CURRENT LAB MEMBERS

Graduate Research Assistant & Lab Coordinator 

Julianna Martin (she/her) is a 2nd-year graduate student in the MA in Clinical Psychology program, Clinical Fieldwork track at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). She currently serves as the P.U.E.N.T.E lab coordinator. She received her BA in Psychology from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), with a minor in Journalism.

Her research interests include, but are not limited to, cultural psychology pertaining to child development, with a focus on marginalized communities and evidence-based early interventions. In her free time, you can find her either at the gym, being artsy, reading, or cooking!

Graduate Research Assistant

Melanie Menendez (she/her) is a 2nd-year graduate student in the MA in Clinical Psychology program, Clinical Fieldwork track at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). She received her BA in Psychology from California State University, Northridge (CSUN). 

Her research interests include the investigation of the negative impact of underrepresentation for Central and South American college students. She intends to research innovative treatment methods and culturally-inclusive interventions to alleviate the negative effects of in-group marginalization. During her free time, Melanie enjoys watching new movies, going to Universal Studios, and spending time with her loved ones

Graduate Research Assistant

Katrina Hill (she/her) is a 2nd-year graduate student in the MA in Clinical Psychology program, Clinical Research track at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). She received her BA in Psychology from California State University, Northridge (CSUN).

Her primary research interests include Self-Compassion, witnessed traumatic events, and using psychometrics to evaluate scales for cultural-inclusivity. Outside of academics, Katrina enjoys crochet, sewing, and building furniture.

Graduate Research Assistant

 Katherine Jimenez (she//her) is a first-year M.A. student in the Clinical Psychology (Research Track) program at California State University, Northridge, under the mentorship of Dr. Bianca Villalobos and Dr. Jonathan Martinez. She graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in Psychology and College Honors. 

Katherine is committed to advancing mental health equity for Latinx, immigrant, and first-generation communities. As a Mexican American, first-generation, and former transfer student, she is passionate about advising and supporting others in achieving their goals in higher education. Her long-term goal is to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, where she hopes to bridge research and practice while uplifting underrepresented students. In her free time, she loves watching anime, and playing video games!  

Graduate Research Assistant

Adil Ejaz is a 1st-year graduate student in the MA in Clinical Psychology program, Clinical Fieldwork track at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). He received his BA in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara.  

His research interests include the religious as well as cultural backgrounds of individuals and their engagement both in the groups that they are connected to as well as within the personal relationships they maintain. During his free time, Adil enjoys working out, watching a multitude of films while updating his Letterboxd, as well as reading up on history and religious studies ! 

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Esai Anthony Padilla (Ésai Antonio Padilla) is a Senior at CSUN, majoring in psychology and minoring in management. He is an undergraduate research assistant in the SALUD Lab and the P.U.E.N.T.E Lab. 

His research interests are the destigmatization of PMHS (Psychological & Mental Health Service) in Hispanic communities, especially men's attitudes toward PMHS, and facilitating the growth and recognition of female voices within their families/communities. Ultimately, he hopes to address the male suicide epidemic. He plans to pursue a graduate degree in clinical psychology to develop and publish culturally informed models and become a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, PhD. Ésai enjoys reading, writing, singing, and spending time with his family, friends, and dogs in his free time.  

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Nelly Romero is currently a senior pursuing a B. A in Psychology at California State University, Northridge. 

She plans to obtain her master’s in clinical psychology with an emphasis in children's mental health. She is very interested in types of treatments for children with anxiety or OCD. In her free time, she likes to spend it on listening to music, coloring, spending time with loved ones, and reading.