Graduate Students

Abby Slovick (she/her) is a doctoral student in the Policy, Politics, and Leadership cluster in the School of Education. Her research interests encompass a variety of topics including technology in education, district governance, and democratic education.

Abby’s current research projects...Read more about Abby Slovick

Alexandrea Creer Kahn began her journey as a doctoral student in the Berkeley School of Education's Leaders for Equity and Democracy (LEAD) in 2023. Alexandrea's research areas of focus include equity within teacher education, teacher residencies, and identity affirming teacher education...Read more about Alexandrea Creer Kahn

Ankita Rakhe (she/her) is a doctoral student in Cohort 2 of the Leaders in Equity and Democracy program. She has been a Student Affairs practitioner for 20 years with a deep investment in diversity, equity and inclusion advocacy; conflict mediation; and leadership coaching, all with a holistic...Read more about Ankita Rakhe

Anna Zarkh is a PhD candidate in the Graduate Group in Science and Mathematics Education (SESAME). She holds BA and MA degrees in Mathematics, and a teaching certificate from Israel. Anna’s research focuses on university mathematics education, specializing in socio-cultural theories,...Read more about Anna Zarkh

Arlyn Moreno Luna is a doctoral candidate in the Critical Studies of Race, Class, and Gender program at UC Berkeley’s School of Education. Her scholarly interests include access and equity in higher education for first-generation and traditionally underrepresented students; students’...Read more about Arlyn Moreno Luna

Ashley Zhou is a PhD student in the Joint Doctoral Program in Special Education at the UC Berkeley School of Education and San Francisco State University. Originally from New Jersey, she completed her undergraduate thesis on Asian American women’s mental health and affective responses to...Read more about Ashley Zhou

Bowen is passionate about promoting the crucial role of input in learning a foreign language, that is, reading/listening to/watching what fascinates the learner in large amounts. He hopes to bridge the gap between research and the language learning/teaching practice by translating research-based...Read more about Bowen Wang

Brittney's research is focused on language development and, in particular, how children develop relational concepts through social interaction and embodied activity. Her current projects are related to language development among children who communicate using Augmentative and Alternative...Read more about Brittney Cooper

Cassandra Yee (She/her/ella) is a third year PhD student in the School Psychology program at the Berkeley School of Education. She received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the University of Arizona in 2021. Cassandra’s current research focuses primarily on Latine immigrant youth risk and...Read more about Cassandra Yee

In a radically interconnected world, Catherine’s research focuses on how ethical, sociocultural, educational desires have turned toward the global. More specifically, she situates her current research project in rapidly urbanizing spaces in China, where urban development and the growth of...Read more about Catherine Park

Collette is a PhD student working at the intersection of Computer Science (CS) Education and Learning Sciences (LS). She has worked across a number of critical computing education projects and their respective incredible teams. One such incredible team includes Dr. Michelle Wilkerson and...Read more about Collette Roberto

Corrine Aramburo is a doctoral candidate in the Joint Doctoral Program in Special Education at UC Berkeley and San Francisco State University. Her research interests include special education teacher preparation; special education teacher knowledge; on-site administration; special...Read more about Corrine Aramburo

Cristina S. Méndez is a PhD student in the Critical Studies of Race, Class and Gender. She is also pursuing a designated emphasis in Indigenous Language Revitalization. Her research interests span disciplines, drawing on sociology, ethnic studies, migration studies, among others. Through her...Read more about Cristina Méndez

David is a formerly incarcerated PhD candidate in the School of Education. He grew up in Berkeley and Oakland and is interested in refusing/unsettling/troubling the logics of the university and the Carceral State from an abolitionist autonomous sensibility....Read more about David Maldonado

David Stevens is a doctoral student in the Social Research Methodologies cluster at the UC Berkeley School of Education. His research interests center on the development of alternative models for educational data analysis and their practical applications including informing instructional...Read more about David Stevens

Edwin Carlos (He/Him) is a 1st year PhD student in the School Psychology program at the School of Education. He is a 2nd generation Filipino American from Renton, Wash., and graduated with a Bachelor's of Arts in psychology and a minor in education from Stanford University in 2020....Read more about Edwin Carlos

Ekene Azuka is a PhD student in the School Psychology Program within the Berkeley School of Education (BSE). Prior to joining the BSE, Ekene received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Cognitive Studies and Psychology from Vanderbilt University's Peabody College in 2021.

