Graduate Student Researchers

Marcela Abrego, MPH

I’m from Washington, DC, and I’m a fourth-year doctoral student in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at UT Austin. I earned a Master of Public Health in Nutrition and Health Quality from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where my capstone project focused on a nutrition intervention for cardiometabolic health in Cleveland County. My career goal is to become an independent researcher investigating the lifestyle determinants that contribute to metabolic syndrome in underserved populations.

Currently, I’m working on two independent projects that explore dietary intake and eating behaviors in the context of child development and metabolic health. The first project evaluates the associations between animal-source food consumption and motor development during the first year of life, using Peabody scales. This project draws on data from the Widen lab’s MAGIC study. The second project examines childhood eating behaviors in relation to 1) longitudinal growth through adolescence and 2) dysglycemia and insulin resistance during puberty. For this project, I’m collaborating with Dr. Dana Dabelea and using data from the Healthy Start study in Denver, Colorado.

I also serve as the president of the Nutrition Graduate Student Association and work as a graduate research assistant for the MAGIC study.

Fun fact: I’m a certified Lagree instructor!

Anahi Ramos-Gonzalez, MSc

I’m from Mexico City and in my third year as a doctoral student. I hold a Master of Science in Community Nutrition from the National Institute of Public Health in Mexico.  

My academic journey and professional experiences have focused on understanding the critical first two years of life. I have explored how caregiver-infant interactions shape eating behaviors and how these behaviors influence weight gain trajectories, health outcomes, and long-term obesity risk. I am deeply committed to advancing maternal and child health.

My professional background includes clinical and public health roles, where I have supported vulnerable populations, particularly women and children. As a WIC Nutritionist, I provide tailored nutritional counseling, breastfeeding support, and education to vulnerable families. This hands-on experience informs my research and reinforces my commitment to addressing health disparities through evidence-based strategies.

In my doctoral training, I am expanding my expertise with advanced methodologies such as video-sensitive feedback and video coding to explore responsive feeding practices. These tools will allow me to design and evaluate interventions that empower caregivers and promote healthy developmental outcomes for infants and toddlers. My work aligns with my goal of bridging research and practice to foster sustainable, equitable health improvements in at-risk communities.

I aim to contribute to the growing knowledge of early childhood nutrition and health through applied research, direct service, and academic inquiry. I want to influence policies and programs that support healthy growth and development during this formative period.

Fun fact: Back in Mexico, I used to rescue cats and dogs from the street, and once, we had up to 8 at home!

Kayleen Whitley, MS, RD, LD

I am a second-year PhD student in the Widen Lab. I completed my undergraduate and master’s degrees, as well as a dietetic internship, at the University of Houston. I worked as a pediatric clinical dietitian for three years at top children’s hospitals, which solidified my drive to pursue a doctoral degree in nutrition with a focus on infant and early childhood nutrition. My specific interests in this area of nutrition are caregiver feeding types, caregiver-responsive feeding sensitivity, and hunger self-regulation in children.