Clinical Crises and Emergencies Research (CCER) Laboratory
CCER Lab Website
Bruce Bongar, Ph.D., ABPP, FACLP, CPsychol, CSci
Calvin Distinguished Professor of Psychology
bbongar@paloaltou.edu and
professorbongar@gmail.com
Current Lab Members
Admitted 2022
Francesco Yepez-Coello, B.A.
Colin is currently a Ph.D. student in the Clinical Psychology program at Palo Alto University. He received a B.A. in political science with minors in religion and Middle East and South Asian studies from Wake Forest University and a M.A. in forensic psychology from the University of North Dakota. His research interests include courage, resilience, and global mental health. Colin's clinical interests involve working with a diverse clientele in an integrated health care setting. He is particularly interested in implementing positive psychology-related techniques and strength-based approaches to build client resilience. His career interests include potentially working as a clinical psychologist for an international NGO (e.g., with the United Nations).
Francesco is in his second year of the Clinical Psychology PhD program at Palo Alto University. He is originally from Peru, and moved to Virginia in the United States at age nine. Francesco received a B.A. in Psychology from George Mason University in 2015. Since then, he has worked in psychiatric hospitals, private research firms, and mental health agencies that serve marginalized communities. His current research interests include developing Spanish-language, culturally sensitive suicide risk assessments as well as working with law enforcement to mititgate the risk violence during crisis interventions. In his spare time, Francesco loves to explore the outdoors and experiment with new recipes in the kitchen.
Colin Simsarian, M. A.
Alex McDonough, B.A.
Ruby McCoy, B.A., M.S., M.S.
Alex is a second-year Ph.D. student in the Clinical Psychology program at Palo Alto University. She received her B.A. in psychology & criminal justice from The University of Alabama (roll tide!). Her research interests include psychological & emotional trauma, psychosexual behaviors, feminist psychology, and suicide risk assessment & crisis intervention. Her career interests include administering psychological assessments (forensic, intellectual, and personality); working with adults with complex trauma (CPTSD); and working with individuals with physical disabilities, chronic pain, and chronic illness.
Admitted 2021
Elia Mattke, B.S.
Elia is a second-year student in the Clinical Psychology doctorate program at PAU. Her interest in pediatric populations led her to aspire to work with Dr. Bongar, who has a rich background in psychology with pediatric populations. She is currently involved in research regarding resilience factors, social factors, and protective mechanisms working to support pediatric oncology patients. In the future, she hopes to expand her research to assess effective therapeutic interventions for children fighting childhood cancer as well as childhood cancer survivors. For fun, Elia spends time with her three dogs and three horses who live with her in the Bay Area!
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Sydney Hernandez, B.S.
Sydney is currently a PhD student in the Clinical Psychology program at Palo Alto University. She received her B.S. in psychology with a minor in biology. Her research interests include suicide and intergenerational transmission of trauma and other trauma-related disorders. Her clinical interests include working with Spanish speaking and bilingual children and their families in an integrated health care setting.
Jason Woodruff, B.S.
Jason is in his second year of the clinical psychology Ph.D. program in the adult trauma emphasis. Jason is interested in working with military personnel and their families and plans on becoming an army psychologist. He currently studies suicide and violence risk assessment and the training in those fields offered at APA-accredited Ph.D. programs and internship sites throughout the U.S. He is also interested in military mental health, particularly risk assessment and management in active-duty servicemembers. Jason received his B.S. in Psychology with an emphasis in clinical psychology and statistical analysis from Brigham Young University. He is an avid board game player with an ever-growing collection.
Roshni Joseph, M.S.
