Meet the Team | Emory School of Medicine

Principal Investigator

Dr. Nathalie Maitre, MD, PhD

Dr. Maitre is a board-certified neonatologist and research investigator with a focus on neurodevelopment in high-risk newborns and developmental interventions after neural injury. In the Department of Pediatrics at Emory, she serves as the Director of Research in Early Development and Cerebral Palsy. Dr. Maitre’s lab’s research focuses on neurodevelopment in high-risk newborns and rehabilitation of long-term disabilities. She emphasizes the development of quantitative measures of neural function in infants to allow the rational design and testing of parent-based and technology-assisted strategies. She continues to work with engineering and mathematical modeling teams in the US and Switzerland to develop new methodologies for brain-based assessment and therapy in infants and young children.

Emory Profile

Faculty & Staff

Arly Cruz Aboytes Research Specialist

Arly earned her bachelor's degree in Human Learning and Development with a minor in Psychology from Georgia State University. She currently works as a research specialist in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Grady Memorial Hospital and Emory University Hospital Midtown, contributing to studies on pre-term infant development. Her research interests lie in promoting healthy development trajectories for infants and children in hospital settings.

Joselyn Barahona Clinical Research Coordinator

Joselyn joined BBOP while completing her B.S. in Neuroscience. During this time, she was awarded an NIH Diversity Supplement to develop MANZANAS, the Spanish-language cultural adaptation of APPLES-Tele. She now works on multiple studies, including smallTalk, COOLPRIME, RESONATE, APPLES-Tele, MANZANAS, and global health initiatives to expand early detection and intervention training in underserved countries.

Natalie Brane, MS, CCC-SLP Speech-Language Pathologist

Natalie is a licensed speech-language pathologist on the BBOP team. Natalie participates in parent training efforts and leads developmental assessments within longitudinal studies. Natalie is passionate about early social communication development and supporting and empowering caregivers. In addition to Natalie’s BBOP contributions, she is also involved in clinical and research programs at Marcus Autism Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Daniela Castro, OTD, OTR/L Occupational Therapist

Dr. Castro, a bilingual (En/Es) OT, completed her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy and the Early SPOTS program at Georgia State University. She supports APPLES-TELE and MANZANAS (a culturally adapted version of APPLES-TELE for Hispanic families). Her passion lies in continuous learning for the early intervention community and providing OT to Spanish-speaking people. She serves as an OT and interpreter for Babies Can't Wait.

Jennifer Denbo, MBA Senior Business Manager

Pronouns: she/her

Jennifer is responsible for the financial management of all lab operations, as well as project management of several research studies for which BBOP serves as the neurodevelopmental core. Having spent over a decade in higher education administration at New York University and Columbia University, she joined BBOP with extensive prior experience in financial, operations and grants management.

Kate Huang Research Specialist

Kate is a Research Specialist with a background in Chemistry and Global Health. At BBOP, she is responsible for managing participant recruitment, coordinating visits, and performing WECS coding to support NICU research and follow-up study. Her work focuses on improving access to healthcare and developing care models for vulnerable pediatric populations, particularly those with disabilities.

Rachel Kempfert, PT, DPT, NTMTC Research Physical Therapist

Dr. Kempfert is an experienced pediatric PT and researcher investigating how early motor behaviors, reflex patterns, and muscle tone impact neurological health. She specializes in neurorehabilitation and provides her CHOA clients with engaging, evidence-based care. She has expertise in evaluating infants’ gross motor development and is certified in the GMA. There’s nothing she loves more than tiny baby feet!

Caitlin P. Kjeldsen, PhD, LPMT, MT-BC (NICU-MT) Postdoctoral Fellow

Pronouns: she/her

Dr. Caitlin Kjeldsen is a postdoctoral fellow with the BBOP. She earned her PhD in Speech and Hearing Science from The Ohio State University and is a licensed and Board-Certified Music Therapist. Dr. Kjeldsen’s research examines how auditory experiences shape early neurodevelopment. She leads the lab’s EEG efforts and can often be found conducting assessments and interventions in the NICU.

