_edited_edited.png)
2025-2026 Team Members
Paulina Paredes Cienega
[She, Her, Hers]
I am a doctoral student in the Clinical-Child Psychology program at DePaul University. Broadly, my research interests focus on examining psychosocial contexts (i.e., culture, domestic violence) and mother-child attachment relationships among Latinx communities. More specifically, I am interested in how these factors can moderate the impact maternal psychopathology has on children’s or adolescent’s developmental trajectories. Finally, I am interested in developing and evaluating culturally sensitive interventions and treatments tailored to ethnic minority populations in community and school-based settings.
Doctoral Students
Elizabeth Martinez-Charleston
[She, Her, Hers]
I am a doctoral student in the Clinical-Community Psychology program at DePaul University. My research interests broadly focus on examining factors that influence the mental health development of adolescents and exploring how these factors impact educational outcomes, specifically among Latinx youth. I am also interested in understanding how cultural and familial factors influence help-seeking behaviors in minority youth. Lastly, I am interested in increasing the accessibility of culturally informed interventions and treatments to bilingual families through community-based organizations.
Melissa Lopez
[She, Her, Hers]
I am a doctoral student in the Clinical-Child Psychology program at DePaul University. My research interest focuses primarily on Latinx youth. Specifically, I am interested in examining the effects of Parentification (e.g., language brokering, caretaking, and more) on Latinx youth. I am also interested in the impact that machismo and marianismo have on Latinx youth. Lastly, I am interested in exploring the development of culturally sensitive after school interventions.
Maria Jose Gonzalez
[She, Her, Hers]
I am a doctoral student at DePaul University. My research interests broadly focus on the cultural, historical, and systemic factors shaping the mental health outcomes of diverse youth. I am most interested in how experiences of immigration and documentation status affect the mental health of Latine youth, particularly in terms of anxiety and depression. Furthermore, I am interested in evidence-based cultural adaptations and community interventions that may help youth cultivate resilience and improve mental health.
Graduate Student Leaders &
Research Assistants
Catherine Garcia-Goetting
[She, Her, Hers]
I am a Research Psychology MS student with a BS in Psychology from DePaul University (2021). My research background is in the implementation and evaluation of evidence-based interventions for youth with internalizing disorders. My research interests include examining the barriers to accessing high-quality interventions, the factors that moderate treatment effectiveness, and the development of culturally informed treatments that address those barriers and can be tailored to specific populations. In the future, I hope to explore these issues further by pursuing a PhD in clinical psychology.
Vanessa Perez Marquez
[She, Her, Hers]
I am an EdS School Psychology student at Loyola University Chicago with a BA in Psychology and Spanish from Colgate University (2022). My research background includes work on culturally responsive interventions that support educational and mental health outcomes for historically underserved youth and families. I have contributed to different community-based projects, including La Fuerza–STEM, Ready to Learn, and IDEAS 2, where I co-developed intervention materials, led bilingual data collection efforts, and collaborated with families, educators, and other stakeholders to promote cultural relevance and accessibility. My interests include advancing trauma-informed school-based interventions and practices, improving access to mental health services for bilingual and neurodiverse students, and supporting the sustainability of evidence-based interventions in real-world educational settings. In the future, I hope to become a bilingual school psychologist working in high-need schools to help promote equity in education and mental health care.
Clare Doyle
[She, Her, Hers]
I hold an MA in Human Development Research and Policy from NYU (2024) and a dual BAs in Middle East Studies (Arabic Language) and Political Science from UC Santa Barbara (2020). My research interests focus on policies and programs that reduce health disparities among immigrant children and families facing legal and resource-based challenges. I’m committed to exploring how communities and institutions can work together to better support the emotional development of underrepresented youth, advance child mental health policies and expand global access to refugee health services. In the future, I also hope to pursue a clinical social work license and/or PhD programs, specializing in immigration trauma and immigrant/refugee mental health.
Project Coordinators & Post B.A./B.S. Research Assistants
I graduated from DePaul University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a concentration in human development, and minors in Latin American and Latino Studies as well as Women and Gender Studies. These fields tie together to provide knowledge and insight into my research interests which are primarily focused on the intersections of people’s lives. Particularly, the influence of cultural and ethnic factors on the mental health and well-being of populations that are not well represented in the field.
