MEET THE MHSPD Team 

Dr. Eric C. Chen is a Professor of Counseling Psychology at Fordham University. He received his PhD in Counseling Psychology from Arizona State University. At Fordham he has served as PES Division Chair (2003-06), Vice Chair (2019-20) and Interim Chair (2020), and as Training Director of the PhD Counseling Psychology program (2010-12). He is the coordinator of the master’s Mental Health Counseling program. His current professional and research interests center on group counseling and stigmatized identities of marginalized individuals, and, in particular, undocumented immigrant students and LGBTQ individuals. To date, he has mentored more than 40 doctoral dissertations. He has served on the editorial board of several journals, including the Journal of Counseling Psychology (2002-2009) and Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, for which he also served as an Associate Editor from 2007-2010. Dr. Chen serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Society of Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy (Division 49 of the APA) where he also chairs the  Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Committee. Dr. Chen has been the recipient of several research grants and awards. He was awarded in 2016 APA Fellow status and at the APA’s 2020 and 2022 annual meetings, he was honored from APA Division 49 with the Presidential Award and a Presidential Commendation, respectively. Since 2021, he has been directing the Clinical Mental Health Services (CCMH) program funded by the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation to offer free telehealth services to underserved children and youth in the Bronx. He is currently serving a 3-year term as an item writer for the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), which is developed and owned by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB). The ASPPB is the association of psychology licensing boards in the United States and Canada. More recently, starting in July 2023, he started his term as a member on the Board of the Master’s in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC), which accredits master’s programs that meet standards established by the counseling profession.

Gabriela Munoz De Zubiria is a New York State Licensed Psychologist and graduate of the Counseling Psychology PhD program at Fordham University. She serves as a Senior Grant Assistant for MHSPD, where she supports the training and mentorship of graduate students placed in high-need schools. Her clinical and research interests focus on supporting historically marginalized and underserved populations, particularly undocumented immigrants and individuals from mixed-status families. Her identity as a Latina immigrant has shaped her educational, research, and professional trajectory.

Paige Guarino is a fifth-year Counseling Psychology PhD student. She graduated with her B.A. in Psychology from Middlebury College and received her masters in mental health counseling en route through Fordham University's Graduate School of Education. Her research and clinical work largely focus on addressing intersectional discrimination and bias in institutions and exploring the experiences of multiply marginalized individuals, with a particular focus on LGBTQ+ individuals and individuals with chronic health conditions. She is currently a clinical extern at NYU Langone Sunset Terrace Brooklyn Family Health Center, and has also worked in a college counseling center, a hospital outpatient clinic for transgender youth, and a pediatric hematology-oncology clinic. As an administrative graduate assistant to the MHSPD program, Paige aims to continue supporting the mental health and well-being of marginalized youth by supporting the clinicians who serve them. 

Zainab Raza is a third-year counseling psychology PhD student. She earned a BA in International Relations from University of California - Davis, and an MA in International Education Development from University College London. She was part of the first MHSPD cohort, working at a high-needs high school in the Bronx. She is currently a college counselor. Her clients are primarily students of color from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. She is also a recipient of the 2024 Graduate Student Leadership Institute from the Asian American Psychological Association. Her research includes examining psychological thriving among undergraduate students of color. Her research interests also include understanding how the intersections of religious identities with gender and race/ethnicity impact young people's mental health, as well as the impact of student activism on mental health. 

Maria Sol is a 5th-year School Psychology PhD candidate at Fordham University with a strong passion for working with immigrant youth and underserved communities. She is deeply committed to advancing mental health equity, and her experiences reflect her dedication to this cause. Currently, Maria Sol is an extern at the Family PEACE Program at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, where she provides Child-Parent Psychotherapy to families of color affected by domestic violence. Alongside this, she is working on her dissertation, which explores the intersection of single motherhood and attachment theory. Maria Sol is genuinely humbled by the opportunity to join this team!

Yuka Hayashi is a second-year Counseling Psychology PhD student. She graduated from Boston College with a BA in Applied Psychology & Human Development and an MA in Mental Health Counseling. Currently, Yuka serves youth and families in the Bronx through the CCMH program, and externs at NYU Langone’s Sunset Terrace Family Health Center, providing psychotherapy and assessment to diverse populations in Brooklyn. Her research focuses on the lived experiences of Asian American young adults who grew up with a parent with a serious mental illness. Yuka is dedicated to providing socially just, culturally responsive interventions that address intergenerational trauma and eliminate barriers to care for marginalized communities.

Ray is currently a second-year student in the Counseling Psychology Ph.D. program at Fordham University. He graduated with a B.A. in psychology from Emory University and his M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University. He looks forward to the opportunity to support MHSPD to the best of his abilities!

Joya is a rising fourth-year doctoral candidate in School Psychology at Fordham. She holds a master’s in Educational Psychology from Florida Atlantic University and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Florida A&M University. Previously, Joya spent time as a reading coach at a public elementary school in Tallahassee, Florida. Currently, she is an extern at the Hagin Center, and supports peers during their integrated assessment experiences. Joya is also completing field experiences at a District 75 school serving ages 11 to 21 through her membership in MHSPD's Cohort 3. Joya plans to focus her future research on educational disparities within the public school system. She also aims to apply this work in practice through her new role on the MHSPD team, and is eager to continue supporting marginalized populations. 

Kexin Zheng is a third-year bilingual School Psychology doctoral candidate at Fordham University with extensive experience serving culturally and linguistically diverse clients and minority families. She specializes in trauma-informed care for individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders and severe clinical presentations, integrating multicultural, neurodiversity-affirming approaches in assessment and intervention. Her research and clinical practice emphasize equitable, individualized strategies tailored to each client’s unique developmental, emotional, and cognitive profile.

Ayomide is a rising 4th-year doctoral student in counseling psychology passionate about supporting positive social, emotional, and identity well-being among young people and families with marginalized identities through research, clinical work, and advocacy. Ayomide graduated from Barnard College, where she studied psychology, education studies, and Yoruba. As a member of the MHSPD Cohort 3, she provided telehealth services to children and families in the Bronx through the CCMH Program. Ayomide is grateful for the opportunity to support students in receiving training in providing culturally informed and social-justice-oriented clinical services to children and adolescents.