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Hello, my name is Lakshmi Nishita Latchi. I am an undergraduate student, pursuing a B.S. in Physiology and Neurobiology at the ˿��app, College Park. I have a passion for learning about the healthcare system and helping those in underserved communities. My research interests include learning about the childhood experiences of minority and international communities, as well as clinical research focusing on cell death and cancer progression. My educational and career goals for the future are to combine my interests in the cancer research field and pediatric surgery as I aspire to enter the medical field.
 

Emerson Heaton is an undergraduate student studying Mandarin Chinese and Hearing and Speech Science at the ˿��app. She enjoys learning other languages, trying new foods, and exploring different cultures, whether through travel or literature. With previous experience working for a nonprofit for low-income seniors and as an ESL tutor, Emerson is passionate about research aimed at understanding the needs of bilingual and older adult communities and integrating these insights into effective speech evaluations and treatments. Her future goal is to become a bilingual speech pathologist, offering support in both English and Chinese. 
 

Youngsun Lee is a PhD student in Education Policy in the College of Education. She has taught students at all educational levels since her undergraduate years, primarily focusing on middle and high school students in English, math, and academic writing. Her current research centers on the experiences of Asian-origin students and the socioeconomic disparities they face. Youngsun is passionate about exploring ways to improve public high schools in supporting students from low SES and their families, and she is open to further discussions and collaborations.
 

Sydney Scanlon is an undergraduate student studying psychology and marketing at the ˿��app. She has always loved working with children and is primarily interested in early intervention and behavioral analysis. In the future, she hopes to promote social change and educate the public on neurodiversity and inclusivity. 
 

Denilson Mejia-Rivera (he/they/él) is an undergraduate student pursuing a double degree in Hearing and Speech Sciences & Information Science at the Unviersity of Maryland at College Park. He is particularly interested in bilingualism in children as well as topics of neurodiversity. In the future, he wants to obtain a Master's in Speech-Language Pathology and work with a wide variety of clients, especially those who come from multilingual and multidialectal households/communities.
 

Vrisha is a recent ˿��app College Park alum, graduating with a BA in Psychology and a Minor in Disability Studies. Throughout her undergraduate study, she has gained experience working with children and youth from diverse backgrounds and capabilities, in school and community settings alike. She is highly interested in community interventions, school mental health, childhood adversity, activism/advocacy, mental disorders and disabilities, and strives to improve the livelihoods of marginalized children wherever possible. In the future, she plans to work and later attend graduate school!
 

Rebecca Scheerer is an undergraduate student at the ˿��app, College Park where she is double majoring in Psychology and Hearing and Speech Sciences. In the future, she intends to pursue a Doctoral degree in Clinical Audiology. She values uplifting minority groups, working with neurodiverse individuals, providing accessible healthcare to all, and serving her local community.
 

Sarah is a recent graduate of the MPS in Clinical Psychological Sciences program at the ˿��app. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Her research interests focuses on the stigma of mental health within minority communities and ethnic minority psychology. She is particularly interested in how cultural perceptions and societal attitudes towards mental health impact help-seeking behaviors and outcomes in ethnic minority groups.
 

Shizhan Yuan is currently enrolled in the M. Ed Curriculum and Instruction program (Mandarin world language licensure) in the College of Education, ˿��app. He previously obtained a PhD in Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research interests include the teaching of Chinese language and cultural in the K-12 schools and the teaching of Chinese heritage language and culture in the community-based Chinese heritage language schools. He is currently teaching Mandarin to K-8 students in a private school.  
 

Hadiza Moulaye is a current Undergraduate Biological science major, with a focus on neurobiology and physiology, at the ˿��app, College Park. Hadiza has a passion for research and is interested in learning more about how health and education are related. In the future, she is interested in pursuing a graduate degree in global/public health.
 

Leslie Kim is a recent graduate of the ˿��app. During her gap year, she is continuing her involvement in the Autism, Family, Culture, and Communication Education Lab as a research assistant and hopes to expand her knowledge through the PROMISE camp. She enjoys working with children and hopes to pursue a career in dentistry. 
 

Ketsia is an undergraduate senior Hearing & Speech Sciences major at the ˿��app. On campus, she is also a Research Assistant in the Language & Cognition Lab and works for Res Life. Following undergrad, she plans to pursue a master's in Speech-Language Pathology and hopes to learn more about speech and development in children. Outside of school, she loves to read and spend time with friends and family.
 

Saintania is a junior psychology major and human development minor. She is interested im how early childhood interactions shape cognitive development and how they predispose children to certain illnesses. She aspires to be a psychiatric physician assistant that helps children from underserved communities. 
 

Lizzie Hall is a Post Bacc Intern at the National Institutes of Health working in a chemosensory lab with Dr. Paule Joseph. She graduated from the ˿��app Baltimore County December 2022, with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Biology. During her undergrad she worked with Verbal Beginnings, a behavioral therapy company that specialized in kids with Autism. She also is a certified EMT, and has been volunteering at a fire station since 2019. She plans to apply to graduate school this upcoming cycle and is excited to join this project. 
 