Will Kjeldsen Health Educator

Pronouns: he/him

Will is a licensed educator; his primary focus at BBOP is supporting and managing our student research assistants, overseeing competing visits for the Cool Prime study, and coordinating the HINE Validation study. Will also works with community programming at the BBOP lab and is passionate about further supporting children and parents in the metro-Atlanta community.

Larken Marra, PhD Assistant Academic Research Scientist

Dr. Marra received a PhD in Kinesiology with a focus in Adapted Physical Activity from the University of Michigan. Her research interests in community-based programming for individuals with disabilities are shaped by her prior experience at Indiana University as a Sam H. Jones Scholar and a Service Learning Assistant for the Adapted Motor Programs. At BBOP, Dr. Marra is the all-site coordinator for the APPLES-Tele study, the gold standard in the administration of developmental assessments, and supports parents and caregivers as a Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) provider.

Allison McIntyre, MOT OT/L, CCRP Lead Occupational Therapist

Pronouns: she/her

As Lead Occupational Therapist, Allison is committed to improving therapists' and families' access to evidence-based interventions. She oversees therapy-based research studies and works with community partners to develop new projects. Allison studied Movement Science at the University of Michigan, received her OT degree from Eastern Michigan University, and is pursuing a PhD in Translational Health Sciences at George Washington University.

Megan Moran, MMT, LPMT, MT-BC (NICU-MT) Research Music Therapist

Pronouns: she/her

Megan is a board-certified music therapist with 10 years of experience working with infants, children, and adults. She has a B.A. from Pepperdine University, received her Master's in Music Therapy from Maryville University St. Louis, and is certified in NICU Music Therapy by the National Institute for Infant & Child Medical Music Therapy. She is interested in the effects of singing on pain and stress, neurodevelopment, and language.

Mary Lauren Neel, MD Assistant Professor, Neonatology

Dr. Neel is an assistant professor, physician-scientist, and clinical researcher. She is passionate about how parents can improve neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants and studies parenting and parent/child interactions in multimodal ways including questionnaires, behavioral coding, and EEGs.

Paige Ryals, BA Operations Project Manager

Paige graduated from Duke University with a degree in developmental psychology, and she joined the BBOP lab in 2021. Since then, she has facilitated multiple operations projects, quality improvement initiatives, research studies, and clinical trials. She is currently pursuing her MBA at the University of Georgia.

Adele Vaughan Lead Research Specialist

Pronouns: she/her

Adele completed her MSW at Georgia State University and her B.S. in Foods & Nutrition at San Diego State. At BBOP, she supports the statewide high-risk infant follow-up enhancement project and the ROI study. As a macro social worker, she is interested in supporting access to health services for non-English-speaking people and rural families through policy and systems change.

Partners

Salathiel Kendrick-Allwood, MD Medical Director, Developmental Progress Clinic

Dr. Kendrick-Allwood is an academic pediatrician with over 20 years of experience, and the medical director of the largest regional NICU follow-up clinic in the state of Georgia, the Developmental Progress Clinic. She is passionate about empowering families to achieve the greatest success in caring for their children and improving healthcare practices for marginalized populations.

Dr. Melissa Murphy, PhD Director of Research Projects

Pronouns: she/her

Dr. Murphy, a developmental psychologist with a PhD in Educational Psychology, is passionate about empowering individuals and teams. Her early research studied language and cognitive development of youth predisposed to developmental disorders, and the role of family characteristics and teacher experience in child outcomes. At BBOP, her work focuses on stakeholder engagement in research and parenting support programs.

Keecia Walker, MSW Social Worker, Developmental Progress Clinic

Keecia received her MSW from the University of Utah and began her career in the Grady NICU, before later working in pediatric critical care at CHOA Scottish Rite. Since 2020 she has supported the psychosocial needs of DPC families. She is a wife of 34 years, a mother of two, a nanny of one, and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. At her church she co-facilitates Grief Share and is a member of the Health and Wellness Ministry.