As a graduate...Read more about Ekene Azuka

Elaine Luo is a PhD candidate in the School Psychology Program at Berkeley School of Education (BSE). Prior to joining the BSE, Elaine received her MEd in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2020 and her BA in Education Sciences from the University of...Read more about Elaine (Hua) Luo

Emely N. Lugo (she/ella) is a first-year doctoral student in the School Psychology Program at UC Berkeley's School of Education (BSE).

Before joining BSE, Emely pursued her studies in Psychology and Child Development at California State University, San Bernardino. Her research...Read more about Emely Lugo

Emily Reich (she/her) is a first-year doctoral student in the Policy, Politics, and Leadership cluster in the School of Education. She comes to graduate school with questions about the ways in which bureaucracy and the school staff who wield it shape the educational lives of marginalized...Read more about Emily Reich

Enrique Valencia López is a PhD student in the Policy, Politics and Leadership cluster at the School of Education. His research interests relate to three broad areas: the stratification of education by gender, immigration status and ethnicity; the measurement of teacher working conditions...Read more about Enrique Valencia López

Eric Assan (He/Him) is a 1st year Master's degree student in the Policy, Politics, and Leadership cluster in the School of Education. He is also pursuing a graduate certificate in Applied Data Science. He is an awardee of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, a fully funded...Read more about Eric Assan

Francis Rojas has been an educational leader at the two largest and diverse high schools in the Bay Area over the last 20 year - James Logan High School in Union City, Calif., (2002-2017) and Milpitas High School in Milpitas, Calif., (2017-current). He has served in various roles from...Read more about Francis Rojas

Franklin B. Mejía received a BA and a Masters in Education at the University of California, San Diego and is currently a 4th year graduate student in the School of Education at the University of California, Berkeley. Currently, he is finalizing his third prequalifying paper and is studying for...Read more about Franklin B. Mejía

Griffin has been an educator in Oakland middle schools since 2017. He is a math teacher, and has served in various roles including grade level chair, instructional coach, curriculum consultant, and instructional leadership team subcommittee lead. Additionally, Griffin has led school team’s in...Read more about Griffin Munzel

As a child, Ali and his family immigrated to the United States from Pakistan and settled in Englewood, New Jersey. As a proud New Jerseyan, he earned his Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences at Rutgers University–New Brunswick, followed by a Master's degree in Biological Science Education at...Read more about Haider Ali Bhatti

Hoyun Kim is a PhD student in the Policy, Politics, and Leadership cluster at the School of Education. Her research interests lie in the experiences of students in higher education and examining postsecondary institutions as organizations: topics pertaining to student agency, equity,...Read more about Hoyun Kim

Ilke Bayazitli is a first-year doctoral student in the School Psychology program at UC Berkeley. She received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Boğaziçi University in 2021. She then received her master's degree in Psychological Science with a concentration in Social, Personality, and...Read more about Ilke Bayazitli

Isaac Felix (he/him/his) is a doctoral student at UC Berkeley’s School of Education. Originally from Tijuana, Baja California, México, Isaac grew up crossing the México-U.S. border daily to attend public schools in San Diego. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Human Biology and Society and...Read more about Isaac Felix

Isabella Ahrens is a fifth-year doctoral candidate in the School Psychology Program. She is currently working at an elementary and high school in San Francisco Unified School District as a school psychology intern. Isabella has engaged in assessment, consultation, and therapy practicum...Read more about Isabella Ahrens

Isabella C. Brown is both a Marcus Foster and Chancellor’s Doctoral Incentive Program Fellow. She holds an MA from San Francisco State University and is a second-year PhD student in the Joint Doctoral Program with the University of California, Berkeley. In Spring 2019, she was appointed to the...Read more about Isabella Brown

Jackie is a PhD student in the School Psychology Program under the advisement of Professor Frank Worrell. Jackie’s primary research interest include: understanding the educational experiences of low income, Latine students; parent education as a mediator for Latine students academic...Read more about Jackie Lopez Santiago

Jake grew up in rural New Hampshire in a family of teachers, and learned to admire educators from an early age. In college, he did his best to reconcile his interests in climate science and storytelling, graduating from Harvard with a BA in Environmental Science & Public Policy and a minor...Read more about Jacob Barton

Jacqueline Anton is a student in the Joint Doctoral Program in Special Education. Her research addresses embodied mathematics interventions for students with moderate/ extensive support needs. She is also interested in inclusive mathematics pedagogy and teacher education. Her work is inspired by...Read more about Jacqueline Anton

Ja’Nya is a second year PhD student in the Education Policy, Politics and Leadership cluster. She is a proud East Coast native, raised in the “DMV”: DC, Maryland, Virginia region. She started her career as a Special Education Teacher and case manager, eventually transitioning into roles around...Read more about Ja’Nya Banks

Jennie Greenstein is a 4th year PhD candidate in the School Psychology Program in the Berkeley School of Education.

