Lab Director and Principal Investigator
Prerna Arora, Ph.D.
Dr. Arora is an Assistant Professor of Psychology, with a focus on School/Clinical Child Psychology. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Texas Austin, completed her predoctoral clinical internship at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, with a specialization in Clinical, Community and School Psychology, and served as a postdoctoral research and policy fellow at the Center for School Mental Health at the University of Maryland, School of Medicine. Dr. Arora's primary research interests focus on the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based practices in school and community settings for underserved youth and adolescents. Specifically, using mixed methodology and participatory research methods, Dr. Arora is interested in the adaptation of evidence-based practices for diverse and underserved populations, barriers to uptake of evidence-based practices, and supporting the implementation of psychosocial interventions in pediatric primary care sites. Dr. Arora has additional interests in the interface of research with policy and international school psychology.
Arora Curriculum Vitae
Dr. Arora is an Assistant Professor of Psychology, with a focus on School/Clinical Child Psychology. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Texas Austin, completed her predoctoral clinical internship at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, with a specialization in Clinical, Community and School Psychology, and served as a postdoctoral research and policy fellow at the Center for School Mental Health at the University of Maryland, School of Medicine. Dr. Arora's primary research interests focus on the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based practices in school and community settings for underserved youth and adolescents. Specifically, using mixed methodology and participatory research methods, Dr. Arora is interested in the adaptation of evidence-based practices for diverse and underserved populations, barriers to uptake of evidence-based practices, and supporting the implementation of psychosocial interventions in pediatric primary care sites. Dr. Arora has additional interests in the interface of research with policy and international school psychology.
Arora Curriculum Vitae
Lab Manager
Alexa Algios, B.S.
Alexa Algios is a third-year doctoral student in the School-Clinical Psychology Program at Pace University. Prior to starting graduate school, she worked at a charter school in which she provided Applied Behavioral Analysis services to child with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Her research interests include mental health help-seeking behavior in Asian American immigrant youth. Currently, Alexa is a student therapist at the McShane Center for Psychological Services and working as a graduate assistant for Dr. Arora.
Alexa Algios is a third-year doctoral student in the School-Clinical Psychology Program at Pace University. Prior to starting graduate school, she worked at a charter school in which she provided Applied Behavioral Analysis services to child with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Her research interests include mental health help-seeking behavior in Asian American immigrant youth. Currently, Alexa is a student therapist at the McShane Center for Psychological Services and working as a graduate assistant for Dr. Arora.
Graduate Students
Krystin Biscardi, B.A.
Krystin is a forth-year doctoral student in the School-Clinical Child Psychology Program at Pace University. She is originally from Rahway, New Jersey and graduated with my B.A. in Neuroscience from Franklin and Marshall College. Her research interests include exploring evidence-based interventions for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that foster their social-emotional well-being as well as that address comorbid disorders. Through this avenue of research, she hope to develop tools to help capitalize on these individuals’ strengths and thereby empower them to achieve their full potential. Currently, Krystin is a student therapist at the McShane Center for Psychological Services as well as a school psychology intern.
Krystin is a forth-year doctoral student in the School-Clinical Child Psychology Program at Pace University. She is originally from Rahway, New Jersey and graduated with my B.A. in Neuroscience from Franklin and Marshall College. Her research interests include exploring evidence-based interventions for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that foster their social-emotional well-being as well as that address comorbid disorders. Through this avenue of research, she hope to develop tools to help capitalize on these individuals’ strengths and thereby empower them to achieve their full potential. Currently, Krystin is a student therapist at the McShane Center for Psychological Services as well as a school psychology intern.
Allison M. Hill, M.Ed.
Allison is a fifth-year doctoral student in the School-Clinical Child Psychology Program at Pace University. Her interests include advancing outcomes-based mental health research in schools and community settings and using evidence-based practices to support wider program implementation. Additionally, Allison is interested in strengthening collaborative mental health service delivery between schools, community mental health centers, and pediatric primary care settings. Allison has proposed and is currently working on her doctoral research project, titled “Feasibility, Acceptability, and Initial Effectiveness of a Group Treatment for Depression Among Immigrant High School Students.” She is also completing a clinical and neuropsychology externship at the NYU Child Study Center, part of Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone Medical Center.
Allison is a fifth-year doctoral student in the School-Clinical Child Psychology Program at Pace University. Her interests include advancing outcomes-based mental health research in schools and community settings and using evidence-based practices to support wider program implementation. Additionally, Allison is interested in strengthening collaborative mental health service delivery between schools, community mental health centers, and pediatric primary care settings. Allison has proposed and is currently working on her doctoral research project, titled “Feasibility, Acceptability, and Initial Effectiveness of a Group Treatment for Depression Among Immigrant High School Students.” She is also completing a clinical and neuropsychology externship at the NYU Child Study Center, part of Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone Medical Center.
Anindita Rao, M.S.Ed.
