Janet J. Yáñez M.A., LMFT is a doctoral candidate at Alliant International University, Los Angeles. Janet is an intern at Jackson Memorial Hospital in affiliation with the University of Miami (UM) Miller School of Medicine. She previously served as a student representative for the California Psychological Association (CPA) Division of Neuropsychology and Health Psychology. Ms. Yanez is currently a member of the Social Justice and Advocacy Committee (SJAC) through the Hispanic Neuropsychological Society (HNS). As a recipient of the APA Minority Fellowship Program (MFP), she focuses on promoting health equity, mental health advocacy and policymaking while developing research to examine the effects of dementia caregiving in Latinx caregivers’ cognitive/emotional functioning. Her advocacy efforts include lobbying with state legislators to increase accessibility to mental health services. She has also met with local elected officials to address environmental inequities in the Latinx community of Southeast Los Angeles and has collaborated with Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) at the U.S.-Mexico border to provide asylum evaluations to families from the Central American Migrant Caravan.

Academia has traditionally been a space of privilege and while it can be difficult to challenge the “norm” alone, several exceptional junior women colleagues of Alexandra’s have seen her value, celebrated her voice, and stood with her. This energy has fueled her mission to provide others with the same—diverse trainees belong, bring incredible value to our academic communities, and should have mentors that will always proudly stand with them. Thus, Alexandra has worked to elevate the voices of junior trainees, create opportunities, and provide diverse trainees with critical support and a safe space to share their unique experiences. In brief, this work has included composing and leading a “Call to Action” centered on fostering cultural humility and competency training within UCSD; establishing a forum for BIPOC trainees to establish a sense of community and advocate for their professional needs collectively; mentoring and elevating the voice of diverse students across the nation; and composing grants that address health disparities in traditionally underserved populations.

Erin's diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts include developing and running a mentor match program for PhD program applicants from underrepresented backgrounds, participating in federal advocacy efforts to make science and healthcare more accessible and equitable, volunteering as a clinician and administrative panel member for her university's free community clinics for uninsured patients, serving on multiple university committees advancing diversity initiatives, and creating trainee-focused programming through the APA Science Student Council and Asian Neuropsychological Association.

Karen Dorsman is a doctoral student in clinical psychology at UTSW in Dallas. She was born and raised in Nicaragua where her interest in neuropsychology and community health were born. Her area of research is focused on social determinants of brain health and mechanisms of health disparities across the lifespan. Additionally, she serves in a student-led research group dedicated to developing a curriculum assessment tool to support faculty members in the improvement and infusion of multicultural training, anti-racist and social justice values in doctoral level academic courses in clinical psychology programs. She is a strong advocate, a mentor to students of minoritized backgrounds, and an active volunteer health educator in her community. She works to bring people together and is continually learning how to use her voice to advocate for equity in science and our country.