Lab Alumni

Former Graduate Students & Postdoctoral Fellows

Enoch Sackey

Enoch is originally from Cape Coast, Ghana, where he received his BSc in Psychology at the University of Cape Coast. After completing his national service in Ghana, he went to the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) for his MPhil in Human Development. From there, he went to the University of Mississippi for his PhD in Clinical Psychology and received his Pre-doctoral Clinical Psychology Internship training at the Medical University of South Carolina (Charleston Consortium), focusing on trauma and behavioral medicine. His research interests focus on how to optimally use research to improve population outcomes and reduce service inefficiencies that pose endemic challenge to health and social care systems. He is particularly interested in the dissemination and implementation of culturally appropriate interventions aimed at serving traditionally underrepresented populations (especially children and adolescents in low-resource communities) and addressing the following topics: 1) structural inequities and reducing mental health disparities among ethno-racial minorities; 2) disseminating and implementing scalable, sustainable intervention strategies for improving mental health in underserved populations; 3) cultural adaptations of interventions; and 4) social determinants of health and wellbeing.


Leah Lucid, MS

Leah is a grad­u­ate stu­dent in child clin­i­cal psy­chology at the Uni­ver­sity of Wash­ing­ton. Her research interests include the dissemination and implementation of EBPs in public mental health settings and low- and middle-income countries. She received her BA from Wesleyan University in 2010. After graduating, she worked with a non-profit in Kenya (SHOFCO); a residential treatment facility for adolescent girls (Germaine Lawrence); Judge Baker Children’s Center (JBCC); and the Dorsey lab at UW.


Prerna Martin, PhD

Prerna graduated from the University of Washington in 2022 with a PhD in Child Clinical Psychology. She completed her clinical internship at UCLA and is now a postdoctoral fellow at UCLA. Prerna’s research interests focused on improving access to mental health services for youth and families through the dissemination and implementation of EBPs in underserved communities. She was particularly interested in the delivery of community-driven interventions through task-shifting approaches. Prerna is originally from New Delhi, India. She received her BA in Social & Cognitive Neuroscience from Harvard University and her MPH in Global Health from Boston University. Prior to coming to UW, Prerna received clinical and research training at the Columbia University Pediatric Anxiety & Mood Research ClinicNew York State Office of Mental HealthBoston VA National Center for PTSDMcLean Hospital and Asha, India.


Rosemary Meza, PhD

Rose­mary received her doctorate in child clin­i­cal psy­chol­ogy at the Uni­ver­sity of Wash­ing­ton in Summer 2021. Her research inter­ests are focused on improv­ing men­tal health out­comes for chil­dren and ado­les­cents through the use of dis­sem­i­na­tion and imple­men­ta­tion sci­ence in domes­tic and inter­na­tional set­tings. She is par­tic­u­larly inter­ested in study­ing provider and organizational-level facil­i­ta­tors of effec­tive imple­men­ta­tion of EBPs. Rose­mary has a strong inter­est in includ­ing com­mu­nity stake­hold­ers in the research process to increase the fea­si­bil­ity and accept­abil­ity of imple­men­ta­tion efforts. She received her BA from San Diego State Uni­ver­sity. After grad­u­at­ing, she worked as a research assis­tant at the Child and Ado­les­cent Ser­vices Research Cen­ter (CASRC). Rosemary attended her clinical internship at the University of Washington/Seattle Children’s Hospital. Currently, she is a Research Associate at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute.


Caroline Soi, MD, PhD

Caroline Soi is a Global Health Implementation Science PhD graduate from the University of Washington. An experienced global health practitioner, Caroline provided primary and emergency health care services in several hospitals in Kenya prior to completing an Msc in STI and HIV at the University College London and working with Medicin San Frontier’s (MSF) HIV programs in Zimbabwe. She then served as a Technical Advisor seconded to the Mozambique Ministry of Health national HIV and Malaria programs where she was at the core of program scale up closely accompanying health system strengthening around program management, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), health workforce and health financing. More recently she led a comprehensive national immunization program process evaluation project in Mozambique as part of her PhD studies, conducting implementation research focused on identifying determinants of health program implementation success and failure. Her aspiration is to continue to contribute knowledge to implementation science. She is currently a medical writer for 21GRAMS, a subsidiary of Real Chemistry.


