Research Team

Lab Director

Erin Rodriguez, Ph.D.

Erin M. Rodríguez, PhD
Dr. Rodríguez studies family, linguistic, and sociocultural influences on children’s coping and adaptation to stress. The aim of her research is to reduce youth health disparities through culturally relevant family-based interventions for children and adolescents faced with medical illnesses and other chronic stressors. Her current research includes an intervention study with Latinx families of children with asthma, a study of family adjustment to pediatric cancer, and a longitudinal investigation of the development of coping and mental health in bilingual Latinx youth.

Dr. Rodríguez received her doctorate in clinical psychology from Vanderbilt University and completed her clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her work has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the St. David’s Center for Health Promotion & Disease Prevention Research, and the Society of Pediatric Psychology.


Research Staff

Samantha Garcia Cruz

Hometown: Burlington, NC

Degree: B.A. in Psychology and two minors in Education and Latinx Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Research Interests: Latinx education, community-based participatory action research (CBPR), social justice, and child development. 

Ayda Giacoman 

Hometown: San Pedro Sula, Honduras

Degree: B.S. in Public Health from Baylor University 

Research Interest: I am interested in studying the attitudes towards mental health and the impact it has on the Latinx community. In particular, I want to identify and implement educational programs to reduce this stigma and bring more informed awareness to this community. 

Other Interests: Nature/hiking, reading, engaging with people from different cultures

Jennifer Camacho

Hometown: Ciudad Juárez / El Paso, Texas Bordertown

Degrees: M.A. in Global Policy Studies from LBJ School of Public Affairs and MPH from UTHealth Austin & B.A. in International Relations from The University of Texas at Austin

Research Interest: In graduate school, my research has broadly focused on understanding how social determinants shape health behaviors and access to care. I am interested in social policy that addresses inequities in service delivery and health disparities. Other research interests include family strengthening programs, maternal and child health, and reproductive health.

Other Interests: Hiking, spending time with friends and family, and exploring the Austin food scene


Postdoctoral Fellow



Jendayi Dillard
Hometown: Tallahassee, FL
Degrees: Ph.D in Educational Psychology, M.ED. in Quantitative Methods from University of Texas at Austin. B.S. in International Studies, B.A. in French and Spanish from Florida State University
Research interests: Experiences of prejudice and discrimination, health disparities for racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S, coping and resilience in marginalized communities.
Other interests: Playing piano, dance, and cooking


Graduate Students



Anneli Garcia
Hometown: Pharr, TX
Degree Program: MA/SSP, School Psychology
Previous Degrees: B.A. in Psychology and Humanities from The University of Texas at Austin
Research interests: I am interested in examining the sociocultural influences that impact the wellbeing of Latinx youth within educational systems. I am also passionate about identifying factors that contribute to educational disparities and implementing interventions and policy changes in order to create more equitable learning environments.
Other interests: Gardening, drawing, painting, and playing piano



Sofia Ocegueda
Hometown: Durham, NC
Degree Program: Ph.D., School Psychology
Previous Degrees: B.S. in Psychology, Minors in Hispanic Studies and Social & Economic Justice from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Research Interests: I am interested in identifying the specific stressors that Latinx youth face, while also focusing on the unique effects of family and school environments to improve mental health and educational outcomes. I am also interested in developing culturally relevant interventions that focus on positive youth development factors.
Other Interests: Making art, food, music, reading.



Catherine Esperanza
Hometown: San Francisco, California
Degree Program: Ph.D., School Psychology
Previous Degrees: B.A. in International Relations, Minor in Psychology from Stanford University
Research Interests: I am interested in studying the unique stressors that underserved youth face in their specific social ecologies and the effect of these stressors on their psychological, health, behavioral and educational outcomes. Additionally, I am interested in culturally-responsive, family-based interventions for youth facing chronic stressors.
Other Interests: Dance, travel, art and cultural activities.

