Student Spotlight: Sean Daugherty

Sean Daugherty, a third-year student in the Wright Institute’s Counseling Psychology Program, was born and raised in a small suburb outside of San Diego called Lemon Grove. He grew up in a working class neighborhood with his parents and his older brother. Sean attended public schools in Lemon Grove and the surrounding areas and still has many close friends from his neighborhood and schools growing up. His father managed a fireplace store and his mother did administrative work at a local community college, but both are now happily retired and still living in the home where Sean and his brother were raised. Neither of his parents attended college and his older brother didn’t complete his college journey, so when Sean graduated from high school, he was setting out on an uncharted path.

Faculty Spotlight: Professor Cristina Biasetto

Professor Cristina Biasetto, a part-time member of the Wright Institute’s Counseling Psychology program’s core faculty, was born and raised in Italy. After high school, Professor Biasetto attended the University of Milan in Italy where she studied Arabic and earned her bachelor’s degree. She was the first person in her family and the only one of her siblings to attend college. “I was drawn to studying Arabic because I was surrounded by immigrant communities where I lived, many of whom were from Arabic speaking countries,” she explained. Professor Biasetto had been very interested in languages from a young age. She learned English in high school, then was eager to expand her knowledge base at the University of Milan.

Student Spotlight: Alisha Ahmed

“What I’ve loved most about being at the Wright Institute is creating meaningful spaces for connection within the larger community,” shared Alisha Ahmed, a fourth year student in the Wright Institute’s Clinical Psychology program. “I’ve learned that those moments require showing up, speaking up, and being willing to take risks by being vulnerable and inviting others to do the same.”

Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Megan Carlos

“One thing I emphasize with my PsyD students is what we need in the next generation of psychologists,” shared Dr. Megan Carlos, a Full-Time Institute Faculty member in the Wright Institute’s Clinical Psychology program. “I encourage them to seek out leadership positions, work to improve diversity training, and remind them that they’re needed in the field.”

Congratulations to Dr. Kulvadee "A" Thongpibul!

Dr. Kulvadee "A" Thongpibul, a 2011 graduate of the Wright Institute's Clinical Psychology program, recently won the Best Project Award for Inspiring Asia Micro Film Festival 2025 - Inspiring Thailand for Quiet Legacy, a short film that she wrote, directed, and produced.

Quiet Legacy is a psychological drama about the silent inheritance of pain between a mother and daughter. A withdrawn 14-year-old hides her struggles behind quiet routines, while her mother — burdened by her own unresolved past — fails to bridge the emotional gap. Through parallel flashbacks, unspoken moments, and shared scars, the film reveals how unaddressed trauma passes from one generation to the next. Using stillness, restrained visuals, and recurring symbolic objects, Quiet Legacy invites the audience to “see” the invisible weight carried within families, and to reflect on how even a single moment of recognition can begin to break the cycle.

Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Icarus Tsang

Dr. Icarus Tsang, a 2022 graduate of the Wright Institute’s Clinical Psychology Program, was born and spent his early years in Hong Kong. He is one of six children, with four older siblings and one younger sibling. When Dr. Tsang was around 12 or 13, the family moved to the United States. His parents were both Vietnamese refugees of the Sino-Vietnamese War, although Dr. Tsang was largely unaware of the trauma they had endured when he was a child. Later in life, Dr. Tsang learned that his parents suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of their experiences and that inspired his early interest in the field of mental health.

Faculty Spotlight: Professor Jennifer Dorsey

Professor Jennifer Dorsey, a Part-Time Core Faculty member in the Wright Institute’s Counseling Psychology program, was born and raised in a small town in Oregon, where she lived with her parents and younger brother. “My brother and I were very tight,” she recalled. “We grew up camping in the woods and playing outside.” Professor Dorsey was also a voracious reader and remembers spending a lot of her free time with a book.

For her undergraduate studies, Professor Dorsey attended Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California. “As a first generation college graduate, I’m very proud of the effort and sacrifice it took for my family to send me to college,” she explained. Professor Dorsey graduated in 1994 with a BS in commerce and began a career in advertising at a legendary SF agency.

Staff Spotlight: Amber Griffin-Royal

A third-generation Bay Area native, Amber Griffin-Royal, an Administrative Assistant in the Wright Institute's Counseling Psychology program, was born and raised primarily in Oakland, California. When she was five, her mom and stepdad met, and Amber, formerly an only child, was thrilled to gain three step-siblings. “I always wanted to have siblings, especially a sister, so when my mom started dating my stepdad, it was like all of my dreams came true,” she explained. “We’re really close and had a lot of fun going to summer camps, watching movies, and listening to music.” The whole family loved music and the children grew up listening to funk and soul records, along with Sade, Michael Jackson, and Prince.

Student Spotlight: Mohammad Abdul-Rahim

“The most motivating part of this work is witnessing people change and grow—that’s what keeps me inspired, even through the tough times,” shared Mohammad Abdul-Rahim, a second year student in the Wright Institute’s Counseling Psychology program. “I find that the most growth happens when we are challenged and have the resources and support to navigate those challenges effectively.”

Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Julianne Guida

“I think the biggest lesson I learned in graduate school was that growing and learning never stops in this profession,” shared Dr. Julianne Guida, a 2022 graduate of the Wright Institute’s Clinical Psychology program. “There are always new challenges, new learning opportunities, new ways of growing and that’s why I love this work - it's ever-changing and dynamic in a way I find so fascinating."