Meet Our Team

Jeffrey I. Gold, PhD

  • PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

    Jeffrey I. Gold, PhD, is a Professor in the Departments of Anesthesiology and Pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California.

    Dr. Gold, a licensed clinical psychologist, directs the Pediatric Pain Management Clinic within the Comfort, Pain Management and Palliative Care Program in the Department of Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine. He also is the director of the Children's Outcomes, Research, and Evaluation (C.O.R.E.) program, director of the Children's Hospital – Yo San University Pediatric Acupuncture Program, and faculty in the pediatric psychology specialization at the USC University Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Mental Health Services at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

    Dr. Gold has specialized in the assessment, treatment, and clinical investigation of acute and chronic pain in children, adolescents, and adults with various chronic medical illnesses, such as sickle cell disease and chronic pain conditions. After graduating with his doctoral degree in clinical psychology (1999), Dr. Gold completed a research fellowship at the National Center for posttraumatic stress in Boston and later a clinical post-doctoral fellowship in the Departments of Hematology/Oncology and Psychiatry at the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland. The following year, he served as the project director for the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research Program of the VA San Francisco Health Care System.

    From June 2000 to October 2001, Dr. Gold was the project director for the Cancer Pain Research Program of the VA Palo Alto Health Care System. Dr. Gold joined the USC faculty in 2002. He has served on Children’s Hospital Los Angeles’ Institutional Review Board (IRB) since 2004, including nine years as a scientific committee member, seven years as Vice Chair, and five years as Chair. He now serves as a consultant to the Chief Scientific Officer and clinical research leadership at The Saban Research Institute. Dr. Gold is an active clinical researcher examining:

    1. Acute and chronic pain,

    2. Integrative health interventions for pain management,

    3. Acute and posttraumatic stress response surrounding medical trauma, and

    4. Neurocognitive outcomes in children with chronic medical illness. 

    Dr. Gold is actively engaged in the evaluation and utility of complementary and alternative medicine (i.e., virtual reality, massage, acupuncture) for reducing pain, anxiety, psychological distress and increasing comfort and satisfaction in hospitalized children.

Research Team

  • Natalia Jaramillo, PhD

    LICENSED CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST, BEHAVIORAL SCIENTIST

    Dr. Natalia Jaramillo is a bilingual and bicultural licensed clinical psychologist specializing in adolescent and young adult mental health. She provides psychotherapy in the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine as a Staff Psychologist and is a Clinical Scientist at the Biobehavioral Pain Lab. Dr. Jaramillo earned her PhD from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and pursued a postdoctoral fellowship at the Youth Stress and Mood Program and the Health Equity & Access Research & Treatment Lab within the UCLA Semel Institute. Her research specializes in suicide prevention, traumatic stress, and mental health service engagement. Dr. Jaramillo's work integrates implementation science to explore how to improve the accessibility, utilization, and effectiveness of evidence-based, culturally responsive interventions for youth and families. With a focus on mental health equity, she is particularly interested in testing innovative digital platforms and participatory models to expand access and improve mental health services. Her work has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and the UCLA Alacrity Center. In her free time Dr. Jaramillo enjoys spending time with family and her dogs, being outdoors, and traveling.

  • Saloni Dangoria, BA

    PROGRAM SPECIALIST

    Saloni Dangoria is a Program Specialist in the Biobehavioral Pain Lab at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. She graduated cum laude from Loyola Marymount University with a BA in psychology and a minor in biology. As a Bay Area native, Saloni previously worked as a clinical research coordinator in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Sleep Medicine at Stanford University where she led investigational drug studies. Throughout her undergraduate career and post-graduate research positions, Saloni has dedicated herself to working with adolescent and pediatric patients from various ages, socioeconomic status, ethnic and racial backgrounds, genders, and medical diagnosis. Her patient-facing roles, volunteer experiences, and undergraduate education have prepared her to eventually pursue a degree and career in Clinical Psychology. In Saloni’s free time, she enjoys thrift shopping, spending quality time with friends, and going to concerts and music festivals!

