People

Emily Treichler, PhD [she/her] is a Research Psychologist in the Desert Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC) at the VA San Diego, and Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). She also provides clinical services in the Inpatient Service at Sharp Healthcare.

Dr. Treichler completed her Ph.D. at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2016, along with an internship at the University of Maryland Medical Center/VA Maryland Consortium in the serious mental illness track. She completed a fellowship in psychosis research at the Desert Pacific MIRECC/UCSD in 2019. Dr. Treichler holds a Career Development Award from the VA Rehabilitation Research and Development program. She has received awards from the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) Psychosis and Schizophrenia Spectrum Special Interest Group, the Mather Institute, UCSD, and the University of Nebraska. She is a co-author, with Dilip Jeste, MD, of a blog in Psychology Today, Practical Wisdom.

Dr. Treichler is currently not accepting grad student applications.

Email: etreichler@health.ucsd.edu

Links: Google Scholar | Twitter

Jennisa Bangal graduated from UCSD with a Bachelors of Science in Public Health. She is currently the Study Coordinator of the Collab Lab. She formerly worked as an undergraduate research assistant at the Collab Lab and has been involved at each stage of the CDST RCT: consenting, data collection, data analysis, and dissemination. She aims to increase access to care and expand compassionate mental health crisis response services, and she intends to apply the skills and knowledge gained in the Collab Lab to educate the public about resources available, reduce the stigma surrounding mental health, and promote the mental health of populations by influencing local policy and health promotion programs in the future.

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Garabuning (Amy) Pongpun is a third year undergraduate student at UCSD majoring in Psychology. She aspires to pursue a career in psychiatry to break down barriers surrounding mental health, such as making evidence-based care more widely accessible for marginalized communities. She aims on utilizing skills learned from the Collab Lab to ensure each individual receives care that prioritizes and values them.

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Linette Acosta-Mercado is a third-year medical student at University of California, San Diego who graduated with a B.S. in Human Biology from the University of California, Riverside. As a first-generation Latina aspiring psychiatrist, Linette is passionate about advocating for mental health in underserved communities. Through her work with the Collab Lab, she gains firsthand experience in understanding the mental health challenges vulnerable populations face in clinical settings and strives to build stronger connections with patients while working toward holistic care. In her free time, Linette enjoys gaming and exploring new restaurants.

Sylvia Lim is a third year undergraduate at UCSD majoring in Public Health with Concentration in Health Policy and Management Sciences and minors in economics. Sylvia is passionate on expanding equitable care for underserved groups that use Medi-Cal through policy work and research. In her free time she enjoys drawing, spending time with friends, and watching movies.

Sienna Hernandez is a third-year undergraduate student at UCSD studying Public Health with a minor in Global Health. She is passionate about promoting equitable care for underserved communities, particularly in mental health. With the knowledge learned from her involvement in the Collab Lab, she aspires to make healthcare more accessible, compassionate, and culturally responsive to patients' needs.

Hailie Cheng is a third-year undergraduate student at UC San Diego studying Public Health with a concentration in Medicine Sciences. Her interests include mental health, patient-centered care, and improving healthcare access and outcomes. Through the Collab Lab, she is interested in gaining experience in mental health research and understanding how patient experiences can inform more accessible and patient-centered care. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, going to concerts, and spending time with friends.

Alumni

Izzy Vismara is a student research assistant at UCSD double majoring in Psychology and Ecology, Behavior and Evolution with a minor in Critical Gender Studies. She plans on getting her PhD in Clinical Psychology. She plans on becoming a psychologist in couple and individual therapy. She wants to promote more awareness about public mental health and work towards making therapy more accessible to lower income communities.

Jillian Abasta graduated from UCSD with a Bachelors of Science in Clinical Psychology and Global Health. She is interested in a career in mental health research, specifically investigating effective treatments and preventative measures for mental health disorders. She is enthusiastic about utilizing the skills she gains from the Collab Lab in her future research to ensure interventions are readily accessible and attainable to those in need.

Robert Mercado [he/his] was the study coordinator for the Collab Lab at the VA San Diego. Mr. Mercado completed his bachelor's of science at the University of California, San Diego in 2019. He was previously a research assistant at the UCSD Emotion Lab and the UCSD Cognitive Assessment and Risk Evaluation (CARE) program. His research interests include treatments in psychosis and substance use disorders.

Kasey Yu received her bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry/Chemistry from UC San Diego in 2022. Outside of class, she enjoys learning about the world through research and team projects. Kasey is interested in implementation science as a way of evaluating the efficacy of medical interventions and health policy. She is also interested in patient-centered care, mental health, and environmental health research. She is currently a medical student at California Northstate University College of Medicine.

Elijah Sosa was a research assistant for the Collab Lab. He got his bachelor’s degree from UC San Diego in 2022 in Global Health, and he is currently a medical student at UC Irvine Medical School. His research interests include topics in addiction, including addiction treatment outcomes and addiction prevention.

Joanna Nazari Jain was a research assistant at the Collab Lab. After the Collab Lab, she was a Clinical Research Coordinator at the Stanford School of Medicine, and she is currently a medical student at UC San Diego Medical School.

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Elissa Gomez was a research assistant at the Collab Lab. She obtained her MPH at UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. She is now student of the Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology at San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego.

