The Wright Institute Clinical Program Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Introduction: History of DEI and Mission Statement

Since its inception in 1968, The Wright Institute has a history of diversity, equity and inclusion. Its mission of "Educating Clinicians to Society" has served as an organizing focus leading to the education, training and mentorship of many psychologists over its 50+ year history. The way we address diversity, equity and inclusion has changed over time to meet the needs of the students, and ultimately society. In 2019, under the backdrop of racialized violence and health disparities of the Covid-19 pandemic, our students organized to request additional support and called for the allocation of resources and the creation of the current office. In collaboration with DEI consultant Wendy Siu, Psy.D., the Wright Institute Board, staff, faculty and students helped to create the current office within the Counseling Master’s (MA) Program and Clinical Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) Programs.

DEI’s mission is similar to that of the Wright Institute and is an intentional expansion of the mission of “Educating Clinicians to Society.” As such, DEI’s mission is:

“Educating and Training Clinicians to a More Socially Just Society”

Centering social justice addresses the needs of our communities and considers the impact of unequal power. Power differentials lead to certain groups being marginalized, having unequal access to opportunity, and being underrepresented in institutions of higher learning. This lack of equity is foundational in understanding the dynamics of inclusion and diversity. The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at the Wright Institute seeks to challenge barriers to equity in order to bolster diversity and foster an inclusive community.

3 Broad Goals of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:

  • Diversity - At its core, diversity refers to representation. The Wright Institute endeavors to make historically underrepresented groups visible throughout the Institute with ongoing efforts of recruitment and retention of administrators, faculty, staff and students.
  • Equity - Equity refers to ensuring access to opportunities, resources and systemic accountability. Equity is sought by providing funded fellowships, targeted mentoring, systemic accountability and collaborative institutional governance that promotes a level playing field for all members of our community.
  • Inclusion - Inclusion means cultivating institutional policies that honor the experiences of historically marginalized communities and provide pathways toward change, including representation in advanced leadership. It also means experiencing a sense of belonging, being welcomed, being centered, and feeling respected within the Wright Institute community.

Program Objectives of DEI:

To carry-out our mission and meet the aforementioned goals, the Office of DEI has developed 4 objectives.

The 4 Objectives of DEI are…

  1. To institutionalize DEI through the creation of the office and evolution of its structure, to ensure systemic accountability.
  2. To support and train historically underrepresented students through the DEI Fellowship Program.
  3. To educate and train members of our community through Social-Justice Based Initiatives.
  4. To support and train faculty through Faculty Development Initiatives.

Institutional Structure & Systemic Accountability: Objective #1

In order to implement ongoing DEI efforts with systemic accountability, it is important that this work is institutionalized at the Wright. Currently the DEI administrative office consists of a Director and two postgraduate fellows to oversee its functions and implement programs. We practice diversity, equity and inclusion through interfacing with potential students, currently enrolled students, alumni, faculty, staff, and administrators.

DEI works closely with other departments, programs, established committees, and task-forces; including the Mentoring Program, the Diversity Committee and the Anti-Racism Task Force. DEI is involved in faculty governance, administrative leadership, admissions work and plays an important role in institutional strategic planning and accreditation.

DEI is integrated throughout the Wright Institute via the…

  • Mentoring Program’s Student Affinity Groups- Student-led cultural identity groups.
  • Diversity Committee- DEI has membership on this standing committee that is comprised of faculty, staff, and students.
  • Faculty Governance- DEI is active in the General Faculty Council, Faculty Retreat, and Full Time Faculty Meetings.
  • Administrative leadership committees- DEI is active in both the Clinical Program Executive Committee and the Steering Committee.
  • Anti-Racism Task Force- An initiative from the Office of the President (in response to the Black Student Union), DEI is a member of this group made up of administrative leadership.
  • Psychologists for Social Responsibility- DEI is supportive of this external professional organization that has a Wright Institute chapter.
  • Open House Panel- Under the Office of Admissions, DEI presents to potential graduate school applicants.
  • Admissions Recruitment- DEI Fellows support the recruitment of a more diverse student body with targeted outreach to BIPOC graduate school applicants.
  • Strategic Plan and Accreditation- DEI Directors (from the Master’s & Psy.D. programs) collaborate to operationalize specific strategic plan initiatives that are instrumental to successful accreditation.
  • DEI Sponsored Courses- DEI Fellows and Staff lead these courses…
    • DEI Summer into Fall Institute- Required course for entering, first-year students.
    • In-the-Center- An advanced elective course for students of color.
  • Psy.D. Multicultural Curriculum- DEI consults with faculty who teach in this series
    • Multicultural Clinical Awareness (MCA)- Required course for first-year students.
    • Sociocultural Issues- Required course for second-year students.
    • Clinicians to Society- Elective course.