Anindita is a fifth-year doctoral student in the School-Clinical Child Psychology Program at Pace University. She is interested in promoting mental health access specifically with underserved populations. Prior to entering the Psy.D. Program at Pace University, Anindita worked as a high school teacher at an inner-city high school in Baltimore, MD. Here she witnessed the lack of availability of culturally appropriate and effective mental health intervention and prevention services. Her research interests are focused on how access can be broadened to bridge the gap between need and appropriate resource availability. She is also interested in the development of better screening measures and training for school staff and parents in order to better identify at-risk children and adolescents. Currently, Anindita is a psychology intern at the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, an institution committed to reducing barriers to care for diverse populations.
Anindita is a fifth-year doctoral student in the School-Clinical Child Psychology Program at Pace University. She is interested in promoting mental health access specifically with underserved populations. Prior to entering the Psy.D. Program at Pace University, Anindita worked as a high school teacher at an inner-city high school in Baltimore, MD. Here she witnessed the lack of availability of culturally appropriate and effective mental health intervention and prevention services. Her research interests are focused on how access can be broadened to bridge the gap between need and appropriate resource availability. She is also interested in the development of better screening measures and training for school staff and parents in order to better identify at-risk children and adolescents. Currently, Anindita is a psychology intern at the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, an institution committed to reducing barriers to care for diverse populations.
Kenji Takeda, M.A.
Kenji is a fifth-year doctoral student in the School-Clinical Child Psychology Program at Pace University. He is currently an extern at the Child and Adolescent Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic at Bellevue Hospital Center. He holds piano performance degrees from Royal Academy of Music in London and Eastman School of Music, as well as a master’s degree in music therapy from New York University. Prior to entering the Psy.D. program at Pace, Kenji worked as a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist with diverse populations, including individuals with severe emotional disturbance, neurodevelopmental disabilities, trauma, or medical conditions. Kenji has a wide range of research interest, and his doctoral dissertation proposal was recently selected to receive a 2016 Grant Award from The Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI). Kenji has taught undergraduate students abnormal psychology and social psychology as an adjunct faculty at Pace University, and his other research interests include Autism Spectrum Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, music and music therapy, LGBTQ mental health, and multicultural issues in clinical practice.
Kenji is a fifth-year doctoral student in the School-Clinical Child Psychology Program at Pace University. He is currently an extern at the Child and Adolescent Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic at Bellevue Hospital Center. He holds piano performance degrees from Royal Academy of Music in London and Eastman School of Music, as well as a master’s degree in music therapy from New York University. Prior to entering the Psy.D. program at Pace, Kenji worked as a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist with diverse populations, including individuals with severe emotional disturbance, neurodevelopmental disabilities, trauma, or medical conditions. Kenji has a wide range of research interest, and his doctoral dissertation proposal was recently selected to receive a 2016 Grant Award from The Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI). Kenji has taught undergraduate students abnormal psychology and social psychology as an adjunct faculty at Pace University, and his other research interests include Autism Spectrum Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, music and music therapy, LGBTQ mental health, and multicultural issues in clinical practice.
Imani Whitfield, B.A.
Imani is a fourth-year doctoral student in the School-Clinical Child Psychology Program at Pace University. Her research interest involves working with ethnic minorities in under-resourced areas. Additionally, she is interesting in exploring microaggressions in ethnic minorities. Currently, Imani is a student therapist at the McShane Center for Psychological Services. She is also an extern at SUNY Downstate-Infant Child Learning Center.
Imani is a fourth-year doctoral student in the School-Clinical Child Psychology Program at Pace University. Her research interest involves working with ethnic minorities in under-resourced areas. Additionally, she is interesting in exploring microaggressions in ethnic minorities. Currently, Imani is a student therapist at the McShane Center for Psychological Services. She is also an extern at SUNY Downstate-Infant Child Learning Center.
Sarika Persaud, M.A.
Sarika is a fourth-year doctoral student in the School-Clinical Child Psychology Program at Pace University. She is interested in making mental health services accessible to the South Asian diaspora and Indo-Caribbean population (in North America and in Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, etc.), especially to adolescents. Her doctoral project is on the development of a culturally acceptable suicide prevention program for a Hindu secondary school in Guyana. Sarika is a student therapist at the McShane Center for Psychological Services.
Sarika is a fourth-year doctoral student in the School-Clinical Child Psychology Program at Pace University. She is interested in making mental health services accessible to the South Asian diaspora and Indo-Caribbean population (in North America and in Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, etc.), especially to adolescents. Her doctoral project is on the development of a culturally acceptable suicide prevention program for a Hindu secondary school in Guyana. Sarika is a student therapist at the McShane Center for Psychological Services.
Kevin Rustam, M.A.
Kevin is a fifth-year doctoral student in the School-Clinical Child Psychology Program at Pace University. He is interested in promoting mental health awareness and working with Asian immigrants with mental health disorders. His research interests include examining barriers to psychological help-seeking behaviors among Asian American youth. Kevin is a student therapist at the McShane Center for Psychological Services.
