Principal Investigator
​Rick A. Cruz, Ph.D.
I am currently an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Arizona State University, and a core faculty member in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program. 

My research interests are focused on the intersection of individual, familial and cultural factors that are associated with positive and problematic development among diverse youth. Specifically, my work examines processes that contribute to risk and resilience related to substance use development among Latinx youth.

I am also interested in several areas of traditional child clinical research, focused on assessment, prevention and intervention with diverse youth and families. I have contributed to projects examining school-based depression prevention programs, and family-focused cognitive behavioral treatment for pediatric bipolar disorder. I have also contributed to the development of a web-based assessment program called OwlOutcomes, and I am building a program of research aimed at improving clinical assessment in treatment with children, adolescents, and adults.

My research has been funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology.

I am a licensed Psychologist in Arizona, with a focus on supervising behavioral, and cognitive-behavioral interventions with children, adolescents and families.
We have an amazing and diverse team of scholars who carry out our research mission.
Graduate Students
Byron H. Garcia, M.S.
Byron is a rising fifth year in the Clinical Psychology doctoral program at Arizona State University (ASU) and is also a recipient of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program. He received his B.A in psychology from Florida International University and M.S in psychology from Utah State University. Byron’s primary research interests aim to understand how cultural, social, and individual processes intersect with each other to shape self-regulation among ethnic minority youth. More recently, Byron has branched his research to further understanding the cognitive processes underlying self-regulatory behaviors and their associated links with different aspects of culture and cultural identity (values, practices, and ethnic identification). He ultimately endeavors to identify how these multiple processes influence different pathways of risk and resilience by which normal and pathological outcomes may be achieved.                                                                                                                          
​Follow these links to see Byron's work:   
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Maria K. Wilson, B.A.
Maria is a third year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology PhD program at Arizona State University. She received her B.A in Psychology from Florida International University (FIU). Prior to attending ASU, she completed a four year Post-Baccalaureate Research Coordinator position at the Center for Children and Families at FIU. Maria is interested in bridging the gap between science and practice, through dissemination and implementation of evidence-based practices into communities. Particularly, she aims to identify and understand the barriers to treatment for underserved and ethnic/minority youth and their families, with an emphasis on Latino families. Currently, she is interested in examining the risk and mitigating factors on the development and maintenance of internalizing problems and somatic symptoms in Latino youth. In her spare time, Maria enjoys painting, being in nature, and spending time with friends and loved ones.
​
​Follow these links to see Maria's work:​
Melissa Uribe, B.A.
​Melissa is a current Clinical Psychology PhD student at Arizona State University, and a graduate of the Applied Psychology Undergraduate program at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Through her doctoral training, Melissa aims to understand the mechanisms of treatment adherence in Latinx and BIPOC for internalizing conditions like anxiety and depression. Melissa's goal is to take an Ecological approach to mood and anxiety by considering environmental issues like neighborhood violence, acculturation, immigrant status, racial discrimination and family dynamics. In her free time, Melissa likes lifting weights and doing yoga, and she loves trying new foods!