  • Elena Gareau, BS

    CLINICAL RESEARCH COORDINATOR I

    Elena graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a BS in Human Biology and Society. She is passionate about studying the intersections between social and biological factors of health and how they can influence patients’ outcomes. She is particularly interested in applying these principles into a preventative health model in her future practice as a physician, emphasizing an integrative approach to patient care. In her free time, she likes to explore new hiking trails, watch reality shows, and spend time at the beach with friends.

Research Assistants

  • Sarah Khan

    VOLUNTEER RESEARCH ASSISTANT

    Sarah is a junior at the University of California, Los Angeles studying Human Biology and Society and double minoring in African American Studies and Global Health. She is passionate about bridging the gap between underserved populations and access to care. Sarah hopes to pursue a career as a physician and is eager to use her educational experiences to implement a holistic perspective. In her free time she enjoys going on runs, cooking, and trying new coffee/matcha spots with friends!

  • Jay Yusuf Taimish

    SUMMER RESEARCH INTERN

    Jay is a junior at the University of California, Los Angeles majoring in Human Biology and Society and minoring in LGBTQ Studies. He is passionate about advancing health equity through research, clinical care, and public policy. Jay has contributed to interdisciplinary projects in pediatric gender-affirming care, neuroscience, and scientific censorship, with an emphasis on how structural and sociopolitical forces shape access to care. He also volunteers in community health settings across Los Angeles and hopes to become a physician or physician-scientist specializing in gender-affirming care. Outside of the lab, he sings in UCLA’s African American Music Ensemble, holds a black belt in taekwondo, plays bass in a student folk band, and enjoys exploring new cafes and bubble tea shops around the city!

  • Carly Wolf

    SUMMER RESEARCH INTERN

    Carly is a senior at the University of California, Santa Barbara majoring in Psychological and Brain Sciences and minoring in Applied Psychology. She is passionate about understanding how cognitive, emotional, and social factors shape health outcomes, particularly in pediatric populations. Her interests lie at the intersection of clinical psychology, public health, and integrative care, and she hopes to pursue a career as a clinical psychologist supporting children and families in medical settings. In her free time, Carly enjoys trying new restaurants, going on hikes, and listening to music!

Lab Alumni

 

  • Rika M. L. Meyer, PhD | 2011 - 2015 | Associate Professor at California State University Northridge

  • Tara Raines, PhD | 2011 - 2012 | Assistant Professor at University of Nevada at Las Vegas

    Alexis Yetwin, PhD | 2010 - 2011 | Clinical Psychologist at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

    Beth Barber | 2010 - 2011 | Stanford Children’s Hospital

    Mekel Harris, PhD | 2008 - 2009 | Private Practice in Memphis, TN

    Lisa Tang, PhD | 2007 - 2008 | Private Practice in Seattle, WA

    Despina Colette Nicolaou, PhD | 2006 - 2007 | Rice University

    Erin Dowdy, PhD | 2005 - 2006 | Associate Professor at University of California Santa Barbara

    Katie Kunitzer, MSW | 2004 - 2005 | Scottsdale Unified School District

  • Chelsea Okoro, BS | 2022 - 2025 | Medical Student at University of California San Francisco

    Nhat Ngo, BS | 2021 - 2024

    Cristal Lopez, PhD | 2022 - 2024

    Erin Annick | 2017 - 2021 | Medical Student at University of Hawaii at Mānoa John A. Burns School of Medicine

    Arianna Lane, BA | 2016 - 2021 | Doctoral Candidate at University of Denver

    Sage Lachman, MA | 2018 - 2019 | Doctoral Candidate at Duke University

    Natalia Jaramillo Vasquez, PhD | 2014 - 2016 | Clinical Psychologist at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

    John David (JD) Barton, PsyD | 2014 - 2015 | Pepperdine University

    Veronica Diaz, MSW | 2012 - 2014 | University of California Los Angeles

    Jennifer Chang | 2011 - 2012

    Virginia Beas, IMFT | 2010 - 2013 | Assistant Professor at Long Beach City College

    Raquel Engilman, MA | 2010 - 2017 | Senior Clinical Research Coordinator at Science 37

    Angela Li | 2009 - 2011

    Nidya Zorash Montaño, PhD | 2008 - 2010 | Clinical Psychologist at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Assistant Professor at University of Arizona College of Medicine

    Jennifer Menjivar | 2007 - 2008

    Nicole Mahrer, PsyD | 2007 - 2009 | Associate Professor at University of La Verne