Nay Myo Thura is a second-year MA student in International Education Policy at the ˿��app. He began his career as a teacher at Phaung Daw Oo Monastery and its Monastic Education network in Myanmar, a school symbolizing free education for students from various backgrounds. In 2015, he received a full scholarship from the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Program to study Religious Pluralism and Democracy at Temple University in Philadelphia, USA. He also spent a semester at Fo Guang University in Taiwan, studying the South China Sea and Journalism. As he progressed, he became involved as a Teacher Trainer and Youth Educator, where he led teacher capacity training, monastic curricula development, and youth development programs in Myanmar. He is now focused on deepening his understanding of education to contribute to quality and decolonized education in Myanmar.
 

Kaiyi Zhang (she/her) recently graduated from the Master’s program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at George Washington University. While pursuing her graduate studies, Kaiyi gained valuable experience working with children and adolescents. She also volunteered with children with special needs, including those diagnosed with autism and ADHD. Her main research interests revolve around understanding the multigenerational issues within the Asian community and exploring the use of mental health resources among Asian immigrant families. Kaiyi is committed to improving this community's mental health and well-being by providing culturally sensitive support and advocating for greater accessibility to mental health services. 
 

Fransiska Silitonga is a Master's student in the International Education Policy program at the College of Education at the ˿��app. She has a bachelor's in International Relations. However, she spent 5 years prior working in social work, mentoring, and education, which grew her passion and interest in education. Her research interests include inclusive and accessible education, policy reformation, youth mentoring, and engagement.  
 

Melody Mann is a second year PhD Special Education student working under the mentorship of Dr. Veronica Kang. Melody has completed her BA Child & Adolescent Development / Minor Early Childhood Special Education from San José State University as a McNair Scholar, her MS Special Education (Mild to Moderate) from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, and her MA Psychology (Cognition and Development) from University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Professionally, Melody has 5+ years of classroom teaching experience in general and special education settings, served as an mentor for first generation college students, and was an academic coach for students with learning disabilities. Melody's research has focused on the mental health, educational enrichment, and accessibility of students and families who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). In her doctoral program, Melody aims to investigate South Asian, specifically Punjabi, families experiences in navigating special education and topics of disability. Her commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion informs her research objective to create holistic representation for historically underrepresented populations in academia.

Jung-Eun Kim is a PhD student in the International Education Policy program in the College of Education at the ˿��app. She received her bachelor’s degree in Sustainable Development and Cooperation from Yonsei University and completed her master’s degree in Development Studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She has mainly studied education in the context of international development. Currently, her main research interest is how various inequalities, such as socioeconomic status (SES), race, gender inequality, and disabilities, interact with education. That is, how do inequalities affect the learning experience of students and how does education resolve, maintain, or exacerbate these inequalities?  

Rory Sullivan is a current graduate student in the School Counseling program at ˿��app. Throughout their life, they have had many experiences working with students with autism and most recently did a practicum experience at a school that specializes in students with autism and learning disabilities.  In their free time, they like to golf, ski, and love the outdoors!
 

Stuti works in the Technology, Interventions, and Inclusion in Autism (TIIA) lab, led by Dr. Gulnoza Yakubova. Their research focuses on using technology and interventions to improve education, inclusion, and independent living for autistic individuals. They are dedicated to creating methods that meet their needs through technology and inclusive practices.
 

Dionne is an innovative Educationalist that has a desire to assist in improving Educational Policies and Practices. Educating future leaders is very fulfilling and Dionne will continue to do so while developing skills in her Masters in Higher Education, Student Affairs, International Education Policy (HESI) program with a concentration in International Education Policy (IEP) and conducting research on educating students with various abilities within the US and Internationally.  Dionne is a Graduate Student Assistant Board Member in The IEP program and a Member of the Council on Racial Equity and Justice (COREJ) at ˿��app.  Dionne strive to support and improve the lives of students on Campus and to continue to further aid in promoting an effective and inclusive community. Dionne also takes pride in professionally working with students on the Autism spectrum for over seven years and over 15 years of personal experience.  Young children teaches her a lot about life and that we should enjoy life one day at a time and live it to the best our ABILITIES.
 

Shehzad Iqbal Awasi is a Ph.D. candidate in the International Education Policy Program at the ˿��app, where he is also a Fulbright Scholar. He holds a Master's in Public Policy from the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy in Germany as a DAAD Scholar, as well as a Master's in Public Administration from Quaid-e-Azam University in Pakistan. With over 13 years of experience in education, administration, and human resources management, Shehzad's research interests include Education Policy, Education Reform & Innovation, Marginalized Students, Teacher Policies, Teacher Quality, Low-Fee Private Schools, and Sustainable Development Goals. He has authored a book titled “Education Policy Pakistan: The Problem of Dropout in Public Primary Schools in Rural Punjab