Culture and Evidence-Based Practice Lab
2020-2021 CEBP 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.
Melissa Lopez [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.
Elizabeth Martinez - Charleston [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.
Paulina Paredes Cienega [She, Her, Hers]
I am a doctoral student in the Clinical Child Psychology program at DePaul University. My current research examines cultural factors (i.e., acculturative stress), parenting, and academic achievement among Latinx youth. More broadly, I am interested in examining developmental and treatment outcomes for dual-language, minority, and immigrant youth to develop and evaluate culturally-tailored intervention and assessment tools for these underrepresented groups. Finally, I am interested in addressing obstacles to care through the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based treatments in community and school-based settings.
Laura Saldana [She, Her, Hers]
I am a student in the Clinical-Child Psychology PhD program. Broadly, my research interests relate to creating, strengthening, and tailoring evidence-based interventions aimed at preventing depression among marginalized communities. I am also interested in understanding how cultural factors influence mental health treatment in hopes of developing cultural-sensitive interventions at the community level. Finally, I am interested in the components of the caregiver-youth relationship and how they may contribute to mental health.
Jesús Solano [He, Him, His]
MASTERS STUDENTS
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I am a student in the General Psychology MS Program. I graduated from DePaul University in 2021 with a BA in Psychology concentrating in Human Services. Broadly, my interests revolve around examining factors influencing mental health outcomes among marginalized populations. I am especially passionate about making mental health resources and culturally sensitive clinical treatments and interventions more accessible to Latinx immigrants on a community level. Ultimately, my goal is to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology.
Mariana Bednarek [She, Her, Hers]
I am a student in the General Psychology MS program. I graduated from James Madison University in 2021 with a BA in History and minors in Secondary Education, Latinx Community Engagement, Spanish, and Honors Interdisciplinary Studies. My research interests include understanding the mental health of African American and Latinx youth as well as methods to improve the access to, and efficacy of, culturally informed evidence-based interventions. My ultimate goal is to earn a PhD in Clinical Psychology.
Ashley Harris [She, Her, Hers]
I am a student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling MA program. I graduated from Marquette University in 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. As a counseling student, I have had the experience of seeing the disparities in trauma-informed care for at risk-youth, specifically ones within underrepresented communities. My research interests include developing and improving trauma-informed interventions tailored to ethnic minorities, youth with disabilities, and those who fall within both communities. My ultimate goal is to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology in order to conduct research that will better the treatment interventions and emotional development of youth within various minority groups.
Elin Seay [She, Her, Hers]
I am a student in the General Psychology MS program. I graduated from Illinois State University in 2020 with a Bachelor of science in Psychology and a minor in Sociology. My research interests include examining factors that influence help seeking behavior, diagnosis and treatment of mental health problems in at-risk and ethnic minority youth. I am also interested in mechanisms in which to bolster social-emotional development in at-risk youth. My ultimate goal is to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology in order to conduct research that will better the diagnosis, treatment and social-emotional development of at-risk and ethnic minority youth.
Taylor Ullrich [She, Her, Hers]
PROJECT COORDINATORS & POST BA/BS 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.
Amber Ramos [She, Her, Hers]
I graduated from the University of Belgrade with a Bachelor of Arts in Architectural studies. After my graduation, I moved to the US to learn English, seek more opportunities, and continue my education. I was amazed by the social inequalities across cultural groups in the U.S., which inspired me to pursue a doctoral degree in psychology. Broadly, my research interests include analyzing the mental development of youth from underprivileged groups. I am passionate about exploring how cultural background and place in the community affect adolescents' psychosexual development. Lastly, I am a dedicated advocate of the welfare and safety of those facing economic adversity and poverty.
Milena DeMario [She, Her, Hers]
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.
Ashley Serna [She, Her, Hers]
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.
Paula Ueki Galarza [She, Her, Hers]
I graduated from Northeastern Illinois university in the Summer of 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. My primary research interests include early implementation of trauma focused intervention amongst high risk and underrepresented youth, through this work I wish to target the barrier between underrepresented youth population and their accessibility to treatment. Additionally, I hope to learn about community partnerships and efficacy research focused on adolescents. I am interested in evidence-based treatments and culturally informed protective factors within underrepresented communities that may inform and help develop interventions. Through the work of the CEBP I wish to further my experience in these areas and hope to obtain a doctoral degree in pediatric clinical psychology.
Veronica Chavez [She,Her, Hers]
I graduated from Wheaton College in 2022 with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Spanish. Currently I am completing a Fulbright Grant in a public school in Mexico City as an English Teaching Assistant. I love working and learning from my students and I am grateful for my time in Mexico as I am interested in working with at-risk youth and minority populations and families who may not have access to mental health care due to linguistic or legal barriers. Upon return to the United States I hope to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology focusing on providing economical and effective mental health interventions and services to underserved students and families focusing on services that look outside of the traditional (and often costly) individual therapy model to provide solutions.
Caroline Kimble [She, Her, Hers]
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANTS
I am currently a junior at DePaul University majoring in Health Science with a concentration in Public Health and minors in Mathematics and Data Science. I aim to attend a master’s program in Biostatistics and ultimately earn a PhD in Biostatistics. My career goals are to identify biomarkers in minority populations which may predict the development of disorders or diseases earlier. Through my work I hope to help minority populations’ health by starting treatment or preventative activities in order to prevent onset. My research interests align with the CEBP lab’s goal of helping minority populations through identification of disparities and implementation of programs to reduce their impact.
Raam Pravin [He, Him, His]
I am currently a senior majoring in Psychology with a concentration in Community and a minor in Public Health. I am enrolled in a 5-year Community Psychology undergraduate/masters combined program at DePaul. My career goals are to help underserved minorities youth in educational disparities and create more resources for them. The CEBP lab’s program implementation efforts and focus on ethnic minority youth align well with my interests, so I am excited to learn different skill sets and apply them to my professional life.
Jaslim Landaverde [She, Her, Ella]