Jennie’s research interests include universal social-emotional learning interventions to promote student well-being, as well as school-based mental health services designed...Read more about Jennie Greenstein

Jeremy Martin is a doctoral candidate and Eugene Cota Robles Fellow at the University of California at Berkeley. He studies the politics of philanthropic organizations and their involvement in K-12 public education with a particular focus on foundations that are created by Black people. More...Read more about Jeremy Martin

Jin Hyung Lim is a PhD student in the 2022 cohort of the School Psychology Program at the Berkeley School of Education. He is a recipient of a prestigious scholarship for his five-year PhD study funded by Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies (KFAS). He obtained BA in Education (with Summa Cum...Read more about Jin Hyung Lim

Jose R. Aguilar Jr. is an enthusiastic and driven scholar educator, bringing a wealth of experience and a reliable commitment to addressing systemic issues in education. Born out of his personal experiences as a first-generation college student and a keen observer of the challenges faced by...Read more about Jose Aguilar

Joy Esboldt is a doctoral candidate in the Critical Studies of Race, Class, and Gender cluster at the University of California, Berkeley’s School of Education. Her research focuses on teachers’ learning about race, racism, and anti-racism as it intersects with gender and cultural politics. Joy’s...Read more about Joy Esboldt

Julia Zhu is a doctoral candidate in the Critical Studies of Race, Class, and Gender program at UC Berkeley’s School of Education. Her work explores the ways that college students in China perceive social class and meritocracy, and how social economic and educational changes have shaped their...Read more about Julia Zhu

Julien Putz is a first-year doctoral student in the Graduate Group of Science and Mathematics Education (SESAME) at UC Berkeley. His primary advisor is Prof. Dor Abrahamson and he is an active member of the Embodied Design Research Laboratory. He is interested in understanding and modelling the...Read more about Julien Putz

Julissa is a third year PhD student in the School Psychology program at UC Berkeley. She was born and raised in Southern California to two hard-working immigrant parents from Mexico and El Salvador. Julissa, a first generation college student, completed her undergraduate studies at UC Irvine and...Read more about Julissa Navas

July Córdoba is a candidate for the Masters In Educational Leadership at the Principal Leadership Institute.

July brings over 15 years of experience in the field of education. She has worked in several capacities and in multiple school districts in her native Colombia, the Bay Area, and...Read more about July Córdoba

Keldon Clegg is a Master's degree candidate in the 23rd cohort of the Principal Leadership Institute program at UC Berkeley's School of Education. His academic interests in education include digital privacy, media literacy, and community engagement.

Keldon currently serves as a leader at...Read more about Keldon Clegg

Kelly is a fourth year doctoral student at the University of California, Berkeley in the Learning Sciences and Human Development cluster in the School of Education. As a former science teacher in Oakland, Calif., Kelly’s work is deeply informed by her teaching experience and former students. In...Read more about Kelly Billings

Kesha Jenkins, M.Ed., is a graduate student in the Principal Leadership Institute (PLI) program. She has worked in the Los Angeles Unified School District, Oakland Unified School District, and Berkeley Unified School District in various positions. She received her Master of Education and...Read more about Kesha Jenkins

Kevin Quintero (He/Him/His) is a PhD student in the Policy, Politics, and Leadership cluster at UC Berkeley’s School of Education. Kevin’s research interests are using methodological and theoretical approaches to reveal the causes of political, social, and educational inequalities. His current...Read more about Kevin Quintero

Krina, a Kenyan-born Indian, has always been intrigued by the diverse educational systems across different countries. Her passion for engineering design was sparked during her senior year of high school when a baking mishap inspired her to pursue an engineering degree at Penn State....Read more about Krina Patel

Kyla Kemble (she/her) is a PhD student in the 2021 cohort of the School Psychology program, under the advisement of Dr. Frank C. Worrell. A New Jersey native, she received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology Honors at Seton Hall University in 2021.

Kyla’s current research focuses on...Read more about Kyla Kemble

A California Bay Area native, Laleh has always been interested in education, music, writing, and people. In her 20s, she discovered a passion for human health and began studying biology at the local community college. As an undergraduate, she was involved in research in molecular biology;...Read more about Laleh Coté

As a Learning Scientist, Darryl's research investigates how STEM students can academically excel within oppressive social systems filled with negative gender and racial stereotypes.

