dbautista@ego.thechicagoschool.edu

Hello! I am excited to be this year’s president for APA’s Div. 16 SASP board. I am a third year doctoral student at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology where I also completed my Masters in Education. I completed my bachelors in Psychology in 2011 and double majored in Marketing. Since then, I have worked in sales, management, administrative, human resources, and recruiting positions for over 15 years. After having children of my own, and have had the opportunity to tutor and mentor children, I turned to the path of school psychology. My research interests include 1) the educational barriers for first generation American students with parents who do not speak the English language, 2) the short-term and long-term effects of bullying in children, and 3) the effects of acculturation and code switching on the psychopathology of immigrant students. During my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, traveling, cooking, and gardening. I look forward to the new experiences to come as the president of the SASP board. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions, suggestions or feedback about APA Division 16 or SASP.

krpete15@ilstu.edu

Greetings everyone, I am Kierra Peterson, and I will serve as the SASP President-Elect this year. I am a second-year doctoral student in school psychology at Illinois State University. For my undergraduate tenure, I attended Alabama State University where I secured my bachelor’s degree in psychology with a double minor in Spanish and writing. After that, I attended Clayton State University to obtain a master’s in clinical/counseling psychology. After graduating, I went back to school to acquire a master’s in strategic leadership development, as I plan to open my own Clinical Psychology practice in the future. I am passionate about researching issues relevant to Black culture, and currently I just finished my apprenticeship project on the differences in racial microaggressions for Black college students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) versus those at Historically White Institutions (HWIs). Currently, I am researching the #BlackInTheIvory campaign to analyze how Black faculty members cope with tokenism as White higher education institutions use them to appear diverse. I recently received a Fellowship aimed at diversifying higher education faculty in Illinois, so I am excited to enter academia upon receiving my Ph.D. in school psychology. In my free time, I enjoy participating in global community service projects, such as helping build stoves in Costa Rica and educating youth in St. Lucia. I am also a new mom to my, now, 3-month-old son, Bryte. For relaxation, I enjoy journaling, doing yoga, trying new restaurants, and traveling throughout the globe.

jessica.poling@uconn.edu

Hello! My name is Jessica Poling and I will serve as the D16 SASP Past-President this year. I am a third year doctoral student at the University of Connecticut, however I am currently completing my EdS internship in Kalamazoo, Michigan and will be completing the rest of my PhD at Georgia State University. As the Past President, I support the board in understanding processes and systems related to SASP and APA. I am passionate about supporting children and families with minoritized and marginalized identities, particularly those that are refugees, immigrants, and displaced peoples. I am also interested in using mindfulness based techniques to support wellness and researching the impact of diet and lifestyle on overall health and wellbeing. In my free time, I enjoy practicing yoga, working out, spending time outdoors, and interacting with my community. Please reach out if I can be of assistance or if you’d like to chat about SASP, grad school, or research! 

sv5xp@missouri.edu

Hello friends! My name is Sindhu, and I’ll be serving as the Editor for the National Executive Board of D16 SASP for 2024. I’m a third-year graduate student at the University of Missouri, working towards my PhD in school psychology. My research interests center around prevention science, internalizing disorders in youth, and a lens of cultural humility. My master’s thesis analyzes the role of teacher affection as a protective factor for depressive symptoms in Black middle schoolers. I’m honored to be working with clinicians and scholars at the Family Access Center for Excellence in Boone County, Missouri, and hope to have a real impact on students and families in the community through my work. In my free time, I adore reading (usually fictional romances), cooking/baking/hosting dinner parties (I’m always down to swap recipes), and singing (I just joined the university chorale!). Reach out if you’re interested in learning more about any of the above or if you want to meet up at any upcoming conferences!

lto5@calstatela.edu

Hello, everyone! My name is Laura (they/them/theirs). I’m a second-year student in the M.S. in Counseling, opt. School Psychology program at the California State University, Los Angeles, serving as the 2024 SASP Editor-Elect. I earned my B.S in Physiology & Neuroscience; Developmental Psychology at the University of California, San Diego. I have volunteer experience in academic and SEL interventions and as a crisis counselor. I worked in autism interventions, parent consultations, and as a student research assistant on various projects. My current research interests include MTSS implementation, youth mental health, autism interventions, and multicultural and socially just practices. I like to crochet, play video games, and go on walks with my pets during my free time. Please reach out if you have any questions or would like to connect!

daijahhines@usf.edu

Hi everyone! I am excited to represent as this year’s SASP Diversity Affairs Chair. I am a third-year doctoral student in school psychology at the University of South Florida (#GoBulls). Prior to attending graduate school, I earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and Family and Child Sciences from Florida State University. I also worked as a Match Support Specialist for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. My research interests include promoting youth resiliency through school-based mental health services and resources that are tailored to student needs. My second passion is promoting social justice through equitable approaches. Furthermore, I am interested in evidence-based approaches to supporting the mental health of Black, Indigenous, and BIPOC youth, with a focus on internalizing disorders. I am also interested in evidence-based methods for advancing and encouraging system change. In my spare time, I like to catch up with friends, spend time with family, and have a fun night in. I also enjoy journaling, yoga, nature walks, and getting outside and active with my dog Bentley. Please contact me via email if you have any comments or suggestions about SASP, Division 16, Social Justice, or diversity-related topics!

