Team

Francisco Angel Banda is a second-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology. Francisco was born and raised in the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metropolitan area of the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. He graduated from Duke University in 2023 with a double major in Psychology and Philosophy. He was delighted to join UTRGV's latest Clinical Psychology PhD program cohort soon after as a team member of Dr. Alfonso Mercado's Multicultural Clinical Lab. His primary research interest focuses on how cultural values and social conventions of the Latinx and other communities affect perceptions of mental health and reception of mental healthcare. Secondary interests include video games/digital presence and the political sphere's respective connections to mental wellbeing, moral psychology, family violence, trauma and the applications of A.I. in mental healthcare. In his personal life, Francisco's hobbies include keeping up with the news, playing the guitar, listening to music, creative writing, and playing video games with friends.

Amanda Palomin is a fifth-year doctoral student in clinical psychology. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Biology. While completing her undergraduate education Amanda gained research experience in human development, specifically focusing on the emotional, social, physical and educational health of Latinx individuals. After this, Amanda earned a Master of Science in Experimental Psychology from the University of Texas - San Antonio. While completing her graduate education she gained experience in applied psychometrics, specifically conducting analysis pertaining to clinical constructs such as suicide, anxiety, and depression. Her current research interests focus on evaluating psychological outcomes of culturally diverse at-risk students. Her hobbies and interests include crocheting, playing sudoku, and spending time with friends and family.

Valeria Ramírez is a second-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology. Valeria was born and raised in the Northern Nevada region in Reno, NV. She graduated from the University of Nevada Reno in 2022 with a major in Psychology and minor in Social Justice. Her primary research interest focuses on how cultural factors impact the mental health of minoritized communities. Valeria has a specific interest in working with the immigrant population focusing on mental health treatments and advocacy. Currently, Valeria is focusing on critical consciousness and its relation to mental health among racial and ethnic college students. In her personal life, Valeria’s hobbies include walking her dog Remi, cooking, and macrame.

Ricardo Robles is a first-year doctoral student under the mentorship of Dr. Alfonso Mercado. He received his B.A. in Cognitive Sciences from Rice University. Ricardo’s upbringing inspires his commitment to embodying a social justice perspective and addressing the inequities presented by adversity and marginalization among historically underrepresented youth communities. Moreover, as a bilingual Mexican American, he focuses on channeling his knowledge and skills toward uplifting Latine youth and families through culturally responsive, community-engaged mental health services and education. Within the Multicultural Clinical Lab, Ricardo is interested in the links between prolonged distress, psychopathology, and marginalization and the health and well-being of Latine families. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing soccer, and performing music.

Andy Torres is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology PhD program at UTRGV. He is a 1^st-generation-everything, mixed-raced, Latin American student researching issues related to the interplay between culture-mental health such as immigration, trauma, and disordered eating behaviors/body image.  He has 17 peer-reviewed publications and is representing UTRGV in the Texas Psychological Association Student Senate. His clinical experience includes NDDs, Internalizing and mood disorders, and severe/persistent mental health conditions. He enjoys photographing the RGV nature landscapes and blogging about philosophical inquires of psychology. 

Erin is a first-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at UTRGV. Originally from Tamaulipas, Mexico, she holds a Master of Arts in Clinical and Health Psychology from the Autonomous University of Tamaulipas and a Doctorate in Psychology with an emphasis on Quality of Life and Health from the Universidad de Guadalajara. In addition, she is a certified mindfulness teacher (CMT-P). Erin's research centers on the treatment of eating behaviors, particularly binge eating disorder, through third-generation therapies. With a strong background in mindfulness-based interventions, she has developed culturally sensitive treatments for obesity-related conditions. Under the mentorship of Dr. Alfonso Mercado, Erin is committed to exploring the impact of cultural factors on mental health, particularly within Latinx populations. Her work aims to close the gap in treatment effectiveness for diverse communities by integrating mindfulness and emotional regulation techniques. In her clinical experience in Mexico, Erin has provided therapy to patients with chronic conditions, and her research on obesity and mental health has resulted in four publications and a book. In her free time, she enjoys practicing yoga, nature, and spending quality time with family and friends.

Rebeca is a fourth-year clinical psychology doctoral student. Rebeca received her Bachelor of Arts in psychology and sociology in 2020 from the University of Arkansas. Broadly, her research interests include addressing Latinx mental health disparities and studying the impacts of prejudice and discrimination in marginalized populations. Currently under the mentorship of Dr. Alfonso Mercado, Rebeca’s research has focused on Latinx adolescent skin color, colorism, and mental health outcomes. Rebeca is also interested in exploring ways to advance equality, diversity, and inclusion in higher education within psychology. Rebeca is involved in the student committee for NLPA and serves as the research chair for the student committee of APA Division 45. In her free time, Rebeca enjoys crafting, watching scary movies, and spending time with her cat, Dottie.