[She, Her, Hers]
Amber Ramos
​I graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Clinical-Community Psychology and Spanish. My primary research interests include cultural and familial influences on the development of internalizing disorders in minoritized youth, particularly Latinx youth. I am also interested in culturally-informed interventions at the community level. In the future I hope to further my research by obtaining a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology.
[She, Her, Hers]
Ashley Serna
Paula Ueki
I graduated from Temple University in the Spring of 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. I moved to the United States in 2019 from Ecuador and have been participating in research ever since to prepare to pursue a PhD in the future. My background teaching multi-cultural children and my experience studying child development inspired me to work towards making research findings about mental health and research in Psychology accessible beyond English-speakers. My interests are mainly the influence of different languages and parent-child interventions on children's behavioral and socio-emotional outcomes.
[She, Her, Hers]
Evelyn Andrade
I graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) in 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Psychology and a minor in Sociology. My research interests include understanding the various factors that impact the mental health of Latinx and African American community members, in particular anxiety and depression. Along with understanding and developing strategies to bridge the gap in participation in mental health services. In the future, I hope to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and work with minority youth populations.
[She, Her, Hers]
Lucy Hermann
[She, Her, Hers]
I graduated from the University of Denver in 2024 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Sociology. My research interests include the social, cultural, and environmental factors influencing the mental health of youth and culturally informed, evidence-based interventions aimed to improve the socio-emotional skills of youth, especially in historically underserved populations and communities. I am also interested in the process of implementing and evaluating community-level interventions so to better understand and address barriers that prevent the routine use of evidence-based practices at a large scale. I aim to pursue a PhD in Community Psychology to bridge the gap between research and policy as well as investigate efficient and effective solutions to pressing social issues faced by underserved communities.
Lucia Hogan
[She, Her, Ella]
I graduated from North Park University in 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. I am interested in parent-children interventions within marginalized communities, as well as examining the effects of cultural factors in the development of psychopathology. I am also interested in understanding the impact that language has on both mental health development and treatment. My goal for the future is to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology. I am really grateful to be part of the CEBP Lab, as their evidence-based intervention teaches youth problem-solving, coping, and emotional self-regulation skills, which will serve as a buffer against stressful situations.
Jessica Saavedra
[She, Her, Hers]
I graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a concentration in clinical/community psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish in May 2025. My research interests include investigating the effectiveness of a multicultural perspective for educational materials for underrepresented groups and gaining a better understanding of mental health within minority communities. I hope to improve mental health awareness and acceptance within minority communities. Overall, my goals are to help marginalized and linguistically diverse children and their families receive the mental health care they deserve. For me, this is becoming a child psychologist to children in Spanish-speaking families. Looking forward, I will begin DePaul’s Master’s in Mental Health Counseling Program in Fall 2026 in order to get me one step closer to achieving my goals. I am excited to continue my work in research at the CEBP Lab, as it helps me to learn more about mental health research while simultaneously providing underserved communities with mental health resources.
Anvitha Vadlamudi
[She, Her, Hers]
I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Clinical Psychology from Indiana University in 2025. My research interests lie in implementation science, particularly in how existing interventions and treatments can be adapted and applied in broader contexts to better support individuals from marginalized backgrounds. I am especially interested in interventions for adolescents from underserved populations, including those in foster care, from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and ethnic minority groups. In addition, I am interested in exploring systemic and structural barriers that prevent marginalized adolescents from receiving appropriate mental health care. My long-term goal is to pursue a PhD in Counseling Psychology with a focus on working with children. I am excited to be a part of the CEBP Lab and contribute to research that delivers interventions to underserved youth.
​
​
​
​
​
Undergraduate Research Assistants
-
Evelin Regalado
[She, Her, Hers]
I am currently a junior at DePaul University majoring in Psychology with a concentration in Hunan Development and minoring in Latin American and Latino Studies. After I graduate, I plan to pursue further education in developmental or clinical psychology, and become an advocate for the mental health needs of individuals in underserved communities. I find it fascinating to see how coping strategies can help one improve their mental well-being. That's why I'm excited to be working at the CEBP Lab, where I can learn more about the effectiveness of these strategies and help address mental health concerns among high-risk youth.
