Meet the Team
SoBaD is a research collaboration under the direction of Professor Benjamin Converse. We are comprised of undergraduate and graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, a lab manager, and collaborators from around the world.
Benjamin Converse, Associate Professor of Public Policy and Psychology
Ben has joint appointments in the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and the Department of Psychology at the University of Virginia. His work focuses on how people achieve personal and group goals in a social world. He is particularly interested in how individual thought processes lead to decisions and behaviors that promote or undermine stable social systems. To learn more about his research, visit his Batten page!
Tommy Shannon, Graduate Student
Tommy is a third-year PhD student in the Social Psychology program. He earned his undergraduate degree and a Third Mate License from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, a M.A. from the U.S. Naval War College, and a Master's in Public Administration with certificate in Management, Leadership, and Decision Science from Harvard. After flying in the Navy for the first part of his professional life, he's shifted focus and interest to researching how social influence impacts judgement, decision making, and motivation. When not in the classroom or lab, Tommy enjoys exploring the Charlottesville area with his family, catching a favorite band in concert, or going for a long run.
Natalie Baumeister, Lab Manager
Natalie works with SoBaD and JADE Labs in the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. She studied Psychology and Cognitive Science at UVA. Her research interests include cognitive heuristics and social inequalities. Outside of the lab, you can find Natalie practicing piano, running, and writing stories.
Research Assistants
Cayla Lee
Cayla is a fourth-year student majoring in Cognitive Science on the pre-dental track. After gaining exposure to research through her classes, she became interested in gaining hands-on experience and applying her knowledge in a real research setting. Her research interests include motivation, decision-making, goal pursuit, and mental health. In her free time, she enjoys watching F1, doing Pilates, and building LEGO sets.
Jialin (Kelly) Yue
Jialin (Kelly) Yue is a third-year student majoring in cognitive science and philosophy and minoring in computer science. She is interested in the intersection of neuroscience, cognition, and human behavior, and enjoys using both research and data-driven approaches to understand how people think, learn, and make decisions. In her free time, she loves soaking up the sun, playing racket sports, and exploring new restaurants and local shops.
Yiyang Zhang
Yiyang is a fourth-year psychology major who plans to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology. Her research focuses on biased cognitive processes that maintain psychopathology, particularly eating disorders. Through this work, she has developed a strong interest in single-session and rapid-acting interventions, and she hopes to continue exploring innovative approaches to mental health care in graduate school. Outside of research, she enjoys reading,
watercolor painting, and skateboarding.
Solyana Kumlachew
Lab Alumni
Please check out our alumni working in science and education.
(as of Spring 2026, alphabetical order by last name)
Maura Austin | Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Virginia
Ashley Angulo | Senior Lecturer - Marketing, University of Arizona
Ilana Brody | PhD. student, University of California at Los Angeles
Johanna Cohoon | UX Researcher, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
Brendon Cummiskey | Behavioral Scientist, United Network for Organ Sharing
Angelo Cusimano (formerly Annalisa Myer) | PhD. student, City University of New York
Kyle Dobson | Assistant Professor, University of Virginia
Jacob Goldstein-Greenwood | Research Data Scientist, University of Virginia Library
Lindsay Juarez | Behavioral Scientist, Irrational Labs
Ines Jurcevic | Assistant Professor of Policy and Governing, University of Washington
Andrew Hales | Assistant Professor of Psychology, University of Mississippi
Marie Hennecke | Professor, Ruhr University Bochum
Julia Holland | Co-Founder - edMAJIC
Ria Khandelwal | PhD. student, Georgia
Yuching Lin | Research/IO Psychologist, United States Department of Defense
Chris Neale | Assistant Professor of Psychological Sciences, University of Lynchburg
David Reinhard | Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior, Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Business
Alaina Segura | Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School's Center for Public Leadership
Shelly Tsang | Postdoctoral Researcher, University of California at Los Angeles
Daniel Young, MD. | Pediatric Hospitalist, Denver Health Medical Center
Weishan Zhang | PhD. student, University of California at Los Angeles