OUR TEAM

Nicole Reyes-Camacho

Nicole is a first-generation student, she graduated from the University of California, Davis with a B.A. in Psychology and double minored in Human Development and Public Health Sciences. She is now currently pursuing a master’s degree in Psychological Research under the guidance of Dr. Caplan. Through her lived experiences in her community, Nicole’s research interests range from child and youth development, marginalized and underserved communities, intersectionality, and the effect of mental health stigmas on help-seeking behaviors.

Nicole aspires to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology or Neuropsychology. Her goal is to focus on, and advance the development of research-based, and community-centered interventions aimed at improving mental health services for underserved and marginalized communities, while also promoting education on developmental disorders and advocating for equity in clinical practice. Outside of her academics, she enjoys going to concerts and music festivals, the beach, working out, and spending time with her loved ones.

Saira Hernandez

Saira is a first-generation student, who graduated from San Jose State University with a B.A in Psychology and a minor in Child and Adolescent Development. She is currently pursuing her masters in Psychological Research at California State University, Long Beach under the guidance of Dr.Caplan. With her first-hand experience working with underprivileged and underrepresented families, she aims to improve upon the current intervention and implementation processes surrounding mental health services for children in marginalized communities by bridging the gaps between research and practice. 

Saira’s research interests include child and adolescent development, early assessment/treatment reliability, the role of parenting styles, and the impact of mental health stigmas on help-seeking behaviors. 

David Chavelas

David is a first-generation Latino student who earned his B.A. in Psychology from California State University, Long Beach. He is currently pursuing his masters in Psychological Research, with plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in the future. He hopes to build a career that combines both research and clinical practice. David is especially passionate about working with underrepresented communities, recognizing the importance of making mental health care and evidence-based treatment more accessible and culturally relevant. He is also interested in bridging the gap between research and practice to ensure that findings meaningfully inform and improve real-world mental health services. In the CARE Lab, he hopes to gain hands-on research experience and deepen his understanding of community-based research approaches.

Outside of academics, David enjoys binge-watching shows with his cat, Kiara, experimenting with new vegan recipes, and spending time outdoors hiking with family and friends.

Jeyleen Morales

Jeyleen is a first-generation Latina in her fourth year at CSULB studying Psychology. Her fields of interest include Clinical and Developmental Psychology. In Dr. Caplan's lab she is participating as a research assistant studying parent-therapist engagement with families of autistic children. In the near future, Jeyleen aims to obtain a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and learn how to provide clinical services to children with disabilities.  

Aside from her studies, Jeyleen enjoys going to Disneyland, reading, and discovering new coffee shops.

Bianca Contreras

Bianca is currently an undergraduate psychology student at California State University, Long Beach. Her long-term goals include pursuing a career in pediatric neuropsychology, with a focus on sociocultural context in neurodevelopmental and neuropsychological outcomes, as well as inclusive, translational research. 

In her free time, she enjoys baking, trying new foods, and watching TV shows. 

Miranda Arnold

Miranda is a junior at California State University, Long Beach working towards her B.A. in Psychology. She is currently part of the CSULB BUILD Scholars program and works in the CARE Lab under the mentorship of Dr. Caplan. Her research interests include neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Miranda aims to obtain a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and become a Pediatric Neuropsychologist. She is committed to developing ASD diagnostic criteria to reduce disparities in diagnoses among underrepresented populations. 

Miranda is very passionate about psychological research and is always excited to share her love for it with others. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting, cafe hopping, and playing piano. 

Natalie Gomez

Natalie is a second year at California State University, Long Beach and is majoring in Psychology. Her fields of interest include Developmental Psychology and Pediatric Psychiatry. While working under Dr. Caplan’s mentorship in the CARE Lab, Natalie hopes to gain more research experience and learn useful information for her future endeavors. 

Outside of her academics, Natalie enjoys music, spending time with loved ones, and trying local coffee shops. Natalie is excited to expand her horizons and connect with others in the lab who share a common interest of learning and helping those in need.

