Michael McClay, MS
Michael (he/him) is a 6th year graduate student in the TRTL. He graduated from Gardner-Webb University in 2014, and received his master’s degree from Western Kentucky University in 2017. He currently studies factors motivating the disclosure of non-suicidal self-injury as well as suicidal thoughts and behaviors. He is also interested in the effects of disclosure and stigma related to self-injury. Outside of the lab, Mike can be found running, skiing, and playing board games. 




Kirsten Christensen, BS
Kirsten (she/her) is a 3rd year graduate student in TRTL. She graduated with her bachelor's degree in psychology and statistics from Florida State University in 2018, and currently works as a research coordinator at McLean Hospital. Her research interests include suicide risk assessment and interventions for acute risk (e.g., inpatient hospitalization). She enjoys hiking, board games, and exploring cities. 





Amanda Bianco, MA
Amanda (she/her) is a 2nd year graduate student in TRTL. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Appalachian State University in 2019 and with her master’s degree, also in psychology, from Stony Brook University in 2020. She is interested in studying the suicidal process and identifying potential functions of suicidal behavior to inform future interventions for high-risk clinical populations. In her free time, Amanda enjoys staying active by hiking, or engaging in outdoor activities, and traveling to new places. 


Elizabeth Hoelscher, BA
Elizabeth (She/Her) is a 1st year graduate student in TRTL. She graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2020 with a bachelor's in psychology and sociology and a certificate in public health. Her research interests are focused on emotion dysregulation in suicidality, intrapersonal emotion and behavioral variability, and maladaptive responses to emotions (e.g., non-suicidal behavior, emotion-related impulsivity). She is also interested in identifying risk and resilience factors for suicide in LGBTQ+ populations. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, puzzles and exploring the outdoors with her dog, Roo.