Community Research Group Members
Gabriella Cawley, Graduate Student
Gabriella Cawley is a doctoral student in Psychology at Georgetown University. She is pursuing a concentration in Human Development and Public Policy and is concurrently enrolled in the McCourt School's Master of Public Policy program. Prior to her graduate studies, she earned a BS in Human Development with Distinction from Cornell University. Her research interests lie at the intersection of psychology and the law, including such topics as risk taking in adolescence, developmentally appropriate practices in juvenile justice, and community-based justice initiatives.
Grace Hickman, Lab Manager
Grace Hickman is the lab manager for the Community Research Group at Georgetown University. Before her post-baccalaureate role, she graduated summa cum laude from Fordham University. She is particularly interested in topics where safety and autonomy must be balanced, like violence risk assessment, protection orders, and civil commitment, as well as work with incarcerated sexual and gender minorities. Grace hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology in the fall of 2025.
Mara Lewis, LaidLaw Scholar
Mara is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences majoring in Psychology with a minor in Education, Inquiry, and Justice. She is currently involved in the Protective Orders Project and working on an independent research project funded by the Laidlaw Foundation. Her project will examine the dynamics of cross-filing in Civil Protection Orders, with a focus on legal abuse and barriers to justice within the civil court system. She hopes her project will contribute to making the CPO filing process more equitable.
Kate Loughran, thesis student
Kate is a senior from Westchester, NY, studying Psychology and Philosophy & Bioethics in the College of Arts and Sciences. Kate is passionate about the intersection of psychology and the law, and is committed to improving the justice system and advocating for those who fall victim to it. Currently, Kate is both a research assistant and a thesis student in the lab.
Lea Yeo, Research Assistant
Lea is a junior studying Psychology and Government with a minor in Justice and Peace Studies. She is from Bethesda, Maryland and hopes to learn more about the intersection of mental illness and criminal behavior within the U.S. legal system. Lea aspires to work in a national security government agency, specializing in criminal investigation and intelligence.
Zoe Wen, Thesis Student
Zoe Wen is a third-year student at Georgetown University studying government, psychology, and statistics. She is interested in the intersection of law, advocacy, and policy and how to achieve equitable and sustainable change through an interdisciplinary approach that recognizes systemic inequities and individual-level factors. She is passionate about learning from and collaborating with impacted communities and individuals to improve existing institutions and build equitable solutions from the ground up.
Mackenzie Holian, Research Assistant
Mackenzie is an undergraduate student on a pre-law track with a focus on psychology, justice and peace studies, and criminal justice. She is particularly interested in how systemic inequalities, political behavior, and legal systems shape modern discourse and justice. Mackenzie plans to pursue a master's degree here at Georgetown in Communication, Culture, and Technology to explore digital media, leadership, and conflict prevention, aiming to bridge psychological science with real-world policy and advocacy.
Miriam Woods, Research Assistant
I'm a sophomore studying Psychology and Economics with a strong interest in the intersection of these fields, particularly in how individuals interact with social systems, including the legal system. In the future, I hope to work on policy initiatives that enhance resources for underserved communities and foster greater trust in government.