He is interested in designing means, as informed by the theory of embodied cognition, by which...Read more about Lieutenant Darryl Diptee

Lizzy (she/they) has worked with schools, arts organizations, hospitals and camps to implement healing centered, arts-integrated pedagogy and curriculum. She moved to California in 2020 and currently works as a Literacy Specialist and Instructional Coach for Seneca's five Therapeutic Day schools...Read more about Lizzy May

Mai Xi Lee began her journey in the Leaders for Equity and Democracy (LEAD) program at Berkeley School of Education in the summer of 2021.

She has served in K-12 school school systems in a variety of roles, including bilingual paraeducator; elementary teacher; high school counselor and...Read more about Mai Xi Lee

Malcolm Norrington is a lifelong, holistic, systems thinker with experience as an administrator (vice principal and summer school principal, 2019–2023) at Foothill High School in Pleasanton, California.

Malcolm is currently the principal at El Cerrito Senior High School (2023–present) in...Read more about Malcolm Norrington

María Rojas is a PhD candidate at the UC Berkeley School of Education. She earned her bachelor’s degree in social communications from the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and worked as a journalist for international affairs at CNN Chile. María immersed herself in the realm of education...Read more about María Rojas

Mark Pommer is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program at UC Berkeley. Mark received his EdS in school psychology from Columbia University. His current research interests include bilingual evaluations, second language acquisition, and addressing disproportionality of English...Read more about Mark Pommer

Meg Escudé is a phd student in the Learning Sciences and Human Development cluster. Her research engages community-based afterschool educators in the co-development of liberatory learning experiences for young people. Meg has over 12 years of experience as an educator and program director in...Read more about Meg Escudé

Meg Everett is a Regent’s Fellow and doctoral student in the Learning Sciences and Human Development program with a Designated Emphasis in New Media. Her research interests include critical media literacy, participatory technologies, computer-mediated learning and communication, and the...Read more about Meg Everett

Monica Thomas is a doctoral candidate in Cohort 1 of the Leadership for Equity and Democracy (LEAD) program in the UC Berkeley School of Education. Her research interests include school improvement and central office reform and the role local politics and community engagement play in...Read more about Monica Thomas

Nathaly Santos is a doctoral student within the Policy, Politics, and Leadership cluster at the Berkeley School of Education. Her broad research interests include equity and justice in higher education through an organizational lens, with a more specific focus on the Latinx student experience...Read more about Nathaly Santos

Nicole Cedillo is an accomplished educator, researcher, and advocate for equitable education with a rich background in history, feminist studies, and English language development. With a Master of Arts in History from Tufts University and a Bachelor of Arts in Feminist Studies and History from...Read more about Nicole Cedillo

Nicole is a third year PhD student in the School Psychology program within the School of Education. She graduated from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Oneonta in 2019 with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Educational Psychology.

She is currently focusing her research on...Read more about Nicole Faraci

Olufemi “Femi” Ogundele (he/him/his) became a doctoral student in UC Berkeley's educational doctorate, Leaders for Equity and Democracy (LEAD) in 2021. In his capacity as Associate Vice Chancellor of Admissions & Enrollment at Berkeley, Femi provides vision, strategy and leadership in...Read more about Olufemi Ogundele

Pa Vue is a PhD student in the Critical Studies of Race, Class, and Gender cluster at the School of Education at UC Berkeley. She is also in the Designated Emphasis in Indigenous Language Revitalization. Her research interests are in Hmong language resilience, reclamation, and revitalization....Read more about Pa Vue

Prince Estanislao (he/they) is a student in the Joint Doctoral Program in Special Education. He serves as an intern supervisor and course instructor at San Francisco State University (SFSU). Furthermore, he is a Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) contributing to both the Berkeley Center for the...Read more about Prince Estanislao

Qifan Zhang is a PhD student in the Graduate School of Education at the University of California, Berkeley, with a concentration in Policy, Politics, and Leadership. Qifan graduated from Tianjin University and received her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. From there, she continued...Read more about Qifan Zhang

Quennie Dong is a third-year doctoral student in the School Psychology program at the University of California, Berkeley. Quennie graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a BA in Psychology and Social Behavior and a minor in Education. She then attended Florida International...Read more about Quennie Dong

Ratih is a first-year PhD student in the cluster of Learning Science and Human Development (LSHD) and is interested in embodied cognition, design-based research, ethnomathematics, cultural funds of knowledge, and cross-cultural epistemic diversity.