Julie Harrison, PhD

Julie received her doctorate in child clinical psychology from the University of Washington in Summer 2020. Julie is now serving as a postdoctoral fellow at the CARES Institute, working with Dr. Esther Deblinger. Julie is broadly interested in EBP implementation readiness and sustainability and has specific interests in applying Organizational Behavioral theories to enhance implementation efforts within the public mental health system. Prior to her graduate studies at UW, Julie obtained her bachelor’s degree from Temple University, where she worked as the clinical coordinator for the (CAADC). After graduating, she worked as a research assistant at COTTAGe at the University of Pennsylvania. Julie attended her internship in San Diego at the University of California- San Diego Consortium/Veteran’s Affairs clinical internship. Currently, she is a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Esther Deblinger at Rowan University.

Former Research Coordinators & Research Assistants

Julie Nguyen

Julie graduated from Georgia State University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. While she was an undergraduate, she gained research experience working in the Child Health and Medical Pain LabViolence Against Women Prevention Lab, and the Nia Project. Prior to coming to UW, she worked as a Research Coordinator for the School of Medicine and Research Interviewer for the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. Her research interests focus on ethnic minority mental health and reducing health disparities through understanding risk and protective factors among ethnically minoritized populations and translating this research to develop culturally responsive EBTs and increase access to such treatments. Concurrently, she also served as a Research Coordinator in the EMPOWER Lab at Georgia State University under Dr. Isha Metzger. She joined the Clinical-Community Psychology PhD Program at the University of South Carolina under the mentorship of Dr. Nada Goodrum in Fall 2022.


Grace Woodard

Grace graduated from University of Washington in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and received the President’s Medal. During her undergraduate career, she completed a thesis in the UW Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress on personality and behavioral risk factors for post-trauma psychopathology, and she was an intern at Seattle Children’s Hospital in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine Unit. She is interested in implementation of evidence-based treatments within low resource settings leading to better patient outcomes. In the fall of 2020, Grace joined the PhD program in Child Clinical Psychology at the University of Miami with Dr. Amanda Jensen-Doss.


Zhanxiang (Sean) Sun

Sean graduated from the University of Washington in 2019. He was a research assistant in the RISE Mental Health Lab where he helped with the BASIC Project. Sean has attended clinical trainings like CETA and CBT+ Advanced Trainings as part of his professional development. He is interested in how artificial intelligence and data science can help with psychotherapy. In Fall 2022, Sean begun the Master of Data Science Program at the University of British Columbia.

 


Kate Benjamin

Kate Ben­jamin grad­u­ated from Whit­man Col­lege in 2014 with a major in Psy­chol­ogy and a minor in Span­ish. She vol­un­teered as a men­tor in the Walla Walla school dis­trict for at risk chil­dren and at the Seat­tle Autism Cen­ter in an inter­ven­tion study for young chil­dren diag­nosed with autism. After grad­u­at­ing, she joined Dr. Dorsey’s lab as a research assis­tant on the STEPS study. She is inter­ested in work­ing in the men­tal health field with chil­dren and ado­les­cents and would like to use her pro­fi­ciency in Span­ish to work with the Spanish-speaking pop­u­la­tion. In the fall of 2018, Kate entered the Ph.D. program in Clinical Psychology at Seattle Pacific University.


Kate Conover

Kate Conover joined Dr. Dorsey’s lab in 2008 as a research assistant for Project Focus, then as a research assistant/coordinator for Fostering Hope. In the fall of 2012, she entered the SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology under the mentorship of Dr. Robin Weersing and Dr. Greg Aarons. She is interested in the ways in which youth mental health concerns, particularly youth anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress are identified and addressed in community settings.


Julia Revillion Cox

After graduating from Seattle University in 2009, Julia joined Dr. Dorsey’s team as a research assistant/coordinator for the Fostering Hope Research Project and the Washington State TF-CBT and CBT Plus Initiative. Broadly, her research interests lie in the implementation and dissemination of evidence-based mental health treatments for youth, as well as child maltreatment and posttraumatic stress. In the fall of 2012, she entered the Child Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at Virginia Commonwealth University under the mentorship of Dr. Michael Southam-Gerow. Julia graduated with the Ph.D in 2019 and began as a Post-doctoral Researcher at the University of California- Los Angeles.

Former Undergraduate Research Assistants

Tianqu Lu (he/him/his)

Tianqu is a current senior majoring in psychology at the University of Washington. He is interested in implementation of telehealth, especially factors that would help community mental health providers overcome barriers to use telehealth. He plans to go to graduate school and learn more about psychological research and practice.


Angela Tseng

Angela is a current junior majoring in psychology at the University of Washington. She is interested in issues with adolescents’ and adults’ mental health and barriers of treatment accession (i.e., cultural stigma, competency, insufficient resources). In the future, she plans to pursue a graduate degree in clinical psychology, aiming to fill the gaps and enhance a positive awareness in treatment.