Kevin is a fifth-year doctoral student in the School-Clinical Child Psychology Program at Pace University. He is interested in promoting mental health awareness and working with Asian immigrants with mental health disorders. His research interests include examining barriers to psychological help-seeking behaviors among Asian American youth. Kevin is a student therapist at the McShane Center for Psychological Services.
Christina Trivelli, B.S.
Christina Trivelli is a third-year doctoral student in the School-Clinical Child Psychology Program at Pace University. Prior to beginning her graduate studies, Christina graduated earned her B.S. in Psychology and Elementary Education from Northeastern University. As an undergraduate student, she worked as a research assistant at the Youth Mental Health Lab at Harvard University, which helped shape her interest in exploring evidence-based practices for children and adolescents. Currently, Christina is a student therapist at the McShane Center for Psychological Services
Christina Trivelli is a third-year doctoral student in the School-Clinical Child Psychology Program at Pace University. Prior to beginning her graduate studies, Christina graduated earned her B.S. in Psychology and Elementary Education from Northeastern University. As an undergraduate student, she worked as a research assistant at the Youth Mental Health Lab at Harvard University, which helped shape her interest in exploring evidence-based practices for children and adolescents. Currently, Christina is a student therapist at the McShane Center for Psychological Services
Stephanie Hernández, M.A.
Stephanie Hernández is a second-year doctoral student in the School-Clinical Child Psychology Program at Pace University. She was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. Prior to attending Pace’s doctoral program, Stephanie earned her master’s degree in Psychology from Pace University. Her interests include working with children and adolescents who have experienced trauma, ethnic minorities, and Deaf individuals. Stephanie has most recently worked as a case manager for runaway and homeless youth, LGBTQ youth, youth survivors of CSEC and trafficking, and undocumented youth. Currently, Stephanie is a student therapist at the McShane Center for Psychological Services.
Stephanie Hernández is a second-year doctoral student in the School-Clinical Child Psychology Program at Pace University. She was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. Prior to attending Pace’s doctoral program, Stephanie earned her master’s degree in Psychology from Pace University. Her interests include working with children and adolescents who have experienced trauma, ethnic minorities, and Deaf individuals. Stephanie has most recently worked as a case manager for runaway and homeless youth, LGBTQ youth, youth survivors of CSEC and trafficking, and undocumented youth. Currently, Stephanie is a student therapist at the McShane Center for Psychological Services.
Jared Band, B.S., B.A.
Jared Band is a second-year doctoral student in the School-Clinical Child Psychology program at Pace University. Before beginning his graduate studies, Jared earned a dual degree in both Brain & Cognitive Sciences and Psychology from the University of Rochester. At Rochester, Jared was a research assistant in a Developmental Neuropsychology Lab where he studied the sensory processing abilities among adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their family members. Additionally, on Rochester's campus, Jared worked in a transitional classroom with college students that had learning, developmental, and intellectual disabilities. He collaborated with school psychologists and special education teachers to implement lessons on social, life, and academic skills while working to integrate these students within the college community. From these experiences, Jared is interested in the use of evidence-based neuropsychological evaluations to establish school-based interventions that will promote success for students with a range of learning abilities. Currently, Jared is a student therapist at the McShane Center for Psychological Services, a school psychology intern in Portchester School District, and a neuropsychological psychometrician in the Learning & Development Center at the Child Mind Institute.
Jared Band is a second-year doctoral student in the School-Clinical Child Psychology program at Pace University. Before beginning his graduate studies, Jared earned a dual degree in both Brain & Cognitive Sciences and Psychology from the University of Rochester. At Rochester, Jared was a research assistant in a Developmental Neuropsychology Lab where he studied the sensory processing abilities among adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their family members. Additionally, on Rochester's campus, Jared worked in a transitional classroom with college students that had learning, developmental, and intellectual disabilities. He collaborated with school psychologists and special education teachers to implement lessons on social, life, and academic skills while working to integrate these students within the college community. From these experiences, Jared is interested in the use of evidence-based neuropsychological evaluations to establish school-based interventions that will promote success for students with a range of learning abilities. Currently, Jared is a student therapist at the McShane Center for Psychological Services, a school psychology intern in Portchester School District, and a neuropsychological psychometrician in the Learning & Development Center at the Child Mind Institute.
Suchun Dong, M.A.
Suchun is a fist-year doctoral student in the School-Clinical Child Psychology program at Pace University. . Before attending graduate school, she worked as a teacher and helped children with mental disorders in China. The desire to help more children overcome their psychological problems persuaded her to study psychology in more depth in the USA. Her research interest lies in the negative emotion expression and help seeking behavior on immigrant youths.
Suchun is a fist-year doctoral student in the School-Clinical Child Psychology program at Pace University. . Before attending graduate school, she worked as a teacher and helped children with mental disorders in China. The desire to help more children overcome their psychological problems persuaded her to study psychology in more depth in the USA. Her research interest lies in the negative emotion expression and help seeking behavior on immigrant youths.
