Associate Professor | Developmental Psychology

Email: williamscd13@vcu.edu

Phone: (804) 828-0313

Dr. Chelsea D. Williams (she/her/ella) research focuses on understanding how risk and resilience factors contribute to psychological, educational, and health outcomes/disparities among Latine, Black, and Multiracial youth and families. Her expertise is in in ethnic-racial identity, ethnic-racial socialization, discrimination/colorism, and cultural experiences across the lifespan. She is especially passionate about extending our understanding of these processes in adolescence/emerging adulthood to earlier developmental periods (e.g., early and middle childhood) by advancing theory and measurement in innovative ways. Her work centers primarily in applied settings (e.g., homes, schools, and communities), and uses advanced quantitative methods to model processes, as well as translate findings into interventions and programs.

Outside of lab, Dr. Williams enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and working on her photography & crafting skills.

Dr. Williams loves team science! She is a Core Member of the Culture, Race and Health Transdisciplinary Core at the Institute for Inclusion, Inquiry and Innovation (iCubed), which is a transdisciplinary team that designs studies and interventions aimed at examining and addressing health disparities. She is also part of two centers that work in interdisciplinary teams: Institute Faculty at the Clark-Hill Institute for Positive Youth Development, as well as Affiliated Faculty at the Center for Cultural Experiences in Prevention. Her research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation, and has been published in journals such as Child Development, Developmental Psychology, & Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology.

"Every moment is an organizing opportunity, every person a potential activist, every minute a chance to change the world." -Dolores Huerta

Maiah Jackson (she/they) is a Ph.D. Student in the Developmental Psychology Program, and Graduate Research Assistant in the EMPOWER Youth Lab. Her research interests include exploring how intersectional aspects (e.g., ethnicity, culture, gender, race) affect the identity and emotional development of children and adolescents of color. Her goal is to further bridge the gap between research and real-world application among BIPOC communities. Outside of the lab, Maiah enjoys discovering new food spots, expanding her tastes in literature, and spending time with her dog, Sprout.

“Education is education. We should learn everything and then choose which path to follow. Education is neither Eastern nor Western, it is human.” — Malala Yousafzai

Office: 828 W. Franklin St. | Email: jacksonm17@vcu.edu

Dr. Arlenis Santana (she/her/ella) is a Postdoctoral Scholar who received the VCU Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Award (VCU IRACDA). She recently graduated with her PhD in developmental psychology in May 2023. Her research interests include examining risk, resilience, and cultural characteristics in Latine and Black families, with a focus on children and parents' mental health outcomes. Her dissertation focused on understanding how risk factors (i.e., discrimination and ACEs) and cultural characteristics (i.e., ethnic-racial identity) underlie the process of racial socialization, and in turn, youth and caregivers’ mental health. She is dedicated to uplifting strengths in Latine and Black communities through her work. Dr. Santana is also passionate about mentoring undergraduate students with underrepresented backgrounds and introducing them to everything about research! Outside of the lab, Dr. Santana enjoys introducing her son Nico to new activities, acquiring new hobbies and skills, and catching up on her favorite Netflix shows.

“We open doors so others can walk through them.” – Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Office: 828 W. Franklin St. | Email: santanaaa@vcu.edu

Amaria Ford (she/her) is a biology major. She is interested in creating equal opportunities for people of color in the healthcare field, as well as making sure that people from all racial/ethnic backgrounds are able to get the treatment they need regarding their mental and physical health. After graduation, she plans to attend medical school and become a doctor in the endocrinology field. Outside of the lab, Amaria enjoys singing, cooking, and crocheting.

“Instead of inheriting a broken system, we have the power to change it.” - Yara Shahidi

Andy Mutoti (she/her) is a psychology major. Her interests are child psychology and creating accessible mental health care in developing countries. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school. Outside of the lab, she enjoys baking, dancing, and spending time in the library.

" You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this and you will find strength" - Marcus Aurelius

Ashley Segbefia (she/her) is a biology major on the pre-medicine track. Her interests are creating a safe space and helping people especially in the healthcare field. After graduating from VCU, she hopes to go to medical school and later become a doctor. Outside of the lab, she enjoys dancing, roller skating and hanging out with friends.

“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.” - Paulo Coehlo

Ben Jones (he/him) is a Biology major on a Pre-Med track. His interests are becoming more connected with his community through extensive research and volunteering. After VCU, he plans to attend med school and aim to become a pediatrician. Outside of the lab, he enjoys watching movies, cooking, and meditation.

“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” - Confucius

Chelsea Ennin (she/her) is a biology major on the premed track with minors in theatre and psychology. She is interested in women's health and health disparities in medicine. After VCU, she hopes to do a post-bacc program and then go to medical school. Outside of lab, she enjoys reading, theatre, and baking.

