Arielle H. Sheftall

Arielle H. Sheftall, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the University of Rochester Medical Center in the Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Dentistry. She serves as Director of Academic Affairs for the Diversity, Inclusion, Culture, and Equity (DICE) Board. Her research focuses on developmental mechanisms underlying early-onset suicidal behavior in youth, with a particular emphasis on racial disparities, especially among Black youth. She leads the Sheftall Lab, which investigates neurocognitive, emotional, and familial risk factors for suicidal behaviors.

Education: PhD in Human Development and Family Studies from The Ohio State University (2010), MS in the same field (2006).

Research Interests:

• Developmental pathways to suicidal behavior
• Racial disparities in suicide rates and mental health
• Neurocognitive and familial risk factors
• Suicide prevention strategies for marginalized youth

Grants & Funding: Supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).

Labs/Teams: Sheftall Lab collaborates with institutions like University of Notre Dame and Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Current projects include longitudinal studies on parental history of suicidal behavior and interventions leveraging transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) and smartphone technology.

Professional Affiliations: Congressional Black Caucus Emergency Taskforce on Black Youth Suicide, SAMHSA subject matter expert, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.