Roshni is a second-year student of the Clinical Psychology PhD program at Palo Alto University (PAU) and is pursing the forensic track specialty. She was born and raised in California and attended the University of California, Davis where she received her bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2018. Roshni joined PAU in 2019 as part of the master’s cohort and transferred into the PhD program in 2021. Her research and clinical interests are primarily focused on working with forensic and military populations including first responders, veterans, and adults with histories of incarceration across topic breadths of substance use, addiction, serious mental illness, and suicidality. Roshni’s research, thus far, has included collaborating on datasets looking at mental health trends of first responders who attended a post-trauma retreat center in Northern California, studying the dissemination of training techniques for risk assessments, and assisting in the development of culturally adaptable curriculum for public safety agencies. She also recently collaborated on a project that addressed suicide prevention protocol for an Eastern European military organization. Roshni is looking forward to expanding her research within CCER to study culturally informed practices and training, to explore co-response models within law enforcement, and to add to the research regarding mental health services for veterans and first responders and how that can relate to social justice issues related to race, discrimination, and stigma. Outside of CCER, you can find Roshni involved with other student groups and organizations such as the eClinic and Psi Chi.
Addison Shemin, M.A., M.S.– addisonshemin@paloaltou.edu
​Addison is in her second year of the clinical psychology Ph.D. program in the forensic area of emphasis. Addison is predominantly interested in co-response models for collaborative care between police officers and mental health professional during crisis intervention and emergency care. She is also studying methods of suicide and risk assessment used by law enforcement and mental health practitioners and their effectiveness for adult populations with SMI. Additionally, she is examining the intersectionality of trauma that individuals with SMI experience during criminal justice system interactions and methods that can be used to promote feelings of safety during clinical emergencies. Addison received an M.A. in cultural anthropology from the University of Arkansas with an emphasis in psychological anthropology and a M.S. degree in psychology from Palo Alto University.
Ruby is a second-year student in the Clinical Psychology PhD program at Palo Alto University and is additionally enrolled in an ASL certificate program. She has completed a double master’s in psychology, with a concentration in industrial/organizational psychology, and thanatology, with concentrations in suicide studies and traumatic bereavement. Ruby continues to seek new knowledge through Health and LGBTQ+ psychology areas of emphasis. When she is not gathering clinical hours through the Sexual and Gender Identities Clinic, Ruby researches topics such as homicide-suicide, LGBTQ+ culture and disability culture, and nearly anything to do with death. She is the current president of the Coalition for Disability Advocacy and Education and vice president of the Geek Culture Club. As she enjoys finding meaning within the human experience of prolonged suffering, she hopes to continue her research as a full-time academic. Ruby collects nail polish and video games and enjoys quality time with her fiancé Stephen and their German Shepherd Nutmeg, both of whom are excellent conversationalists.
Admitted 2020
Erin O'Connell, M.S.– eoconnell@paloaltou.edu
Erin (she/her) is 5th-year doctoral candidate in Clinical Psychology at PAU. She is in the neuropsychology area of emphasis. Erin has completed practicum training at Kaiser Foundation Center for Rehabilitation, San Francisco Neuropsychology, Medical Hill Healthcare Center, the Palo Alto VA, and the Sexual and Gender Identities Clinic (SGIC) at the Gronowski Center. Erin is interested in complex clinical presentations, including acute neurological injury and comorbid psychiatric conditions. In CCER, she has enjoyed researching suicide risk assessment, the cultural considerations of suicidal behavior, and the psychology of courage and physical bravery. She also has research interests in cognition and aging. Erin will complete her predoctoral internship at the Portland VA Medical Center during the upcoming training year.
Sam Loomis, M.A.– sloomis@paloaltou.edu
Sam is a third-year clinical psychology Ph.D. student at Palo Alto University. He is interested in research related to suicide prevention, resilience, and community mental health. Sam received a BA in history from Kenyon College in 2014 and an MA in world history & cultures from King’s College London in 2015. He previously worked as a human resources specialist and volunteered with Samaritans of New York, a 24-hour crisis hotline. Sam is originally from Santa Barbara, California and currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Admitted 2019
Alexandra Padilla, M.S.– apadilla@paloaltou.edu
Alexa is a fourth-year graduate student in the Ph.D. Clinical Psychology program. Alexa is passionate about representing and serving ethnic minority populations, an interest that stems from her cultural roots in Jalisco, Mexico. Recognizing that Latinx populations are largely underserved, Alexa strives to serve as their advocate in her clinical, research, and community involvement. Alexa's current practicum placement is at the Community Health Awareness Council (CHAC), where she provides bilingual services (i.e. English and Spanish) to Latinx populations. Alexa is also in the Pediatric Behavioral Health Care emphasis. Some of Alexa’s interests are: suicide prevention for Spanish speaking Latinx populations, generational differences in substance use and suicide prevalence among immigrant families, child and family psychotherapy, and influences of early trauma on psychopathy development.
