Clinical Research Staff

Niza Tonarely-Busto, Ph.D.

Dr. Tonarely-Busto is a licensed psychologist who serves as the Clinical Director of the CAMAT Program at the University of Miami. She is also a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and a bilingual evaluator and clinical supervisor in the Autism Spectrum Assessment Clinic (ASAC). She received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Miami. She then completed her clinical internship at the Mailman Center for Child Development at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine, with a specialization in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). She has expertise in evaluating and treating youth with a range of difficulties, including anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive, tics/Tourette, ASD, ADHD, and disruptive behavior disorders. She is a certified therapist in the Unified Protocols for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Children and Adolescents (UP-C/A) and in PCIT. She also is a certified UP-C/A trainer and provides training and consultations in this treatment protocol. Dr. Tonarely-Busto's clinical and research focuses on evaluating the efficacy of transdiagnostic treatments for youth emotional disorders, with a particular interest in identifying the strategies most efficient and effective in addressing distress tolerance in youth. 

Danielle Ibarra, Psy.D.

Dr. Ibarra is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Miami’s Child and Adolescent Mood and Anxiety Treatment (CAMAT) Program. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Criminology from The University of Miami, her master’s degree in Forensic Psychology from The George Washington University, and her Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University. Dr. Ibarra is passionate about treating children and adolescents with depression, anxiety, and trauma-related disorders. Throughout her doctoral training, she has conducted psychological assessments and provided therapy for youth and their families in English and Spanish across community, inpatient, residential, and juvenile justice settings. Dr. Ibarra has been trained in providing evidence-based treatments including the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Children and Adolescents (UP-C/A), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and The Seven Challenges Program for substance abuse. 

Amy Beaumont, Psy.D., BCaBA

Dr. Amy Beaumont is a licensed psychologist and Board Certified Associate Behavior Analyst. Dr. Beaumont received her Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and completed internship at the May Institute and National Autism Center in Massachusetts.  Dr. Beaumont has over 15 years of experience providing evidence-based treatments for individuals and families, parent training, social skills groups, consultation with schools and medical professionals, and psychological assessment to children and adults.  She currently serves as Coordinator of the University of Miami's Autism Spectrum Assessment Clinic (ASAC), which specializes in assessment and treatment of individuals with autism spectrum disorders.  Dr. Beaumont sees clients for therapy and testing, as well as supervises practicum students and doctoral students within CAMAT and ASAC.  She also serves as a consultant to autism and anxiety-related research projects at the University of Miami.  She has written and presented at numerous local and national conferences on topics related to autism, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), and Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). 

Elizabeth Penela, Ph.D.

Dr. Elizabeth Penela is a bilingual licensed psychologist who earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Miami. Her work has been published in peer-reviewed journals, such as Child Development and Infancy, and she has presented at various national conferences. 

Dr. Penela founded Wellness in Broward in 2020, a specialized private practice dedicated to providing evidence-based therapy to children and adults experiencing challenges with anxiety, OCD, and related concerns. She provides therapy in English and Spanish from her office in Pembroke Pines, Florida, as well as via tele-health to individuals across all 39 PSYPACT states. 

Dr. Penela is also passionate about empowering parents with science-backed tools to help their children effectively cope with anxiety and OCD. She writes an email newsletter for parents filled with evidence-based tips and resources. 

Annie Morrow, Ph.D.

Dr. Morrow is a licensed clinical psychologist who works as part of a multidisciplinary team of providers in the Coral Gables area. Dr. Morrow has extensive clinical training in evidence-based assessment and treatment, with a focus on disorders such as ADHD, autism, and anxiety. Dr. Morrow received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, with a Concentration in Child and Adolescent Mental Health from Florida International University and completed her clinical internship training at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. During her postdoctoral fellowship, she trained at the Mailman Segal Center at Nova Southeastern University, in Davie, FL. She has written and presented at numerous local and national conferences on topics related to externalizing behavior, academic performance, as well as implementation science. Dr. Morrow is very passionate about improving the accessibility of mental health resources, and she has even tested out the possibility that technology could aid dissemination efforts, with posts under the social media handle of “@queenbehaviorchange.” Currently, Dr. Morrow works in private practice seeing clients for therapy and psycho-educational testing, as well as supervises doctoral students within CAMAT.

