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2024-2025 Team Members
Doctoral Students
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.
[She, Her, Hers]
Melissa Lopez
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.
[She, Her, Hers]
Elizabeth Martinez-Charleston
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.
[She, Her, Hers]
Paulina Paredes Cienega
Master's Students
Ruben Castrejon
[He, Him, His]
I am a student in the Counseling Psychology MA program at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology concentrating in Child and Adolescent Treatment. I graduated from the University of Rochester in 2022 with a BA in Psychology. As a counseling student, I have been intrigued in several theoretical orientations that work well together to treat children and adolescents with mood disorders. My research interests focus on children and adolescents, specifically how psychosocial contexts influence motivation and achievement in Latinx populations. My goal after graduation is to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology and develop novel-based community counseling interventions for youth.
Melisa Dangles
[She, Her, Ella]
I am a student in the Research Psychology MS program. I am originally from Colombia, where I received a bachelor's degree in psychology with an emphasis on applied behavior analysis (ABA) at Fundacion Universitaria Konrad Lorenz in 2020. My research background is in neurodevelopment and parenting practices, including the effects of early adversity on children's mental health in low-income communities. My ultimate goal is to obtain a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and work to improve a scientific understanding of how children cope with adversity to develop diverse support systems and services for parents struggling to manage the challenges of raising their children.
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.
Project Coordinators & Post B.A./B.S. Research Assistants
I graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with honors and a minor in African American Studies. My areas of study have greatly influenced my research interests, as I endeavor to understand the relationship between ethnic/racial minority culture and psychopathology. Outside of this intersection, I am also passionate about examining how the school environment affects the socioemotional development and academic achievement of ethnic/racial minorities. In the near future, I will be pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology or School Psychology. I aim to continue psychological research with minority youth populations to better understand and ameliorate their mental health and expand the representation of non-WEIRD populations.
[She, Her, Hers]
Angel Lee
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
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]
Paula Ueki
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]
Evelyn Andrade
I graduated from DePaul University in Spring 2024 with a major in Health Sciences and minors in Spanish and Biology. I plan to pursue a Master's degree in Social Sciences in the near future. I am committed to using my knowledge and experiences to improve the health, safety, and quality of life for underserved populations. Looking ahead, I aim to create an impact on a global scale by serving as an envoy for the United Nations, I aspire to address systemic inequities by combatting the structural roots that allow them to persist. I'm eager to contribute to the CEBP lab to make meaningful contributions to our understanding of health and community well-being.
[She, Her, Hers]
Lesley Viveros
Coco Richard
[She, Her, Hers]
I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 2023. I am passionate about researching how early environments can foster or hinder positive life outcomes through their psychological and neurological impacts. I am also interested in school-based interventions that aim to address mental health needs for children and am excited to be apart of the CEPB Lab to pursue this. In the future I plan to pursue further education through obtaining a Master's degree in Counseling or Social Work and potentially a PhD later on.
Garcia-Goetting
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.
Drew Rivera
[She, Her, Hers]
I graduated from Smith College in May of 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Latin American Studies. My academic focus has profoundly shaped my commitment to addressing the disparities in representation and access to mental health services in minority communities. I am particularly dedicated to exploring the intersection of mental health and youth development, as well as the impact of external cultural factors. Looking ahead, I intend to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology.
Undergraduate Research Assistants
I am currently a junior at DePaul University majoring in Psychology, with a concentration in Human Services and a minor in American Sign Language (ASL). My goal after graduation is to obtain a master's degree in social services and eventually become a Deaf/hard-of-hearing therapist for children and teens. Working with young people has always been a passion of mine, and I want to create a safe and welcoming space where they can feel understood and supported in every aspect of their lives. I am excited to be part of the CEBP Lab team, as their program focuses on providing students with the support and skills they need to overcome adversity and find their voice.
[She, They]
Anna Tronstad
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.
[She, Her, Hers]
Evelin Regalado
I am currently a senior at DePaul University majoring in Psychology with a concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience. After graduation, I hope to continue my academic goals in counseling to become a Child Therapist. Working with children has always been a passion of mine and I believe it is of the utmost importance to create healthy environments and support youthful minds. I am eager to work alongside the CEBP Lab team to learn more about how culture shapes mental health in the Chicago Public School district.
[She, Her, Hers]
Sophia Pitillo
I am a third year at DePaul University, studying Psychology. My interests include community-based practices, particularly intervention work, and I am eager to explore these interests further through research. After completing my undergraduate degree, my goal is to enroll in a master's program enabling me to continue community interventions, specifically targeting high-risk youth. I am extremely grateful to the CEBP lab for giving me the opportunity to pursue these interests, and am thrilled to be contributing to the local community in doing so.
[She, Her, Hers]
Madelynn Oztas
I am an international student from Argentina and I am currently a senior at North Park University majoring 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.
[She, Her, Hers]
Lucía Capilla Scurto
I am currently a junior at DePaul University majoring in Psychology with a minor in Spanish. After graduation, I plan to enroll in a master’s degree program to further my education in my areas of interest. Although my career goals are not set yet, I am interested in diversity and equity and believe equality is crucial for different ethnic groups and minorities. I am passionate about learning from other cultures and using my knowledge to find ways to provide equality in different forms. I am excited to work with the CEBP Lab to be able to involve myself with the local community and contribute to aiding young minorities on ways to cope with their mental health.
[She, Her, Hers]