Meet the ¡BIEN! Team

University of Georgia ¡BIEN! Faculty

Ed Delgado-Romero, PhD

  • Associate Dean for Faculty and Staff Services, University of Georgia
  • Professor – Counseling Psychology, University of Georgia
  • PhD in Counseling Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
  • Licensed Georgia Psychologist

Awards and Recognitions include: 2012 Lifetime Research Award from Division 45, 2011 APA Award for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology in the Public Interest, President of NLPA 2008-2011.

Research interests include multicultural psychology, Latino psychology, race and ethnicity, faculty of color retention and multicultural competence.

Dr. Delgado-Romero is the Associate Dean for Faculty and Staff Services, as well as a Full Professor at the University of Georgia in the Counseling Psychology Ph.D. program in the College of Education. He is one of the founding members of the National Latina/o Psychological Association (NLPA), a former president of NLPA and an Associate Editor of the Journal of Latina/o Psychology. Delgado-Romero is a co-author of the bookCulturally-Responsive Counseling with Latinas/os, and also on the board of the Athens Latino Center for Education and Success (ALCES). Delgado-Romero is affiliate faculty of the Latin American and Caribbean Studies Institutes (LACSI) and serves on the executive board of LACSI.

!BIEN! is a research team that currently has 24 alumni and 23 active members who range from pre-doctoral interns to undergraduates. !BIEN! is a hybrid of research, service and outreach to many underserved communities, but mainly focused on the Georgia Latina/o community. You can find !BIEN! counselors at ALCES, Mercy Hospital and the Center for Counseling and Personal Evaluation. !BIEN! students have actively presented their research and published in journals such as the Journal of Latina/o Psychology; Culture, Health and Sexuality; the Journal of Counseling Psychology; Journal of Career Development, Journal for Specialists in Group Work; and the Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development.

Dr. Delgado-Romero is married to Angela Romero-Shih. Angie works as an academic advisor in the UGA Exploratory Center and together they have a blended family of five children: Javier, Isabel, Nick, Emma and Gil. He values work-life balance and tries to lead by example.

 

University of Georgia ¡BIEN! Student Members

 

Ruben Atilano

  • Completed MA degree in Counseling Psychology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO.
  • Currently a 3rd Year doctoral student in Counseling Psychology

Research interests include the analysis of factors that influence Latina/o students’ adaptability to navigate and succeed in college, social justice, multiculturalism, and psychological well-being.

Currently working as a graduate research assistant in the Latin American & Caribbean Studies Institute (LACSI), where he is working on a needs assessment.

 

Elizabeth Cárdenas Bautista

  • Completed a BA in Psychology and Human Services with a minor in Biology, Clayton State University, Morrow GA.
  • Completed a MEd in Professional Counseling, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
  • Currently a 1st Year doctoral student in Counseling Psychology

Research interests include multicultural counseling, Latinx psychology, social justice, and advocacy.  More specifically, exploring complex trauma encountered in immigrant communities and intergenerational conflict due to mixed document status in families based on social-political climate. 

Currently, Elizabeth is working as a Graduate Assistant as an Academic Coach for the Office of Academic Enhancement at the University of Georgia, where she is committed to encouraging students to remain motivated as they navigate university life. Elizabeth’s clinical practice extends to providing bilingual/bicultural counseling services to Latinx populations in Athens at the BIEN clinic. Elizabeth enjoys spending time with her partner, friends and watching T.V series!

 

Ana Carina Ordaz

  • Completed BA degree in Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA.
  • Completed MS degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA.
  • Currently a 1st Year doctoral student in Counseling Psychology

Research interests include trauma and forgiveness; more specifically looking at ways that forgiveness may serve as a mediator in the reconciliation between parents who immigrated to the United States in pursuit of a more promising future while leaving their children in their country of origin. Other interests include, cultural humility amongst working professionals providing mental health care services to racial/ethnic minorities, social justice & advocacy, immigration issues, and bilingual talk and play therapy with children.

Ana Carina is working as a Graduate Teaching Assistant in the College of Education, and is teaching Academic and Career Planning to undergraduate students. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, dancing, hiking, and traveling.