Jamie Sherman, Ph.D.

Dr. Sherman completed her undergraduate degree in psychology at Cornell University and later went on to receive her M.S. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Miami (UM). During her time at UM, she specialized in treating Anxiety, Depression, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Autism Spectrum Disorders, and Disruptive Behavior Disorders in children, adolescents and young adults. While at UM, Dr. Sherman was an author on the Unified Protocols for Children (UP-C) and Adolescents (UP-A), specialized treatment programs for children and adolescents with anxiety, depression, OCD, and related disorders. Dr. Sherman completed her clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine within the Pediatrics Department. During this time, she gained further specialization in treating a range of mental health problems in children and families and additional specialized training in parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) for young children with behavior concerns and is a certified PCIT Level I trainer. Dr. Sherman specializes in Anxiety, Depression, OCD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, childhood behavior problems, Selective Mutism, Tic Disorders, and Trichotillomania. Currently, Dr. Sherman works in private practice seeing patients for therapy, and also supervises doctoral students within CAMAT. As a certified trainer for the UP-C and UP-A, Dr. Sherman provides training and consultation on these treatments more specifically as well.

Rinatte Gruen, M.S.

Rinatte Gruen is a graduate student in the child clinical psychology program at the University of Miami.  She received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Boston University. After graduating, she participated in the Fellowship in Translational Developmental Neuroscience at the Yale Child Study Center. She is interested in the development and implementation of evidence-based interventions to support families living in poverty and children who have experienced trauma. 

Hannah Grassie, M.S.

Hannah Grassie is a graduate student in the child clinical psychology program at the University of Miami. She received her undergraduate degree from New York University, where she studied psychology with a concenrtation in child and adolescent mental health. Following graduation, Hannah completed a post-baccalaureate fellowship at the National Institute of Mental Health studying the pathophysiology and treatment of severe irritability in youth. Her research interests include the development and implementation of clinical interventions for youth mood and anxiety disorders. Specifically, Hannah is interested in leveraging quantitative methods to probe the mechanisms of change of evidence-based interventions. 

Sandra Cepeda, M.S.

Sandra Cepeda, M.S., is a clinical psychology doctoral student at the University of Miami. She is also a bilingual evaluator and therapist at the CAMAT Program. She earned her B.S. in psychology from Florida State University and completed post-baccalaureate research training at the University of South Florida (USF) and Baylor College of Medicine, where she worked in specialized research clinics for OCD and related disorders. She also went on to earn her M.S. in Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health from USF. As part of her current clinical research training at UM, Sandra is passionate about developing and disseminating culturally informed interventions to support youth with diverse needs, including anxiety, depression, OCD, tics, autism, and ADHD. She is trained to deliver evidence-based treatments in both English and Spanish, including the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Children and Adolescents (UP-C/A), Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT), and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT).

Lauren Milgram, B.A.

Lauren Milgram is a graduate student in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of Miami. Lauren worked in the CAMAT Program as an undergraduate research assistant before graduating with her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami in 2020. Lauren then completed her post-baccalaureate research training at Brown University Medical School, where she conducted research and delivered cognitive behavioral treatment to children with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Lauren has since returned to the University of Miami to continue her study of anxiety, OCD, and related disorders. Lauren is particularly interested in understanding what youth and families learn during exposure therapy and applying novel quantitative methods to better predict symptom change over time across treatment. 

Katie Moskowitz, M.A.

Bianca Braun, B.A.

Bianca Braun is a graduate student in the Clinical child/ Family Psychology program at the University of Miami. She worked as an Au Pair for two years before receiving her AA Honors degree from Westchester Community College and her BA in Psychology from Harvard University in 2023. She then completed post-baccalaureate research training at Northeastern University’s Institute for Cognitive and Brain Health, where she conducted interdisciplinary research examining the links between physical and mental health, specifically how cardiorespiratory fitness and lean mass may protect against internalizing psychopathology. Her research interests focus on how physical activity can mitigate transdiagnostic risk factors, such as stress, and bolster protective factors, such as emotion-regulation, during critical developmental periods.

Lucia Fernandez, M.S.Ed.

