Meet our team

Meet Our Team

The people behind the MSU Autism Lab

Lab Director

Dr. Brooke Ingersoll

Professor of Clinical Science & Director, MSU Autism Research Lab

Dr. Ingersoll is a professor of clinical science and director of the MSU Autism Research Lab at Michigan State University. She received her PhD in experimental psychology from the University of California, San Diego and completed a clinical post-doc in child psychology at Oregon Health & Science University. She is a licensed psychologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D). Dr. Ingersoll’s research focuses on developing and disseminating community-viable, parent-mediated interventions (NDBIs) for autistic children and their families. Her current work examines how to deliver these interventions at scale — through telehealth and community provider training — and how they perform within real-world public service systems such as Medicaid and Part C Early Intervention, with a focus on closing gaps in access for underserved families. Dr. Ingersoll has published more than 100 articles and book chapters on autism and is co-author of Teaching Social Communication to Children with Autism, an internationally recognized parent coaching curriculum for autistic children.

Our mission

The MSU Autism Lab develops, disseminates, and implements evidence-based, community-viable interventions for children on the autism spectrum and their families — and studies how to close persistent gaps in access to that care.

Graduate Students

Hannah Tokish, M.A.

tokishha@msu.edu

Third-year doctoral student in MSU’s Clinical Science program. Before joining the MSU Autism Lab, she completed her B.A. in Psychology at Cornell University and a post-baccalaureate fellowship at the Marcus Autism Center. Hannah’s research focuses on parent characteristics and provider strategies that influence parent engagement in early parent-mediated interventions for autism, with the goal of reducing barriers to active parent engagement and informing provider training methods within community service systems. Outside the lab, she enjoys yoga, dancing, and exploring new places with friends and family.

Lauren Duvall, B.S.

Graduate Student

Graduate student in MSU’s Clinical Science program. Before joining the MSU Autism Lab, Lauren earned her B.S. in Psychology and Dance from the University of Alabama, then worked as a research assistant and research early interventionist at the Center for Autism Service, Science and Innovation at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. She is interested in studying implementation of parent-mediated early intervention for youth on the autism spectrum and how approaches to caregiver coaching may impact provider and parent self-efficacy, well-being, and parent-child bond. In her free time, Lauren enjoys traveling, working out, and knitting.

Lab Staff

Ayesha Rehman, M.S.

Lab Manager

Ayesha received her M.S. from Michigan State University in Child Development. She worked as a research assistant at the Research in Autism and Developmental Disabilities (RADD) Lab, and completed her thesis, “Exploring Barriers and Practices related to Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) in Pakistan.” She hopes to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology. Ayesha enjoys cooking, playing games with her friends, and going on walks in her free time.

