Our Team

Danielle Taubman joined the Depression Center in 2015 as a Technical Writer. Since 2019, she has served as a Program Evaluation Specialist. In this role, she strategically evaluates and documents the Depression Center's outreach and education programs--particularly in the areas of workplace mental health and e-mental health--develops courses and trainings, creates and disseminates educational materials, and conducts research. Ms. Taubman earned her Master’s in Public Health degree in Health Behavior & Health Education, with a focus on health communication, from the University of Michigan. She also received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan where she majored in Psychology and minored in Gender and Health.

Daniela Lopez is a Clinical Research Manager for Sagar Parikh, MD in the Department of Psychiatry. Ms. Lopez has worked in different research department throughout the University since graduating with BA in Psychology from the University of Michigan in 2010. Ms. Lopez obtained her Master of Science in Human Resources and Organizational Development from Eastern Michigan University in 2014 and completed her second graduate degree, a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan, while continuing to work in Dr. Parikh’s lab. Ms. Lopez enjoys both psychiatric research and clinical work. In addition to her managerial research role in Psychiatry, she holds an appointment as a Behavioral Health Specialist at Community Health and Social Services in southwest Detroit.

Erica Vest, LMSW graduated from Michigan State University with a BA in Psychology in 2010 and received her master’s in social work in 2013. She has a long and progressive career in clinical research coordination and care management and has held several positions at Wayne County, Wayne State University, and the University of Michigan. She is currently licensed in the state of Michigan to practice clinical social work and works as a research specialist and clinical social work at Michigan Medicine in the department of Psychiatry. In those roles she conducts clinical diagnostic assessments, coordinates research studies, supervises social work interns, co-facilitates psychotherapy groups, and handles IRB regulatory affairs

Abigail joined the Parikh Research Lab team in November of 2021. She graduated with a B.A. in 2021 from the University of Michigan with a major in Psychology and a minor in Gender and Health. As an undergraduate, she worked as a research assistant in the School of Public Policy, the department of Sociology, and the Michigan Neurogenetics and Developmental Psychopathology Lab on the Michigan Twin Neurogenetics Study (MTwiNS) at the University of Michigan. In the future, she hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology.

Ellie joined the Parikh Research Lab team as a Research Technician in June 2021. She graduated with a B.S. in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience from the University of Michigan. As an undergraduate, she worked in the Michigan Psychoneuroendocrinology Affective Laboratory on the Detecting Risk of Youth Depression study. She wrote her honors thesis on the moderating effect of dehydroepiandrosterone on physiological and psychological stress responses. In the future, Ellie would like to attend a doctoral clinical science program.