​Follow these links to see Melissa's work:
Leadership
Brandon Patron
LAB COORDINATOR
Brandon received his  B.S. in Biological Sciences (Minors: Chemistry & Psychology) from Florida State University. Following graduation he has pursued clinical work as a psychometrist, ABA behavioral coach, and CBT informed behavioral therapist alongside work as a research assistant in the Las Madres Nuevas project at ASU. He is interested in the  biological pathways of psychopathology with considerations of culture and contextual factors. Brandon aims to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology to attain a career as a researcher. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his dog, enjoying nature, anything crime/cult related, and traveling.
Gia Gibson
RESEARCH SPECIALIST
Gia graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health with an emphasis in Global Health and a minor in Psychology. At U of A, Gia traveled to Nicaragua with the club Global Medical Brigades and studied abroad in Amsterdam, Belgium and Denmark on the UA Human Sexuality in Northern Europe program. After undergrad, Gia worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator on Phase II and III FDA regulated clinical trials in dermatology and ophthalmology. Gia recently lived in London while she completed her Master of Science in Global Health with an emphasis in Global Surgery at King's College London. In her free time, Gia enjoys traveling to national parks and new countries.
Research Assistants
Marilyn Ghazoul
Lead
Marilyn is an ASU honors undergraduate majoring in psychology and minoring in fashion. She is interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in clinical psychology to become a child psychologist and is interested child development research, protective factors of substance use, & minority populations. Marilyn is also the lab coordinator of the Genes, Environment, and Youth Developmental Lab & an after-school coordinator of a preschool. In her free time, she enjoys working out, hanging out with family and friends, and cooking.
Dona Ananickal
Dona is an ASU undergraduate majoring in Psychology (B.S.) and minoring in Statistics. Dona wishes to research predictors of individuals at risk for developing substance abuse. Dona is interested in studying the development of mental illnesses in collectivist cultures concerning interdependence and intergenerational trauma. Dona's goal after graduation is to enter higher education so she can be a clinical psychologist working as a researcher on effective mental health treatment for adolescents in the justice system. Dona enjoys playing tennis on the weekend, walking her dog Winnie and watching her favorite t.v. shows.
Meghna Chowdury
Meghna Chowdhury is an honors undergraduate student at ASU working towards a BS in Psychology and a Certificate in Law and Human Behavior. During the past summer, Meghna worked at Exit Foundation in London, UK that mentors young people who are in and out of the criminal justice system. Meghna is interested in applications of psychology and the law, and is considering possibly pursuing a career as a clinical forensic psychologist or related fields. In Meghna's free time, she enjoys to read and creatively express herself through her makeup.
Noah Jaehong In
Noah is an ASU honors undergraduate majoring in Psychology (BS). He is also an undergraduate teaching assistant for a PSY101 course at ASU. Noah is interested in exploring the effects new technologies and social medias have had on young children to adolescents at different sages of life, with a focus on issues such as self image in minority populations. Noah plans on getting his Ph.D. in clinical psychology and wants to work with adolescents. In his free time, Noah enjoys playing the guitar and meticulously working on model kits.
Sofia Wernik
​Sofia is an ASU undergraduate pursuing a BS in Psychology and Sociology and will graduate in December 2023. She is interested in pursuing a doctoral program post-grad to obtain her Psy.D. Sofia is currently focused on substance use research emphasizing the impact of short-term cannabis use on cognition. In addition to being a research assistant for the Genetics, Environment, Youth, and Development Lab, Sofia is the Substance Use, Health, and Behavior Lab Coordinator here at ASU. ​
Lizbeth Felix
Lizbeth is an undergraduate at ASU pursuing a BA in Psychology with a minor in Kinesiology. Lizbeth's training consists of documenting prosocial and antisocial behavior by discretely and organically evaluating behavior and documenting adolescent interactions. Her research interests are mainly targeted toward adolescents and aspires to be a counselor specializing in adolescent behavior. Lizbeth enjoys teaching, watching the latest released movies, planning spontaneous adventures, and trying out a variety of different foods! 
Gisselle Martinez
Donec ullamcorper nulla non metus auctor fringilla.
Sammy Gomez
Miracle Hall
Miracle is a senior at Arizona State University majoring in neuroscience.
Miracle lived in Memphis, Tennessee before moving to Arizona in the Summer of 2022 to be an intern at TGen. Miracle is an intern at the University of Arizona, an officer of a
student-run organization called the Pre-Medical Association which is affiliated with AMSA, and volunteers at her local church. A fun fact about Miracle is, she is a huge Harry Potter fan and sees herself being a fan forever. Miracle recently became a Research Assistant within the Department of Psychology on the US Flu VE research
study.
Maria Jose (MJ) Hernandez
MJ is currently a Junior/Senior at ASU, pursuing a B.S. in
Psychology and a minor in Family and Human Development. MJ anticipates graduating
in the Fall of 2023, where she will stand proudly as a first-generation student, breaking
barriers by being the first in her family to graduate high school and pursue higher education. MJ acquired a proficiency in Spanish as a child by translating for her
immigrant parents, which sparked a great desire in her to help other Spanish speakers and lessen language barriers, providing adequate and accurate care. MJ’s aspirations lie in becoming a Clinical Psychologist, specializing in working with families, children, and adolescents. Her ultimate objective is to actively work against the stigma associated with mental illness in the Latinx/Hispanic community.
Eric Monge
Eric is pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences with an
emphasis on Genetics, Cell, and Development. As of Spring 2023, Eric has been
working with the ASU School of Human Evolution and Social Change as a Case
Investigator contacting and interviewing cases of Salmonella and Valley Fever on behalf
of Maricopa County. Eric is passionate about science and its applications in medicine
and plans on attending medical school after getting his Bachelor's degree. Eric expects
to graduate from ASU in May of 2024.
Niharika Sharma
​Niharika is a third year undergraduate student at Arizona State
University majoring in Sociology and Biological Sciences with a concentration in
Genetics, Cell and Developmental Biology. Niharika expects to graduate from ASU in
the Spring of 2025. In the future, Niharika plans to pursue a graduate or doctoral
program in the field of public health. She currently volunteers as a tutor for refugee
students through the club R.I.S.E. at ASU. In her free time, she enjoys reading, watching
new shows and movies, and exploring nature.
Megan Chen
​Megan is a Junior at ASU majoring in Psychology. She is also on the
pre-medical track and aspires to be a physician in the future. Outside of academia,
Megan is a member of the Alpha Phi sorority, a volunteer at Phoenix Children's Hospital,
and a summer TA for Organic Chemistry. In her free time, Megan enjoys shopping,
traveling, and trying new foods–the strangest food she has ever had was a shark! A fun
fact about Megan is she was a figure skater growing up.