Lucia Fernandez is a graduate student in the Counseling Psychology program at the University of Miami. She earned her Master's degree in Mental Health Counseling and her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Biology, both from the University of Miami. Lucia's research background focuses on developing and evaluating social and emotional learning intervention programs for youth, with particular attention to how these interventions can promote resilience and mental health across diverse populations. Clinically, she has experience providing culturally informed therapy to children, adolescents, and families, with a focus on supporting Hispanic families through challenges related to acculturation, substance use, and family dynamics. 

Cynthia Lamas, B.A. 

Cynthia Lamas is a master’s student in the Mental Health Counseling program at the University of Miami. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Florida International University, where she double majored in Psychology and Art History. Her interests focus on how creative expression and identity support the emotional growth and resilience of children and adolescents.

She has gained experience working as an assistant team manager alongside a psychiatrist, which gave her valuable insight into mental health needs across different populations. At the University of Miami, Cynthia has also worked as a research assistant on a project exploring health literacy in Latina communities. As a Latina herself, she is passionate about providing culturally responsive care and improving access to mental health services in underserved communities.

Ava Weshler, B.A.

Tiffany Goncalves, B.A.

Tiffany Goncalves is a doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology Psy.D. program at Nova Southeastern University, where she also earned her undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Public Health. Before joining CAMAT, Tiffany gained extensive experience at the university’s Child, Adolescent, and Family Services Program (CAFS) within the Psychology Services Center, working with children, adolescents, and families. Her work at CAFS focused on conducting assessments and providing interventions for neurodevelopmental disorders, ADHD, anxiety, mood, and behavioral disorders, as well as delivering parenting-skills training and facilitating social skills groups. Additionally, she has worked as a Registered Behavior Technician, providing applied behavior analysis services to children with autism. Tiffany’s research interests center on autism spectrum disorder and evidence-based treatments for neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorders.

Amanda Lachman, M.A.

Amanda is a doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology Psy.D. program at Nova Southeastern University. She holds an undergradute degree from Florida State University and a master’s degree in Psychology from Pepperdine University. Amanda specializes in working with children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, learning disorders, and behavioral challenges. Amanda is passionate about bridging the gap between comprehensive evaluation and individualized support. She aims to provide clear, compassionate feedback that helps clients, families, and professionals better understand cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning.

Elliot Mayers, B.A.

Elliot is a third-year PsyD student in the Clinical Psychology program at Nova Southeastern University. He has gained clinical experience working with children and families impacted by ADHD and learning disabilities through the ADHD Assessment and Consultation Treatment (AACT) Clinic at the university’s Psychology Services Center. In addition, Elliot has worked with children and families across both school and recreational settings, further strengthening his skills in assessment, support, and intervention. He is eager to expand his clinical training by working with children and adolescents with mood disorders in the Child and Adolescent Mood and Anxiety Treatment (CAMAT) program. 

Genesis Olivier, B.S.

Genesis Olivier is a third-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology Psy.D. program at Nova Southeastern University. She earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Public Health from Florida State University. Genesis completed her first practicum at the Unicorn Children’s Foundation Developmental Assessment Clinic, where she gained experience administering and scoring comprehensive test batteries for the evaluation of Autism Spectrum Disorder, conducting behavioral observations, integrating assessment data into reports, and providing feedback to families. She is excited to continue expanding her clinical training by working with children and adolescents with mood and anxiety disorders in the CAMAT program.

Stephanie Cardentey, B.A.  

Stephanie Cardentey is a Psychology Trainee and a graduate student in the Department of Psychology at Nova Southeastern University, currently pursuing her Psy.D in clinical psychology. She has an interest in sports psychology, particularly in supporting adolescents and young adults. Before joining CAMAT, Stephanie gained experience working with children, adolescents, and young adults, focusing on performance anxiety, depression, and overall life adjustments. 

Kathy Yanes Pérez, M.S., M.P.H.  

Kathy is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology PsyD program at Nova Southeastern University (NSU). She received her undergraduate degree in psychology from NSU and a master’s degree in public health from Florida International University. She has experience providing therapy and assessment services to children and adolescents with a range of concerns, including chronic medical conditions and neurological disorders. Her clinical interests focus on pediatric psychology and supporting youth and families in managing complex medical challenges. Kathy’s research interests include improving access to pediatric palliative care for underserved populations and developing culturally responsive interventions for families navigating serious medical diagnoses.