Lab Manager
Huixin Deng
Hello! My name is Huixin Deng (she/her). I am the Lab Manager for the HEAL Lab at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, helping Dr. Violeta Rodriguez to coordinate and implement projects related parenting and mental health in minority communities. I received my BA in Psychology from Lafayette College in 2023 and MA in Clinical Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University in 2025. During my Master’s study, I developed a deep interest in youth development, family functioning, and health research.
My research interests centered around promoting positive development among youth through self-regulatory strategies and positive parenting. I am also interested in implementing contextually validated interventions to at-risk youth and their families. I hope to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology specialized in minority youth health.
In my free time, I enjoy painting, exploring museums, and spending time with friends. If you have any questions, reach out to me at hd37@illinois.edu!
Former Lab Staff
Brynn Peterson
Hello! My name is Brynn (Brett) Peterson (they/them). I am the former Lab Manager for the HEAL Lab at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, and now I am a doctoral student in Counseling Psychology at the University of Maryland, College Park. My research interests focus broadly on minority stress and, more specifically, on developing equity-oriented mental health interventions for identity-related trauma among sexual and gender minority populations. I have also examined how community-level racial diversity and cultural engagement affect subjective well-being, purpose, and mental health.
If you have any questions, feel free to still reach out to me at bnpeters@umd.edu!
Reach Out
My current email is vjrodrig@illinois.edu. If you do reach out about joining my lab, please include your CV.
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