People

Director: Dr. Violeta J. Rodriguez, PhD, MSEd

Dr. Violeta J. Rodriguez


I am a tenure-track Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign’s Department of Psychology Clinical Community Division. I completed my PhD at the University of Georgia (UGA), and before this attended the University of Miami (M.S.Ed.) and Florida International University (B.A.). I am a former Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellow (2017-2021), a PEO Scholar (2021-2022), and an NIMH R36 recipient (2021-2023).

The overall aims of my research are the following:

  • First, I aim to better understand causal and maintaining factors in youth and parent mental health disorders in understudied, underserved, and underprivileged groups, including health disparities in these groups.
  • Second, I am interested in developing improved assessment methods in parenting and family dynamics that are valid in different cultural, research, and clinical contexts.
  • Third, I aim to translate evidence-based health promotion strategies and interventions in underserved settings to promote health equity.

Specifically, my goals are to maximize the impact of research aimed at improving mental health outcomes and programs for children and families from understudied, underserved, and underprivileged backgrounds by improving quantification of the complex influence of parenting and family factors on the development of psychopathology.


Lab Manager: Brett Peterson

Brett Peterson

Hello! My name is Brett Peterson (they/them).  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 a BA in Philosophy from Baylor University and  then a MA in Psychology and from the University of Chicago where I worked as a graduate researcher with the Oishi Well-Being Lab. I also previously worked as an international educator in South Korea for three years. 

My research focuses on how racial diversity and cultural engagement impact subjective well-being and mental health, by exploring how experiences of cross-cultural engagement or alienation shape how people form personal values or process mental health challenges, such as traumatic events. I also aim to develop more culturally sensitive resources to help schools and mental health providers better support minoritized populations and capitalize on the strengths of diversity.

Outside of school and work, I enjoy practicing yoga, watching cooking shows, and reading travel memoirs. If you have any questions, reach out to me at bnp@illinois.edu!


Graduate Students:

Ashley Benhayoun

Hello! My name is Ashley Benhayoun (she/her), and I am a Clinical-Community Psychology PhD student at UIUC working with Dr. Violeta Rodriguez and in the HEAL lab! I received a BA in Psychology and Health and the Human Sciences from the University of Southern California in 2022. I then spent two years as a clinical research coordinator at Nationwide Children’s Hospital coordinating studies to improve child and family health and wellbeing in pediatric oncology and hematology.

My research interests focus on creating and implementing culturally tailored, evidence-based interventions, specifically those that involve parent–child relationships and family functioning, to improve mental health outcomes of minoritized youth and families, especially from LGBTQIA+ and racial minority populations and those with intersectional identities. I also aim to examine risk and protective factors influencing mental health outcomes of diverse youth and families, including parenting, cultural attitudes, and healthcare inequity.

I also enjoy spending time with my dog and eating. If you have any questions, reach out to me at ajb24@illinois.edu!

Yasmin Butt

My name is Yasmin Butt (she/her/ella). I am a Clinical-Community Psychology PhD student at The ​University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign working with my advisor Dr. Violeta Rodriguez in the Health, Equity, Action (HEAL) Lab. I received my BA in Psychology and Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies at Columbia University in 2019 and an MA in Clinical Psychology at the same institution in 2023. My research focuses on ​working towards a greater understanding of multicultural parent-child and ​reproductive issues across psychosocial cultural lines grounded in lived experience.

My research aims to enhance the mental and physical health of SGM BIPOC parents and their children through culturally humble evidence-based interventions that address health disparities and deepen understanding of determinants of health in parent-child dyads.

In my spare time, I enjoy exploring new bakeries and cafes, watching horror movies and traveling!  If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me at yasminb2@illinois.edu.

Antonia (Yuxin) Hua

Hi! I’m Antonia (Yuxin) Hua (she/they), a first-year master’s student in the Psychological Sciences Program, working with Dr. Violeta Rodriguez in the HEAL Lab. I was born and raised in Shanghai, China, to migrant worker parents. I earned my BA in Social Sciences with a concentration in Psychology from NYU Shanghai in 2024. During my undergraduate, I developed a broad interest in child and adolescent development, parenting, and psychopathology. 

My current research interests focus on exploring critical developmental shifts in adolescence and their links to psychopathology. Specifically, I’m interested in examining how risk and protective processes, such as parenting and emotion regulation, shape youth mental health outcomes and vulnerability to psychopathology. I am also passionate about understanding mental health disparities and health determinants among traditionally understudied and underserved populations, including racial, ethnic, sexual, and gender minority youth and families.

Outside of academics, you can find me experimenting with new recipes, exploring Chambana, and trying to pet every puppy that I see. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me at yuxinh9@illinois.edu.


Undergraduate RAs:

Aadarsh Nair

Hello! My name is Aadarsh Nair and I study Clinical Psychology and Spanish.

After graduation, I hope to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology and work with minoritized youth. My research interests include LGBTQIA+ research focusing on the factors that contribute to psychopathology.

Outside of school my interests include running and baking, and on campus, you can find me at the Gender & Sexuality Resource Center or the Counseling Center!

Arianna Guerra

Hi! My name is Arianna Guerra and I am a junior majoring in Integrative Biology with a minor in Psychology. I am currently on the pre-med track and hope to work with underserved populations to combat health inequalities. As such, I joined HEAL because it aligned with my desire to investigate health inequalities within underrepresented groups and create actionable steps to address any barriers.

