Meet Our Interns

Karen Loscavio, M.S.

Northern Arizona University

I am a current school psychologist intern at Greenbrier Elementary and a student in the Clinical Psychology program  Northern Arizona University. I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Arizona State University in 2003. I earned a Master’s of Science in Professional Counseling in 2021, and I immediately matriculated into NAU’s doctoral program.

Following my undergraduate study, I worked at Easter Seals, conducting assessments and providing inhome services to children through the Arizona Early Intervention Program. When I became a mother, I stopped working to raise my daughters. Some years later, I returned to school. After completing my MS, I became a licensed associate counselor and worked my way through my doctoral studies. During my doctoral program, I completed two 12-month practica in pediatric neuropsychology and one 12-month practicum in psychotherapy. All my practicum trainings were in private practice settings.

I sought an internship at DVUSD to establish professional skills working in a multi-disciplinary setting, strengthen my interpretative and decision-making skills in assessments, and become familiar with the state laws that regulate educational and functional support for children with disabilities. I was attracted to DVUSD’s use of the developmental supervision model, as it enables interns to begin training at their unique starting point and achieve independence as confidence and competence are gained. I feel supported, encouraged, and trusted by my supervisors, and I am grateful to be placed at DVUSD.

Rylee McHenry, M.S.

Mississippi State University

Hi! I’m a school psychology intern at Sonoran Foothills in Deer Valley Unified School District. I’m currently working toward my PhD in school psychology at Mississippi State University. I chose DVUSD for internship because it really gives you the “classic school psych experience.” Each intern has their own school and gets their own assessment, intervention, and consultation caseloads, which has been an amazing learning opportunity. At the same time, the supervision here is fantastic. We get feedback and guidance from supervisors of different backgrounds and approaches, and the support follows a developmental model—you’re given the help you need but also encouraged to take the lead once you’re ready. What I love most is that interns here are supported not just professionally but personally. We’re seen as whole people, and the culture makes you feel like you belong. It’s no surprise so many interns end up staying in DVUSD after internship! I’ve already grown so much in my time here, and I’m confident I’ll feel fully prepared to step into the role of a school psychologist next year.

Danyelle Aldape, M.A.

Alliant International University

Hello! I am currently a Psychologist Intern at Mountain Ridge High School (MRHS) in the Deer Valley Unified School District. I am a doctoral candidate in the Clinical Psychology program at Alliant International University. I have worked in the school system in various capacities. I saw DVUSD as a valuable opportunity to return to the school environment as a Psychologist Intern. The internship has a targeted focus on providing training in comprehensive assessments and report writing, which I found very appealing and would provide the experience and growth I was looking for. I am learning so much as someone new to the world of School Psychology. I appreciate the opportunity to conduct thorough, culturally aware assessments of students and foster positive relationships with them, their families, and school staff. Working with my on-site supervisor, along with the Special Education Department at MRHS, is very helpful. My primary supervisor has a wealth of knowledge that I can tap whenever needed. Not only that, but all the supervisors are very understanding, encouraging, open, and available to assist the interns and answer any questions they may have. One of the best perks for me is having my own office to do assessments in. Overall, the DVUSD Psychology Team does a great job in training emerging psychologists. I am excited about what this year holds in terms of learning and the emergence of the psychologist I will become by the end of this internship!

Payton Sills

Northern Arizona University

Hi! My name is Payton, and I am the school psychology intern at Mountain Shadows Elementary School in the Deer Valley Unified School District. I am pursuing my PsyD in Clinical Psychology at Northern Arizona University. I have a strong passion for working with children with developmental and educational needs, and I love being part of a team that supports students in reaching their full potential. I chose DVUSD because of the wealth of opportunities to work alongside a multidisciplinary team, while also growing as a competent practitioner. I look forward to everything this internship year has to offer and growing every step of the way!

Michaela Bedwell, BS 

Northern Arizona University

Current DVUSD Psychologist 

Hello! I am an intern at Vista Peak pursuing my PhD from Northern Arizona University. I choose DVUSD because of the level of support and supervision offered through their internship program. I have a passion for working with students with behavioral and developmental needs and feel very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to work at Vista Peak. DVUSD has provided training that match my professional goals. The other psychologists here are always so welcoming and helpful. I love being a part of the team! I feel that DVUSD has prepared me to be a competent, trauma-informed practitioner for all students, especially those who have high needs. I am excited to continue learning from my supervisors and apply all that I have learned throughout my career.

Alyssa Manetta, Psy.D.

Azusa Pacific University

Current DVUSD Post Doctoral Fellow

I am a school psychologist intern at Sierra Verde STEAM Academy in the Deer Valley Unified School District. I am pursuing my Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology at Azusa Pacific University. I chose DVUSD due to the ability to work in a multidisciplinary team to ensure students are receiving the best support possible. I value being able to work directly with families and collaborating with them to obtain a holistic picture of their child to best identify the support they need to succeed in school. During this year, I will be provided with the opportunity to advance my skills in evaluation, consultation, and intervention with a wide age-range of students. The training staff and supervisors have been very helpful and supportive. I look forward to continuing to build connections with the other interns and psychologists. I am excited for all that this year is going to bring!

Jordan Paul, Ed.S., NCSP

Northern Arizona University

Current DVUSD Psychologist

I am a current school psychologist intern at Sunset Ridge School in Deer Valley Unified School district. I am pursuing my Ph.D. in the combined School Psychology & Counseling program at Northern Arizona University. I chose DVUSD because of the amazing opportunities that are provided to the interns such as evidence-based interventions, consultation, and school-based assessments. The staff at my school are extremely welcoming and see the intern as the expert. DVUSD also provides many different supports to the intern through individual supervision, secondary supervision, and group supervision. There are also many different professional development opportunities to learn and grow from within the field of school psychology. I look forward to the remainder of my internship year as I continue to grow my clinical skills.

