Judith Moskowitz, PhD, MPH / Professor

Director, PPHIG Lab

Intervention Science Division Chief | Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University - Feinberg School of Medicine | link

Director of Research | Osher Center for Integrative Medicine | link

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Judy is a social / health psychologist who conducts patient-oriented research regarding behavioral and psychosocial factors in the context of significant illness or other life stress. Her current research is focused on the adaptive role of positive emotion regulation for support of beneficial health behavior change (such as diet and physical activity) and prevention of maladaptive health behaviors (such as substance abuse.)

Funded by NCCIH, NIA, NIMH, NIDDK, NIDA, and NINR, she examines the unique adaptive role of positive emotion in the process of coping with various types of health-related and other life stress and, through randomized trials, determine whether a positive emotion regulation intervention developed by her team can increase positive affect, reduce stress and depression, and improve health behaviors in at risk samples.

Peter Cummings / PhD Student

Peter he, him) is a community organizer and a doctoral candidate in the clinical psychology department with a background in epidemiology and professional experience as a staff clinical researcher, data manager, and analyst. He currently works on positive psychological intervention development and implementation research with transgender and gender diverse patients. Clinically, he serves the Northwestern Medicine’s Gender Pathways Program & newly established Pride Center providing individual & group psychotherapy for queer and trans identifying patients in an outpatient setting and conducting evaluations for the purposes of writing letters of readiness for gender-affirming surgery

What's your happy place?

Cycling on the Lakeshore Drive trail.

Melanie Freedman / PhD Student

Melanie is a doctoral student in the clinical psychology program. She primarily works with Dr. Moskowitz on the LEAF and PEACE NU projects, and is more generally interested in the effects of positive affect interventions for caregivers and those suffering from chronic medical illness.

What's your happy place?

Doing my daily crossword puzzle with a cup of coffee.

Sydney Starkweather, MA / PhD Student

Sydney joins the PPHIG lab as a clinical psychology PhD student. Her prior research focused on developing well-being and resilience-focused interventions for healthcare workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic, interventions for sexual assault survivors, community-based interventions, and trauma studies. She is passionate about working with healthcare workers, trauma survivors, and refugees/asylum-seekers. She is very interested in studying community-based mental health interventions in low-resource areas.

What’s your happy place?

Watching the sunrise with a large cup of coffee.

Caroline Leong, BA / Research Study Coordinator

Caroline is a Research Study Coordinator for the Moskowitz team. She works primarily on the LEAF, PARK, and FOREST projects, which aim to integrate Dr. Moskowitz's positive emotion skills into the everyday lives of those coping with stress. Her research interests include the effect of positive affect interventions on social relationships and physical health.

What’s your happy place?

Lying on a beach listening to the ocean waves.

Katie Jackson, MS / Senior Biostatistician

Katie is a Senior Biostatistician with MSS and the Moskowitz lab. She holds an MS in biostatistics from the University of Illinois at Chicago and has worked as a statistician at NU for 10 years. Katie provides data and analytic support across multiple studies within the lab. Her specific research interests include measure development and the application of new psychosocial measurements in clinical research.  

What’s your happy place?

Playing video poker with a glass of (free!) champagne at the Chandelier Bar in Las Vegas, like a good statistician should, or curled up with a book and my adorably snuggly cat 😊

Elizabeth Addington, PhD / Assistant Professor

Associate Director, PPHIG Lab

Elizabeth (she/her) is a clinical health psychologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Her goal is to improve the wellbeing of cancer survivors and others affected by chronic illness. She is especially interested in identifying how positive emotions, yoga and mindfulness can improve psychosocial and physical health, along with developing web-based platforms and other strategies to increase patients’ and caregivers’ access to these evidence-based tools.

What's your happy place?

Laughing with my family and friends, spending time outdoors.

Angela Freeman / PhD Student

Angela is a doctoral student in the social sciences and health track of the health sciences integrated PhD program. She is a research assistant and NIH diversity supplement scholar working with Dr. Moskowitz on the ORCHID-AFC project, where she is exploring the social determinants of health as predictors of disparities in behavioral health care coordination for people living with HIV. Her research interest center on conceptualizing, measuring and examining the structural forms of racism and their relationship to inequities in health and wellbeing of historically marginalized populations.

What's your happy place?

Listening to live music at one of Chicago’s many summer festivals.

Chelsea Brown, MT-BC / PhD Student

Chelsea (she/her/hers) joins the PPHIG lab as a doctoral student in Social Sciences and Health. Her goal is to increase health equity, inclusion, and belonging through the development of digital mental health interventions that address the needs of LGBT+ and other populations with high stress and depression. Her research interests focus on minimizing high attrition and poor adherence. For instance, SingFit, an app for behavioral symptoms in persons with dementia, incorporates an intelligent algorithmic system that Chelsea co-developed to recommend music based on users’ needs and health conditions.

What's your happy place?

Riding my Triumph T120 motorcycle in the mountains. 

Amanda Summers, MA / Project Manager Senior

Amanda is a Senior Project Manager for the Moskowitz team, ensuring that studies are running smoothly and on time. She holds a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology from The Family Institute at Northwestern University, and has over 10 years' experience managing teams and projects. She is passionate about wellness, stress management, animals, and the outdoors.

What’s your happy place?

Going on a hike with my dog.

Kat Bovbjerg, MA, LSW / Project Manager

Kat (she/her) manages the ORCHID project on the Moskowitz team. She holds a Master's Degree in Social Work from the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice at the University of Chicago (2020) and has been working with the Northwestern department of Medical Social Sciences since 2016. She is passionate about visual and performing art and its ties to social connection and health.

What’s your happy place?

Watercolor painting and doing comedy improv around Chicago!