In addition to HEAL, I am the Professional Development Chair in the American Medical Women’s Association and the President of LAS Leaders, where we volunteer at events hosted by the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and in the Champaign-Urbana community. I also work at the Illinois Leadership Center as a Leadership Certificate Specialist, assisting participants in completing the Leadership Certificate Program and I work as a Patient Care Tech at OSF Heart of Mary Medical Center.

On the weekends, I volunteer at Avicenna Community Health Center, which is a free clinic for the uninsured, where I serve as a Spanish interpreter and as a receptionist. Some ways I love to unwind include cooking new recipes, reading, and spending time with my family and bunny, Luna!

Ashley Yang

Hello! My name is Ashley Yang (she/they) and I am a junior majoring in Clinical/Community Psychology with a minor in Adult Development. I hope to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology to serve minoritized communities, including immigrant and LGBTQIA+ populations. Overall, I am interested in multiculturalism, identity formation, and mental health disorders. 

In addition to HEAL, I volunteer as a Harm Reduction Peer at the Counseling Center, where I advocate for safer substance use and harm reduction strategies among students. I also work at the Office of Diversity and Social Justice Education Department as an I-Connect Peer Educator, where I plan and facilitate 2 hour workshop discussions on diversity and social identity for first year and transfer students. I am also a part of the Undergraduate Psychology Association as the Public Relations Chair.

In my free time I love to journal, watch movies, and add music to my hundreds of playlists.

Bryana Perez

Hi! My name is Bryana Perez. I am a sophomore, double majoring in Clinical/Community Psychology and Spanish. I hope to attend graduate school and obtain a PhD in clinical psychology! My specific interests in psychology are mental health disorders, interpersonal relationships, and identity formation.

Outside the HEAL lab, I am involved in Illini Service Dogs, where we train dogs from puppies to adulthood, and place them to individuals with disabilities at no cost. I am also a research assistant for the MOSAIC (Minds on Social groups and Identity Cognition) Lab at UIUC, a reporter for The Daily Illini, and a billingual crisis counselor! 

Beyond academics, I love to read, bake, and spend time with friends!

Flor Quiroz

Hi! I am Flor Quiroz, a senior double majoring in clinical-community psychology and Spanish. I am currently applying to graduate school and hope to pursue my PhD in clinical psychology to work with underrepresented communities to better therapeutic practices and understand the role of language barriers and intersectionality in clinical practice. My goal is to orient my work to address health equity. 

In addition to HEAL, I am a TRIO McNair Scholar working on individual research projects with staff mentorship. I am part of the Campus Honors Program and am the mentorship program co-chair, helping first-year students receive support in their transition to college. I am also part of the Physical Activity and Neurocognitive Health Lab (PNC) in the kinesiology department, studying the effects of physical activity on cognitive function. 

Outside of academics, I love exploring culture through dance and am the president and director La Fuerza Flamenca, a flamenco fusion dance company. I also volunteer as an interpreter for The Immigration Project and try to volunteer my weekends to work at the Daily Bread Soup Kitchen.

Jessica Chen

Hello friends! My name is Jessica Chen. I am a sophomore majoring in psychology with a minor in creative writing! I’d love to pursue my PhD and eventually become a professor specializing in clinical psychology. My research interests, although vast, are largely geared toward empowering minorities and immigrants in the healthcare system.

I am a James Scholar involved in the undergraduate neuroscience journal, Brain Matters, as an editor and a writer! This semester, I am excited to compose an article about the influence of language acquisition on neurological development in adulthood! Connectively, I find studying languages very fascinating. I aspire to be conversational in Spanish, Arabic, and Hindi, and professionally fluent in Mandarin. Additionally, I volunteer as a crisis counselor in my spare time. 

To relax, I tend to gravitate toward cooking, baking, and dancing.

Laith Smeir

My name is Laith Smeir and I am a junior majoring in Clinical-Community Psychology and minoring in Business. After graduating, I hope to pursue a PhD in Counseling and work as a clinician one day. Generally speaking, my specific interests within psychology include substance abuse, the relationship between physical and mental wellbeing, trauma, and psychopharmacology. 

Outside of the HEAL Lab, I am also involved in the Counseling Center Paraprofessional Program, where I work as a peer educator. You can also find me in the Alcohol Research Lab, which I have been a part of as a research assistant since Fall 2023. 

Outside of work, I enjoy cooking, weightlifting, fishing, watching MMA, and bothering my roommate’s cats.

Miranda Gessert

My name is Miranda Gessert (she/they). I am a senior double majoring in Clinical/Community Psychology and Sociology with a minor in Criminology, Law, & Society. My post-graduate goal is to gain experience in social services before ultimately pursuing a master’s in social work and becoming a school social worker. My academic interests are mental health disparities among underrepresented populations, especially LGBTQ+ youth, and the different structural/policy implications these disparities have. 

On campus, you can often find me working at the Illini Union Bookstore. I am also a James Scholar, and the Communications & Community Outreach Chair of UIUC’s chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta, an international honor society of sociology.

Outside of school, I have a passion for music and have sung in various choirs and musicals over the past 15 years. I also enjoy reading and playing video games!


Reach Out

My current email is vjrodrig@illinois.edu. If you do reach out about joining my lab, please include your CV.