Our Team

Lab Members

Sarah Mann ‘22

Sarah Mann is a Pitzer college graduate who double majored in Psychology and World Literature. She is passionate about making mental health interventions more accessible and culturally competent, in order to improve mental health globally. She is especially interested in the role that validation, self-compassion, mindfulness and community can play in decreasing vulnerability to stress, depression and anxiety. Sarah hopes to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology so she can continue her research and work with children in a clinical context. Outside of the lab Sarah can be found at the beach or hiking in the mountains, watching movies, cooking, writing, or finding fun new ways to stay active!

samann@students.pitzer.edu

Yusi Wang ‘24

Yusi is a senior at Pitzer College, majoring in Psychology. She is passionate about making mental health care and interventions more accessible and culturally competent, especially for high school and college students in her hometown China. Her research interests include mindfulness, peer-counseling, self compassion, and music therapy. She believes that music can be a powerful tool, along with cognitive behavioral therapy, to help those in need. Outside of the lab, she enjoys singing, acting, and traveling with her friends.

yusiwang@students.pitzer.edu

Nan Zhao

Nan Zhao is second-year PhD student in Counseling Psychology program of Iowa State University. Nan got her bachelor's and master's degree in clinical and health psychology in Peking University, China. Her research interest generally involves self-compassion, culture, stigma, and help-seeking. She is particularly passionate about developing culturally sensitive measurement of self-compassion and adapting compassion-focused therapy to Chinese populations. She has been collaborating with Dr. Rodriguez since 2021 on projects about parent validation and adolescent emotion regulation. She enjoys cooking, watching TV shows, singing, and spending time with family and friends.

nzhao@iastate.edu

Yixuan Wang ‘25

Yixuan Wang is a third year at Pitzer College. Her research interests include early trauma, Complex-PTSD, OCD and Asian mental health disparities. After Pitzer, Yixuan wishes to obtain a graduate degree in clinical psychology, integrating technological innovation and clinical research to increase mental healthcare access. In her free time, she enjoys learning foreign languages and cultures, traveling abroad, and spending time with her dog.

yixwang@students.pitzer.edu

Don Lacey ‘24

Don Lacey completed his bachelor’s degree in Organization Studies from Pitzer College in 2024. He hopes to one day become a therapist. Don first discovered his passion for clinical psychology as an undergraduate. Throughout his time at Pitzer, Don also worked as an ambassador for Wear My Pain where he helped to support their mental health initiatives. Don plans to attend Claremont Graduate University to obtain his master’s in psychology, focusing on mindfulness-based research. He is passionate about finding effective interventions that can be used to improve mental health.

donlacey24@gmail.com

Emilia Fountain ‘25

Emilia is a senior at Pomona College, majoring in Psychology. She is passionate about creating mental health care interventions that are accessible, affordable, and scalable, particularly for early school interventions. Her research interests include social-emotional development throughout childhood and clinical outcomes in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Following her time at Pomona, Emilia plans to pursue a graduate degree in school or counseling psychology to help bridge the gap between mental health resources and educational settings, fostering a supportive environment for all learners. In her free time, she enjoys reading, listening to music, and spending time with her friends.

ejfb2021@mymail.pomona.edu