The focus of our efforts is both inward facing (within our community) and outward facing (into our local community). The workload is high and the trajectory is long and although we’ve made strides in DEI, much work remains to be done.

DEI Fellowship Program: Objective #2

The DEI Fellowship Program has an overarching goal to develop clinical leaders who center multicultural identity and experience at the heart of psychological well-being.

The Wright Institute DEI Fellowship Program aims to serve the mission of "Educating and Training Clinicians to a More Socially Just Society" through student funding, mentorship, and training.

The program further specifies the 3 tenets of DEI to our Fellows, with the following statement…

  • Diversity means we have an intentional focus on BIPOC and other aspects of multicultural intersectionality within the DEI fellowship program.
  • Equity means we provide financial support and specialized mentoring to those doing the valued work of multicultural diversity on behalf of the Wright Institute.
  • Inclusion means we belong at the Wright and in this profession. We claim our right for respect and embrace our responsibility to provide ethical, culturally responsive interventions within our professional practice and relationships.

The goals of the DEI Fellowship Program include:

  1. Goal #1 Recruit Multiculturally Diverse Students- Provide fellowships to reduce financial barriers to access.
  2. Goal #2 Retain Multiculturally Diverse Students- Provide support such as mentoring focused on professional development steeped in cultural intersectionality, establish a cohort for mutual peer support, and connect Fellows to other Wright resources. Fellows attend regular meetings that provide training and supervision.
  3. Goal #3 Develop Multiculturally Diverse Clinical Leaders- DEI Fellows serve as multicultural ambassadors. They learn to develop and implement social-justice based programs meant to enrich clinical education and training at the Wright Institute. Developing such leadership becomes the basis of culturally informed and responsive clinical service for meeting the psychological needs of our culturally diverse communities.

The Fellowship Program has 6 types of Fellows:

Click on the following Fellows to see what we do:

DEI Partners

DEI Partners are invited to collaborate on a social-justice based program of their choice. While they do not participate in the full program, they are involved in aspects of the program that are of interest and from which they may benefit. Partners must be eligible for federally funded work-study as this is the source of their funding.

DEI Junior Fellows

Junior Fellows are entering first-year students who apply for the Fellowship along with their application to the Wright Institute Clinical Psy.D. program. They receive individual and small group mentoring and meet with the larger DEI cohort several times a year. They are not required to implement a social-justice based program initiative, but are required to attend some of these events. DEI Junior Fellows receive a scholarship that is not hinged on work-study.

DEI Fellows

DEI Fellows are typically 3rd-4th year students who may or may not have been Junior Fellows. Fellows in this category receive individual, small group and large group mentoring. They are also required to implement social-justice based program initiatives. DEI Fellows are funded with a combination of scholarship and work-study.

DEI Senior Fellows

DEI Senior Fellows have often been previous DEI Fellows who applied to continue within the program, and are able to develop additional leadership skills through mentoring Junior Fellows. Fellows in this category receive individual, small group and large group mentoring and are required to implement social-justice based program initiatives. DEI Senior Fellows must be eligible for federally funded work-study as this is the source of their funding.

DEI APA Minority Fellow

DEI is the programmatic home when one of our Wright Institute students is awarded the prestigious APA-Minority Fellowship. DEI provides culturally tailored individual mentoring and the support of the large group DEI cohort. DEI provides a cost-sharing stipend with APA that is in alignment with an amount recommended by NRSA (National Research Service Award.)

Postgraduate Fellows

A DEI Post-Grad Fellowship is specialized training learning to mentor, teach, and develop programs related to DEI. Postgraduate Fellowships are funded through the DEI Office and the level is based on the 3 types of postgraduate fellowship.