 

Jhokania De Los Santos

  • Completed MA degree in Clinical Psychology, concentration in Community Psychology & Integrative Health Services, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY.
  • Currently a 3rd year doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology

Research interests focus on improving the quality of mental health care delivered to racial/ethnic minority and examining the implementation of quality improvement interventions. Specifically, integrated care, culturally and linguistically competent services, and ways to bring the community’s perspective into the design of research to eliminate healthcare disparities. 

Jhokania is currently working as a Graduate Research Assistant in the Department of Counseling and Human Development under Dr. Ed Delgado-Romero. She is working on papers, behavioral health integration protocols, and several book chapters, specifically focusing on conceptual and methodological issues, as well as the role of culture and language in both illness and treatment in mental health care.

 

Maritza Yvette Duran

  • Completed BA degree in Sociology and Chicana/o Latina/o Studies,  University of California, Irvine, CA.
  • Completed Masters in Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
  • Currently a 2nd year doctoral student in Counseling Psychology

Research interests include mental health of Latinx communities, mental health of farm working communities, resiliency factors, health issues in communities of color, environmental racism, environmental justice, bilingual therapy and decolonialization of mental health. 

Maritza is from McFarland, California and hails from a family of farmworkers. She is currently teaching the Diversity and Helping Skills Course in the Department of Counseling Psychology. She is also heavily involved at Mercy Health Center and is helping coordinate the BIEN clinic in the Athens community. She is very passionate about addressing the mental health issues of the Spanish speaking community in Athens. Maritza is currently working on a thematic analysis of research on Undocumented people in Psychology. She currently teaches yoga at Shakti Power Yoga in Athens. You might randomly find her doing a head stand in the department.

 

Eleanor Ellis

  • Completed BA degree in Psychology at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
  • Completed MA degree in Clinical Psychology at Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN
  • Currently a 3rd Year doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology.

Research interests include the applicability of forgiveness, specifically interpersonal and self-forgiveness in mental health treatment.

She is currently working as the Assessment Coordinator for the Center for Counseling and Personal Evaluation. Additionally she works with DFCS Assessment Program in the Counseling Psychology Program at UGA, where she completes adult psychological evaluations as needed for open DFCS cases. She is also involved in a research project involving developing a research program for Mercy Health Center which is a local non-profit integrative health center. Outside of school, she loves music, the outdoors, and spending time with family and friends (especially her new niece!).

Stephen Fogleman

  • Completed MEd degree in Professional Counseling, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
  • Currently a 4th Year doctoral Candidate in Counseling Psychology

Research interests include music and emotion; broadly, examining clinical applications of the creative arts. Interests also include men’s issues, acculturation, international college student experiences, and multicultural counseling interventions.

Steve came to counseling psychology via a circuitous path. His interest in the arts, as well as in issues related to representations of gender, arose while pursuing his bachelor’s degree from Appalachian State University and his master’s from Emory University. Both of these degrees were in film and media, but this work directly informed his research in the doctoral program. He is currently working as a doctoral Intern at Georgia Tech’s Counseling Center. Outside of school, Steve loves to spend time with his family and friends, hike, read and write, and all things music.

 

Lauren Simone Harper

  • Completed BS degree in Psychology, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA.
  • Completed MS degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA.
  • Currently a 4th Year doctoral Candidate in Counseling Psychology

Research interests include research training experiences of Black women, promotion of wellness for people of color with chronic illnesses and/or disabilities, interdisciplinary healthcare.

Lauren is a native of Macon, Georgia with degrees from Kennesaw State University and Georgia State University. Upon completing her doctoral degree, Lauren plans to work as a Psychologist in the healthcare industry and to teach at the collegiate level. Lauren is currently interning at George Fox Integrated Care Consortium near Portland, Oregon. In her spare time, Lauren loves to volunteer in her community, spend time with her family, and travel! Lauren hopes in the future she will be responsible for creating programs in her community that empower people of color in regards to physical/mental wellness and education.

