STAFF

Sara Albert

Education: MA (Clinical Psychology), Marywood University; BA (Psychology), Pennsylvania State University
Title: Research Associate
With CSCS Since: July 2019
Responsibilities: Sara received her Master’s degree in clinical psychology from Marywood University, and her Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Pennsylvania State University. She has been involved in various research since 2015 and has experience with screening participants and conducting the study, establishing protocols, using fMRI scanners, and organizing and coding data. She is currently working with Dr. Jessica Levenson as a research associate on both the Targeted Approaches for Promoting Adolescent Sleep (TAPAS) and the CiTECH study.

Email: alberts3@upmc.edu

Alexis “Lexi” Bialota

Education: BS (Neuroscience), University of Pittsburgh
Title: Research Associate
With CSCS Since: July 2019
Responsibilities:  Lexi is a Research Associate working on Dr. Hasler’s research studies.  Her role include assisting with fMRI scans, creating tasks for the fMRI portion of studies, analyzing brain data, and assisting with overnight visits in the sleep lab.

Email: bialotaa@upmc.edu

Laurie Brar

Education: MSN, CRNP (Nursing), University of Pittsburgh
Title: Sr. Research Principal
With CSCS Since: 2003
Responsibilities:  Laurie oversees operations for the Clinical Coordinating Center for the Comparative Effectiveness of Zolpidem and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia in Rural Adults (COZI) Study. Her responsibilities for this national, multi-site study include training site coordinators, serving as coordinator for the IRB of record, as well as overseeing and implementing day-to-day operations for the Pittsburgh recruiting site. She is passionate about creating a quality experience for all research participants while maintaining the highest of research integrity standards.

Email: brarlk@upmc.edu

Kristine DePolo

Education: Associates degree, Duff’s Business Institute
Title: Admin Assistant – Intermediate
With CSCS Since: 2003
Responsibilities: Kris provides administrative support to the Sleep and Chronobiology Center clinic patients, faculty and postdoctoral scholars. She also assists the CSCS administrator and provides support for the HUSH study.

Email: depolokl@upmc.edu

Carson Derrow

Education: BS (Neuroscience), University of Pittsburgh
Title: Registered Polysomnographic Technologist
Time with SCC: 2016
Responsibilities: He is responsible for acquiring reliable sleep evaluation studies with research participants as an RPSGT. He also scores, analyzes, and aggregates sleep study data for physician/PI review. Collaborates with staff on designing and troubleshooting the SBNC website.

Email: derrowc@upmc.edu

Missy DeVito

Education: Bachelor of Science (Elementary Education), Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Title: Research Project Coordinator
Time with SCC: Since 1999
Responsibilities: Missy works for the Department of Psychiatry’s Research Review Committee. Her responsibilities include coordinating all of the submissions, reviews, and approvals of all grant proposals to the RRC and KRP (K-Award Review Program) in the Department of Psychiatry.

Email: mszycoml@upmc.edu

Mary “Happy” Fletcher

Education: BS (Computer Science), Edinboro University
Title: System Programmer/Analyst II
With SCC Since: 2006
Responsibilities: Happy manages data collected from several research protocols, including those within the SCC and also in the Renal/Electrolyte Division of the Department of Medicine.

Email: fletme@upmc.edu

Barton French

Education: BS (Psychology), University of Pittsburgh
Title: Systems Engineer
With SCC Since: 1983
Responsibilities: Barton works for the Office of Academic Computing, where he maintains servers and backups for research throughout UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh, including research conducted in the Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory.

Email: frenchbb@upmc.edu

Mary Gasiorowski

Education: BA (English), University of Pittsburgh
Title: Administrative Assistant – Senior
With SCC Since: 2010
Responsibilities: Mary provides administrative support to the Director of the Human Chronobiology Department, AgeWise Program Project Core and Project Principal Investigators, Program Coordinator and other P01 staff as well as to SCC faculty.

Email: gasiorowskimj@upmc.edu

Jordan Gilbert

Education: BS (Psychology), University of Pittsburgh
Title: Research Associate
With CSCS Since: May, 2019
Responsibilities: Jordan is a Research Associate working on Dr. Hasler’s research studies. Her role includes recruiting participants for the studies, screening potential participants, and maintaining contact with current research participants.