Austin Okelly is a student at UCSD who studies cognitive and behavioral neuroscience. As a veteran himself, he served five years in the Marine Corps infantry. He is passionate about mental health and wants to learn more about systems of care, as well as how military service impacts mental well-being.

Sydney Seaton received her bachelor's degree in Clinical Psychology from UC San Diego in 2023. She is currently a Case Manager/Supported Employment and Education Specialist for New Journeys, an early intervention first-episode psychosis program in Washington. Additionally, she is currently pursuing her LCSW at University of Washington.

Austin Okelly is a student at UCSD who studies cognitive and behavioral neuroscience. As a veteran himself, he served five years in the Marine Corps infantry. He is passionate about mental health and wants to learn more about systems of care, as well as how military service impacts mental well-being.

Jennisa Bangal is a fourth-year undergraduate at UCSD majoring in Public Health. She plans on working in health policy with a focus on mental health. She aims to increase access to care and expand compassionate mental health crisis response services. She intends to apply the skills and knowledge gained in the Collab Lab to educate the public about resources available, reduce the stigma surrounding mental health, and promote the mental health of populations by influencing local policy and health promotion programs in the future.

Zhiying (Crystal) Quan Zhiying received her bachelor’s degrees at UCSD, double majoring in Clinical Psychology and Sociology. She hopes get a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology to have a more in-depth understanding of mental health. She aims to remove the social stigma on mental illness, encourage patients to seek help and provide more personalized, reliable, and effective treatment.

Vaishnavi Melkote graduated from UCSD with a Masters in Global Health, a B.S. in Global Health, and a B.S. in Cognitive & Behavioral Neuroscience. In the future, she hopes to become a practicing physician and pursue research with a focus on global mental health. She is particularly passionate about mental healthcare equity and increasing access to care.

Lauren McBride was the Collab Lab's study coordinator. She is now a doctoral student in Colin Depp's lab at the Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology at San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego.

Han Trieu was an undergraduate at UC San Diego studying Psychology with a specialization in Human Health. She is currently pursuing her PsyD at Cal Lutheran.

Hadia Hamza received her bachelor’s degree at UCSD in Human Biology with a minor in Psychology in 2024. She hopes to pursue a career in the medical field in the near future. She is passionate about patient education, improving access to person-centered treatment, especially in underserved communities, and addressing stigma around mental health in marginalized populations.

Snehita Vallumchetla graduated with a B.S. in Neurobiology with a minor in Cognitive Science. She aspires to be a doctor at the forefront of mental health research with hope to drive meaningful change. Through her experience in Collab Lab, she has developed valuable skills that she aims to use in efforts to destigmatize mental health, particularly in underserved communities.

Isabelle Li graduated from UCSD with a B.S. in clinical psychology and minor in Business Economics. She hopes to pursue a career that focuses on improving the lives of everyday people through research and is currently interested in mental health and neuroscience.

Shria Bulusu received her bachelor’s degree at UCSD, majoring in Public Health and minoring in Economics and International Studies. She is pursuing her MPH at Yale School of Public Health.

Nathaneal Putris graduated from UCSD with a B.S. in General Biology. He has a significant interest in translating the work being done in the lab into a medical setting, hoping to make an impact in the mental health space, especially within the local communities in San Diego. He is currently a medical student at Western University of Health Sciences.

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Leila Herschenfeld graduated from UCSD with a B.S. in Cognitive Behavioral Neuroscience and a B.S. in Psychology. She plans to become a Clinical Psychologist, focusing on developing and providing mental health care to underserved communities. Drawing on her experience in the Collab Lab, she aims to deliver empathetic, evidence-based treatment tailored to the diverse needs of each individual. She is currently a Clinical Psychology PhD candidate at California Lutheran University.

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Sirina Tiwari was the Collab Lab's Study Coordinator, and she helped to oversee research operations and facilitates collaborations between clinicians and researchers. She holds a bachelor's degree in Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience from Temple University.

Sirina is passionate about improving mental health interventions through evidence-based practices. She aspires to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology, integrating research methodologies with a culturally sensitive approach to enhance mental health treatment. Committed to decolonizing psychology, Sirina aims to work with immigrants and disadvantaged communities to develop more inclusive, accessible, and equitable mental health care solutions.

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Sophia Abueg completed her Bachelor’s degrees in Neurobiology and Global Health at UCSD followed by a Master of Arts degree in Global Health. She is driven by a deep passion for addressing healthcare disparities, with a particular focus on expanding access to mental health services for underserved communities. Sophia aspires to pursue a medical degree in the near future. Her long-term goal is to work at the intersection of healthcare and advocacy to improve mental health outcomes globally and locally ensuring that every individual, regardless of background, has access to the person-centered care and resources they deserve. She is currently pursuing her PsyD in Clinical Psychology at the Chicago School of Psychology.

Jasmin is a graduate student in the Master of Public Health (MPH) program at the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health & Human Longevity Science with a concentration in epidemiology. She received her BA in Sociology of Science and Medicine at UC San Diego in 2020. She is a motivated researcher with experience contributing to research team projects designed to investigate and analyze the intersections of race, gender and class on subjective experiences of mental health in underrepresented populations. Her undergraduate thesis investigated the ways in which individuals with serious mental illness use social media to interact with others with similar backgrounds, give and receive support and manage daily life and stigma.