 

Ana Hill

  • Completed MA degree in Counseling and Higher Education, East Tennessee State,  Johnson City, TN.
  • Currently a 2nd Year doctoral Student in Counseling Psychology

Research interests include multicultural counseling, international psychology, and cultural identities from different ethnic populations.

Ana is currently working as a graduate teaching assistant and instructs the undergraduate course Academic and Career Planning. Ana is working on a research study with Amelia Hoyle. It’s a qualitative study, based on Dahlberg’s Reflective Lifeworld Research approach, focused on understanding the phenomenon of Anorexia Nervosa treatment for Latinas. Specially, the research hopes to elucidate the cultural experiences of Latinas in Anorexia treatment.

 

Amelia Hoyle

  • Completed MEd degree in Professional Counseling, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
  • Currently a 4th  Year doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology

Research interests include women’s issues and feminism; more specifically, understanding the experiences of Anorexia Nervosa treatment for Latinx clients. Interests also include feminist therapy, social justice, and advocacy. 

Amelia is originally from North Carolina, where she attended UNC Chapel Hill for undergraduate. She received her Master’s degree from UGA and is currently working as a Doctoral Intern at Emory University’s Counseling and Psychological Services. After graduating with her doctoral degree from UGA, Amelia plans to work as a Psychologist in a college counseling center. Outside of school, Amelia loves to spend time with friends and family, run, read, and cuddle her bunny, Bernie!

 

Rebekah Ingram

  • Completed MEd degree in Professional Counseling, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
  • Currently a 3rd Year doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology.

Research interests include identity development and resilience formation with a focus on the intersectionality of identities (specifically gender identity, sexual orientation, and racial identity), and social justice advocacy efforts in public policy.

Bekah is currently working as the Academic Counselor for the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. She is a founding member of the UGA College of Education Committee for Trans-Affirming Practices, is a member of Project AFFIRM Atlanta under the direction of Dr. Anneliese Singh, and is a Student Representative for APA Division 44.  Bekah is currently working on a number of sub-studies with the Project AFFIRM team and is working on a dissertation centering around the resilience processes specific to Latinx trans and non-binary individuals. When not studying and working, Bekah enjoys life with her two dogs, Winston and Leo, exercising, and watching TV shows on Bravo.

 

Jasmine Jenkins

  • Completed M.S.Ed degree in Counseling and Mental Health Services, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, and a M.Phil.Ed. in Professional Counseling, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Currently a 4th Year doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology

Research interests include Juvenile Justice, Racial Identity, Internalized Racial Oppression, Multicultural Counseling interventions, #BlackLivesMatter, Social media (virtual) trauma.

Jasmine is a proud graduate of Spelman College, which allowed her to receive a Feeder Assistantship though the Graduate School at UGA. She is a clinician for youth on probation in Athens, GA and her advanced practicum is at the Metro Youth Detention Center (RYDC) in Atlanta, GA. Jasmine is currently working on her dissertation evaluating racial identity and behavior in Black incarcerated youth. She also conducts research on the mental health implications of #BlackLivesMatter in social media. Furthermore, Jasmine holds leadership positions in Division 17 and 45 in the American Psychological Association (APA). Aside from psychology, Jasmine loves God, food, Beyonce’, laughter, and traveling!

 

Daphne Jones

  • Completed a BA in Psychology w/ a minor in Biology , Utah State University, Logan, UT.
  • Completed M.Ed. degree in Professional Counseling, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
  • Currently a 3rd Year doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology

Daphne’s research interests include athletic identity of African Americans, social justice and multicultural issues, and capturing the voices of those that struggle from long-term substance use.

Daphne is currently a Graduate Assistant for the Juvenile Counseling and Assessment Program (JCAP) and Graduate Assistant for the Division of Academic Enhancement where she serves as an Academic Coach. She is currently a clinician at the Center for Counseling and Personal Evaluation, JCAP, and Mercy Health Center. Daphne enjoys watching Netflix, lifting weights, and coaching weightlifting and crossfit.

 

Lindsay Mills

  • Completed M.Ed. degree in Professional Counseling, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
  • Currently a 4th Year doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology

Research interests include social justice, complex trauma, and the psychological variables addressed in trauma-focused interventions. Specifically, interventions utilized with human trafficking survivors and strengths-based interventions.