Email: gilbertj6@upmc.edu

Kathryn Aldrich Guo

Education: BA (Psychology), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Title: Research Coordinator
With CSCS Since: June, 2018
Responsibilities: Kathryn is a Research Coordinator working on Dr. Hasler’s research studies. Her role includes coordinating participant visits, assisting with recruitment, and following up with current research participants.

Email: guok@upmc.edu

Rima Habte

Education: BS (Psychology), University of Pittsburgh
Title: Research Assistant II
With CSCS Since: August 2021
Responsibilities:  Rima is a Research Assistant in Dr. Wilckens’ Sleep and Memory Study (CHAI TMS) and Alzheimer’s’ Pathways Sleep Study (ALPS). She is responsible for participant recruitment and screening, study coordination, and directing participant visits.

Email: habter@upmc.edu 

Beth Hafer

Education: M.Ed. (Education), Duquesne University; BS (General Science), Penn State University
Title: Research Project Assistant
With SCC Since: 2012
Responsibilities: Beth works in the Child & Adolescent Sleep Lab on a variety of sleep studies involving children and young adults, such as PAN2, SIRA, SISTERS, SHED, and a K-12 dissemination study. Responsibilities include study coordination (e.g., recruitment, schedule management, collection of data, pre-processing of imaging data) and CASL lab management.

Email: haferbl@upmc.edu

Joud Hijazi

Education: BA (Neurobiology), University of California, Berkeley
Title: Research Project Assistant
With SCC Since: Since 2019
Responsibilities: Joud is working with youth and their families on the Pittsburgh Sleep in Teens Study. She has five years of academic research experience, and two years of experience volunteering with young adults. 

Email: hijazij@upmc.edu

Matthew Humes

Education: US Navy Electronics School (Sonar Equipment Maintenance and Repair), ITT Technical Institute (Specialized Electronics Engineering Technology)
Title: Senior Electronics Specialist
With SCC Since: 2010
Responsibilities: Matt supports, repairs, designs, and builds various electronic and electro-mechanical equipment for the N-CTRC, SCL, and Translational Neuroscience Program. He also performs preventative maintenance on equipment and wiring connections and troubleshoots and repairs signal acquisition problems.

Email: humesmw@upmc.edu

Sarah Kimutis

Education: MBA, Seton Hill University, BA (Psychology), Seton Hill University
Title: Program Coordinator
With SCC Since: 2016
Responsibilities:  Sarah is the Program Coordinator for the Center for Adolescent Rhythms, Reward, and Sleep (CARRS). She also coordinates study activities for the RU_SATED projects and the Sleep in Retirement (SIR) study. Her role includes coordinating study operations, maintaining accurate study documentation, managing IRB submissions, and enrolling and following up with research participants. She strives to provide an enriching experience for her staff and directed research students. 

Email: kimutiss@upmc.edu

Grant Kristo

Education: : B.S. Psychology, University of Pittsburgh 
Title: : Research Specialist
With SCC Since: 2019
Responsibilities: Executes day-to-day operations of the Pittsburgh Sleep in Teens project. Facilitates participant activity sessions, manages datasets, and schedules appointments. Previous research experience in cognitive processing of art, somatic symptoms in college students, and marriages.

Email: kristog@upmc.edu

Precious Lacey

Education: B.A. (Psychology); B.S. (Human Development), University of California, Davis
Title: Research Assistant III
With SCC Since: December 2018
Responsibilities:  Precious’ responsibilities include recruitment, screening, study procedures for the Sleep in Retirement (SIR) research study..

Email: laceyp@upmc.edu

Dan Limpert

Education: BS (Psychology, Communications), University of Pittsburgh
Title: Senior Registered Polysomnographic Technologist
With SCC Since: 1995
Responsibilities:  Dan is responsible for acquiring reliable sleep evaluation studies with research participants as an RPSGT. He also scores, analyzes, and aggregates sleep study data for physician/PI review.

