Postdoctoral Trainees

Doctoral Trainees

Liz Bocanegra
received her B.A. in Psychology and Sociology with a minor in Art from the University of Miami. After graduating, she was selected to participate in the Minority Health and Health Disparities International Research Training Program (MHIRT) in Mexico City where she studied the incidence and prevalence of depression in Mexican youth. She then worked as the Patient Care Manager for the Center for Anxiety, an independent specialty clinic in New York City, where she gained experience with CBT and DBT treatment approaches for mental health. She is currently a sixth-year graduate student on her internship year with interests in anxiety and depression in the Latinx community and how we can develop new ways to deliver treatment to low-income individuals.

Crystal Venegas

received her B.A. in psychology and child and adolescent developmental science and her M.A. in clinical psychology from California State University, Northridge. She is currently a third-year Clinical Psychology PhD student. Her program of research broadly examines risk and resilience in racial and ethnic minorities, especially in Latinx communities. Specifically, her research examines how sociocultural factors (e.g., familism, racial discrimination, acculturative stress, structural/perceived barriers) influence psychosocial outcomes (e.g., depression, anxiety, academic achievement) and mental health literacy, stigma, access/utilization of services, and treatment efficacy/engagement. Within her area, she also aims to examine differences based on population type (e.g., nativity status, race/ethnicity, gender, urban/rural) and use her research to guide mental health policy and inform and examine the efficacy of culturally responsive evidence-based interventions and service delivery models aimed at promoting well-being.

Gloria Gomez

received her B.A. in Psychology from Rutgers University-New Brunswick. She previously coordinated intervention research studies for anxiety disorders at the New York State Psychiatric Institute in NYC prior to UCLA. She is currently a third-year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program. Her research interests include (1) identifying transdiagnostic mechanisms related to risk for internalizing disorders (e.g., anxiety and depression) in ethno-racially minoritized youth, and (2) improving mental health accessibility via novel treatment delivery methods (e.g., community health workers) in minoritized communities. Overall, Gloria hopes to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in mental health utilization and outcomes as well as promote community-based and community-driven mental health care. 

Daniel Saravia 

Daniel received his B.A. in Psychology and his M.A. in Clinical Psychology from California State University, Northridge. Daniel’s program of research aims to identify and mitigate barriers to engagement in mental health services, specifically among Latinx youth and families. Additionally, his research seeks to develop and provide evidence-based, culturally responsive interventions and treatments. He is currently a third-year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program. Daniel ultimately aspires to pursue a tenure-track position to conduct research and mentor students from marginalized backgrounds and underserved communities. Daniel enjoys long jogs, weight lifting, listening to music (Kid Cudi), and spending time with his friends and family in his free time.  

Ashley Flores

Ashley received her B.A. in Psychology from UCLA. After graduating, she worked as a research coordinator in the CARE in Youth Mental Health Lab, coordinating school-based intervention studies. She is currently a first-year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program. She is interested in collaborating with racially/ethnically diverse communities to identify and target mechanisms related to treatment uptake, engagement, and sustainment. Ashley hopes to increase access and utilization of evidence-based treatments among the Latinx community and aims to reduce racial/ethnic mental health disparities. Ashley enjoys spending time with her family/friends and trying out new breakfast restaurants in her free time.