Joanna is currently a Ph.D. student in Developmental Psychology at the University of California, Davis. She received her BA in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara where she also received minors in
Applied Psychology and Educational Studies. She is broadly interested in research examining the link between psychosocial stress and biological markers of health. Her research surrounds stress and resilience in children and adolescents, particularly the stress-buffering role of close relationships (e.g. parent-child, interparental) and exploring the use of novel technology in understanding how children’s social environment predicts stress and stress-related health outcomes.

Marissa Ferry is a fourth-year Clinical Psychology PhD candidate at Pacific University. Her research interests include mitigating the impacts of intergenerational trauma through culturally adaptive and promotive interventions in racially and ethnically minoritized children, adolescents, and families. Her current population of focus is early childhood and their caregivers, and she is passionate about community-centered care, equitable access to mental health services, and giving voice to populations who have been traditionally excluded from research and healthcare spaces. Prior to her doctoral studies, Marissa received a master’s in counseling psychology from the University of San Francisco.

Dr. Carlos Andres Gallegos-Riofrío is a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Vermont (UVM), where he teaches Planetary Health and Agroecology. He co-coordinates the Agroecology and Planetary Health Research Program at UVM’s Institute for Agroecology (IfA). With over 20 years of experience, he integrates social sciences, public health, and participatory action research, working closely with Indigenous communities in the U.S., Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. As Scientific Advisor of the Caliata Initiative in the rural Andes, he advances agroecology, health, and community resilience, fostering sustainable development through collaboration and transdisciplinary approaches.

Amaya Carrasco-Torrontegui holds a Ph.D. in Food Systems from the University of Vermont and co-coordinates the Agroecology and Planetary Health Research Program at UVM’s Institute for Agroecology. With over 20 years of experience, Amaya’s work focuses on agroecology, Indigenous knowledge systems, and health equity. Her research explores pathways to agroecological transitions and collective action in Ecuador and Bolivia. She also
leads initiatives supporting BIPOC communities in climate resilience, food sovereignty, and well-being. Amaya is the Executive Director of the Caliata Initiative and an active member of The Nature and Health Alliance, bridging sustainability and human health.

Dr. Dilara Ally (she/her) integrates clinical social work and data science expertise together as a postdoctoral associate at Cambridge Health Alliance/Harvard Medical School’s Center for Mindfulness and Compassion. Specializing in trauma, depression and anxiety, her research explores how Internal Family Systems influences attachment, inner compassion and perspective-taking in trauma recovery. Dilara is guided by equity-centered intervention development, leveraging machine learning and artificial intelligence to study self-related processes underlying treatment effectiveness, with a focus on amplifying patient voices. A two-decade Buddhist meditation practice has profoundly shaped her research and therapeutic approach, grounding it in acceptance and compassion.

Camila Tirado, M.S. (She/They), is a third-year Counseling Psychology Doctoral student at Virginia Commonwealth University in the La Esperanza Research Program. A Peruvian American, queer, first-generation student, Camila’s research interests center on compassion and contemplative practices to address traumatic stress among marginalized individuals. They explore sociocultural influences, maladaptive coping, and substance use in minoritized communities through strength-based approaches. Camila serves on the Journal of Latinx Psychology’s student editorial board, the VCU Visionaries Dean of Students Work Group, is president of VCU’s Latine Graduate Student Association, and vice president of the VCU Pride Collective, actively fostering advocacy and inclusivity.

Professor Yael Latzer, former Dean of the School of Social Work at the University of Haifa and Research Director at eating disorders (EDs) Rambam Medical Center, is internationally recognized for her expertise in EDs research, treatment, and policy advocacy. She holds advanced degrees in Clinical Social Work from the University of Haifa and a Doctorate in Medical Science from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. Her clinical training includes a fellowship in ED treatment at the Menninger Foundation, USA. Prof. Latzer has contributed over 200 peer-reviewed publications and edited several landmark books on EDs. She has shaped the field in Israel by founding Rambam’s multidisciplinary ED treatment institution and pioneering the development of innovative rehabilitation residential program for young women with severe EDs. Her research spans EDs, sleep disturbances, night eating syndrome, alongside family and societal factors influencing ED development. Following the October 7 events, her focus shifted toward the psychological, physiological, and traumatic impacts on mental health providers. Her work explores compassion fatigue and resilience among clinicians in conflict zones, particularly within Israeli contexts. A recipient of numerous awards, including international leadership recognition from the Academy of Eating Disorders, Prof. Latzer continues to influence both clinical practices and public health policies worldwide.

Dr. Liat Shklarski serves as an Assistant Professor at The Silberman School of Social Work, Hunter College, New York. Her scholarly work is centered on promoting equitable access to mental health services among diverse populations, utilizing mixed-method research methodologies. Her research agenda includes the examination of compassion fatigue among mental health providers operating in conflict zones, with a focus on enhancing their resilience, well-being, and professional efficacy. Dr. Shklarski engages in interdisciplinary collaborations with scholars and practitioners on both local and global scales. In addition to her academic work, she is a licensed clinical social worker in New York City, specializing in providing therapeutic support to adults with histories of trauma.