Our Alumni
We have had members move on to do great things and carry on our mission elsewhere.
Graduate Students
Molly Mechammil, Ph.D.
​Molly completed her PhD in the Combined Clinical/Counseling Psychology Ph.D. program at Utah State University. She is currently completing her clinical internship at USC/Children's Hospital Los Angles. Prior to attending USU, she received her B.A. in psychology from the University of San Diego. Her research interests focus on cultural and familial factors that influence behavioral outcomes in Latinx and Middle Eastern families, as well as understanding mental health stigma among ethnic minority populations. Molly also enjoys traveling and hiking. The photo on the right shows Molly hiking the Crimson trail in Logan Canyon in Northern Utah.
​
Kenia Carrera, Ph.D.
​Kenia completed her PhD in the Combined Clinical, Counseling and School Psychology program at Utah State University. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Arizona where she developed an interest for working with minority students. Particularly, Kenia's research interests revolve around Latino youth with depression/anxiety. ​
Jazmin Lara, M.S.
Jazmin is a doctoral student in the Culture and Mental Health Lab under the guidance of Dr. Melanie Domenech Rodríguez, she completed her Master's degree and a portion of her USU doctoral program with Dr. Cruz. I received a BA in Psychology from DePaul University in Chicago, IL. My research interests broadly include internalizing disorders as well as culturally sensitive and community-based intervention and prevention programs for underserved populations.
Cynthia Navarro Flores, M.S.
Cynthia is a doctoral student in the Combined Clinical/Counseling Psychology Program, she completed a portion of her USU doctoral program with Dr. Cruz. I completed my master's in clinical psychology at California State University, Northridge. I am interested in researching the effects of multiple risk factors on psychopathology, and resilience among ethnic minority and foster care youth.
Research Assistants
Cristal Vargas Cesario, B.S.
Cristal is a an ASU graduate with a B.S. in Psychology and Neuroscience. As an honor's student she completed a thesis titled "How do Cultural Factors and Emotion Regulation Difficulties Influence the Risk of Suicide for
Latinx Emerging
Adults?" She was also a research assistant for the Child Study Lab at ASU and is currently working with a lab called EYEPlay. Cristal is interested in the development of psychopathology and how cultural factors may serve as protective factors, especially among adolescents. She plans to get her masters in psychology at ASU and later pursue a PhD. degree in Clinical Psychology, specializing in adolescent psychopathology. In Cristal's free time she enjoys spending time with her friends and family and occasionally play Minecraft.
Natalee Sanchez, B.A.
Natalee is a recent ASU graduate who received a B.A. with a major in Psychology and a minor in Family & Human Development and Sociology. Natalee was in the Psychology Honors Thesis Track, completing her thesis titled "How do coping styles influence the association between COVID stressors and depression in Mexican-American heritage families?" She plans on being a school psychologist, pursuing a Master's degree starting in Fall 2023. Outside of school, Natalee enjoys spending time with friends and family, going out to eat, and doing paint-by-numbers.
Vanessa Herrera, B.A.
Vanessa Herrera is an ASU graduate who received a BA in Psychology and Family and Human Development. Prior to the Cactus Lab, Vanessa was an RA for ASU SIBS research project where she delivered an intervention focused on the emotional and social needs of children through targeting the impact of sibling relationships. Vanessa is interested in discovering how socio-cultural factors can cause mental health disparities in minorities. Vanessa's main joy comes from trying food from different cultures and exploring new coffee shops.
Madison Jones, B.A.
Madison Jones is a graduate from Arizona State University. She completed her Bachelor's degree in Psychology, from The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, as well as her degree in Management, from W.P. Carey School of Business. She is excited to continue developing her research skills and learning how to translate data into valuable findings. She hopes to work in the research and technology sector after graduation and is interested in applying data analytics to the consumer industry.
Kyleigh Gates-Haas, B.A.
Kyleigh is an Arizona State University graduate who majored in Psychology and Family and Human Development with a minor in Early Childhood Education. Kyleigh was an RA in the Cruz Lab and a school social work intern with Everybody Matters. Her career goals are to become a school psychologist and work with underrepresented youth, researching the best ways to support their academic success. In her free time, Kyleigh enjoys reading and organizing.
Makayla Roma, B.A.
Makayla is an ASU graduate who received a B.A. in psychology with a certificate in Law and Human Behavior. She is employed as a teacher’s assistant where she developed a passion for providing support to youth with challenging behaviors. Makayla’s research interests include understanding the progression of
aggressive behaviors in youth. Makayla also enjoys expressing her creativity through various forms of art,
traveling, and spending time with her pets.
Other ​Alumni Lab Members

Elizabeth Wynn (2018) - Currently completing Master's in Biostatistics at University of Colorado Denver
Ashley Magaña (2017)
Chandler Benney (2017) - Currently completing PhD in School Psychology at Utah State University
Brent Gage (2016)
Morgan Richards (2016)
Garrett Batty (2016)
Quinton Cannon (2015)
Erika Luke (2015)