Odessa is a Research Officer in Behavioural Science within The Inclusive Initiative (TII) at the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science at LSE. She leverages behavioural science insights and engages in advanced statistical analyses to advance the understanding of factors that impede inclusion in occupational environments. TII has an exciting agenda to integrate the research developed by its members to advance inclusive strategies that increase diversity in traditionally homogenous industries. Thus, with the ultimate aim of informing practice, Odessa and her team together seek to develop economically viable interventions with the use of nuanced proxy measures of inclusion.

Odessa is also a Doctoral Researcher in Epidemiological Psychoneuroimmunology at UCL with a full scholarship awarded by the ESRC|BBSRC. Her research centers on the interplay between psychosocial and applied sciences in the aetiology of disease, shadowed by prolific societal burdens and economic downturns. In her pursuit to influence policy, Odessa explores latent mechanisms underlaying these complex processes in order to identify potentially mitigating behavioural factors. This research closely aligns with Odessa’s work in TII, as it feeds into disease pathogenesis following poor organisational practices, which highlight the need for healthier, more progressive occupational environments.

Before joining TII, Odessa gained a Masters in Psychological Sciences, where she won a Social Campaign Award within the Brain Sciences Faculty. She secured a transient opportunity at the University of Oxford, exploring potential lithium-mimetics for psychopathologies. Earlier, Odessa won the Pioneers-Santander Entrepreneurial Award, secured a First-Class Degree with honours in Organisational Psychology and, in addition, secured both registration in Psychometrics and MBPsS status at the BPS. One of Odessa’s notable professional experiences was in her transformation of a zero-funded business into a six-figure venture in New York; rated among the top 3% nationwide.