Lindsay is currently working as a Graduate Assistant for the Juvenile Counseling and Assessment Program (JCAP). Lindsay is a clinician at the Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) and for JCAP. In addition, she is currently working on a Content Analysis to explore interventions utilized with human trafficking survivors. Outside of school, Lindsay enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, going for walks around Athens, and pretty much anything you can do outside!

 

Grace-Ellen Mahoney

  • Completed BA degree in Family and Human Services, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR.
  • Completed MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling w/ a specialization in Addictions, University of Denver, Denver, CO.
  • Currently a 2nd Year doctoral student in Counseling Psychology.

Research interests broadly include multicultural psychology, advocacy, and the impact of intersecting identities on mental health outcomes. More specifically, researching the impact of different identities on reactions to grief and loss. Research interests also include acculturation and immigration, and women’s health issues.

Grace-Ellen is originally from Portland, Oregon, and  is currently working as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and is teaching the “Introduction to Drug and Alcohol Abuse Issues” course. Grace-Ellen is currently also assisting Brooke Rappaport and Courtney Williams with their dissertation data analysis.

 

Whitney Marks

  • Completed MA degree in Mental Health Counseling, University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, GA.
  • Currently a 2nd Year doctoral student in Counseling Psychology.

Research interests include complex trauma, cultural assimilation, the expatriate experience, understanding assessments to better serve multicultural populations, youth curriculum, young academic professionals, and global concerns.

Whitney is currently in a teaching assistantship with undergraduates and helping to explore young adult career choices. She is presently involved in understanding the global concerns of expatriates and learning about mental health options abroad. Additionally, she is continuing a decade long partnership with program coordinators in Brooklyn and Manhattan to expand curriculum in summer and after-school programs for at risk youth. She enjoys travel and spending time outside.

 

Marlaine Monroig

  • Completed MSEd degree in Mental Health Counseling, University of Miami, Miami, FL.
  • Currently a 3rd Year doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology

Research interests include complex trauma, specifically in vulnerable and racial/ethnic minority populations, and the identification and facilitation of resiliency factors and post-traumatic growth. She’s interested in using collaborative approaches, through participatory research, with the aim of combining knowledge with action and achieving social change to improve the overall well-being of vulnerable communities. Additional research interests include multicultural and Latinx psychology.

Marlaine is currently leading a multi-institutional research project exploring the experiences of Latinas in Phd Programs. She is also collaborating on a content analyses of human trafficking research in mental health journals. Her dissertation is focused on the topic of human trafficking and reducing revictimization through counseling. Clinically, Marlaine provides bilingual counseling services to the Athens Latinx community through the BIEN Clinic. She also provides assessment and counseling services to individuals that have severe and persistent mental illness at Grady hospital in Atlanta, GA.

 

Brean’a Parker

  • Completed MEd degree in Community Counseling, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
  • Currently a 3rd Year doctoral candidate in Counselor Education.

Research interest include experiences of Black college students lived experiences within educational systems, sexual violence against Black women, Black representation and objectification of men,  institutional and educational betrayal, marginalization and oppression within educative spaces and seeking liberative responses to create a safe and empowering learning environment. 

Currently she is working as a graduate assistant in the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the College of Education.

 

Brooke Rappaport

  • Completed MS degree in Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA.
  • Currently a 5th year doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology

Research interests include identity development, intersectionality of identities, particularly racial/ethnic identity and gender identity, feminism, multiculturalism, and social justice. 

Brooke successfully defended her dissertation entitled “Exploring the Experiences of Latina Feminists in Psychology: Navigating Intersecting Identities, Understanding Latina Feminism, and Implications for Allies” in June of 2018. Brooke is currently on APA-Accredited doctoral internship at  Texas Woman’s University Counseling and Psychological Services in Denton, TX.