Students

Kanishka Baduni Doctoral Student

Kanishka Baduni is a doctoral student at the University of Georgia collaborating with the BBOP lab. She is a physical therapist by profession who is passionate about pediatrics! She aims to better understand the relation between movement and cognitive constructs, problem-solving abilities in infants to be precise and hopes to eventually contribute towards science to promote holistic and child-focused development interventions.

Katherine Bragg Undergraduate Research Assistant

Katherine is a senior at Emory University, majoring in Human Health. At BBOP, she supports multiple research projects through data collection and coordination. She is passionate about equitable healthcare access, focusing on low-cost programs for vulnerable pediatric populations and social determinants of health. After graduating, she plans to pursue a career in medicine.

Emilly Perez Gomez Undergraduate Research Assistant

Emilly Perez is an undergraduate student at Emory University, majoring in Biology with a minor in Data Sciences on the pre-med track. At the BBOP lab, she primarily works with the Apples/Manzanas Project. She is passionate about creating culturally adaptive studies that ensure and promote healthcare equity among all communities.

Ashley Kim Undergraduate Research Assistant

Ashley is an undergraduate student at Emory University, majoring in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology. Her research interests include cognitive development in early childhood and neurological disorders that begin in infancy as she hopes to pursue a medical career in pediatrics. She contributes to the lab as a research assistant for the HINE Validation and APPLES-tele Research studies.

Wangare Njuguna Graduate Research Assistant

Wangare Njuguna is a first-year MPH student at the Rollins School of Public Health, concentrating in Global Epidemiology and pursuing a certificate in Maternal and Child Health. At BBOP, she supports research initiatives under the State Project, focusing on patient-level data collection and improving access to High Infant Risk Follow-up (HIRF). Her research interests include maternal mortality, early childhood development, and equitable access to prenatal and postpartum care.

Lolayemi Olulola-Charles Graduate Research Assistant

Lolayemi is an MPH graduate student at Emory University with a background in global public health, sociology, and chemistry. Her research focuses on the intersection of gender-based violence and maternal health, with additional experience in early childhood intervention.

She previously worked in Vietnam on gender-based violence prevention and later supported anti-poverty public health initiatives in the Mayor’s Office in New York City. She plans to pursue medical school following her graduate studies and is committed to advancing equitable health outcomes for women, children, and families.

In her free time, she enjoys singing in choirs, salsa dancing, and making new recipes.

Rhea Sharma Undergraduate Research Assistant

Rhea is a junior at Emory University studying Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology, with a minor in Spanish! She is passionate about working in pediatrics, and in the lab, she works with study visits and follow-ups with the RESONATE study. She loves rewatching Modern Family in her free time or trying new cafes in Atlanta!

Heather Smyth Undergraduate Research Assistant

Heather is an undergraduate student at Emory University, currently majoring in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology and minoring in History. She is passionate about improving the accessibility of high-quality healthcare interventions to underserved and rural communities. She is especially interested in child development and in improving the quality of life for children with pediatric chronic illness. At BBOP, she works most closely with the APPLES-tele study.

Samali Wijetunga Undergraduate Research Assistant

Samali is a Senior at Emory University on the Pre-med track. She is studying Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology and Psychology with a specific research interest in neonatal medicine and maternal health and care. At the BBOP Lab, she assists with NICU research sessions involving EEGs and music therapy, as well as with participant follow-up and data entry. In her free time, she loves volunteering, spending time with horses, and baking!

Jodit Yimenu Undergraduate Research Assistant

Jodit is a Senior at Emory University on the Pre-med track. She is a Human Health major and Spanish minor with a specific research interest in maternal and child health. At the BBOP Lab, she assists in data evaluation and participant follow-up as a student research assistant to the MIND and SNAKE studies. She also works on CAMP data entry and evaluation.