“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”– Maya Angelou”

Clara Mubiru (she/her) is a sociology major. She is interested in learning and understanding how identity shapes the outlook of others. She loves to explore various perspectives and see how people of all ages view the world. After VCU, she plans to get a job in the media landscape. Outside the lab, she likes to read, listen to music, hang out with friends, explore Richmond, and watch TV shows or movies.

“When we reject the single story, when we realize that there is never a single story about any place, we regain a kind of paradise.” - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Destinee Allen (she/her) is a Graduate student in the Criminal Justice Program. Her interests are exploring ethnic-racial identity in a socio-cultural context and how these factors influence group dynamics and perceptions of self. After graduation, she plans to begin full-time employment in a career field closely related to her major. Outside of the lab she enjoys cooking, traveling, and DIY projects.

 “Nothing will work, unless you do” – Maya Angelou

Georgina Martinez-Minero (they/she) is an HPEX (Health, Physical Education, and Exercise Science) major on the Dental Hygiene track with a minor in Sociology. They are interested in understanding and fixing racial/ethnic/class disparities in healthcare. After graduating, they plan to get into a Dental Hygiene program and become a licensed dental hygienist. They hope to work with those who are disregarded in the healthcare system, such as those who cannot afford healthcare, feel unsafe seeking healthcare due to racial or cultural bias, or otherwise feel disenfranchised by the healthcare community at large. Their favorite hobbies and activities outside of lab are listening to music, spending time with their friends, scrapbooking, and baking.

“There's no point in being grown up if you can't be childish sometimes.” - Doctor Who

Jason Bonilla-Landers (he/him) is a double major in psychology and African American studies. His research interests are in the effects of poverty on ethnic minority youth. After graduating, he plans on attending graduate school to continue his studies in developmental psychology. Outside of the lab, he enjoys watching and playing sports, reading, and watching tv shows and movies.

“Each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfill it, or betray it.” ― Frantz Fanon

Kathy Mejia Sanchez (she/her) is a psychology major. She is a first-generation student from Northern Virginia, raised by two incredible Salvadoran parents. She loves working with children and seeing their experiences and how they view the world because she believes it is important to remember that these are the important years of their development. Outside of lab, she loves hanging out with her friends and experiencing new activities with them, and trying new cooking recipes.

 “Failure is success in progress.” – Albert Einstein

Lesly Somoza (her/she) is a nursing major. Her interests are understanding the human body and being a good support system for patients who might feel like they do not have one. After VCU, she plans to become a NICU nurse for newborns and be a travel nurse for a few years before settling in one town. Outside the lab, she enjoys reading, walking in nature, and listening to music.

“Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” - John Lennon

Llorielle Gregory-Jerome (she/her) is a Psychology major and Education minor. She is interested in going into the mental health field, particularly focusing on children and teens of color. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school. She is passionate about singing, her faith, and doing self-care activities.

"When adversity strikes, that’s when you have to be the most calm. Take a step back, stay strong, stay grounded, and press on." - LL Cool J

Manny Duggal (he/him) is a Chemistry major. His interests include working with communities to see how conditioning during development and growth can contribute to psychological changes. After graduation he plans on going to Medical School and wants to work in communities where medical care is scarce. Outside of the lab Manny likes to go out and try new foods and spend time with family and friends. 

“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” -Albert Einstein

Micah Marshall (she/her) is a Psychology major with a minor in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education. Her interests include early intervention services for children with special needs from marginalized communities, as well as disparities in diagnoses across race and gender. After VCU, she plans to attend graduate school for a PhD in clinical child psychology. Outside of the lab, she enjoys painting, working out, and spending time with her cat, Moose.

“Be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.” - Maya Angelou

Miky (he/him) is a majoring in health services and minoring in biology, chemistry, and physician assistant studies. He is passionate about equal access and treatment to healthcare for all people, especially first generation Americans and minorities. After graduation he plans on applying to PA school and becoming a PA-C in the near future. Outside of lab, Miky enjoys listening to music, going to new restaurants, and spending time with his dog. 

“Doubt yourself and you doubt everything you see. Judge yourself and you see judges everywhere. But if you listen to the sound of your own voice, you can rise above doubt and judgment. And you can see forever.” - Nancy Lopez

Natalya Escobar (she/her/ella) is a nursing major at the School of Nursing in Virginia Commonwealth University. She aspires to become a nurse that extends a helping hand to those in need of support and care, particularly in communities that are often overlooked and underserved. Her passion for improving the lives of underserved groups is a constant driving force, and she envisions a future where legal and healthcare policies promote equality and justice for all. After graduation she plans on working in the intensive care unit and later becoming a travel nurse. When she's not working in the lab or helping patients, she loves to explore art galleries, capturing her journeys through photography, and traveling to many different and interesting places around the globe.

