People

Andrew is a professor in the Department of Psychology and the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at UCLA. He is also Senior Scientist at the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior and Director of the Adolescent Development Lab at UCLA. Andrew’s research examines the extent to which the cultural beliefs and values of adolescents are shaped by family relationships, peer relationships, educational adjustments, and psychological and physical health.

Adriana is the Dean of Undergraduate Education at UCLA. She is also a Professor in the Department of Psychology and Director of the Developmental Neuroscience Laboratory at UCLA. Adriana’s work examines how neurobiological changes impact behavioral development during adolescence—particularly in the areas of decision-making, risk-taking, and emotional health.

Meghan Lynch Forder is responsible for the Center’s content development and media relations. She works closely with the National Scientific Council on Adolescence to communicate the latest advances in the science of adolescent development to those who support adolescents. She also produces UCLA CDA’s podcast, Adaptivity: The Science of Adolescence.

Ann Nguyen provides administrative support to the Center, including financial management, personnel administration, and event planning. She works closely with the Center Co-Executive Directors, staff, and the National Scientific Council on Adolescence to support their activities. Ann brings many years of experience at UCLA in grant administration, faculty and staff support, and conference and seminar organization.

Elise facilitates the Center’s relationships with policymakers and practitioners that serve or work with adolescents. On behalf of UCLA CDA, Elise connects key decision makers with the science of adolescent development to improve policy and practice and advance equity. Elise has worked across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors in legal and policy roles, including as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer.

Carrie is professional science writer who works with the Center to produce council reports, briefs, and other written communications focused on adolescence. She was a professor of developmental psychology at Vanderbilt University before leaving academia to pursue writing full time. Carrie is passionate about promoting the unique voices and experiences of adolescents and making the science of adolescence more accessible to all.

Arlene is a doctoral candidate in developmental psychology at UCLA. Her research examines how cultural, social, and structural factors shape adolescents’ well-being, family relationships, and education outcomes. Drawing on her experience working with youth from middle school through college, she supports the Center’s youth engagement initiatives, including the YSCA and the Summer Research Boot Camp on Adolescent Development.

Megan oversees the digital media, social media, and marketing efforts for the Center. She is a science communicator, designer, and producer who has previously served as the digital communications manager for the University of Chicago’s Chicago Quantum Exchange and as a digital communications specialist for the non-profit Friends of the Children. Megan earned her BS in journalism, with a focus on video production, and minors in biology and ethics from the University of Oregon.

Natalie is a developmental neuroscientist who develops scientific content for the Center. As a researcher, Natalie’s work examines how early life adversity shapes brain development, decision-making, and mental health during adolescence. She collaborates with the Communications and Policy and Practice teams to ensure that CDA’s content is rooted in current science and is accessible to those working to improve the health, education, and wellbeing of adolescents.

Ron is chair of UCLA CDA’s advisory board and was the founding director of CDA. He is the Director of the Institute of Human Development and a professor in the Community Health Sciences and Joint Medical Program at UC Berkeley. Ron has dedicated his career to interdisciplinary team research focused on improving the lives and trajectories of children and adolescents.

Chris is a Managing Director at Bezos Family Foundation (BFF), leading the Foundation’s adolescent programs and grantmaking strategy. Prior to joining BFF, Chris co-founded and served as Executive Director of Global Nomads Group (GNG), an international educational organization focused on increasing access to global learning for youth. Chris previously served as Country Director and Regional Chief of Party for Search for Common Ground in Rwanda.

Karen Pittman is the founding partner of Knowledge to Power Catalysts, a consulting firm dedicated to galvanizing the growing interest in using science-informed strategies to support children and youth. She has been a passionate advocate for the power of positive youth development approaches for more than 50 years, sits on numerous boards, is a governing partners for the Science of Learning and Development Alliance, and an AIR Scholar at American Institutes for Research. Previously, Karen was the co-founder, president, and CEO of the Forum for Youth Investment, and she served as head of the President Clinton’s Crime Prevention Council in 1994.

Dr. Margarita Alegría is Chief of the Disparities Research Unit, part of the Mongan Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital. She is also The Harry G. Lehnert, Jr. and Lucille F. Cyr Lehnert Endowed MGH Research Institute Chair and a Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. In October 2011, she was elected as a member of the National Academy of Medicine.

Zoë Stemm-Calderon is the Senior Director of the Raikes Foundation’s Youth Serving Systems strategy, where she supports the teams to co-develop strategy and do strong grantmaking in support of the field. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2015, Zoë served as a resident at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation while completing her doctorate in education leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.