Summer Banuelos

Summer is a first generation, 4th year Psychology major interested in trauma informed therapy and care. Her interest in the field of psychology sparked from the adverse experiences and lack of support that she felt and witnessed in the Native American community. She hopes to make a difference by directly working within indigenous communities. Her next steps after graduating from CSULB is to pursue a masters degree at the University of Washington GO HUSKIES! 

Outside of her academics, she enjoys going to antique stores and traveling to experience different cultures and ways of life. 

Anthony Hayes

Anthony is a 2026 CSULB grad with Psych BA. He is a volunteer RA who wants to gain more research experience before applying to graduate school in Fall 2026. Anthony wants to enter the MAPR program here at Cal State and get into the dynamics of research even more. His research interests are intersectionality, specifically on how it affects Black + Queer people in positive and negative ways because it is an experience like no other. For example, how is their mental health affected by being a double minority and receiving different forms of bigotry from both communities? How does gender factor in? How does stigmatization keep them away from support/treatment? 

His hopes to enter a Clinical Psychology Ph.D program and dive deeper into this topic. Anthony seeks to not only shed light on an underrepresented group of people like himself, but also use the results of his research to improve therapeutic techniques. Creating therapies that are culturally conscious and highly effective is a significant goal for him, and the Scientist-Practitioner Model is what he strives to be.

Outside of academics, he enjoys drawing, writing stories, gaming, and going to the movies with his brother. 

Brenda Macias

Brenda is currently in her final year at California State University, Long Beach, majoring in Psychology. She is especially interested in Community Psychology and Educational Psychology because she is passionate about working with children and supporting their well-being. She enjoys learning about how communities, schools, and social environments shape children's development and influence their opportunities for success. Her goal is to use this knowledge to help create supportive and inclusive environments where children can thrive, reach their full potential, and contribute to positive change in their communities. 

Eve Linares

Eve is a 4th year undergraduate psychology student here at CSULB. She has a special interest in critical clinical psychology, and hopes to advocate for minority communities in clinical and assessment practices. 

In Eve's free time, you will find her painting, reading or singing along to musicals. 

Valentina Gudiño Espinoza  

Valentina is a first-generation college student currently in her third year at California State University, Long Beach, majoring in Psychology and planning to minor in Child Development. She was drawn to the CARE Lab because she hopes to pursue a career as a clinical therapist for children and adolescents. She wanted the opportunity to gain meaningful experience working closely with children, supporting their mental health, and learning how research can directly give back and support underserved communities. Through the CARE Lab, she hopes to gain guidance as she continues her education in psychology. Her goal is to earn a master’s degree and eventually pursue a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology. She also hopes to build connections, learn from others in the field, and explore the many different areas within psychology.

In Valentina's spare time, she enjoys reading fiction novels, discovering new restaurants and foods to try, and watching her favorite shows. 

Maritza Romero

Maritza is a first-generation student entering her third year at California State University, Long Beach, where she is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Child Development and Family Studies. Her research and career interests include clinical and child psychology, with a particular focus on supporting the mental health and well-being of children and families in underserved communities.

Maritza plans to pursue graduate education and become a clinical child psychologist. She is passionate about increasing access to mental health resources and reducing the stigma surrounding mental health within underrepresented and low-resourced communities. She is excited to expand her research skills, learn more about child and family development, and contribute to research that can positively impact the lives of children and families.

In her free time, Maritza enjoys painting, coloring, and spending time going on walks.

Leslie Perez

Leslie graduated from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona in 2023 with a BA in Psychology and is currently in her 2nd year of pursuing a Masters in Counseling Psychology at CSULB. She is passionate about working in both research and in clinical settings, with her population of interest being children and adolescents. Her field interests include Child Development, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). She is excited to learn more about research while in the CARE Lab under Dr. Caplan and through her peers as well. Leslie's career aspirations include pursuing her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology or School Psychology in order to research how to improve implementation of evidence based practices to help improve treatment outcomes for underrepresented communities such as the Latino/a/e community and more. 

Aside from her studies, she loves to watch movies, try new coffee shops, karaoke, and spend time with loved ones.