  • DEI Post-Doc Fellowship- This Fellow has recently earned their doctoral degree in clinical psychology and must accrue post-doctoral hours.
  • DEI Pre-Licensure Fellowship- This Fellow has earned their doctoral degree in clinical psychology at least a year ago, has completed their post-doctoral hours, and is working toward licensure.
  • DEI Early Career Fellowship- This Fellow is an early career professional who has been licensed within the past 5-7 years and wants to train in DEI as a career shift or focus.

Educate and Train through Social-Justice Based Initiatives:
Objective #3

DEI Fellows are ambassadors-in-training for all things DEI. DEI Fellows and Senior Fellows develop and implement social-justice based program initiatives. They identify what we often refer to as passion projects related to the education and clinical training of those who are seeking to serve underserved communities of color. Fellows may choose to carry on the work of previously developed programs or initiate novel programs. Below is a list of social-justice based programming developed by Fellows and their DEI Mentors.

Various DEI Programs & Activities

  • DEI Summer into Fall Institute - This required course for entering students is to support them in gaining foundational psychological concepts undergirding racial justice as they begin their development as clinicians to society. Students will gain an understanding of key concepts, and will begin developing emergent skills of cultural humility, which include self-reflection, interrupting bias, decreasing microaggressions and engaging in challenging dialogue.
  • In the Center - This is an elective for students of color to have their professional development experience held at the center as they learn to become culturally informed practitioners. This is in response to the tradition where much clinical “training implicitly and explicitly centers [the experience of] White clinicians.” This quote is from the article “Recommendations for Creating and Teaching a Graduate Psychology Course Exclusively for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Students” by Kadaba, Chow, and Briscoe-Smith in Teaching of Psychology 2022, Vol. 0(0) 1–8.
  • On Being - 3 guiding questions steeped in spirituality - This series is motivated by and imagined from the “On Being” podcast by Krista Tippet. Presenters are all asked the same 3 questions exploring the role of spirituality. In our series, we invite psychologists from diverse spiritual/faith communities to reflect upon the relationship between their faith and their practice of psychology.
  • Consulta Clínica - This course, created by DEI Alums Richie Koenig and Claudia Miranda (F17), establishes an intercohort and transtheoretical consult group at the Wright so that bi/multilingual students have a space to safely develop their professional identity and their clinical skills in Spanish. Consulta Clínica aims to privilege interdependent Latinx clinical culture and enhance the quality of care that students' patients receive. The course meets weekly and is supervised by Dr. Ureño and led by Belén Mora-Navarro (F19), Priscilla Martin (F20), and Guadalupe Espinoza (F20).
  • Latinx Mental Health Series - This series explores treatment issues for diverse clients of the Latinx community and seeks to increase cultural awareness of mental health providers serving the Latinx community. It is open to anyone within the Wright community to attend.
  • DEI Newsletter - Click here to read our newsletter and learn more about our work.

Faculty Development: Objective #4

DEI aims to support faculty development by providing CE training and programs in diversity, equity, and inclusion, consultation to increase representation and diversity in course syllabi, relational consultation, and supporting new and returning faculty in acculturating to a shifting cultural landscape. A landscape that is dynamic in its response to the needs of a growing culturally diverse community. Additionally, faculty affinity groups such as The Black Faculty Meet-Up Group and a faculty arm of the White Privilege and Accountability Group provide another layer of support.

DEI provides classroom support through strengthening and updating curricula through:

  • Syllabi review
  • Literature search
  • Consultation groups for faculty
  • Classroom observation
  • Access to speakers, trainings, and videos etc.

Who are we?

DEI Team

It's time to meet the DEI Family!!!

Dr. ThompsonDr. Veronique Thompson (she/her/hers)
DEI Director, Clinical (PsyD) Program

Dr. Veronique Thompson is a licensed clinical psychologist, tenured faculty member of the Wright Institute and director of clinical training at Carl B. Metoyer Center for Family Counseling in East Oakland. She received her BA in psychology from Spelman College in Atlanta and her PhD from U.C., Berkeley. Her advanced professional training has been in Narrative Therapy and Social Justice Therapy.