Bianca Eloi, M.S.
Bianca Eloi graduated from San Diego State University in 2012, with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in Portuguese. During her time as an undergraduate, she was a part of the Health Outcomes Research Lab, focusing on research on supportive services for individuals with Alzheimer’s. Disease She continued her education at Long Island University, Brooklyn where she earned her Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling in 2015. Following graduation, from 2015 to 2018, Bianca worked as a Program Lead at an inpatient residential psychiatric rehabilitation facility in San Diego. In 2018, she began the Clinical Psychology PhD program at Palo Alto University, where she is completing the Forensics Area of Emphasis. Her research and clinical interests are focused on forensic population, trauma, and global mental health. She is a student affiliate of APA Division 56 (Trauma Psychology), Division 52 (International Psychology) and Division 15 (Educational Psychology).
Erik Wendel Rice, M.S.
Tina Thach, M.A., M.S.– tthach@paloaltou.edu
Erik Wendel Rice is a fourth-year PhD student in the Diversity and Community Mental Health emphasis at PAU. After graduating with a BA in psychology from CSU Monterey Bay, he spent four years case managing an outreach program for providing housing to homeless men. He came to Palo Alto University to focus on resilience and cultural factors that influence homelessness and addiction. He joined the CCER to work with a range of populations and will be focusing on studying diverse populations in a multitude of settings. He will be attempting to do work in a range of theoretical and clinical settings.
Tina is a fourth-year PhD student at PAU. She is originally from Upstate New York, and she graduated from New York University with her BA and MA. Tina recently completed practicums at BAART, which focused on the treatment of dual diagnoses, and The HOPE Program, where she worked with clients who committed sexual offenses. Tina is currently a Psychology Extern at the SFVA, where she provides individual and group therapy to veterans. Her research interests include the psychology of cults and graduate-level training in suicide and violence risk assessment.
Admitted 2018
Abbie Brady, M.S.
Abbie is a 5th year PhD student in the Trauma emphasis of the Clinical Psychology program. She received her BA from Ashland University in Ashland, OH. During this time she served as a research assistant on projects involving the replication crisis, and a clinical intern at an adult group home. Abbie’s clinical interests include working with veterans and active duty military members, and recovery-based models of treatment. Her research interests revolve around the same populations and specifically involve military cultural competence, social support, and unit cohesion. Abbie is currently completing her internal practicum at the Gronowski Center and is a research extern at the National Center for PTSD at PAVA: Menlo Park Division.
Anna Feinman, M.S., MFT
Anna Feinman is a 5th year student in the Clinical Psychology PhD program at PAU where she is looking forward to completing the Forensic Area of Emphasis. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Political Science from University of California, Santa Barbara and her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from University of Southern California. Anna completed her MFT Internship at Ventura County Behavioral Health working with SMI adolescents and their families. Anna was previously a student therapist at the Gronowski Clinic and the HOPE Program, working with paroled individuals who have committed sexual offenses. She also completed a practicum rotation at Adventist Health Vallejo, an inpatient psychiatric locked facility. Her primary research interests include the psychology of terrorism and murder-suicide, access to lethal means, and risk assessment and management.
