Cody Certain

Cody is entering his second year at CSUSM majoring in Child and Adolescent Development. He plans to continue his education after graduating. Cody switched to a focus of child development after discovering ABA and early intervention practices. Through his studies and mentorship, he has worked on skills used to create fun, natural, and effective intervention strategies to assist in children's growth.  He is approaching ten years of working with Individuals with Developmental Disabilities (IDD) with two years as a Registered Behavioral Technician (RBT) with a plan to continue working under ABA practices. 

Emily Crowell

Emily is a fourth-year undergraduate student at CSUSM majoring in Psychological Sciences. She is set to graduate in December of 2025 and plans to go to postsecondary school to expand her knowledge upon graduation. Emily spent her first two years of undergrad focusing on exploring the full field of psychology through her studies to determine where her passion is. After a brief internship with a school psychologist at an elementary school, Emily was inspired by the psychological testing she witnessed to pursue a career in that field. For this reason, she intends to specialize in psychological testing. She looks forward to someday being the person who helps guide people to answers about their mental well-being and providing them with the resources necessary to maximize the quality of their lives. When Emily is not focused on her studies, she likes to crochet, go to concerts, paint coffee mugs, and spend time with her loved ones. 

Delaney Donar

Delaney is a fourth year undergraduate student pursuing a major in Psychological Science and will be graduating in December of 2025. Delaney plans to go to graduate school to pursue a masters in marriage and family therapy. Delaney has worked extensively in childcare throughout her life and is passionate about supporting children and their families through fostering a caring and inclusive environment. Because of this, she looks forward to pursuing a career where she can equip children and families with the tools they need to encounter various life challenges. In her free time, Delaney enjoys painting, reading, teaching Sunday school in my church, and going to the beach.

Merielle Dauz

Merielle is a junior undergraduate student majoring in Psychological Science. They are part of the graduating class of Fall 2027. They plan to attend graduate school to support their goal of becoming a clinical psychologist. Merielle has experience as a Peer mentor of the Aspiring Scholars Program, a program that aiding students with intellectual disabilities in their holistic college experience. They are also part of the ROCKSTAR Lab, which focuses on study how children experience and engage with the world. In their free time, Merielle likes to cook, read manga, and take care of her plants.

JJ Ibarra

Juan “JJ” Ibarra, is a fourth year undergraduate student at CSUSM, pursuing a major in Psychological Science and a minor in Political Science. JJ has worked as an early childhood interventionist providing ABA therapy to families with children with ASD. JJ also volunteers as a Peer mentor with the Aspiring Scholars Program at CSUSM, assisting students with intellectual disabilities with studying, coursework, and self expression. JJ has a passion for the understanding of personality disorder and how to effectively reach out to individuals suffering from emotional dysregulation, dysfunctional identity / self-perception, and anti-social behavior. Over the past year, JJ has incorporated his work with people with “special needs” into his understanding and passion for personality disorder, and is interested in the intersectionality of “classical” neurodiversity & the pathology of personality. In his free time, JJ loves to surf, garden, cook, read, write, and organize concerts for local bands.

Rachel Soliven

Rachel Soliven is a fourth year Psychological Science major at California State University San Marcos and is set to graduate in Spring 2026. She plans to pursue graduate studies after graduation with the goal of becoming a clinical psychologist specializing in child and adolescent psychology. Her long term aspiration is to open a private practice dedicated to supporting children’s mental health and emotional well being. Currently, Rachel works as a Registered Behavior Technician, providing individualized ABA therapy to children with developmental disorders. This experience has deepened her passion for working with children and given her valuable hands on training in evidence based care. She also serves as a research assistant in the ROCKSTAR Lab at CSUSM, where she contributes to studies focused on children’s social and cognitive development.

Katelin Wagner

Katelin is a fourth-year undergraduate student, majoring in Psychological Sciences with a Minor in Dance. She loves involving herself on campus and in her community, currently holding a treasure position for CSUSM’s Psychology Honors Society club called Psi Chi. Katelin is set to graduate Spring of 2026. She’s been working with kids from a young age and began working with peers with ASD in high school through various volunteer groups. She has continued in the field of ABA for four years now, primarily working as a Behavior Interventionist and teaching dance classes for kids with intellectual disabilities. Katelin intends to join a graduate program post-graduation, keeping her involvement in the ABA field. She currently wants to go into Marriage and Family Therapy as well as hopes to incorporate her dance education into her work by going into somatic movement therapy for children with ASD. In her free time, Katelin likes to read, go to the beach, hang out with her friends, go on walks with her family, and tend to her numerous house plants.