Dr. Thompson is originally from the East Coast. She was raised in a working-class, large extended family, in Boston. She is first-generation college, an avid dancer, a yoga enthusiast, and a plant-based eater. She lives in Oakland, in a multigenerational family home with her mother, sister, son, nephew and cat.

Her core professional interests lie within African-American and other communities of color, helping to increase positive mental health and to train others who share this commitment. She brings this same commitment to her work in the office of DEI, helping the Wright to fulfill its mission of “Educating Clinicians to [a more socially just] Society.”

Dr. ClarkeDr. Jerdine Clarke (she/her/hers)
Postgraduate Fellow

Jerdine Clarke Psy.D., graduated from the Wright Institute in 2021. She is thrilled to join The Wright Institute as a part-time Postgraduate Fellow in the Office of DEI. Dr. Clarke is an APA Minority Fellow who completed her postdoctoral hours as a Psychology Associate at Kaiser Permanente Oakland’s Child and Family Psychiatry in their Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and at Core Insights Psychological Group. She completed her doctoral internship at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in the Center for Child and Family Traumatic Stress in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Clarke’s research focuses on the impact of race and gender on commercially sexually exploited children. With a specialty in treating survivors of trauma, she offers over 25 years of experience working with complex, sexual, and racialized trauma across the lifespan. 

She is honored to return to the WI to explore and expand how the field of psychology addresses health inequity and enacts social justice. Dr. Clarke brings her passion for DEI and is excited to provide mentorship and support to students on their path as new clinicians and leaders where they will continue to challenge oppressive systems and practices.

Dr. ZarabiDr. Marriam Zarabi (she/her/hers)
Postgraduate Fellow

Marriam Zarabi, PsyD, graduated from the Wright Institute in 2021 and works for the DEI Office as a Postgraduate Fellow. Dr. Zarabi completed her postdoctoral hours at the Wright Institute Berkeley Cognitive Behavioral Clinic and the DEI Office. As a Postdoctoral Fellow, she supervised the Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Race-Based Stress, a group therapy service for clients of color experiencing racial discrimination in various contexts, including but not limited to the twin pandemics of racialized violence and Covid-19, providing culturally responsive DBT interventions. Her research, teaching and clinical focus includes addressing race-based stress, advancing health equity, and translating Western clinical interventions in service to diverse populations and in pursuit of culturally responsive care. Farsi is her first language. Serving as a DEI Fellow following the inception of the DEI Office, it is an honor to collaboratively broaden the nature and scope of working as a Clinician to Society.

DEI Senior Fellows and Fellows

Annissa BakerAnnissa Baker, MA (she/her/hers)
Fourth Year, Senior Fellow

Annissa is a fourth-year student at the Wright Institute. She was born in Hawaii and raised in the Bay Area for the majority of her life. She was raised in bicultural homes with a Mexican mother and Hawaiian father, and she will be the first person in her family to receive a doctoral degree. Her clinical experience includes working within community mental health settings and in school settings with populations ranging across the lifespan. She is passionate about social justice, serving marginalized communities impacted by systemic oppression, and exploring multiracial identities pertaining to clinical work and life experience. Annissa has participated in organizing and facilitating conversations and events for Psychologists for Social responsibility (PsySR) and she has been an advocate in the Diversity Committee at the Wright Institute. She hopes to give back to the communities that have helped to shape her post-graduation. Annissa is currently planning a wedding and writing her dissertation on the impact that becoming a grandparent has on an individual's sense of self and identity. The motivation behind this topic has been her upbringing which was lovingly shaped by her grandparents. Annissa loves spending time with her dogs, binge-watching Game of Thrones, cooking comfort food, and growing her patio garden.

Belén Mora-NavarroBelén Mora-Navarro, MA (she/her/hers/ella)
Fourth Year, Senior Fellow

Belén is a first-generation, bilingual, Mexican American graduate student from Oakland California. She is passionate about increasing representation in the field of psychology and the use of therapy as an instrumental part of overall health wellness and healing. As a Diversity Equity and Inclusion Senior Fellow, Belén advocates for the continued needs of underrepresented graduate students through her work with La Consulta Clínica, a student-created and facilitated independent study for Latinx identifying and Spanish-speaking students at the Wright Institute, and the annual Latinx Psychological Wellness Series to promote belonging and community. Having served as a mentor for the last two years with The Wright Institute Pipeline to Advanced Degrees program run by Wright Institute faculty member Dr. Anastasia Kim, Belén continues to participate through outreach, visiting schools across the San Francisco Bay Area to promote the internship to first-gen college and BIPOC students. Belén is currently working on applying for predoctoral internship, completing her dissertation on Child Marriage and Latin American women's experience of adolescence, and presenting at the National Latinx Psychological Association conference later this year. In her spare time, Belén enjoys tending to her many plants, binging Grey's Anatomy, and researching skincare for melanated skin.

