalle (she/her) is a dual-degree MSOP/MBA student at the University of Hartford and a Research Assistant with both the SHINE Lab and Dr. Abildgaard. Her research explores workplace perceptions of neurodivergent individuals and the education-to-employment gap many face when transitioning into the workforce. Danielle is especially interested in helping organizations integrate accommodations that support hidden disabilities, enabling them to access underutilized talent, reduce turnover, and drive innovation. She also works as a Research Analyst with the Leadership Research Institute, contributing to projects on executive development, organizational culture, and inclusion. Outside of academics, Danielle is usually knee-deep in ambitious DIY projects, often reminding herself that persistence, not speed, is the real superpower.

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InclusionBridge

InclusionBridge's visionary approach transcends traditional workforce development paradigms. It is reshaping the narrative around talent acquisition and corporate social responsibility. By empowering diverse leaders, this initiative contributes to the creation of a more equitable and inclusive society. InclusionBridge acts as a bridge connecting major employers with these ambitious students by sponsoring one of three programs that give students the education and opportunity to participate in data science. This transformative experience not only imparts valuable skills but also nurtures mentorship relationships that pave the way for success. It allows companies to authentically diversify their workforce while championing the cause of social good.

Dr. Malik Boykin, RISE Lab

Dr. C. Malik Boykin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences (CLPS) at Brown University. Malik received his doctorate in Social and Personality Psychology from UC Berkeley, his M.A. in Social-Organizational Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University, and his B.S. in Psychology from the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) – after first attending Howard University. He was a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow for two years at Brown in the Department of CLPS before his current faculty appointment. His research focuses on intergroup relations, hierarchy, prejudice, mentorship, and racial identity. Several of these themes inform his research on attitudes toward HBCUs and bias in decision-making algorithms.