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AboutI have many years experience directing clinical research and earned a Doctor of Public Health degree from UC Berkeley that focused on preventive interventions for Mexican American families. Currently, as Assistant Professor at UCSF, I am collaborating on technology-based behavioral health interventions for adolescents and young adults. With the aim of reducing health disparities in underrepresented communities, my research covers a variety of topics, including middle school health science career education, adolescent alcohol-related risk reduction, family-based obesity prevention, smoking cessation, child health and sleep duration and depression prevention. My mixed methods research involves a three-pronged approach that includes family, environmental and policy components. During my master’s level training in clinical psychology at San Francisco State University, I provided therapy to children, adults, and families and developed a deep theoretical understanding of how people grow over the lifespan that continues to inform my work. A key aspect of my work involves public service, such as consulting work with community organizations and mentoring underrepresented minority students.
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Education
2018 University of California, Berkeley, Dr.P.H.
Public Health
Doctoral Dissertation: Parental feeding practices and child weight in Mexican American families
Committee: Emily Ozer, Ph.D., (Chair), Julianna Deardorff, Ph.D. (School of Public Health), Kurt Organista, Ph.D. (School of Social Welfare), Pat Crawford, Dr.P.H. (UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Nutrition Policy Institute)
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2000 San Francisco State University, M.S.
Clinical Psychology
Master’s Thesis: Interrelationships among acculturation, ethnic identity, life satisfaction, success expectancy, and perceived racism
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1997 San Francisco State University, B.A.
Psychology
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1995 East Los Angeles College, A.A.
Psychology
Public Health
Doctoral Dissertation: Parental feeding practices and child weight in Mexican American families
Committee: Emily Ozer, Ph.D., (Chair), Julianna Deardorff, Ph.D. (School of Public Health), Kurt Organista, Ph.D. (School of Social Welfare), Pat Crawford, Dr.P.H. (UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Nutrition Policy Institute)
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2000 San Francisco State University, M.S.
Clinical Psychology
Master’s Thesis: Interrelationships among acculturation, ethnic identity, life satisfaction, success expectancy, and perceived racism
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1997 San Francisco State University, B.A.
Psychology
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1995 East Los Angeles College, A.A.
Psychology
Select Honors and Awards
2019-21 Loan Repayment Program, National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities
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2015-17 Institute for the Study of Societal Issues Graduate Fellows Program, UC Berkeley
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2015 Susan Kersch De Young School of Public Health Alumni Association Fellowship, UC Berkeley
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2013, 2014, 2016 Mayhew and Helen Derryberry School of Public Health Alumni Association Fellowship, UC Berkeley
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2012-15 Kaiser Permanente Public Health Scholarship, UC Berkeley
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2012 Geneveive Sickfoose School of Public Health Scholarship, UC Berkeley
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2007 Annual Staff Performance Award, UCSF
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2001 Annual Staff Performance Award in Research and Technical Support, UCSF
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2015-17 Institute for the Study of Societal Issues Graduate Fellows Program, UC Berkeley
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2015 Susan Kersch De Young School of Public Health Alumni Association Fellowship, UC Berkeley
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2013, 2014, 2016 Mayhew and Helen Derryberry School of Public Health Alumni Association Fellowship, UC Berkeley
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2012-15 Kaiser Permanente Public Health Scholarship, UC Berkeley
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2012 Geneveive Sickfoose School of Public Health Scholarship, UC Berkeley
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2007 Annual Staff Performance Award, UCSF
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2001 Annual Staff Performance Award in Research and Technical Support, UCSF