Sabrina Mohamed RafiSabrina Mohamed Rafi, MA (she/her/hers)
Fourth Year, Senior Fellow

Sabrina is a fourth-year clinical psychology doctoral student at the Wright Institute. She is a 1.5-generation Muslim Malaysian immigrant and first-generation college student who received her B.S. in Psychology, with an emphasis in Biology, and minor in Religious Studies from the University of California, Davis. She was also a research assistant for the Infant Sibling Study at the UC Davis MIND Institute during this time. She maintains her interest in working with youth, as she provided therapy sessions with K-12 students at a public charter school, conducted neuropsychological assessments with elementary school students, led adolescent groups at an intensive outpatient program and inpatient psychiatric unit, and provided autism/cognitive/developmental assessments at a community mental health neurodevelopmental clinic during her time at the Wright. Sabrina advocated for the creation of the prayer and meditation room on campus to establish a safe space for Muslims to practice their religious rights and to promote the practice of mindfulness throughout the day. She also helps lead the SouthWest Asia and North Africa- Muslim (SWANA-M) student group, which encourages the exploration of intersecting identities, especially with regard to the conflation of religion and culture, processing the oppression experienced, and finding consultation and support in the community amidst xenophobic concerns that arise. Her dissertation focuses on the experience of psychiatric symptoms in Palestinian youth after the war on Gaza in 2014. Sabrina is grateful for every opportunity to advocate for marginalized communities and wishes to continue DEI work in all facets of her career.

Sophia SandhuSophia Sandhu, MA, MEd
Fourth Year, Senior Fellow

Sophia Sandhu is a fourth-year doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at the Wright Institute in Berkeley, CA. Raised by Punjabi immigrants, she is the first in her family to receive degrees in higher education. Sophia received her B.S. in Psychobiology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and her M.Ed. in Child Studies with a special emphasis on Poverty and Intervention from Vanderbilt University. Prior to attending the Wright, she worked at the University of California, Davis M.I.N.D Institute as a research assistant. Sophia’s clinical training has focused on providing trauma-informed care to communities with disabilities and communities of color. Her dissertation seeks to explore how clients have experienced remote EMDR, particularly their experiences of emotional safety and the therapeutic relationship. Sophia is passionate about uplifting marginalized voices, utilizing rest and community as forms of resistance, and fast cars.

Clara MöllerClara Möller, MSc, MA (she/her/hers)
Fourth Year, Fellow

Clara is a fourth-year doctoral candidate at the Wright Institute. Her clinical experience includes working with patients across the lifespan in community mental health clinics and school systems. She also received training in neurofeedback and has a passion for exploring holistic healing that considers the connection of mind, body, and spirit. She works part-time at a biohacking center focused on helping individuals heal using alternative technologies. Her dissertation research is focused on exploring and understanding the experiences of students who identify as living with a disability in a clinical psychology PsyD training program and more specifically in supervision. She is dedicated to being a part of creating an inclusive, culturally humble, and supportive learning environment for all.

Esther MouEsther Mou (she/her/hers)
Third Year, DEI Fellow

Esther Mou is a 3rd-year PsyD student at the Wright Institute whose main interests include supporting the healing of marginalized folx in communities of color, supporting the mental wellness of immigrant and international students, and working to destigmatize mental health issues in East Asian communities. She identifies as Taiwanese-American herself, and is passionate about having reflective conversations about AAPI identity, AAPI discrimination, and the collective healing of the AAPI community through a compassionate and multicultural lens. She is currently undergoing clinical training at Contra Costa Child and Adolescent services, and loves working with families and children in the community mental health setting. Esther is also an avid foodie, a connoisseur of boba milk tea, and a proud momma of two cats.