Lucy Liu (she/her/hers)

Lucy is an undergraduate student pursuing a double major in psychology and biology at the University of Washington. She joined RISE Mental Health as an undergraduate research assistant in October of 2020. She is interested in global mental health, particularly the research and practice of improving mental health in underrepresented cultures.


Jeniffer Kyule (she/her/hers)

Jeniffer is a current senior majoring in psychology at the University of Washington. She is interested in working with adolescents, especially those from eastern Africa. She wants to improve mental health services in the East African community and make sure that they are accessible to everyone and not just a chosen few. Jeniffer plans to pursue graduate school to learn more about psychological research, practice, and best ways to execute her ideas. 


Arina Stoianova (she/her/hers)

Arina is a current senior majoring in psychology at the University of Washington. She is interested in increasing accessibility of therapy to marginalized groups of people, as well as studying cultural impact on behavior. In the future, she’d like to pursue graduate school to learn more about research in social psychology and experience teaching. 


Jacinto Silva (he/him/his)

Jacinto is a senior in the Department of Psychology at the University of Washington. He is interested in how we can make therapy and therapeutic interventions accessible for people of all backgrounds. He wants to become a clinical psychologist in the future and have his own practice where he can make a difference and improve peoples’ lives.


Niya Park

Niya is an undergraduate student majoring in Psychology with an interest in Biomedical Health Informatics and Early Childhood & Family Studies. She is currently a user researcher and marketer for a startup application that utilizes Written Exposure Therapy for those that are facing barriers in seeking help for their PTSD/traumatic symptoms. Niya plans to pursue a Doctoral degree in Child Clinical Psychology to focus on practicing and testing new methods of psychological treatment that are both effective and accessible.


Ailee Vu

Ailee is an undergraduate student majoring in Psychology. She is interested in mental health intervention in developing countries. She hopes to pursue an MD in Psychiatry after graduation. Besides the RISE Lab, she helps connect underrepresented minority students to STEM resources and design event posters.


Hoang Le

Hoang graduated from the University of Washington as a Psychology Major in 2022. He is interested in the limited access to mental health support in developing countries. He currently plans to go on to graduate school to study Clinical Psychology and learn more about therapy methods for mental disorders. Outside of the RISE Lab, Hoang is also a member of the Event Team for the Vietnamese Student Association at the University of Washington. He will be starting as a Master’s student at New York University in Fall 2022.


Sophia Stoddard

Sophia is an undergraduate student double majoring in psychology and sociology at the University of Washington. She is interested in child and adolescent mental health and the accessibility of mental health care for children. She hopes to one day pursue a graduate degree in Clinical Psychology, and work with children in therapy or research.


Yasmin Garfias

Yasmin is an undergraduate transfer student majoring in Psychology at the University of Washington. She is interested in researching methods of evidence-based mental health services in educational settings and impoverished communities, and she hopes to pursue a Master’s or PhD clinical child psychology. Yasmin enjoys interactive and instructional experiences in childcare and development.


Cynthia Caudillo

Cynthia is an undergraduate double majoring in Psychology and Philosophy at the University of Washington. She hopes to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology and is interested in researching therapy methods for BIPOC children and adolescents. Outside of the RISE lab, she volunteers at a crisis telephone center in Seattle.


Devin Kennedy

Devin is an undergraduate student majoring in Psychology with minors in Education, Learning, and Societies, and American Sign Language. She hopes to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology and is interested in researching childhood trauma, specifically in low income communities. Prior to joining the RISE lab, she taught in low income elementary schools in the Seattle area, and continues to volunteer for various mental health organizations.


Kristin Sievert

Kristin is an undergraduate majoring in psychology and minoring in dance and mathematics. Her research interests revolve around early childhood trauma and the ways in which attitudes towards trauma differ across cultures. Prior to joining the RISE Lab, she interned in the Psychiatric and Behavioral Medicine Unit at Seattle Children’s Hospital and worked as a research assistant in the Taylor Lab at Fred Hutchinson. After graduating, she hopes to pursue a PhD in child clinical psychology.


Alayna Daniels

Alayna Daniels is currently a second year at the University of Washington double majoring in psychology and neuroscience. Prior to being a research assistant in the RISE Mental Health lab, she worked on research projects with psychology faculty at Highline College to explore the implications of racial bias towards facial expressions. Her research interest lies in exploring the brain and working to understand mental illnesses better and finding effective treatments. After undergraduate school, she hopes to attend medical school and specialize in psychiatry.


Nichole Sams

Nichole is an undergraduate double majoring in Psychology and Gender, Women and Sexuality at the University of Washington. She hopes to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology and is interested in researching more accessible therapy methods for oppressed populations including low socio-economic status, people of color, the LGBTQ community and women. Outside of the RISE Lab, she spends time consulting for social justice groups in her community and creating media.


