Dissertation Scholarship Past Awardees - Arizona Psychological Foundation

Past Scholarship Awardees

This page recognizes individuals who have received the dissertation scholarship administered by the Arizona Psychological Foundation in previous years. The names listed here reflect the achievements and promise of students who have contributed to our academic psychology community and beyond. We honor their accomplishments and acknowledge the support of our donors and partners whose generosity has made these awards possible.

2026

Jacquelyn Bassford

Jacquelyn Bassford, MS, is a PhD candidate (6th year) in the Combined Counseling and School Psychology PhD program at Northern Arizona University. Jacquelyn's dissertation research examines types of school-based K-12 sexual education programming and their impacts on sexualized violence risk factors in young adults, with aims to contribute to literature on the prevention of sexualized violence. Jacquelyn's other research interests include implicit bias in diagnosis in children with trauma disorders and juror perceptions of defenses for cases of sexualized violence in the legal system. Her expected graduation date is May 2027.

Beza Bekele

Beza Bekele is a doctoral candidate in Northern Arizona University's Clinical Psychology PsyD program. Beza's research explores the often invisible personal, professional, and systemic toll of the 2020 syndemic on Black mental health providers. The 2020 syndemic captures the compounding effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, systemic racism, and heightened racial violence following the murder of George Floyd. Informed by her perspective as the daughter of immigrants, her broader work seeks to address the social and structural inequities shaping mental health outcomes amongst marginalized populations, particularly migrant communities, both locally and globally, through research, community engagement, policy, and advocacy. Her expected graduation is May 2028.

Lesley A. Guareña

Lesley A. Guareña, M.A., is a 5^th year clinical psychology (neuropsychology track) doctoral candidate at the University of Arizona. Her research focuses on understanding how stress and adversity "get under the skin" and "into the brain" to influence cognitive aging, particularly among Hispanic/Latino individuals. Her dissertation implements a health disparities framework to examine psychological and physiological stress in relation to neuroimaging markers of brain health and cognition among Hispanic/Latino and non-Hispanic White adults. Her expected graduation is May 2028.

Celeste Vega Torres

Celeste Vega Torres, M.A., is a PhD candidate in the University of Arizona’s School Psychology program. She is also a Doctoral Clinical Psychology Intern with the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson and was a 2025-2026 ArizonaLEND Fellow. Celeste’s research centers on culturally responsive and socially just practice, with her dissertation examining how Arizona school psychologists conceptualize and apply social justice in the assessment of emergent bilingual students. Her expected graduation date is May 2027.

Finneas Wong

Finneas Wong is a 5th year PhD candidate in Arizona State University's Counseling Psychology program. Finneas' research focuses on understanding how trans and nonbinary (TNB) youth and young adults, particularly TNB people of color, navigate and negotiate their intersecting marginalized identities. Finneas is also interested in promoting parental acceptance, support, and communication within parent-TNB child dyads through identity and culturally sensitive interventions. He is part of the Asian American Psychological Associations' 2024 cohort of the Graduate Leadership Institute, and the 4th cohort of the International Partnership for Queer Youth Resilience's International Student Training Network.

2025

Kelly Kim

Kelly Kim is a 5th year PhD candidate in the University of Arizona’s Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program with a minor in Clinical Health Psychology. Kelly’s research focuses on understanding temporal relationships between sleep and depression in special populations (e.g., emerging adults, shift workers, athletes). Her clinical work focuses on sleep, suicidality, and management of chronic illnesses. Her expected graduation is 2028.

Hatty Lara

Hatty Lara is a PhD candidate in her 5^th year in the University of Arizona's Clinical Psychology program with a focus on Health. Hatty's research focuses on examining sleep as a protective factor for development in communication, motor, problem-solving, and personal-social skills in diverse toddlers exposed to adversity. Her expected graduation is in May 2027.

Fedra Calderon

Fedra A. Calderón, Ed.S., NCSP, is a fourth-year Ph.D. student in School Psychology, minoring in American Indian Studies, at the University of Arizona. Fedra’s research and practice are deeply intertwined, as she actively works to advocate for marginalized voices and challenge systemic oppression within public education. Her clinical and professional work is grounded in serving diverse student populations, with a particular focus on supporting children and families from ethnically, racially, culturally, and linguistically minoritized backgrounds. Fedra is currently conducting a qualitative dissertation study on the assessment practices of Indigenous school psychologists and the disproportionate representation of Indigenous students in special education. Her expected graduation is May 2027.

Jenna Koen

Jenna Koen is a PsyD candidate 3^rd year in Midwestern University’s Interdisciplinary Health Psy.D. program with a focus on Health Equity. Jenna’s research and clinical focuses are on acute pediatric psychiatric care, behavioral health, and system-involved youth. Her expected graduation is August 2027.

Lyana Sanchez

Lyana Sanchez is a fourth-year Psy.D. candidate in Northern Arizona University’s Clinical Psychology Psy.D. program. Her clinical training is concentrated in Neuroforensic Psychology, with experience in adult neuropsychological evaluations and sex offender treatment. Her research interests focus on the transition veterans face as they move from military service into civilian life. She is expected to graduate in May 2027.

2024

Diamond Bracey

Diamond Bracey, MA, LCPC (MD), NCC is a PhD candidate (2020) in the NAU Combined Counseling and School Psychology program. Diamond's research focuses on depression in African American adults. Specifically, Ms. Bracey uses qualitative research methods to center the voices and words of African American to develop a depression screener for African Americans. Her expected graduation date is May 2025.

Sarah Leighton

Sarah Leighton is a PhD candidate (4^th year) in the University of Arizona’s Social Psychology program and a One Health Graduate Research Associate in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Sarah’s research and practice focus on the role of service dog partnerships in biopsychosocial outcomes for people with disabilities. She is the 2024 APA/APAGS Distinguished Graduate Student in Professional Psychology. Her expected graduation is May 2025.

Riley O'Neill

Riley O'Neill is a PhD candidate fifth year in the University of Arizona's Clinical Psychology PhD program with a focus on Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine. Riley's research examines how stress and sociocultural contexts contribute to socially driven mechanisms of cardiovascular disease. Her expected graduation is 2027.

Ye Li

Ye Li is a PhD candidate (fifth year student) in Arizona State University’s Psychology program with a focus on cognitive science. Ye Li's research focuses on children's learning and especially the supportive role of parents in parent-child play. Her expected graduation is in 2025 May.

Dissertation Presentation: Assessing Parent-Child Play with Familiar and Unfamiliar Objects in Home Environment