 

Stephanie Shiffler

  • Completed B.A. degree in Liberal Arts at Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, NY
  • Completed M.A. degree in General Psychology at the New School for Social Research, New York, NY
  • Currently a 4th year doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology

Research interests include substance use disorder (SUD) treatment reform, specifically expanding psychologists’ scope of competence to include working with individuals with problematic relationships to substances and behaviors. Interests also include the dissociative symptomology of PTSD as well as the relationship between complex trauma, risk perception, and retraumatization. 

Stephanie arrived at counseling psychology after having been interested in poetry since elementary school; she was interested in how memory and narrative were represented through poetry and realized she wanted to be a part of that process in the lives of clients. She is currently the clinical coordinator of the Center for Counseling and Personal Evaluation housed within UGA’s department of counseling psychology and is working as a practicum student at UGA’s Counseling and Psychiatric Services. In her free time, Stephanie prefers to spend time with family, pet her dog Solomon, and listen to Beyonce.

 

David C. Stanley, Jr.

  • Completed MEd degree in Professional Counseling, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. (2015)
  • Currently a 4th Year doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology

Research interests include qualitative methodology, racial/ethnic minority mental health, multicultural issues, diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice, advocacy, and resilience.

David is currently working as a Graduate Assistant for The Graduate School in the Office of Recruitment and Diversity Initiatives. Through this assistantship, he has created and co-facilitated a, “Transition Workshop” series (8 workshops; 4 in Fall semester and 4 in Spring semester) that assists graduate students in finding community and a sense of belongingness, as they make their transition from a Minority Serving Institution (MSI) to a Predominantly White Institution (PWI).

 

Marjory Vazquez

  • Completed MA degree in Counseling Psychology, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO.
  • Currently a 4th Year doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology

Research interests include Latina/o psychology, social justice and multiculturalism. More specifically, looking at trauma within the Latina/o community such as domestic and sexual violence.

Marjory is originally from California where she completed her undergraduate degree at the University of California, Irvine in Sociology and Criminology. She is currently on internship at the University of Colorado School of Medicine where she is doing bilingual therapy in a primary care setting. Additionally, she is completing her dissertation entitled “Counter storytelling: Latinas testimonies of Surviving Intimate Partner Violence.” Pre-internship her graduate assistantship was with the Center for Latino Achievement and Success (CLASE) in the College of Education for three years.

 

Courtney Williams

  • Completed MA degree in General Psychology, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC.
  • Currently a 5th year doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology

Research interests include the impact of prevention and intervention programs on adolescent health.  More specifically, Courtney is interested in how group intervention impacts the body image, self esteem, and health and well-being of African American girls.

Courtney conducted her dissertation work in the Clarke County School System to explore how her culturally adapted group intervention impacts the aforementioned factors.  She successfully defended her dissertation in December 2018, with emergent themes related to resilience factors as well as peer and social media influences.  Ms. Williams obtained her M.A. in general psychology from North Carolina Central University and her B.A. In psychology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, NC.  Her career trajectories include university counseling centers and private practice.  Courtney also has a strong passion for working with self-identified African American female youth  through youth empowerment programs. Courtney’s clinical work has included working at an eating disorder inpatient center, a community mental health agency, and university counseling centers. She has done individual, couples and group counseling, as well as psychological evaluationswith various clientele.  Ms. Williams is currently completing her APA-accredited internship at the University of Memphis’ counseling center.  There she provides various clinical services to the U of M population, including individual, couples, family, and group therapy.  Ms. Williams also conducts various outreach and consultative projects centered around mental health and diversity inclusion. Courtney also provides assessment services to explore various learning abilities and career development.  She enjoys traveling, shopping at Home Goods, and time with loved ones.

 

Fengkan Zhu

  • Completed MA degree in Counseling Psychology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO.
  • Currently a 5th year doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology

Research interests include multicultural counseling, acculturative issues that international students are facing in the U.S., and international students’ awareness of mental health and their experiences with on-campus mental health services.

Fengkan is originally from Shanghai, China. He is currently on internship at University of Oregon Counseling Center. He enjoys reading history books and watching documentaries. He is also interested in sneaker culture. However, as a poor graduate student, he doesn’t have the money to have a collection of his own, but that’s his dream.