Meet Our Summer Research Team

Meet Our Summer Research Team
This summer, we’re teaming up with an incredible group of researchers, PhDs and MAs from Stanford, USC, and Columbia, who are helping us do things differently. From tracking the emotional and behavioral impact to refining features with real user insights, we’re working together to make sure Moxies stays rooted in well-being, safety, and fun.

At Moxies, reimagining digital life for tween girls means surrounding ourselves with experts who care deeply about privacy, transparency, and high safety standards. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome this brilliant crew to our mission.

Say hello to Chelsea, Cristina, Elena, Aridenne, and Catherine- we’re so lucky to have you on board! 💜

🌟 Chelsea Allen
A Ph.D. candidate at Columbia and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Chelsea explores how Black women utilize technology for healing and empowerment. She brings that same energy to Moxies, championing confidence and creativity in every girl.

🌟 Cristina Butnaru Pedroza
Cristina is a Clinical Psychology MA student at Columbia with hands-on experience as a youth therapist. She's passionate about using tech for good and is here to help shape programming that fuels girls’ confidence, connection, and self-expression.

🌟 Elena Grey
Elena is a Clinical Psychology Doctoral Candidate at PAU-Stanford and a former Deloitte tech consultant. She’s all about turning data into action—and is thrilled to apply her insights to support girls’ digital well-being at Moxies.

🌟 Aridenne Dews
A fourth-year Clinical Psych PhD student at USC, Aridenne studies digital interventions and youth engagement. With a deep passion for socioemotional development, she’s excited to blend research and UX to uplift the Moxies community.

🌟 Catherine Demesa
Catherine brings real-world trust & safety expertise from her work with Trill Project and Blue Fever. A NASA CIF grant recipient and privacy advocate, she’s on a mission to help make the internet a safer place, starting with Moxies.

We’re so proud to work alongside this powerhouse team as we reimagine digital spaces for the next generation of girls.