Holley (Pitts) Arnold, PhD
Assistant Scientist
Dr. Holley Pitts Arnold is an Assistant Scientist. She completed her PhD in Experimental Psychology through the University of Louisville. Holley’s work broadly focuses on understanding the cognitive, language, and socioemotional development of children who have neurodevelopmental disorders such as fragile X syndrome, Williams syndrome, and duplication 7q11.23 syndrome. Her current research focuses on investigating how early indicators of physiological and behavioral development may impact children’s everyday living skills, social communication abilities, self-regulatory skills, and psychopathology. Holley is very excited about her position at the NDD Lab and looks forward to working with the children and their families who participate in our research!
For more detailed information regarding Dr. Holley Pitts Arnold’s research, you can review her ResearchGate profile.
Lisa Hamrick, PhD
Research Assistant Scientist
Dr. Lisa Hamrick is a Research Assistant Scientist. Lisa worked for the NDD Lab for two years as a research assistant prior to completing her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Purdue University under the mentorship of Bridgette Kelleher (another NDD Lab alum!). Lisa’s research focuses on early social communication and language development of children at increased likelihood of autism and neurodevelopmental conditions, including children with neurogenetic syndromes such as fragile X syndrome, Down syndrome, and Angelman syndrome. Lisa is passionate about developing and utilizing assessment methods that are strengths-based and which capture the full range of abilities of children with neurodevelopmental conditions. In 2026, Lisa was awarded K23 research grant, Vocal Development and Social Communication Outcomes of Children with An Older Sibling with Autism. In her free time, Lisa enjoys playing tennis, running, scrapbooking, and spending time with husband and daughters.
Kaitlyn Cortez
Doctoral Student
Kaitlyn Cortez is currently a doctoral student in the Clinical-Community Psychology program at USC and a trainee in the Behavioral-Biomedical Interface Program (BBIP). She received a B.S. in Neuroscience and Behavior from the University of Notre Dame in 2018 and a M.S. in Applied Developmental Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh in 2022. After graduating with her B.S., Kaitlyn worked as a project coordinator for the Infant Communication Lab under Dr. Jana Iverson, assisting on a longitudinal study of motor and language development in typically developing infants and infants with an elevated likelihood for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). While completing her M.S., Kaitlyn also worked as an intern at the Neonatal Developmental Follow-up Clinic at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, a clinic providing comprehensive and family-centered follow-up care for infants who have spent time in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Kaitlyn is currently interested in the trajectory of social and emotional development, specifically negative affect and emotion regulation, in children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
Jennea Franklin
Research Specialist
Jennea Franklin graduated from Howard University in May 2025 with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Criminology. Throughout her undergraduate career, Jennea worked as a Research Assistant in the Neuropsychology department at Kennedy Krieger Institute. While there, she researched the development of those (newborns to 31-year-olds) with ASXL syndromes. She is passionate about children with neurodevelopmental and genetic disorders such as ASD and Down syndrome. She is also interested in and has worked with children with various rare neurogenetic syndromes, such as ASXL syndrome and fragile X syndrome. Jennea plans to continue her education by pursuing a PhD in either clinical or school psychology.
Karina Sheth
Research Specialist
Karina Sheth graduated from the University of South Carolina in May 2026 with a B.S. in Neuroscience and a B.A. in Spanish. Throughout her undergraduate career, Karina worked as a research assistant in the CANDi Lab. In the CANDi Lab, she studied heart activity in children with ASD and fragile X syndrome. She is excited to continue working with kids with neurodevelopmental disorders and plans to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology or communication sciences and disorders.
Marc-Joelitza (Joelie) Montgomery
Research Specialist
Marc-Joelitza (Joelie) Montgomery graduated from Case Western Reserve University in May 2025 with a B.A. in Psychology and Anthropology. Her minors are in Childhood Studies and Ethics. Throughout her undergraduate career, Joelie worked as a Research Assistant in the Language, Autism, Motor & Behavior (LAMB) Lab, where she examined the strengths and needs of caregivers of autistic individuals. Joelie is passionate about uplifting children with neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD. She is also interested in examining the influence of early learning environments, family processes, and culture on child development. Joelie plans to continue her education by pursuing a PhD in Clinical Child Psychology or School Psychology.
Madeleine Hare
Doctoral Student
Madeleine Hare is currently a doctoral student in the Clinical-Community Psychology program at USC and a trainee in the Behavioral-Biomedical Interface Program (BBIP). She received a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Neuroscience from Princeton University in 2022. After graduating, she worked as a research coordinator for the Kids with Neurogenetic and Developmental Disabilities (KiNDD) Laboratory at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles under Dr. Shafali Jeste and Dr. Charlotte DiStefano. Madeleine worked EEG biomarkers projects with autistic children and children with Angelman syndrome and on a study investigating access to communication supports for children with ASD in Los Angeles. Currently, Madeleine is interested in exploring the behavioral associations of gastrointestinal and feeding challenges in young autistic children and children with fragile X syndrome.
Júlia Romagnoli
Research Specialist
Júlia Romagnoli graduated from Tulane University in May 2026 with a B.S. in Neuroscience and Psychology. Throughout her undergraduate career, she worked as a Research Assistant in the Learning and Brain Development Lab, where she contributed to participant recruitment, behavioral testing, and data management for a longitudinal study examining attention development across infants’ first year of life. Júlia also volunteered as a Program Director for the New Orleans ACEing Autism community program, where she led tennis lessons for children with autism. She is passionate about working with children with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders, and she aspires to become a pediatric neuropsychologist specializing in neurodevelopmental conditions.