Hongyi Wang, Ph.D., NCSP

University of Arizona

Current DVUSD Psychologist

I am a former school psychologist intern at DVUSD pursuing my Ph.D. at the University of Arizona. I choose DVUSD because of the amazing opportunities the district provides and the wonderful supervision and support I receive from staff and colleagues. I am enjoying my internship not only because I have plenty of opportunities to work with students, parents, and staff from various backgrounds, but also the positive and meaningful relationships I am able to build with the district, at my school, and in the community. The internship at DVUSD has broadened my knowledge and skills in assessments and interventions. I am very excited for the remainder of the year and look forward to starting my career as a school psychologist after I complete my internship at DVUSD.

Erin Brennan, M.A.

University of South Florida

Current DVUSD Psychologist

I am a former school psychologist intern at Canyon Springs STEM Academy in the Deer Valley Unified School District. I am pursuing my Ph.D. in school psychology with an emphasis on pediatrics at the University of South Florida. I chose DVUSD because of its student-centered focus, the opportunities to broaden skills in school-based evaluation, intervention, and supervision, and its reputation for providing supportive training for interns. As I'm navigating my internship year, my supervisors at DVUSD have been incredibly supportive. On top of frequent and regularly scheduled supervision throughout the week, there is always someone available and willing to offer their expertise, help me work through day-to-day problems that arise, and answer any questions I have. At DVUSD, in addition to your primary supervisor, you will be assigned multiple different school psychologist supervisors throughout the year to allow you the opportunity to learn a variety of different approaches to addressing problems. As an intern, I feel like a valued and respected member of my school and of the school psychology team. As a result of such amazing supervision, a positive work environment, and the many professional development and training opportunities across topics, I have already greatly broadened my skills in evaluation, intervention, and consultation, and I am confident that the training here at DVUSD will prepare for a successful career in psychology in any setting I find myself in in the future.

I am a former school psychologist intern in DVUSD pursuing my PhD at the University of Arizona. I choose DVUSD because of their great reputation and their unique teams created to service students in special education and children identified with autism spectrum disorder. The opportunities and supervision provided has been an enjoyable experience that will help prepare me for my career working in the school and clinical settings. I have broadened my skill set in both assessment and intervention, strengthening my overall abilities as a psychologist in training. I'm excited for the remainder of the school year and look forward to bringing my skills gained through internship training into my career long term.

Lexi Bird, Ph.D.

University of Kentucky

I am a school psychologist intern at Inspiration Mountain School in the Deer Valley Unified School District. I am pursuing my Ph.D. in School Psychology at the University of Kentucky. I chose DVUSD because of the opportunities to collaborate and work closely with families and school personnel, provide systems-level services, and support students in the school setting. As an intern at DVUSD, I feel supported by my supervisors, school staff, and cohort of interns. In addition to learning from the unique perspectives and expertise of my supervisors, I also have plenty of opportunities to explore and develop my own professional interests, such as implementing social skills interventions and collaborating with my school counselor to promote mental health initiatives on our campus. I am looking forward to what the rest of my internship year brings!

Cleary McKenzie, Ph.D.

University of Massachussetts-Amherst

I am a current school psychologist intern at Greenbrier Elementary School in the Deer Valley Unified School District pursuing my Ph.D. at the University of Massachusetts - Amherst. I have an interest in exploring how to address and eliminate racial and ethnic disciplinary disproportionality within schools, promoting social-emotional learning practices for marginalized students, and growing the diversity of the population of practitioners in behavioral health sciences. I am interested in investigating systems-level, multi-disciplinary efforts to achieve these goals. I chose DVUSD because of the district’s reputation of effective team collaboration to promote school-community collaboration and prioritizing the wellbeing and success of all students. I am very excited to grow my skills in intervention, assessment, and consultation this year.

Hello! I am a former intern at DVUSD and a Clinical Psychology doctoral student at Midwestern University. I have an interest in working with chronic and terminally-ill children. I chose DVUSD because I wanted to learn about the assessment and interventions that occur in the school setting with students of all needs. Children spend a large portion of their lives at school, and it is pertinent to understand how schools work as well as the educational laws in place. The supervisors at DVUSD work hard to provide a cohesive learning environment and support the needs of their interns. I am confident that my training at DVUSD will prepare me for a career in pediatric psychology, both in a clinical and school setting.

I am a former Deer Valley Unified School District (DVUSD) doctoral-intern during the 2021-2022 school year. I attend Texas Woman’s University in the school psychology Ph.D. program. My interests in psychology are primarily around assessment and consultation. My focus is to translate assessment results for parents and teachers to better understand a child’s strengths and weaknesses and how those strengths and weaknesses translate to the classroom and home environments. Additionally, I am completing my dissertation around better understanding the school experience for children and adolescents in the Emotional Disturbance category. Here in Deer Valley USD, you will receive a wide variety of experiences within the school system, including assessment for a diverse set of presenting problems, group and individual therapeutic interventions, classroom and peer consultation, and direct behavior interventions. School staff also treat interns with respect and as the experts in the building. As an intern, you will also receive excellent individual, secondary, and group supervision. There is a wide variety of populations (ELL, SES, Ethnicity, etc.) within the school district so that you can tail your experiences towards your personal goals. This internship has been a wonderful experience and has prepared me to work within the field of psychology.