Dr. Ramos is the director of the FRESH lab at CSUSB, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology, and a NIMH-funded Diversity Scholar. He completed his postdoctoral fellowship at UC San Diego in the Department of Medicine under the NIDA-funded T32 HIV, Substance Use, and Related Infections training program. Additionally, he participated in a NIDA-funded R25 intensive summer research fellowship at San Diego State University in Addiction Science. Dr. Ramos received his PhD in Clinical Psychology from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 2022, following his clinical residency at the University of Florida.

His research and clinical interests lie at the intersection of psychological and medical sciences, with a particular focus on health inequity among historically marginalized populations. Dr. Ramos is committed to promoting justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion at CSUSB and within the academic sciences.

Talia Meeks is a first-generation MSCC student at CSUSB with a strong dedication to child psychology and mental health advocacy for marginalized communities. With extensive experience working with children and adolescents, Talia brings a compassionate, open, and inclusive approach to their work. Previously, Talia has worked in a youth center and sexual health clinic, where they developed a deep understanding of the unique needs of diverse populations in healthcare settings. Her research interests focus on addressing mental health disparities and enhancing access to quality mental health resources for underserved communities, aiming to foster inclusive and supportive environments for youth and families. 

Talia is assisting Dr. Ramos with his work on the LATINX-BET project. 

Welcome to the FRESH lab! My name is Andrea, a fellow research lab assistant, my pronouns are she/her/ella. I have a B.A. from California State University, Los Angeles. I am currently a graduate student for the Clinical/Counseling Psychology program at California State University, San Bernardino. My future goals are to complete my PhD to become a principal investigator and a professor of psychology. I have about 3 years of experience in psychological research labs in various settings which include working with principal investigators from USC and Cal State LA. My research interests include broadly studying the impact of culture and gender, specifically within relationships. I am really excited about expanding research within sexual minority men and health disparities. 

Andrea is assisting Dr. Ramos with his work on the Eros project and LATINX-BET project.

Alex McLaughlin is a bachelor's student in psychology who aims to pursue a PhD in child clinical psychology to become a practitioner. She is currently involved in three research studies that will continue for the next year. Her research interests include looking at how sexual abuse can lead to different maladaptive behaviors and also looking at the justice-impacted community. She is extremely excited to begin her first year in the FRESH lab.

Alex is assisting Dr. Ramos with his work on the iTHRIVE study

Mariella Guerrero is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in General Psychology at California State University, San Bernardino. She is a member of the university’s Honors Psychology Program and is bilingual in English and Spanish. Mariella is passionate about working with marginalized and underrepresented communities and is especially interested in the research being conducted at the FRESH Lab. Through this work, she hopes to build on her knowledge and gain valuable experience that will support her goal of becoming a therapist. Driven by a deep commitment to mental health, Mariella looks forward to making a meaningful impact through both research and future clinical practice.

 Mariella is assisting Dr. Ramos with his work on the iTHRIVE study

Jocelyn is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in General Psychology and a minor in Kinesiology at California State University, San Bernardino. She is a member of Kappa Delta sorority here on campus and is a bilingual student in English and Spanish. She has worked with the youth mental health academy helping high school seniors figure out their paths and future careers in Psychology. Her future Career is to become a graduate student in either clinical or school psychology. Her research interests focus on working with underrepresented communities and providing them with more access to mental health resources. 

My name is Ashley Sevilla and I am currently a junior majoring in Biological Psychology. I have previous experience in a behavioral neuroscience lab, but I am really excited to be part of research closer to my career interests. I hope to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology and work on research dealing with substance use and its effects on cognitive functioning and mental health. I look forward to working with underrepresented populations and learning more about sexual health.  

Elizabeth Gutierrez is currently completing her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Counseling and Social Change at California State University, San Bernardino. She is passionate about mental health and social justice issues, with a particular interest in supporting underserved communities. Her research interests include cultural psychology and working with Latinx and unhoused populations. Elizabeth plans to pursue graduate studies in social work and ultimately become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, where she hopes to make a meaningful impact in her community.

Elizabeth is assisting Dr. Ramos with his work on the iTHRIVE study. 

Jaeden Brown is a MAPS student at CSUSB. He has done previous research on Parkinson’s Disease and aging in regards to certain clinical factors. These previous research topics bring a different approach and perspective to the lab and this area of research. His research interests include how clinical factors can affect certain health based outcomes. He is also working on a thesis that looks to examine sexual health outcomes in populations that are less considered.