jc5842@tc.columbia.edu

Saludos para todos! Hi, everyone! I am looking forward to being SASP’s Diversity Affairs Chair-Elect. I am a proud first-gen, second year Ph.D. student in the school psychology program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Originally from Guilford, Connecticut, I graduated with a bachelors in Psychology and a minor in Women’s Studies from the University of New Hampshire. My research interests include investigating how interventions and mental health interact in children and families with complex support needs including newcomer immigrant children, adolescents and their families. I am also interested in figuring out how schools can better support these youth by addressing issues around school climate. In my free time I enjoy being outdoors, painting acrylic landscapes, and listening to Karol G.

eric-field@uiowa.edu

Hi, everyone! I am a “third year” student at University of Iowa. I used quotes because I’ve been a school psychology student for five years. I was an Ed.S. student at Valparaiso University. After earning my M.Ed. in Educational and Psychological Foundations after one year, I transferred into the Ph.D. program at University of Kansas. When I learned the University of Iowa program was reopening a year later, I transferred back home to be close to my family. I currently work as a research assistant at the Belin-Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development. My research interests involve gifted and twice-exceptional students (gifted students with coexisting disabilities), especially examining how to improve pre-service training for all education professionals. Currently I am working on two research teams, one which examines the effects of a Talent Identification and Career Exploration curriculum on middle school students and another systematically reviewing literature on twice-exceptional children over the past decade. In my free time, I love doing karaoke and running an independent Girl Scout troop with my wife for our two daughters. I enjoy attending conventions and want to make sure the upcoming convention is an excellent opportunity for networking, learning, and enhancing our expertise as future school psychologists.

sak5986@psu.edu

Hello! I’m Sydney, and I am excited to serve as the 2024 Convention Chair for the SASP. I am currently a 5th-year school psychology doctoral student at the Pennsylvania State University (We Are!), where I also completed my M.Ed. in school psychology. Prior to moving to Pennsylvania, I earned my B.A. in Psychology with a minor in human development at the State University of New York College at Geneseo. I was driven to find an intersection between my passions for psychology, education, and working with children and youth and am so happy that I discovered school psychology! My research interests are mainly translational and include (but are not limited to) mental health, social and emotional learning, and supportive partnerships with educators and caregivers. For example, I am currently working on research evaluating the use of social media and other internet platforms for educators seeking affordable, easy-to-implement resources and strategies with their students. When I am not working, I love spending time with my family and friends, as well as crafting, cooking, and taking care of my two cats and puppy.

alexandria.crawford@uconn.edu

Hi, everyone! My name is Lexi and I couldn’t be more excited to serve as the 2024 Convention Chair-Elect on the SASP board.  I am currently a third-year school psychology doctoral student at the University of Connecticut.  Prior to starting this program, I served in the Air Force for over four years through which I was lucky enough to travel the world, meet the most incredible people, and study psychology and sociology in undergrad.  My research interests are generally related to the relationship between social determinants of health and social/emotional functioning and wellbeing in students.  During my free time, I enjoy learning new things, cuddling with my two cats, and spending time with my friends and family.  I look forward to all of the new people that I’ll be able to meet and collaborate with in this role!  Please reach out if you’d like to connect more about SASP, psychology, or life in general!

abarrett16@huskers.unl.edu

Hi all! I am beyond excited to serve as your Student & Chapter Relations Chair. I am a second-year school psychology doctoral student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Before matriculating into graduate school, I received a B.S. in Psychology and a B.A. in Spanish from the University of Iowa. My research interests include fostering accessible behavioral health care, differences in bullying behaviors in populations with disabilities, and the adaptation of interventions across modalities and for diverse populations. Outside of school, I enjoy reading, traveling, and spending time with others! Please feel free to reach out regarding SASP chapters, national collaboration and community, or whatever else!

rbynum@zagmail.gonzaga.edu

Hello! I am thrilled to serve as the SASP Student and Chapter Relations Chair-Elect. I am a third-year doctoral student in the School Psychology program at Gonzaga University. Prior to Gonzaga, I completed my undergraduate degree in psychology at Washington State University. My research focuses on early childhood cognitive assessment and intervention practices. While completing my doctorate, I am currently the program coordinator for the Office of a Pedagogy of Hope through Research and Practice, a social justice office housed in the Gonzaga School of Education that promotes equitable practices in K-12 and higher education. Outside of work, I try to spend my time outdoors hiking, camping, or running. Please don’t hesitate to reach out for support!