Welcome to the C3 People page! At the intersection of psychology, sociology, and education science, our lab is dedicated to understanding the complexities of child and adolescent development within their social contexts. Each member of our research team brings a unique experience, perspective, collaborative energy.
Get to know the individuals behind our work and the unique perspectives that fuel our research!
Primary Investigator/Director
Dr. Keiana Mayfield (she/her) is an Assistant Professor at George Mason University in the department of Social Work in the College of Public Health. Dr. Mayfield earned a doctorate in the Human Development and Family Studies program at The Pennsylvania State University and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and her bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Studies of Women and Gender Studies from the University of Virginia.
Her research interests lie at the intersection of child development and sociocultural contextual factors. Her work focuses on how families and schools influence child and adolescent development. She examines how a combination of individual characteristics, socialization processes and sociocultural factors support (or undermine) child and adolescent development across contexts using advanced statistical methodologies. Her research strives to create and inform intervention and prevention programs working to support children and adolescents in family and school contexts.
Graduate Students
Sara Mitchell
Sara Mitchell is a Master of Social Work student at George Mason University, with an Adults & Healthy Aging concentration. Her practicum placements have focused on academic environments ranging from a K-12 public school system to a private university. After completing her undergraduate work from Virginia Tech, Sara worked in California as a reporter and editor covering politics and health care. She then spent a decade advocating for reproductive health care, LGBTQ+ rights, and health care accessibility/affordability.
Liam Fish
Liam Fish is currently an MSW student at George Mason University. Liam is a first year in the three-year program with plans to specialize in Children Youth & Families. He previously majored in Sociology at William & Mary, focusing his senior research thesis examining the average distance to public libraries for different racial demographics in Virginia. His main academic interests are child development and school social work. Liam is a member of the George Mason Club Baseball team. In his free time, he likes to play video games, read manga, and play with his cat Thunder.
Undergraduate Students
Diana Maysaud
Diana Maysaud is an Undergraduate Research Assistant at the Social Work Integrative Research Laboratory (SWIRL) at George Mason University. With a focus on ethical research practices and real-world social work applications, she collaborates on clinical research projects addressing community health and social determinants. Diana is certified in Good Clinical Practice (GCP) for Social and Behavioral Research and has developed a strong foundation in community health strategies through her academic background in Community Health with a minor in Social Work.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Diana is an enthusiastic advocate for mental wellness, having honed skills in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) through her participation in GMU’s OWEL DBT program. Her passions extend to exploring local cafes and delving into poetry, which fuels her creative side and provides a well-rounded perspective in her research and community engagements.
