My background in clinical and community psychology, psychological evaluations and interventions, consuming and evaluating scientific literature, research, and developing intervention programming has prepared me for graduate study. My experiences working in a large psychiatric clinic, a local women's shelter, and a human service oriented non-profit with at-risk foster youth, have focused my career goals on direct delivery of psychological services.
Bachelor of Arts:
Psychology and English,
The College of William and Mary -
Williamsburg,
VA
Double major in Psychology and English anticipated May 2016. Phi Beta Kappa. National Collegiate Scholar. Dean's List. Order of Omega Honor Society. Chi Omega Fraternity. Psi Chi Psychology Honor Society. Golden Key Honor Society.
Study Abroad:
English Literature,
University College London -
London,
England
BA program in English Literature, study abroad Jan-June 2015. I conducted research on venereal disease and social exclusion in London East End prostitutes in the late 1800s. I also studied sexuality and gender construction in Shakespeare, and criminology in Victorian London.
Study Abroad:
Psychology,
Leiden University -
Leiden,
ZH
BA program in psychology, study abroad Jan-June 2014. Child and adolescent psychiatry, cross-cultural psychology of health and wellness, abnormal psychology, emotion and cognition.
Menlo School in Atherton -
Atherton,
CA
Menlo School in Atherton, CA Class of 2011. Graduated with highest honors (top 5%) with a 3.99 GPA.
Paid Research Assistant
09/2015
to Present
Applied Social Psychology Research Institute at the College of William and Mary -
Williamsburg,
VA
I aid Professor Emeritus Joseph Galano, Ph.D., in writing the Statewide Evaluation Executive Report of the Healthy Families Virginia initiative. I am writing a subsection to be included in the report on epigenetics and the impact of childhood maltreatment on adult well-being. The initiative promotes positive parenting practices and child development through evidence-based practices and home-visits from nurses and social workers. The program has been integral in significantly reducing the rates of child abuse, neglect, and incarceration in the state of Virginia.
Shelter Volunteer
10/2014
to Present
Avalon: A Center for Women and Children -
Williamsburg,
Virginia
As a shelter advocate at Avalon I assist with intakes, take Helpline calls, and work with shelter residents.
Research Assistant
09/2014
to Present
Child Development Lab at the College of William and Mary -
Williamsburg,
VA
I serve as a research assistant in the lab of Catherine Forestell, Ph.D., and Cheryl Dickter, Ph.D., and work on NIH funded research focusing on attentional bias towards smoking and alcohol related cues in children of smokers. I lead study visits for the child and adult participants, which consists of performing EEGs and gathering sensitive information about substance use through interviews of both the parent and child.
Peer Health Educator
01/2013
to Present
Health Outreach Peer Educators (HOPE) -
Williamsburg,
VA
HOPE is a student organization at the College of William and Mary that works closely with the Office of Health Promotion and Student Health Center to provide reliable health information and facilitate an on-going dialogue about health issues. I am part of the mental health branch, and give presentations to freshman halls, sports teams, and Greek organizations on mental and physical well-being during the college transition. I also help develop mental health programming for the College. As a peer educator and counselor, I teach techniques for conflict resolution, communication, and coping skills. I have spent the last semester working on wmspeaks.com, a website to promote a sense of solidarity by sharing student stories of mental health, help seeking, and recovery.
Evaluation and Learning Intern
06/2015
to 08/2015
First Place For Youth -
Oakland,
CA
First Place for Youth is a non-profit serving former and current foster care youth in California. I worked at the main office in Oakland, CA, where I assisted the Evaluation and Learning Department, lead by Erika Van Buren, PhD. I conducted follow-up assessments on former foster youth, which consisted of gathering sensitive information related to their experiences since leaving First Place's transitional housing program. In addition I formulated workshops (tailored to the specific needs of foster youth) on reproductive health, contraception, and healthy relationships for the social workers to present to foster youth age 18-24. I also shadowed the social workers on home visits to gain a better understanding of the specific difficulties faced by foster youth in Oakland. The programming is now being utilized by staff in all 5 counties First Place For Youth serves.
Clinical Intern
06/2014
to 08/2014
Stanford Pediatric Bipolar Disorder Program -
Palo Alto,
CA
I served as a clinical intern on five NIH funded studies at the Mood Disorders Clinic of the Stanford University Medical Center Psychiatric Department. I spent the majority of my time working on the Family Focused Therapy study, where my duties included administering assessments (e.g., IQ testing, neurocognitive tasks, etc.), data input, patient information organization, and assisting on MRI scans. I furthered my education on psychiatric disorders, and learned to screen prospective participants over the phone. I worked directly with patients, observed therapy sessions and diagnostic interviews, and guided study visits.
Psychology and Marketing Research Assistant
05/2011
to 08/2011
San Francisco State University -
San Francisco,
CA
I spent the summer exploring the longitudinal socioeconomic relationship between sex-role stereotypes and persuasion in marketing through the study of the September Issues of Vogue Magazine since 1880. I conducted research and wrote literature reviews. The team of professors are developing an understanding of the construction of maleness and femaleness through examination of biological, psychological, social and cultural influences.
Shelter Volunteer, Avalon: A Center for Women and Children, 2014-present
Animal Welfare Volunteer, Heritage Humane Society, 2013-present
Classroom Volunteer, Oak Knoll Elementary, 2009-2011
Volunteer Tutor, Overland New England Service, 2009
Teaching Volunteer, Stretch to Kindergarten, 2010