    Katie Belmont Cecala, MD | 2006 - 2007 | Boston Children’s Hospital

    Alexis Yetwin, PhD | 2004 - 2006 | Clinical Psychologist at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

  • Shannon Lau | 2023 - 2024

    Marcus Chang | 2023 - 2024

    Lesley Avila Rojas | 2022 - 2023 | University of California Los Angeles

    Caitlyn Hurray | 2022 - 2023 | University of Southern California

    Alexis Attard | 2022 - 2023 | Project Manager at Kaiser

    Grace Whitman | 2022 | University of Southern California

    Jiana Ejbara | 2020 - 2023

    Mahak Kaur | 2019 - 2022 | University of California Los Angeles

    Roland Duval | 2019 | Gonzaga University

    Ryan Marty | 2019 - 2021

    Simran Sekhon | 2018 - 2021

    Katherine Ho | 2018 - 2021 | University of Southern California

    Christopher Lin | 2019 - 2020

    Isabella Hauptman | 2018 - 2021

    Michelle Faliv | 2018 - 2019 | University of California Los Angeles

    Sabrina Kohanzad | 2019 | New York Medical College

    Alliyah Farahi | 2018 - 2019 | University of Southern California

    Melanie Moradi | 2018 - 2019 | Mental Health Worker at Pacific Clinics

    Ezie Nguyen, BS | 2016 - 2018 | University of Washington

    Melody Hannani, BA | 2016 - 2017 | Alliant University

    Joshua Choi | 2017 | Johns Hopkins University

    Bayle James | 2017 | University of British Coumbia

    Lily Campbell | 2017 | Boston College

    Shelby Schenkman | 2017

    Sloane Fisher | 2016 - 2017 | Yale School of Nursing

    Reina Factor, PhD | 2017 | Virginia Tech University

    Andrew Connors | 2014 - 2016 | Catholic University

    Ena Nielson | 2015 - 2016 | Resident at University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine

    Linda Tsui | 2014 - 2016 | University of Southern California

    Darielle Engilman | 2016 | Duke University

    Susan Mauriello | 2015 - 2016 | Resident at University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine

    Kelsey Thayer | 2015 - 2016 | University of Southern California

    Jessica Pedersen | 2015 - 2016 | University of Southern California

    Zoe Glick | 2015 | University of California Berkeley

    Elizabeth Blotsky | 2014 - 2015 | Resident at University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine

    Sammy Wilkin | 2015 | University of California Davis

    Elaine Yang | 2013 - 2015 | Resident at University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine

    Jennifer Sakioka | 2014 - 2015 | Resident at University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine

    Lisa Schamber | 2013 - 2015 | Resident at University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine

    Arianna Robin | 2014 | University of Southern California

    Stephanie Wetzel | 2013 - 2014 | University of Southern California

    Isabella York | 2014 | Cornell University

    Lana Tehrani | 2014 | University of California Berkeley

    Sanjay Belani | 2013 | Chicago Medical School

    Porshad Elie | 2014 | Stetson Powell Orthopedics and Sports Medicine

    Nicole Kashani | 2012 - 2013 | University of Southern California

    Megan Derick | 2012 - 2013 | Westridge School for Girls

    Johanna Villanueva | 2011 - 2012 | University of Pennsylvania

    Sylvia Charles, MD | 2012 | University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine

    Riva Ballis | 2011 | University of California Davis

    Jared Nager | 2010 - 2011 | Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

    Cynthia Chinn, MD | 2010 - 2011

    Casey Simon 2010 | Pepperdine University

    Daniella Ginsburg | 2008 - 2010 | Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

    Jamie Peregrine | 2008 - 2010 | Resident at University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine

    Nicole Pampanin | 2008 | Lewis and Clark

    Sarah Russel | 2007 - 2008 | University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine

    Dana Season, PsyD | 2005 - 2006 | Kaiser Permanente

    Zorash Montano | 2008 - 2010 | Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

    Raj Augustine, PhD | 2003 - 2004 | Private Practice in Los Angeles, CA

    Anya Griffin, PhD | 2002 - 2004 | Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

    Kerri Schutz | 2003 - 2004 | VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System