Jacie Brown, M.S. – jbrown1@paloaltou.edu
Jacie Brown is a Doctoral Candidate in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at PAU. She has completed the Forensic Area of Emphasis. She received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Ferris State University. She was a student clinician at the Gronowski Clinic from June 2018-June 2019. Jacie was a student clinician at the HOPE Program in San Francisco from June 2019-May 2021. She has forensic experience working for a rehabilitation and reentry program specializing in individuals convicted of sexual offenses. She has also been a student clinician specializing in neuropsychological, psychodiagnostic, cognitive, and personality assessment at the Palo Alto VA and at El Camino Health. She has recently been matched for an internship at Rutgers in New Jersey in their Correctional Program. Her primary research interests include the psychology of law enforcement culture, firearm access and mental health, clinical emergencies, physical bravery, as well as risk assessment and management.
Kevin Rodriguez, M.S.
Kevin Rodriguez is a fifth year PhD student in Clinical Psychology at Palo Alto University. He received his B.A. in Pre-Counseling and Research from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas. He has forensic experience working with medical investigators determining the cause and manner of unusual or violent deaths, and has conducted research in measuring capital punishment endorsement. Currently, he is working in a project validating the psychometric properties of a suicide scale of the Spanish translation of Cultural Assessment of Risk for Suicide (CARS), as well as analyzing the efficiency of psychological assessments for immigrants. He is interested in multicultural suicidality and has strong clinical and research interests working with marginalized populations, both in Spanish and in English.
Admitted 2017
Rachel Bacigalupi, M.S.
Rachel is originally from New Orleans and earned a B.S. in psychology at the University of New Orleans, where she worked as a research assistant studying neuro- and bio-psychological markers of stress and cognition. Currently, Rachel’s research and clinical interests are in severe mental illness (SMI), trauma, cultural sensitivity, risk behaviors, and treatment utilization. Additionally, Rachel worked as a study coordinator for MAPP1: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Multi-Site Phase 3 Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Manualized MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy for the Treatment of Severe Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Rachel enjoys working collaboratively with her peers in the CCER on projects studying culturally-informed practices, suicide, and global mental health care. Some of these projects have included piloting the use of a culturally competent suicide screener and publications in regard to resilience and suicide.
Paola Mendoza-Rivera, M.S.
Paola is a Puerto Rican student in the CCER who has a B.A. in General Psychology and a B.S. in Criminal Justice from the University of New Haven in West Haven, CT. Paola obtained her first practicum training in Clínica Latina, and now she is gaining experience working with forensic populations at Psychological Assessment, Inc. Her main research interests involve topics that examine how clinical and forensic psychology intertwine. For example, Paola collaborated in a project studying the psychology of lone wolf terrorism, as well as a research project studying cultural differences in levels of suicide risk within a population of homeless individuals who have a history of incarceration and identify as cultural minorities. She is also piloting the Spanish translation of the Cultural Assessment of Risk for Suicide (CARS) measure, and she was involved in several projects focused on studying the increase in mental health issues (e.g., suicide risk) among Puerto Ricans after Hurricane María. Moreover, Paola is interested in developing a culturally sensitive suicide risk training program for police officers, and she would like to study suicidal behaviors within prison populations in the future. Paola has collaborated on a publication regarding the identification and management of suicidal behaviors in primary care settings.
Rebekah Jazdzewski, M.S. -rjazdzewski@paloaltou.edu
Rebekah is interested in cultural resilience factors for trauma and suicide. She is currently working on the Primary Bravery Project in validating measures and investigating perceptions of physical bravery. Collaborating with Navajo Technical University, she is currently in the midst of the development of a suicide prevention certificate program in the tribal lands. She has also published on topics related to global mental health, substance use, sexual and gender minorities, and suicide. Rebekah completed a clinical placement (among others) at the Bonding and Attunement in Neuropsychiatric Disorders (BAND) Lab conducting psychological assessments for oxytocin, MDMA and psilocybin trials. She has previous clinical experience at the MASTRY clinic at the San Jose VA, The Hume Center, WRIISC at Palo Alto VA, and the Gronowski Clinic. Rebekah is originally from the Seattle area.