Engaging Families Lab (Kim)

Joanna Kim, Ph.D.

Dr. Joanna Kim is an Assistant Research Professor at the REACH Institute at Arizona State University. She completed her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles in 2019. She completed an APA-accredited predoctoral internship at the University of California, San Diego and T32 Postdoctoral Fellowship at Arizona State University. She is currently the recipient of a NIDA-funded K01 mentored career development award. Broadly, Dr. Kim’s research aims to reduce disparities in behavioral health risk, identification, and service utilization for low-income, immigrant, and ethnoracial minority youth. She is particularly interested in strategies to increase caregiver use of evidence-based skills outside of intervention sessions. In her clinical work, Dr. Kim’s passions are in parent management training, exposure response prevention, and evidence-based assessment.

Ana Maria Meléndez Guevara, Ph.D., LCSW

Dr. Meléndez Guevara earned a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Oklahoma and received her Ph.D. in Family and Human Development from Arizona State University. Dr. Melendez Guevara studies children and families in the context of their interaction to human service systems and relies on risk and resilience frameworks and culturally informed socioecological models. Her program of research seeks to: 1) work towards justice-based and responsive service systems capable of meeting the needs and strengths of communities at higher risk to social exclusion, and 2) contribute to the effective and equitable translation and dissemination of research for sustainable child developmental well-being. She is currently a T32 postdoctoral scholar at ASU REACH Institute. 

Sydni Basha, M.A.

Sydni is a graduate student at Arizona State University working toward her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Community and Prevention Science. She joined ASU after completing her Bachelor's in Psychological Sciences and minor in Conflict Analysis and Trauma Studies in 2019. After undergrad, Sydni worked as a Mental Health Case Manager for a non-profit in Minneapolis, MN as part of the Social Security Administration's national, multi-site, Supported Employment Demonstration study. Her research interests relate to the dissemination, implementation, and evaluation of evidence-based interventions for at-risk or highly stressed populations. She is primarily interested in understanding how clinicians, therapists, and facilitators (or other mental health practitioners) interact with and influence participants' engagement with these evidence-based interventions. When not working, Sydni enjoys spending time with her husband and black lab hiking and camping, or relaxing at home reading.  

Bella Andrade

Bella is an undergraduate student at Arizona State University double majoring in Psychology (B.S.) and Family and Human Development (B.S.) with a certificate in Disability Studies. Bella will be graduating in the Spring of 2025, but she plans to further her education in either developmental or clinical psychology. Some of Bella’s current research interests include discovering how evidence-based skills within intervention programs affect child and adolescent development. She is also interested in looking at how disability and other social disparities affect child development. In the future, Bella hopes to continue doing research within these fields. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, trying out local coffee shops, and hanging out with her dog, Blaine.

Melissa Uribe, B.S.

Melissa is a graduate of the Applied Psychology Undergraduate program at the University of Illinois at Chicago and a current Clinical Psychology PhD student at Arizona State University. Through her doctoral training, Melissa aims to understand the mechanisms of treatment adherence in Latinx and BIPOC for internalizing conditions like anxiety and depression. Her goal is to take an Ecological approach to mood and anxiety by considering environmental issues like neighborhood violence, acculturation, immigrant status, racial discrimination, and family dynamics. In her free time, she practices yoga and meditation, and she loves trying new foods! 

Sun-Kyung Lee, Ph.D.

Dr. Sun-Kyung Lee completed a Master’s in Educational Measurement and Statistics from Korea University and received her Ph.D. in Family Science, specializing in Prevention Science, from the University of Minnesota. She is currently a postdoctoral scholar at the REACH Institute at Arizona State University under the mentorship of Drs. Abi Gewirtz and Joanna Kim. Her research program incorporates a systematic lens to understand processes in evidence-based programs to enhance family well-being. She is particularly interested in adapting and tailoring interventions on contextual and individual factors to improve effectiveness and increase engagement among underrepresented families.

Mary Kuckertz, M.A.

Mary is a doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program at Arizona State University. She graduated from the University of San Diego with her B.A. in Psychology and Spanish. Mary is interested in using implementation science to improve access to and overall intervention experience with evidence-based mental health services. She is particularly interested in understanding parent and adolescent intervention engagement for families with minoritized racial/ethnic identities. While she is not working, Mary enjoys cheering on her favorite soccer team and following her favorite corgis on social media.

Saidal Alokozai

Saidal is an undergraduate student at Arizona State University majoring in Psychology (B.S.). Saidal will be graduating in the Fall of 2025, but he plans to further his education in clinical psychology and therapy. Some of Saidal’s current research interests include making a positive difference in the lives of the younger generation who require psychological assistance. As well as, understanding the fundamental foundations of family dynamics and how they influence the younger generation. In the future, he hopes to excel in clinical research. During his free time, he likes to play video games, thrift, and go on road trips to whatever beautiful scenery that is nearby.