Guadalupe EspinozaGuadalupe Espinoza (she/her/hers)
Third Year, DEI Fellow

Guadalupe Espinoza is a graduate student at the Wright Institute in Berkeley pursuing a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology. She received her B.S in psychology from the University of La Verne in 2017. Her clinical training has been in different public schools in Oakland, California. Currently, Guadalupe is receiving her practicum training at Mills College at Northeastern University. She is currently a mentor for The Wright Institute Psychology Internship Program, which is run by a Wright Institute faculty member, Dr. Anastasia Kim. Guadalupe is interested in working with marginalized communities and advocating for their needs in and out of the clinical setting.

Priscilla MartinPriscilla Martin (she/her/hers)
Third Year, DEI Fellow

Priscilla is a third-year doctoral candidate at the Wright Institute. She identifies as second-generation Mexican American and is bilingual and bicultural. Clinically she is interested in working with Latinx Spanish-speaking individuals from marginalized communities. Her clinical experience includes working with adolescents and adults in academic and community mental health settings. Priscilla's current practicum placement is with Instituto Familiar de la Raza. Her dissertation research focuses on the affects of language, acculturation, and ethnic identity on the therapeutic alliance.

Simeen ShaikhSimeen Shaikh, MA, LPCC (she/her/hers)
Fourth Year, Fellow

Simeen is a fourth year doctoral candidate in the clinical psychology program at the Wright Institute. She has clinical experience working with individuals across the lifespan in community health settings. Simeen is interested in improving access to mental health services for marginalized communities impacted by systemic inequality, immigration, and oppression. Her dissertation topic explores spiritually integrated psychotherapy.

Sredha ShineSredha Shine (she/her/hers)
Third Year, Fellow

Sredha Shine is currently in her third year in the clinical psychology doctoral program at The Wright Institute in Berkeley, CA. Sredha’s identities as an immigrant and South Indian woman drive her passion to make mental health more accessible to marginalized populations and work towards reducing the shame and stigma of mental health diagnoses prevalent in many communities. As part of her clinical training at the Wright Institute, she is currently working with children and families at Kaiser Oakland’s ASD track. In her free time, Sredha enjoys spending time with her loved ones, watching TV shows, and eating yummy food.

DEI Junior Fellows

Brenda RiosBrenda Rios
First Year, Junior Fellow

Brenda Rios is currently a first year clinical student at the Wright Institute. Brenda is a first generation Mexican-American who aims to work with the Latine community. She also plans to work with children and adolescents. She is bilingual, speaking both Spanish and English. She hopes to provide her services in Spanish to help build a bridge with the Latine community. She is currently placed in the School-Based Clinic and is excited to be working with middle schoolers. Her professional goals are to one day have her own private practice where she will offer her services in both English and Spanish to the younger population. After gaining experience, she hopes to later split her time as a professor who teaches psychology to undergraduates.

Anthony RamirezAnthony Ramirez
First Year, Junior Fellow

I am a first-year doctorate Junior Fellow at the Wright Institute, and have been in California since the beginning of my undergrad. My clinical experience commenced early in my undergrad and included working with clients diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, varying in age and level on the spectrum. My research focus will include LatinX cultural factors in the validity of assessments and treatments for ASD in terms of misdiagnosis and accuracy of language.

Alma Karina RiggsAlma Karina Riggs (she/her/hers/ella)
First Year, Junior Fellow

Alma is a bilingual Mexican immigrant. She was raised in Mexico and immigrated to South Texas at nine years old. Alma’s interest in the human experience began in early childhood when she found books by Sigmund Freud on her grandmother’s bookshelf. She knew then that there is a profound drive to analyze the relationship with self and others even with a limited grasp on the language used in Freud’s books. She continued developing her curiosity by receiving a bachelor’s degree in psychology with honors from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas. As a DEI junior fellow, Alma aims to contribute to cultural awareness and humility at the Wright Institute through mentorship and working alongside other DEI fellows. Currently, she is training as a student clinician at the WI Recovery Clinic offering psychotherapy to underserved adult populations with co-occurring addiction and mental health issues.

