(they/them; yaleksyuk@paloaltou.edu)

Kit is a student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at Palo Alto University. They received their M.S in Geographic Information Systems from University of Redlands in 2016 and M.S in Clinical psychology from Palo Alto University in 2023. They are pursuing the LGBTQ+ area of emphasis and have clinical and research interests in marginalized populations (with an emphasis on LGBTQ+), policy regarding competency of care (specifically increasing competency of care and reducing barriers for equity in treatment at a policy level), trauma, and intervention modalities involving community access and tabletop roleplaying games. 

(she/hers; malano@paloaltou.edu)

Mariel is a student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at Palo Alto University. She received her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Human Development from the University of California, Davis and completed her M.A. in Developmental Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University. Her research interests include the intersection of BIPOC and LGBTQ+ identities, Filipinx mental health, and medical treatment for transgender youth. She is passionate about working with historically marginalized populations particularly racial and cultural minorities, sexual and gender minorities, and immigrant communities.

(they/them; ebae@paloaltou.edu)

Anny is a student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at Palo Alto University. They are pursuing a dual emphasis in LGBTQ+ Psychology and Diversity and Community Mental Health (DCMH). They received a Bachelors in Science in Biochemistry and a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Texas. Their main clinical and research interests involve taking a privilege and power perspective in understanding intersectional and minoritized experiences and using these multiculturally aware understandings to increase empathy, activism, and equitable change for all. They are also interested in being able to use their understandings of intersectional privilege and power dynamics to better the lives of LGBTQ+ people clinically through a compassionate ACT lens. They enjoy going on hikes with their dog, discovering new restaurants and shops, and hanging out with their friends in their (limited) downtime.

(she/hers; lbedregalbarboza@paloaltou.edu)

Levi is a student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at Palo Alto University and is completing the Neuropsychology Area of Emphasis. She grew up in Peru and came to the States when she was five. Her background is an A.A. in Child Development, a B.S. in Biology (Cell & Molecular), and an M.S. in Psychology. She has a fondness for understanding how resilience may impact activity and brain structures in the brain. Moving forward on her path to becoming a licensed clinical neuropsychologist, she wants her work and research to enable her to be a clinician who can be kind, understanding, and helpful. In her free time, she likes to swim,  play volleyball, learn piano, explore the bay area, and connect with people. Check out this profile on Levi's community-based work!

(they/them; jchu1@paloaltou.edu)

Joslyn is a proud banana slug that studied Psychology and History of Art and Visual Culture with an emphasis on the Oceanic region at UC Santa Cruz. Paw-rent to Bubbles and Tiny, they were inspired to follow their dream of being a clinical psychologist. Joslyn is motivated to support community mental health and to generate better understanding of the psychological impacts of climate change on climate refugees and intimate partner violence in the queer community. In their spare time, they can be found reading a cozy fantasy with Bubbles purring in their lap as the steam rises from a warm cup of coffee and the slight scent of cinnamon pastries in the air.

(she/hers; hfitch@paloaltou.edu)

Holly is a PhD student in the Clinical Psychology program at Palo Alto University. Her background is in Clinical/Counseling Psychology with a B.S degree from Clemson University and M.S. degree from Clayton State University. Her research and clinical interests involve the mental health disparities related to the intersections of historically minoritized individuals (race/ethnicity, culture, immigrant/refugee status, and LGBTQ+ identities). She intends to serve these populations by pursuing the Diversity and Community Mental Health (DCMH) and LGBTQ areas of emphasis. She hopes to provide accessible, affirmative, and culturally relevant treatment for diverse clients, while engaging in research that can improve upon treatment for affective and trauma-related symptoms and disorders.

(she/hers; cfleming@paloaltou.edu)

Claire is a student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at Palo Alto University. She received her M.A. in Forensic Psychology from Holy Names University in 2019 and her B.S. in Psychology from Rochester Institute of Technology in 2017. She is pursuing both the Forensic and LGBTQ+ areas of emphasis. Claire's research interests include the experiences of individuals at the intersection of incarceration and queer identities, forensic measure development and adaptation to queer populations, efficacy of community mental health programs, and serious mental illness in forensic settings. She hopes to work in assessment administration, measure adaptation, expert witnessing, and advocacy for incarcerated individuals.

(they/them or she/hers; jli3@paloaltou.edu)

Angela is a student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at Palo Alto University. They received their B.S. in Cognitive Neuroscience from Brown University in 2023. They are pursuing the LGBTQ+ and health psychology areas of emphasis. Their research interests include sexual and gender minority stress and resilience, mindfulness and meditation, and measure development and validation. They are passionate about providing culturally- and research-informed clinical care.

(she/her; kmaple@paloaltou.edu)

Katrina is a student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at Palo Alto University. She double majored with a B.A. in Psychology and B.S. in Sociology with a minor in Leadership Studies from Western Washington University. She intends to pursue the Diversity and Community Mental Health and the LGBTQ areas of emphasis. She is interested in teenagers and young adults with depression and the intersectionality of Asian identities and LGBTQ+ identities. 

(she/her or they/them; ssaddy@paloaltou.edu)

Seja is a student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at Palo Alto University. She received a B.A in Behavioral Neuroscience with a minor in Psychology from the University of California, San Diego in 2018 and an M.A in Psychology from Touro University in 2019. They are pursuing the LGBTQ+ and DCMH areas of emphasis. Seja’s interests include the role of religion and spirituality in the lives of queer people. She hopes to work with individuals with multiple minoritized identities and strives to decolonize and destigmatize mental health. 

(she/her; htorres@paloaltou.edu)

Hailey is a student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at Palo Alto University. She received her B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience from Washington State University in 2020. She intends to follow a generalist track in order to explore different fields of psychology. Her research interests include the roles different identities play in mental health and help seeking behaviors with a focus on adolescent and young adult populations.

(he/him; wsmyack@paloaltou.edu)

William is a student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at Palo Alto University and inpatient psychiatric case manager at Fremont Hospital. He has previously held positions in community-centered work as a Guardian ad Litem as well as a research assistantship in Orlando, FL for a national, NIH funded clinical trial concerning opioid use disorder and fast treatment initiation. Since moving to the Bay Area, he has held positions in crisis residential and both outpatient and inpatient mental health settings. His research interests include serious mental illness, skills interventions for those experiencing mental illness at an inpatient level, LGBTQ+ acute program evaluation, and improving transition experience from acute to outpatient mental health care. Check out this profile on some of Will's policy advocacy work!

(they/them; ewojcik@paloaltou.edu)

Emily is a student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at Palo Alto University. They received their B.S. in Cognitive Science and B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2019. They are completing the LGBTQ Psychology area of emphasis. Emily’s research interests include social support and LGBTQ+ youth. Clinically, they enjoy working in university counseling settings.

(she/hers or they/them; jkerby@paloaltou.edu)

Jamie graduated from the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at Palo Alto University in 2024. She earned her B.A. degree at Chico State University in 2017. Her research interests include trauma and meditation, domestic violence, attachment. 

(she/her or they/them; sofodu@paloaltou.edu)

Chika graduated from the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at Palo Alto University in 2024 with a dual emphasis in Diversity and Community Mental health (DCMH) and LGBTQ Psychology. She has research interests in the following areas: racial trauma among Black folx, Black women, LGBTQ+ Black women, intersectionality, social justice, social determinants, health inequities, implementation, and program evaluation. Check out this profile on Chika's dissertation work!