Betsy Carreño
[She, Her, Hers]
I am currently a senior at Dominican University majoring in Psychology with a minor in Philosophy. After graduation, I hope to continue my education in a PhD program in clinical psychology. I’m more than eager to begin working with the CEBP lab and help gain experience and important knowledge. I am very passionate about culture, specifically how it can change one’s experience in life. Working with the CEBP lab will help me explore one of my passions in a meaningful way and help me prepare for my future.
Kimberly Albarran
[She, Her, Hers]
I am currently a senior at DePaul University majoring in Psychology with a concentration in Human Development and minoring in Sociology. After I graduate, I plan to further my education in clinical or counseling psychology with the route of pursuing a career in Social work or School Counseling. With a special interest in working with Spanish-speaking, and low-income families and children. I am beyond interested in learning how one’s environment and coping skills can impact one's mental health, and steps they take to improve their well-being. Working at the CEBP lab will allow me to gain experience in these fields, working with underserved individuals, as well as help me learn more for my future.
Valeria Herrera-Catalan
[She, Her, Hers]
I am currently a junior at DePaul University majoring in Psychology with a concentration in Human Development. After graduation, I plan to pursue a Master’s in Counseling Psychology, with a focus on children and adolescents. I believe providing support during these formative years is crucial, as it greatly shapes how they transition into adulthood. I am excited to begin working at the CEBP lab because I am passionate about advocating for children, particularly in underserved populations, and I hope to continue doing this work long term.
Safi Kamar
[She, Her, Hers]
I am a DePaul senior pursuing a BA degree in Psychology and Philosophy with a minor in Women and Gender Studies. I have previously been a part of the Cities Project, where I held a mentor role and facilitated lessons on mental health, coping skills, and emotional regulation to multiple mentees in the Chicago Public School system. My research interests have to do with mental health issues of at-risk youth in underserved communities. Specifically, how art can be used to facilitate healing and connection both on an individual level and on a communal level. I am also particularly interested in looking at the intersection of gender, race and culture on the psychopathology of at-risk youth. I hope to continue my education and work as a licensed Art Therapist to help support a range of marginalized communities.
Vanessa Rodriguez
[She, Her, Hers]
I am currently a junior at DePaul University majoring in Psychology with a concentration in Human Development. After I graduate I plan to seek further education, focusing on school psychology or clinical psychology. Helping minority youth is something I find crucial, and that needs to be focused on more. Specifically I am passionate about the use of intervention methods in school-based settings when it comes to students’ mental health. I am very excited to be part of the CEBP lab and am looking forward to the different ways I will expand my skills and knowledge working here.
Elina Mendoza
[She, Her, Hers]
I am currently a senior at DePaul University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Writing and Rhetoric. After graduation, I plan to pursue a Ph.D. program in Clinical psychology. My research interests focus on serving underserved youth, particularly within Latinx communities. More specifically, understanding how community context, environmental stressors, and systemic inequities play a part in influencing the mental health outcomes of these youth. I am deeply passionate about implementing effective interventions that address current mental health disparities, while also equipping youth with life-long skills and strategies to promote long-term well-being. I am excited to work with the Center of Evidence-Based Practices (CEBP) lab, where I can make meaningful connections with these communities and apply research that makes a real-world impact.
Megan Rust
[She, Her, Hers]
I am currently a third-year senior at DePaul University majoring in Psychology with a concentration in Human Development and a minor is Sociology. After graduation, I am hoping to continue my academic career in a Clinical Psychology PhD program, ideally through a pediatrics-related track. My research experience and interests focus on the cross-sections of clinical, developmental, and social psychology, with a strong focus on child and adolescent development. Specifically, I’m interested in how parenting and caregiving styles, along with social support networks, impact outcomes for children who have experienced developmental trauma and come from marginalized socioeconomic backgrounds, and how we can design evidence-based interventions that best support them. I am very grateful to be working with the CEBP Lab as it gives me the incredible opportunity to be involved in research that connects to the vein of research that I would like to have expertise in.