Gabrielle Tejada Jamora

Gabrielle is an undergraduate student majoring in Psychology at the University of Washington. She assisted in project BASIC and presented a poster at the UW Undergraduate Research Symposium pertaining to effective implementation practices and policies in the delivery of TF-CBT in LMICs. She is interested in the delivery of mental health care to underserved populations. Gabrielle hopes to pursue a graduate degree in public health after graduation.


Teresa Ngo

Teresa is an undergraduate double majoring in Psychology and Public Health at the University of Washington. She is interested in the mental health of children living in poverty and hopes to pursue a Master’s or PhD in Global Health. Prior to joining the RISE Lab, she taught English to special needs children in Ukraine and worked in the Social Cognitive Development lab at the University of Washington.


Cristian Rivera Nales

Cristian worked at our lab as an undergraduate student assisting with the BASIC project and conducted an independent honors thesis on the effectiveness of CBT+ on child outcomes – publication in prep. He is currently a research coordinator in two labs at the University of Washington. In one lab, he assists with assessing a lay delivery model to examine whether simplified Behavioral Activation delivered by senior center staff can yield comparable clinical outcomes to professionally delivered Behavioral Activation, and in the other, he is responsible for the coordination of a K23 longitudinal, National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded, treatment study for adolescents experiencing Major Depressive Disorder, who have also been exposed to maltreatment. He is interested in applying to graduate programs and studying implementation science and evidence-based treatments for children and underserved populations. Cristian aspires to attain his Ph.D. in clinical psychology with a focus on children and adolescents.  


Vanna Chen

Vanna (Liang-Yu) Chen received her BA in Psychology at the University of Washington in 2013. She joined the Dorsey Lab as an undergraduate research assistant for the STEPS Project in January of 2013. Her main responsibilities were coding and conducting research interviews with study participants. Her research interests include enhancing clinical treatments for children and their families affected by psychological disorders. In the fall of 2014, she entered the MPH program at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.


Jessica Garcia

Jes­sica Gar­cia joined Dr. Dorsey’s lab as an under­grad­u­ate research assis­tant in Jan­u­ary of 2011. Jes­sica received her BA in psy­chol­ogy in June of 2013 from the Uni­ver­sity of Wash­ing­ton. After graduating, she worked as a research assis­tant on the STEPS study and at Seat­tle Children’s Hospital. Her research inter­ests include dis­sem­i­na­tion of EBPS into com­mu­nity men­tal health, trauma, the applic­a­bil­ity of com­po­nents based ther­a­pies such as CBT+, and global men­tal health. In the fall of 2015, she entered the MSW pro­gram at Colum­bia University.


Meilin Jia-Richards

Meilin Jia-Richards received her BS in Psy­chol­ogy from the Uni­ver­sity of Wash­ing­ton in 2013. As an under­grad­u­ate, she joined the Devel­op­men­tal Path­ways Project (DPP) work­ing on a vari­ety of stud­ies. After graduating, she became a research assis­tant on the STEPS team and DPP. In the fall of 2015, she entered the Exper­i­men­tal Psy­chol­ogy Ph.D. pro­gram at Bay­lor Uni­ver­sity under the men­tor­ship of Dr. Sara Dolan.


Jane Koltracht

Jane received her BA in Psy­chol­ogy from the Uni­ver­sity of Wash­ing­ton in 2010. She began her research expe­ri­ence as an under­grad­u­ate research assis­tant with the Devel­op­men­tal Path­ways Research Pro­gram in 2008 and con­tin­ued her work on numer­ous projects within the UW depart­ments of Psy­chi­a­try and Psy­chol­ogy, as well as at Seat­tle Children’s Hos­pi­tal. In the fall of 2013, she entered a Master’s pro­gram at New York University.


Zoë Miles

Zoë Miles graduated from the University of Washington with a BS in psychology. She completed her honors thesis on memory and development in Dr. Kate McLaughlin’s Stress and Development Lab. She joined the lab as an undergraduate research assistant and now works on the STEPS study as a research assistant. She is particularly interested in clinical and developmental psychology.


Stephanie Violante

Stephanie Violante received her BS in Psy­chol­ogy at the Uni­ver­sity of Wash­ing­ton in 2013. She was an undergraduate research assistant for the STEPS project and the Devel­op­ment Path­ways Project (DPP). After grad­u­a­tion, Stephanie started working as a research assis­tant for both the STEPS study and DPP. Her research inter­ests include dissemination and implementation of evidence based practices for children in community settings. In the fall of 2016, Stephanie began attending the Virginia Commonwealth University Child Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program with Dr. Bryce McLeod.