She obtained her BA from Universitas...Read more about Ratih Ayu Apsari

Samuel Santos Jr. [he/him/his], began his journey in UC Berkeley’s educational doctorate, Leaders for Equity and Democracy (LEAD), in 2021.

He is a student affairs practitioner with nearly two decades of experience in post-secondary settings. Passionate about equity, access...Read more about Samuel Santos Jr.

Sara Stone has committed her 28 year career in education to creating equitable, welcoming, and joyful experiences for every child. She works collaboratively to produce safe, engaging, and rigorous learning environments where all students are able to thrive. Ms. Stone currently works as the...Read more about Sara Stone

Sarah Manchanda is pursuing a PhD in School Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. Her lived experiences as a disabled woman of color shape her research interests, clinical work, and advocacy efforts in graduate school. Sarah is driven by a firm commitment to promote inclusive...Read more about Sarah Manchanda

Shartresa is currently the Literacy TSA and AVID site coordinator at United for Success Academy. Ms. Nixon also facilitates the second Wednesday professional development for middle school reading intervention teachers in the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD). She is an OUSD 2022–23 Teacher...Read more about Shartresa Nixon

Siqi is a PhD student in the Graduate Group of Science and Mathematics Education (SESAME) at UC Berkeley, where she is guided by the expertise of Professor Alan H. Schoenfeld. She plays an active role in two research groups: the Functions group and the Teaching for Robust Understanding (TRU)...Read more about Siqi Huang

Sofia Tancredi conducts design-based research on sensory and perceptual aspects of learning with an emphasis on neurodiverse learners’ sensory experiences, drawing upon embodied cognition theory. Her work is inspired by her background working with K-12 learners, particularly students identified...Read more about Sofia Tancredi

Tamar is a Peer Resources Teacher and Program Coordinator at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Academic Middle School in the Portola neighborhood in San Francisco. She is working toward her Administrative Credential through Berkeley's Principal Leadership Institute in the hopes of becoming a school...Read more about Tamar Sberlo

Umara Hansen (she/her/hers) is a first year doctoral student in the School Psychology program at UC Berkeley. Umara attended the University of Ottawa, Canada and graduated with the highest distinction of Honours in Psychology, BSc where she studied the impact of stress on wellbeing through...Read more about Umara Hansen

Viviane is currently a doctoral student in School Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley working under the supervision of Dr. Elliot Turiel. She is also a nationally certified school psychologist and a registered psychological assistant. Her decision to enter school psychology...Read more about Viviane Chang

Weiying is a PhD candidate in Learning Sciences and Human Development cluster in the School of Education at UC Berkeley, with a Designated Emphasis in New Media. Her current research focuses on: 1) designing culturally responsive pedagogy using educational technologies, 2) designing adaptive...Read more about Weiying Li

Xingyao Xiao is a doctoral candidate in Social Research Methodologies at the University of California, Berkeley. Her research centers on the application of advanced statistical methods, including Bayesian Inference, Multilevel, and Longitudinal (Latent Variable) Modeling, particularly...Read more about Xingyao (Doria) Xiao

Xinyu (Celia) Wei is a second-year Master’s student in the Learning Sciences and Human Development program at the School of Education at UC Berkeley. As an international scholar from China, Xinyu desires to help students celebrate productive struggles, leverage everyday experiences, and...Read more about Xinyu (Celia) Wei

Yared is a PhD student in the Learning Sciences and Human Development cluster at UC Berkeley’s School of Education with a focus on Language, Literacy, and Culture. Before graduate school, Yared was a community organizer and educator in South Philadelphia where she worked with the Latinx...Read more about Yared Portillo

Yi (Joe) Zhou is an international student from China. He is a PhD student in the Learning Sciences and Human Development cluster at UC Berkeley's School of Education, advised by Professor Elliot Turiel. Yi is hugely interested in the broad topic of morality, and enjoys reading ethical theories...Read more about Yi Zhou

Zoe Silverman is a doctoral student in Learning Sciences & Human Development at UC Berkeley. She is interested in object-based teaching and learning, embodied cognition, sensory studies, inquiry and interpretation in the arts, museum historiography, and joint attention. Her current project...Read more about Zoe Silverman

Zohal is a doctoral student in Berkeley's Learning Sciences and Human Development program. She fervently believes in including learners, practitioners, and community voices in research design and development. Through a collaborative approach, she aspires to understand how youth develop critical...Read more about Zohal Shah