In order to meet the goals above and pursue its mission, BRIDGE has set up the following five committees: Steering, Training and Education, Recruitment and Retention, Social, and Social Media/Website. Meet our committee members!
Steering Committee
The Steering Committee helps organize BRIDGE meetings and ensure BRIDGE is continually working towards goals and hosting regular events.
Dr. José Soto (jas95@psu.edu)
José Soto is an Associate Professor in the Clinical Psychology Program at the Penn State and the inaugural Associate Head of Diversity Inclusion and Equity for the Department of Psychology. He has been a fierce advocate for diversity, social justice, and inclusion through his teaching, service, and research, all of which focus on developing and advancing knowledge that is informed by diversity. His research, in particular, examines the intersections of culture, health, and emotion, with an emphasis on the study of ethnic minority culture and those experiences associated with ethnic minority status (e.g., discrimination, oppression). He is the 2012 recipient of the Charles and Shirley Thomas Award from division 45 for his “contributions to the education and training of students of color as well as his professional presence within ethnic minority communities” and is the recipient of Penn State’s 2014 James Robinson Equal Opportunity Award for commitment and leadership around issues of diversity.
Camilo Posada Rodriguez (cfp5382@psu.edu)
Camilo (he/him/él) is a third-year graduate student in the Clinical (Adult) Psychology Program. He is originally from Colombia, lived most of his life in Panama, and received his B.A. in Sociology and Psychology from Clark University. Camilo currently works with Dr. José Soto, and his research interests include understanding how cultural and structural factors might impact minoritized individuals’ well-being. Camilo has been a member of BRIDGE since 2021 and is excited about being the current administrative TA.
Katsumi Yamaguchi-Pedroza (katsumiyp@psu.edu)
Katsumi (she/her/hers) is a third-year PhD student in Social Psychology and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Her research interests are broadly related to gender, intersectionality, and processes and experiences of stereotyping and prejudice. Katsumi received her B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Gender Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles. As a BRIDGE member, she hopes to help foster a sense of community among graduate students and advocate for diversity-related initiatives. In her free time, Katsumi likes reading, yoga, and trying new recipes!
Katherine (Katie) Davis (kad6082@psu.edu)
Katie (she/her/hers) is a fifth-year PhD student in Clinical Psychology. Her research interests are broadly related to psychotherapy process and outcome, practice-oriented research, at-risk and underserved populations, and dyadic relationships. Katie received her B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Anthropology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. As a BRIDGE member, she hopes to help build a better culture of belonging among graduate students and faculty. In her free time, Katie likes to walk outside and look around.
Training and Education Committee
The Training and Education Committee organizes trainings that help students and faculty learn more about diversity-related issues, shares resources for how to do diversity-related work, and supports other activities that enhance the diversity training of students and faculty.
McKenna Sakamoto (mss6249@psu.edu)
McKenna (she/her/hers) is a second-year PhD student in the Clinical Psychology program on the Adult track. She received a B.A. in Psychology with minors in Philosophy and Education Studies from the University of San Diego. McKenna’s research interests include examining outcomes after traumatic brain injury to inform interventions and understanding the role of diverse identities in administering and interpreting neuropsychological assessments. As a BRIDGE member, she hopes to help facilitate conversations on conducting diversity-related work at Penn State and in the context of psychological research and services.
Roua Daas (rvd5520@psu.edu)
Roua Daas is a second-year PhD student in the Dual-Title Clinical Psychology and Women, Gender, and Sexuality studies program. She received a B.A. from Butler University, where she is pursuing degrees in Psychology and French along with a minor in Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies. In 1967, her family was displaced by Israeli occupation forces and forced to leave Palestine, settling in Jordan where Roua was later born. Roua’s research interests are centered around the intersection between political context, cultural context, and psychopathology & identity, particularly for Arab and Palestinian populations. As a BRIDGE member, she hopes to create space for conversation and education around DEI and social justice issues in the field of psychology.
Recruitment and Retention Committee
The Recruitment and Retention Committee focuses on how to recruit a diverse range of students to our psychology program, and how to help students feel at home here through their mentorship program and other activities.
Sreelakshmi Pushpanadh (skp5883@psu.edu)
Sreelakshmi (she/her/hers) is a third-year PhD student in the Clinical Psychology program. She was born and raised in Dubai and received her B.A in Psychology from the University of Delhi and her M.A in Clinical Psychology from Columbia University. Her research interests center around the structural and sociocultural determinants of health in minoritized populations as well as cultural influences on communities’ stress responses. As part of BRIDGE, she hopes to advocate for the needs and well-being of graduate students and support in the development of a department environment that affords them a sense of belonging and inclusion.
Adam Calderon (afc6160@psu.edu)
Adam Calderon (he/him/él) is a second-year Ph.D. student in the Clinical (Adult) Psychology Program. His research is focused on better understanding the dynamic relationship between mood and anxiety disorders, with a particular interest in formalized psychological theory, computational modeling, and complex systems. Adam received a B.S. in Behavioral Neuroscience at Quinnipiac University and an M.A. in Clinical Psychology at Columbia University. As a BRIDGE member, he hopes to actualize a more diverse department embodied with a plurality of histories, identities, affiliations, languages, ethnicities, traditions, and beliefs.
Social Committee
The Social Committee organizes social events such as or regular welcome picnic, dinners for six, movie nights, tailgates, bowling events, multicultural holiday celebrations and other fun, exciting events.
Michelle Ramos (mpr5908@psu.edu)
Michelle (they/she) is a post-doc in the Emotion Development Lab. She received her PhD in Developmental Science from Florida International University in Miami, Fl. Their research focuses on risk-taking during adolescence, and biopsychosocial factors that might contribute to individual differences such as temperament, emotion regulation, and anxiety. Her work utilizes psychophysiological measures such as EEG as well as autonomic indices to capture individual differences across multiple levels of analysis that might account for variations in developmental trajectories of risk-taking behavior. As a member of BRIDGE, Michelle hopes to foster a sense of community and create safe spaces in which students are supported and valued regardless of their identity.
Zaharah Zaidi (zaz5054@psu.edu)
Social Media/Website Committee
The Social Media/Website Committee updates and maintains the website as well as social media accounts to reflect the current state of the BRIDGE diversity alliance, promote events that are organized, and to create student and faculty features.
Emerson Todd (emerson@psu.edu)
Emerson Todd is a second-year graduate fellow in the dual-title Psychology and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies PhD program at The Pennsylvania State University. They earned B.S. degrees in Psychology and Sociology, as well as an M.A. in Sociology from East Tennessee State University. Now, Emerson works with Jes Matsick in the Underrepresented Perspectives (UP) Lab where he draws on feminist, trans, and psychological theories to examine identity processes and minority health. Their research focuses on exploring how people with marginalized bodies navigate the social world. Outside of research, Emerson continues this goal through his role in many DEI initiatives across campus. Emerson is committed to amplifying marginalized voices and identifying pathways to improve the lived experiences of minority communities.
Previous BRIDGE Committee Members
Esha Vaid
Eliana Hadjiandreou
Katie Lewis
Nicole Horner
Tianyi Zhang
Clin Lai
Sara Albrecht-Soto
Metzli Lombera
Dr. Alicia Drais-Parrillo
Anna Zhou
Jacob Martin