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring; all of which have the potential to turn a life around." - Leo Buscaglia

Norma Sacche Sajche (She/Her) is a Criminal Justice major and double minor in Spanish and Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. She earned her associate's degree in Criminal Justice. Her interests are working with diverse youth and she is passionate about investigating crime scenes. After graduating, she plans to visit her family in Guatemala and take the time to look for other field opportunities related to Criminal Justice and go to grad school. Outside of lab, she likes to travel with her parents, spend time with friends, go to the gym, and watch documentaries about serial killers.

“There are certain clues at a crime scene which, by their very nature, do not lend themselves to being collected or examined.  How does one collect love, rage, hatred, fear…?  These are things that we’re trained to look for.”- James Reese

Oriana Chamaa (she/her) is a Psychology major. Her interests include understanding human interaction and behaviors. After graduation Oriana plans on going into Human Resources as an organizational psychologist with a focus on conflict management. Outside lab she enjoys spending her free time with a book of any kind, and is always looking forward to literary discussions.

“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” - Aristotle

Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo (she/her/they) is a social work major with a minor in Spanish. Her interests are working with Latine youth with a focus on drug and alcohol prevention. After graduation she plans to enroll in a master's social work program to become a licensed clinical social worker and study abroad in Mexico. Outside of the lab, her hobbies/interests include cooking, writing poetry, baking, and spending time with her mom and younger sister.

“He who knows, does not speak. He who speaks, does not know.” - Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

Safa Saad (she/her) is a psychology major on a pre-health track. She is passionate about health equity and wellness in ethnic minority groups, and her goal is to increase awareness about racial and ethnic disparities present in healthcare. She aspires to pursue a career in healthcare where she can ensure that underserved communities receive the care and support they need. Outside of lab, Safa loves exploring RVA, taking long walks, enjoying art, and spending time with her loved ones. 

“In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength.” - Uncle Iroh

Savie Lee (she/they) is a Psychology major with a minor in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education. Her interests include clinical child and adolescent psychology, racial disparities in pediatric mental healthcare, mental health in LGBTQ+ youth, disability rights and inclusion in schools, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, health diversity equity, and child development. After VCU, she plans to attend graduate school for a PsyD in clinical child psychology. Outside of the lab, she enjoys cooking, going on walks, swimming, and shopping.

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Shanelle Powell is a Psychology major with a double minor in Sociology and African American Studies on a Pre-PA track. Her interests consist of learning more about marginalized racial and ethnic communities in order to be a better medical provider in the future. After graduating VCU, Shanelle plans to attend physician assistant school and specialize in OB/GYN. Outside of lab, she enjoys reading books, hanging out with her friends, and binge watching tv series.

“To be young, gifted, and Black.” - Chadwick Boseman

Skylar Reid (she/her) is a psychology major with a Human Resource Management Minor. Her interests are engaging with the community and working with youth. After graduating from VCU, she plans to attend graduate school. Outside of lab, she enjoys reading, making music, and traveling.

"Anyone who's interested in making change in the world, also has to learn how to take care of herself, himself, theirselves."- Angela Davis

Tatiana Yarborough (she/her) is a nursing major. Her interests include working alongside children, identifying how they view their ethnic-racial identity, and using this understanding to provide better care to minority families in the healthcare setting. After graduation, she plans to work in pediatrics, either in inpatient or outpatient. Outside the lab, she enjoys going to the beach, singing, and hanging out with friends.

“Women belong in all places where decisions are made. It shouldn't be that women are the exception.” - Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Valiyah Henry (She/Her/Hers) is a Psychology major. She is interested in pursuing a career in mental health, primarily focusing on and working with minority families and children in order to provide them with excellent mental health treatment from someone who can understand and even relate to some of the many diverse backgrounds. After graduation, her plans are to move abroad to attend graduate school and obtain her master's degree in psychology to pursue a career as a Child Psychologist. Outside of lab, she enjoys reading, spending time with friends, listening to music, and exploring museums and beautiful spots around Richmond. 

"There is a past version of you that is so proud of how far you have come" - Anonymous 

Yvette Asare (she/her) is a double major in theater and psychology with a minor in creative writing. Her interests span from the world of performance art to literature to learning about how our brains work. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school for psychology in pursuit of becoming a professor/therapist. Outside the lab, she enjoys performing on stage, reading, and hanging out with friends.

"Momento mori (live now because we will all leave this earth)” -author unknown