Cinthia Alvarado
Hometown: Eagle Pass, TX
Degree Program: Ph.D., School Psychology
Previous Degree: B.A. Psychology, Minors in Applied Developmental Psychology and Education Studies Research Interests: I am passionate about identifying and assessing the significant sociocultural and familial factors that contribute to academic success in Students of Color or with low socio-economic status. I believe that analysis in this area can create school environments that are more conducive for learning for Students of Color and create more access to evidence-based health services.

Other Interests: traveling, hiking, painting, and dancing

Hometown: Belmar, NJ

Degree Program: MA/SSP in School Psychology

Previous Degree: B.A in Psychology from Clemson University

Research Interests: Acculturation in Latinx youth, Community Involvement, Neighborhood factors that impact child development 

Other Interests: Playing soccer, running, and reading 

Undergraduate Students

Mario Gomez Hometown: Edinburg, TX

Degree Program: B.A. Psychology, Educational Development Psychology for Minor

Research Interests: I am interested in trying to find new ways to help out students in schools who are suffering from any form of psychopathology as well as better ways to address mental health concerns for students at schools. Essentially, anything that may help students mentally lead to a better education. 

Other Interests: working out and running, reading books, and distracting myself through video games. 

Maria Paula Yavar Calderon

Hometown: Lima, Peru
Degree Program: B.A, Psychology, Minor in English
Research Interests: I am interested in identifying cultural and social factors that affect Latinx youth’s access to higher educations, as well as understanding the effects of discriminatory experiences in adolescent-parent relationships and other family factors (e.g. ethnic/racial socialization, parenting, family cohesion). I am also interested in developing interventions to improve mental health and access to higher education among underserved populations. 
Other Interests: exploring new food, hiking, swimming, reading/writing, music


Research Collaborators

Sarah Kate Bearman, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Educational Psychology
The University of Texas at Austin

Elizabeth Peña, PhD
Professor
School of Education
University of California, Irvine

Lauren Gulbas, PhD
Associate Professor
School of Social Work
The University of Texas at Austin

Sharon Horner, PhD
Associate Dean for Research and Dolores V. Sands Chair in Nursing Research
School of Nursing
The University of Texas at Austin

Emily Greenspan, PhD
Director of Neuropsychological Services at the Texas Child Study Center (TCSC)
Director of the TCSC’s Embedded Clinic in the Children’s Blood and Cancer Center at Dell Children’s Medical Center
Assistant Clinical Professor, University of Texas at Austin, Educational Psychology

Puja Patel, PhD
Director of Therapy Services, Children’s Blood and Cancer Center at Dell Children’s Medical Center
Collaborative Abdominal Clinic, ‘Specially for Children
Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Austin, Educational Psychology

Elizabeth Matsui, MD, MHS
Associate Chair for Research, Department of Population Health
Professor, Department of Population Health
Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Associate Director, Health Transformation Research Institute
Director, Center for Health & Environment: Education & Research
Dell Medical School
The University of Texas at Austin

Tiffany Whittaker, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Educational Psychology
The University of Texas at Austin


Lab Alumni

Graduate Students

Research Staff

Savannah Davidson
Janie Contreras
Julia George-Jones
Claudia Reino
Danielle Thompson
Elsí Hernandez
Cinthia Alvarado
Juliana Alba-Suarez
Joseph Barron
Becca Hammonds
Hannah Hwang

C Janeth Juarez
Emily Lehning
Annette Leija
Roxana Mendoza
Ashlee Mitchell
Gabriela Echavarría Moats
Alicia Nichols
Ben Paly
Lauren Smith
Kathy Stanton

Eloise Nimocks

Undergraduate Students

Leo Angula
Ashley Bautista
Immy Clover-Brown
Sebastian De La Torre
Madison Gonzales
Catherine Gonzales
Natalia Johnson
Karishma Khoja
Brandilyn Monene
Andrea Morquecho

Cassandra Najera
Alcess Nonot
Sofia Olivares
Courtney Priebe
Dhruva Pathak
Israel Rodriguez
Roma Shah
Karissa Simchick

Penelopi Yiantsou