Undergraduate Research Assistants

  • Devan Nahal is a Human Biology major in Lyman Briggs College. He enjoys watching movies, spending time with friends, and going to the gym.
  • Hala Shaaban is a Psychology and Human Biology major in the College of Social Science and Natural Science. She enjoys traveling, going to the beach, and being with friends and family.
  • Layla Acosta is a Psychology major with a minor in Human Behavior and Social Services. She hopes to pursue a career in child psychology. She loves reading, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family.
  • Michael Vu is a Human Biology major in Lyman Briggs College. He enjoys watching sports, running, and listening to music.
  • Lisa Cela is a Human Biology and Psychology dual major in the College of Natural Science and Social Science and on a pre-med track. She has a strong interest in pediatric psychiatry.
  • Kristina Johnson is a Molecular Genetics and Genomics major in the College of Natural Science. She enjoys listening to music, watching movies, and watching football with friends and family.
  • Layal Farhat is a Neuroscience major on the premedical track. In her free time she enjoys walking her dog, hanging out with family and friends, and playing piano.
  • Robbie Kado is a Human Biology major who likes to read literature, play sports, and go to the gym.
  • Reva Jategaonkar is a Neuroscience major with a minor in Business. She is on the pre-med track and hopes to pursue a career in Pediatrics. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, being outdoors, and spending time with her friends and family.
  • Abby Plavnick is a Social Relations and Policy major through James Madison College and a Psychology major through the College of Social Science. She enjoys travelling, dancing, and spending time with friends and family.
  • Nealy Patel is a Human Biology major in the College of Natural Science who enjoys traveling, shopping, and trying new things.
  • Brianna Deeble is a Special Education major at the College of Education. She hopes to get further education in Occupational Therapy. She enjoys reading, history, and nature!
  • Dana Mansour is a Human Biology major through Lyman Briggs College with a minor in Business. She enjoys pickleball, crocheting, hanging out with friends, and going to football games.
  • Taylor Brogan is a Neuroscience major with a minor in Peace and Justice Studies. She has a strong interest in anesthesiology and enjoys exploring the outdoors, thrifting, and crocheting.
  • Sarrah Shakir is a Human Biology major with a minor in Health Promotion and enjoys playing lacrosse, reading, and traveling with her friends and family.
  • Anshika Yersai is a Psychology major on the pre-med track who loves running, cooking, and spending time with her friends and family.
  • Gisselle Solis is a Psychology major minoring in Business and Youth and Society. She is from New York and enjoys playing sports, running, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
  • Helen Hughes is a Psychology major with a minor in Spanish. She enjoys reading, rooting for MSU sports, and spending quality time with her friends!
  • Arthur McCarthy is a Psychology major with a minor in Youth and Society. He likes to spend time running, playing basketball, watching sports, and growing in his faith with friends.

Lab Alumni

Former Doctoral Students

  • Anamiguel Pomales-Ramos, Ph.D. (2026) — Postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Mental Health, Psychiatry Department, Penn Medicine Autism Clinic, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine
  • Diondra Straiton, Ph.D. (2024) — Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology at University of Miami
  • Kyle Frost, Ph.D. (2023) — Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics at UMass Chan Medical School and Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center
  • Karís Casagrande, Ph.D. (2021) — Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at University of Washington and Director of Community Outreach at Seattle Children’s Autism Center
  • Katherine Pickard, Ph.D. (2018) — Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine and Director of ACCESS Lab, Marcus Autism Center
  • Natalie Berger, Ph.D. (2016) — Pediatric Neuropsychologist and Director of Clinical Sciences at Encoded Therapeutics Inc.
  • Allison Wainer, Ph.D. (2015) — Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Rush University Medical Center and Assistant Research Director of the Autism Assessment, Research, Treatment and Services (AARTS) Center
  • Katherine Walton, Ph.D. (2013) — Associate Professor, Department of Psychology at Ohio State University and Director of Research at the Nisonger Center

Former Postdoctoral Trainees

  • Mehreen Z. Hassan, Ph.D. — Postdoctoral research fellow, Nisonger Center at the Ohio State University
  • Ellie Harrington, Ph.D., NCSP — Psychologist, ICCD Partners
  • KC (Berry) Smith, Ph.D. — Director of Family Services and Community Partnerships, Heart and Home Connections and Parent Coach, Private Practice
  • Kate Flynn, Ph.D. — Business Operations and Leadership Consultant, kf&co

Former Lab Staff

  • Nicole Warren — Doctoral Student in School Psychology at Michigan State University
  • Isabelle Babore — Master’s Student in Speech Language Pathology at Northwestern University
  • Thuan Tran — Doctoral Student in School Psychology at Louisiana State University
  • Anthuanet Espinel — Doctoral Student in Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology at University of California, Santa Barbara
  • Sanchia Fernandes, MSW, LCSW — Counselor, Weise Counseling Collaborate
  • Mya Howard — Doctoral Student in Clinical Psychology at the University of Virginia
  • Julia Nauman — Doctoral Student in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities at the Ohio State University
  • Kaylin Russell, Ph.D. — Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry at University of Colorado Anschutz
  • Kate Bailey, Ph.D. — Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Psychology at University of North Texas
  • Nikki Bonter, MSW, LCSW — Mental Health & Child and Family Therapist, St. Vincent Catholic Charities

Looking to join us?

See information for prospective graduate students and prospective undergraduate RAs!