Email: limpertdc@upmc.edu

Eric Miller, RPSGT

Education: BA (Communication Disorders), University of Pittsburgh
Title: Senior Registered Polysomnographic Research Technologist
With SCC since: 1985
Responsibilities: Eric is responsible for acquiring reliable sleep evaluation studies with research participants as an RPSGT. He also scores, analyzes, and aggregates sleep study data for physician/PI review.

Email: millerej@upmc.edu

Christina Nicassio, MBA

Education: BS (Biology), Saint Vincent College; MS (Biology), Duquesne University; MBA, Argosy University
Title: Research Program Administrator
With CSCS Since: 2006
Responsibilities:  Christina is directly responsible for all aspects of the day-to-day management of the Sleep and Behavioral Neuroscience Center (SBNC). She is the supervisor for SBNC senior staff, and is also the primary liaison for faculty conducting studies at the SBNC. 

Email: nicassiocv@upmc.edu

Noelle Rode

Education: BS (Information Science), University of Pittsburgh
Title: System Programmer/Analyst II
With CSCS Since: 2006
Responsibilities: Noelle manages data collected from several research protocols, both within the CSCS and for Child and Adolescent Bipolar Spectrum Services (CABS).

Email: roden@upmc.edu

Tiffany Roncevich

Education: BA (Health Information Management), University of Pittsburgh
Title: Research Project Analyst
With CSCS Since: 2018
Responsibilities: Tiffany serves as one of the Project Managers to the SBNC and WPIC Office of Academic Computing (OAC) to ensure that research and clinical IT projects are planned, managed and executed efficiently using organizational and PMO processes and standards. In addition, she assists with daily operational activities (scheduling, reporting, data entry and analysis, etc.) of the SBNC.

Email: roncevichtl@upmc.edu

Kelly Schenk

Education: BA (Anthropology), Minor in Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh
Title: Research Assistant
With CSCS Since: January 2020
Responsibilities: Kelly assists in Dr. Wilckens’ Sleep and Cognition Study (STARS) and Sleep and Memory Study (CHAI TMS). She is responsible for participant recruitment and screening, study administration, and guiding participants through their visits to the lab.

Email: schenkke@upmc.edu

Kathleen Scully

Education: BS (Neuroscience), University of Pittsburgh
Title: Research Associate
With CSCS Since: May 2019
Responsibilities: Katie coordinates and conduct scans and participant visits. She also processes and analyzes sleep data.
Email: scullyke@upmc.edu 

Aagmya Singh

Education:  BA (Economics), University of Pittsburgh
Title: Research Assistant II
With CSCS Since:  August 2021
Responsibilities: Aagmya is a Research Assistant in Dr. Wilckens’ Sleep and Memory Study (CHAI TMS) and Alzheimer’s’ Pathways Sleep Study (ALPS). He is responsible for study coordination along with data management and logistics.

Email: singha20@upmc.edu

Michelle Sun

Education: BS (Neuroscience) University of Pittsburgh 
Title: Research Assistant
With CSCS Since: September 2019
Responsibilities:  Michelle works for Dr. Hasler, assisting with both CART and SLATE studies. She is responsible for Sleep Lab coverage and fMRI scanning and quality checking. 
Email:  sunml@upmc.edu

Annette Marie Wood

Education: BA, University of Pittsburgh
Title: Systems Programmer Analyst
With CSCS Since: 1993
Annette assists the Sleep in Retirement study in facilitation of participant visits, data acquisition, and data entry. Pittsburgh site manager for SWAN, actigraphy program manager for SWAN national, data management in SIR, and SISTERS. Registered phlebotomist for SIR protocol. Expert in use of actigraphy in sleep studies, with more than 20 years of experience, developed data system to handle summary and epoch by epoch data. Helps orient new students and post-docs to our department.

Email: woodam@upmc.edu

Michelle Zmuda

Education: BS, (Rehabilitation Counseling), Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Title: Research Program Administrator
With CSCS Since: February 2016
Responsibilities: Michelle performs diagnostic evaluations of participants in the Sleep in Retirement study (SIR) and the Sleep/Wake and Executive Network Function in Older Adults study (STAR).

Email: zmudamd@upmc.edu