Principal Investigator
Jacob Meyer
Position title: Principal Investigator
Email:
jdmeyer3
Dr. Meyer is an expert on the neurobiological effects of exercise on depression and his research is designed to capitalize on the psychological effects of exercise for major depressive disorder and other mood disorders. This research examines the biology that is associated with the mood-enhancing effects of acute and chronic exercise with the goal of using that to both prevent serious mental health concerns and treat those suffering from mental illness. His primary research focus is on depression, but also has interest in using both aerobic and resistance exercise in the prevention and treatment of all types of psychological concerns (anxiety, stress, fatigue, etc.) in healthy adults and those with mental health conditions.
Research Staff
Jeni Lansing
Position title: Research Scientist
Email:
jlansing3
After receiving my PhD from Iowa State University in 2020, with Drs. Jacob Meyer and Laura Ellingson serving as my graduate advisors, I became a Research Scientist and have worked in this role since.
Madeleine Connolly
Position title: Research Associate
Email:
mconnolly5
I have joined the team in 2025 as a postdoc, coming from Melbourne, Australia. Prior to arriving in Madison, I completed my PhD in 2023 at the University of Melbourne, and also undertook a year of postdoctoral training from 2023-2024 at Deakin University.
Taline Jouzi
Position title: Research Specialist (RESIST Trial)
Email:
jouzi
I joined the Wellbeing and Exercise Lab as a Research Specialist in September 2024 and I am excited to be part of the RESIST project and Wellex team. Before starting this position, I completed a concurrent program at Iowa State, earning both my bachelor's and master’s degrees in Diet and Exercise.
Yadira Ortiz
Position title: Fitness Instructor
Email:
yaortiz
This is Yadi’s first year in the Wellbeing and Exercise Lab. She graduated with her Bachelors in Kinesiology at UW-Madison in Spring 2025 and is currently working with our participants to program their workouts for RESIST!
Ryan Tonjes
Position title: Clinical Interviewer
Email:
rtonjes
Ryan joined our team recently as our clinical interviewer and recently graduated from The Ohio State University in Fall 2024. He enjoys going on walks, resistance training and reading!
Ruby Rogers
Position title: Research Specialist (CBT+ Trial)
I joined the Wellbeing and Exercise Lab as a Research Specialist in November of 2025. After graduating from Macalester College with a BA in psychology, I worked at a mental health clinic before joining the WellEx lab and CBT+ project!
Graduate Students
Seana Smith
Position title: PhD Student
Email:
slsmith44
My current research interest focuses on how we can manage anxiety symptoms with acute and chronic resistance exercise. I plan to use Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to better understand these relationships in an externally valid setting.
Shania Kimbrell
Position title: PhD Student
Email:
sjkelly8
Broadly, I am interested in the relationship between exercise and neurobiological mechanisms of major depressive disorder. During my PhD, I hope to look more closely at the relationship between exercise and the neurobiological mechanisms of perinatal and postnatal depression.
John Gidley
Position title: MS Student
Email:
jgidley
My research interest focuses on the effects of physical activity on mental health within the Veteran population and the neurobiological mechanisms involved. During my MS, I hope to explore the relationship between the cessation of Active Duty related physical activity on mental health.
Undergraduate Students
Graduate Student Alumni
Sydney Churchill
Credentials: PhD
Position title: Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Sydney Churchill is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to this position, Dr. Churchill was a graduate student in the Wellbeing and Exercise Lab at Iowa State University, where she obtained her Ph.D. in 2025 in Kinesiology and Neuroscience. Dr. Churchill’s research focuses on understanding how modifiable health behaviors, such as increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior, can be leveraged to improve mental health, physical health, and clinical outcomes in people with chronic conditions. Her work primarily targets two populations: people with epilepsy and those affected by substance use disorders. She uses large-scale data analytics to inform the design of behavioral interventions, with the goal of developing evidence-based treatment options that support long-term health and treatment engagement.