Anthony PatrickAnthony Patrick
First Year, Junior Fellow

My name is Anthony Patrick, and I am a first year doctoral student at the Wright Institute. My previous experience involves clients in various settings including: incarcerated juveniles and adults, the foster care system and both the public and nonpublic school systems. I am deeply committed to working with clients who have experienced childhood trauma and truly enjoy assisting clients who are underserved and considered high-risk groups (racial and ethnic minority groups and poverty groups). In my free time, especially the weekends, I enjoy relaxing, catching up on my reading, spending time with my children and being surrounded by my family which includes me experimenting with new food dishes!

DEI Partners

Jacqueline DuongJacqueline Duong (she/her/hers)
Third Year, Partner

Jacqueline Duong has a wealth of experience in working with children and in studying psychology. She is particularly interested in working with neurodiverse child and adolescent populations. Jacqueline graduated from Santa Clara University with a BS in Psychology with a Minor in Dance as well as an MA in Counseling. Jacqueline is trained in delivering the following treatment modalities: dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), creative dance, applied behavioral analysis (ABA), Floortime, interpersonal psychotherapy, and social skills training. Today, Jacqueline is working towards a PsyD in Clinical Psychology with a focus in Child Assessment at the Wright Institute. She currently works as a neuropsychological assessor at Stanford's Brain Development Lab and as a psychology trainee at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, rock climbing, painting, crocheting, cooking, and taking care of her plants. She is thrilled to partner with the DEI Office!

Zackary SimonZackary Simon
First Year, Partner

As an African American male who is the first in his family to pursue a doctorate degree, Zack's passion is working with children, adolescents, college-age individuals, and families. Having worked with many low-income BIPOC and immigrants for most of his career, Zack brings firsthand professional experience working with trauma, grief, and anxiety. What is unique about Zack is his creativity, thoughtfulness, and openness to learning. These qualities are evident in his hobby as a breakdancer and his engagement in clinical psychology. His area of research aims to address the childhood trauma in African American fathers. As he engages with each individual, he values bringing the best out of them with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.

McKayla RobertsMcKayla Roberts
First Year, Partner

McKayla is a DEI partner, co-leader for WI Black Student Union, and a 2nd year student. McKayla currently serves as a Psychological Associate at StarVista, assisting children, adolescents, and adults navigating many life’s challenges. In her future, she hopes to establish a reentry program for African Americans that encompasses culturally relevant tools for reentering communities and families.

Negar AzadbadiNegar Azadbadi
Fifth Year, Partner

Negar is the Wright institute's DEI office partner. She is in her fifth year at the Wright, and while providing mentorship and clinical services at the Wright Institute Recovery clinic, she is involved in the SWANA-M program. Negar moved to the United States from Iran in 2009 to pursue higher education. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of California in Berkeley, majoring in psychology. Her areas of interest are immigrant identity, psychedelics, and women's rights. Before moving to the United States, she was an active member of a women's rights group in Tehran.

APA MFP Fellow

Yves-Yvette YoungYves-Yvette Young (she/her/hers)

Yves-Yvette Young, MPH, is a second-year doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at The Wright Institute in Berkeley, California. She received her B.S. in Psychology with a minor in public health sciences from Xavier University of Louisiana and her MPH in maternal and child health from UC Berkeley School of Public Health. Prior to pursuing her doctorate, she worked as a researcher where her work focused on documenting the impact of policies on women’s reproductive health and highlighting disparities in reproductive health care in domestic and global settings.

After working in research for over five years, she realized that she had a desire to be a direct service provider who would work directly in the community. Her clinical interests are in perinatal, infant, and early childhood mental health within the Black community. She is committed to working within underserved communities; with those who face the most barriers to accessing high quality, equitable, and culturally competent mental health care. Post-graduation, she plans to develop and evaluate innovative evidence-based mental health interventions for BIPOC women and their children.

Applying for a DEI Fellowship:

If you are interested in applying for a DEI Fellowship…

  1. If you are applying to the Wright Institute as an entering student and would also like to apply for a DEI Junior Fellowship, complete the supplemental prompt in the admissions application.
  2. DEI Fellowship applications for currently enrolled Wright Institute students will be available in April 2023 (you can also contact the Office of DEI for more information dei@wi.edu).
  3. If you would like to apply for a DEI Postgraduate Fellowship, contact the Director of DEI at vlthompson@wi.edu.