Our Team

jas95@psu.edu | he/him/his

Dr. Soto is a Professor in the Clinical Psychology Program at the Pennsylvania State University and the Associate Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Psychology Department. He received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of California, Berkeley in 2004. He completed his internship and postdoctoral training at UCSF/San Francisco General Hospital from 2004-2005. His teaching, service and scholarship focus on advancing knowledge that is informed by diversity. In particular, his research 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 (discrimination, oppression, etc.). His work has been published in Emotion, the leading journal in emotion research, and other top journals such as Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Journal of Anxiety Disorders, and Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology. He is an associate editor of Emotion and he is on the editorial board of Psychological Bulletin, Journal of Latinx Psychology, and Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology. Dr. Soto has received grant funding from the NIH to support his research and his work has been featured on national public radio and other media outlets throughout the U.S. He has received numerous awards for his work on diversity within academia and is the 2012 recipient of the Charles and Shirley Thomas Award from division 45 for his “significant contributions to the education and training of students of color as well as a professional presence within ethnic minority communities.” Dr. Soto is a fierce advocate for diversity, social justice and inclusion via his teaching, research and service roles.

rvd5520@psu.edu | she/her/hers

Roua is a second-year dual-title PhD student in the Clinical Psychology and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program. She is Palestinian, was born in Jordan and lived in several countries growing up. She received her BA from Butler University, where she majored in Psychology and French and minored in Gender, Women, and Sexuality studies. Broadly, she is interested in the intersection between politics and psychology, specifically looking at mental health, activism, and identity among Palestinian and Arab populations. She enjoys rock climbing and cooking! 

skp5883@psu.edu | she/her/hers

Sreelakshmi is a fourth-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. She is interested in the structural and sociocultural determinants of health in minoritized populations with a focus on stigma (at all levels) and cultural norms. Outside of research, she likes watching tv and attempting to cook without injury.

cfp5382@psu.edu | he/him/his

Camilo is a fourth-year PhD student, born in Colombia and raised in Panama. He received his B.A. in Psychology and Sociology from Clark University. Camilo is interested in the role of culture and context in people with minoritized identities, particularly the intersection of race, ethnicity, and sexuality. He enjoys reading, watching tv and movies, and listening to music.

sla5510@psu.edu | she/her/hers

Sara received her B.A.in Psychology and Spanish from Franklin and Marshall college in Lancaster, PA and most recently her M.S. in Clinical Psychology at Penn State in 2022. She is interested in researching the conceptualization, measurement, and various manifestations of resilience in the context of oppression with individuals from marginalized identities. Sara is in the final stage of her graduate studies and is working on her dissertation and applying to internship. Her dissertation work focuses on assessing clients’ quality of life over the course of psychotherapy treatment to identify whether the pattern of change is similar or different for clients with minoritized identities compared to non-minoritized. She is a strong active advocate for improving academia for psychologists of color. 

ResearchGate