The ASPIRE Team

Meet our dedicated team of researchers and emerging scholars!

Illustration of four people looking at abstract data on a white board

People

The ASPIRE Lab is directed by Dr. Ryan Persram, and is staffed by emerging scholars at various levels of training, including undergraduates, Master’s, and Doctoral students. The research team is also comprised of many volunteer research assistants. Learn more about our team below!

Lab Coordinator
  • All Members
  • Lab Director
  • Lab Coordinator
  • Graduate Students
  • Undergraduate Thesis Students
  • Research Assistants
  • Honourary Members

Lab Director

Dr. Ryan Persram

ryan.persram@torontomu.ca

I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Director of the ASPIRE at TMU.

I completed my PhD in developmental psychology at Concordia University. My research interests focus on the role of social relationships in adolescents. Specifically, what are important indicators of healthy relationships, and how do positive and negative experiences with specific partners, namely siblings, peers, and romantic partners relate to youth well-being. I am also interested in the unique and interactive contributions of multiple relationships and their subsequent effects on youth development and consider how contextual factors (e.g., gender identity, culture, SES) are implicated. I have received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (Insight Grant; Canada Graduate Scholarship) and the Fonds de Recherche du Québec – Société et Culture (FRQSC). In my free time, I enjoy catching a game, as well as cooking for friends and family.

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PhD Student (Clinical)

Charlotte Leon-Williamson

I completed my Honours BA in Psychology at McGill University. My current research explores the dynamics of sibling relationships and friendships, with a focus on the role of self-disclosure. Specifically, I am investigating how self-disclosure varies between these relationships and how different disclosure patterns across relationships impact the adjustment of first-year university students. In my free time I love reading, going to concerts, and spending time with my friends, family, and pets.

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Ma Student (Clinical)

Natasha Souaid

I completed my Bachelors of Science in Honours Psychology at Concordia University. My research interests lie in understanding interpersonal processes in youth. I am specifically investigating concordance and discrepancies in support and perceived responsiveness within sibling dyadic relationships, and how potential micro-level mismatches impact daily affective outcomes. Outside of the lab, I enjoy going to concerts, listening to music, exploring new restaurants, and travelling.

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Undergraduate Thesis Student

Avah Zordan

I am in my fourth year of the Undergraduate Psychology program at TMU. Currently, I am working on my undergraduate thesis which focuses on how trust moderates the effects between self-disclosures and adjustment outcomes among late adolescent siblings. In my spare time, I enjoy listening to music, playing the violin, and making different kinds of coffee!

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Lab Coordinator

Mariana Zapounidis

I recently graduated TMU’s Honour’s Psychology program, and am currently the lab coordinator of the ASPIRE lab! My research interests revolve around peer and sibling relationships. Specifically, my undergraduate thesis explored the role of daily occurrences of peer and/or sibling victimization on adolescents’ positive and negative affect. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, knitting sweaters, and playing obscure video games!

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Research Assistant

Sienna Klein

I am a fourth-year Psychology student at Toronto Metropolitan University, completing my Honours Thesis in the Aspire Lab. My research interests include examining both sibling and friendship relationships. However, for my thesis I will focus specifically on sibling relationships, exploring how sibling support influences emotional well-being. Outside of academics, I enjoy playing soccer, snowboarding, and listening to music.

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Research Assistant

Safiyya Inhaam

I am a second year student in the undergraduate psychology program at TMU. In the lab, I am currently helping with a study on how flooding affects mental health.

I am interested in clinical and social psychology, and I enjoy reading and making jewelry in my free time.

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Research Assistant

MaDi Rainbow

I completed my Honours BA in Psychology at Wilfrid Laurier University. I am currently working as a Research Assistant in the ASPIRE Lab, investigating the association between sibling relationship beliefs and sibling relationship quality. In my free time, I enjoy creating visual art using a variety of mediums, including painting, photography, and crochet.

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Research Assistant

Maddy Mckenzie

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Director of Fun and Sass

Olive

Olive the French wears multiple hats in the lab, both as its Director of Fun and Sass.

Olive joined the lab in October 2023 and she is primarily responsible for making everyone’s day brighter but also ensuring that they know who’s in charge (her). Olive is very firm negotiator but is known to ease up on her demands if you give her berries. All that said, she’s incredibly supportive of her labmates and all of the amazing work that the lab does!

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Alumni

Undergraduate Thesis Students

Leonette Alhambra (2023 – 2024) 

Jamilah Christian (2024 – 2025) 

Julia Llewellyn (2024 – 2025) 

Undergraduate Practicum Students

Sanaa Mansuri (2025)

Naba Hussain (2026)

 

Research Assistants

Niyer Duncan (2024 – 2025)

Gerly Ngyema Nang (2024 – 2025) 

Patricia Forbes (2023 – 2025) 

Hayden Wong (2025 – 2026) 

Laura Humphriss (2025 – 2026) 

Ashley Mahraj (2023 – 2025)