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Our Team

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Thania Galvan, PhD 

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Thania Galvan, PhD

Principal Investigator
thania.galvan@uga.edu

Dr. Galvan is the director of the FUERTE lab and an assistant professor in the clinical psychology program at the University of Georgia. She received her doctorate from the clinical child psychology PhD program at the University of Denver, did an APA-accredited internship in the child track at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and completed an NIMH-funded T32 postdoctoral fellowship in traumatic stress at the Medical University of South Carolina. Her research is centered on promoting the well-being and positive development of Latino/a youth and their families via the elimination of health disparities. Specifically, Dr. Galvan uses community-driven, culturally and contextually responsive research methodologies to understand the factors that contribute to, maintain, or exacerbate health disparities for Latino/a families. As a bilingual (Spanish/English) and bicultural psychologist, she is also a strong advocate for increasing representation in the mental health field. 

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Area of Interest: 

  • Latino/a Youth and Families 

  • Mental Health Disparities

  • Traumatic Stress 

  • Developmental Psychopathology

  • Community-Based Research Methodologies

  • Prevention and Intervention Science

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Graduate Students 

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Amanda Perozo-Garcia

Amanda is a third-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program at UGA. She is interested in researching mental health in Latino/a youth and within the Latino/a family structure. In her free time, Amanda likes to read, dance, do yoga/pilates, and cook

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Daylin Delgado

Daylin is a first-generation Cuban-American woman, currently in her second year of the Clinical Psychology PhD program. Her research interests are broadly focused on teen mental health in underserved communities and ethnic minority communities through an implementation science lens. Specifically, she's interested in the role of family and community (e.g., schools, extracurricular groups, sports team) in promoting mental health and particularly pertaining to mental health concerns, such as ADHD and dyslexia, that impact academic achievement and long-term success. In her free time, Daylin can be found with her cat, Luna, drinking coffee and birdwatching in her backyard. She also enjoys baking, gardening, and watching the latest movies in theaters.

Undergraduate Research Assistants 

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Danna Cervera

Danna is a fourth Psychology and French major, also minoring in Women's and gender studies. Her research interests are in addressing mental health disparities in both Latino/a and LGBTQ+ communities, suicide prevention, as well as exploring developmental and cognitive psychology. After graduation, she intends to pursue a master's program to further her career in counseling psychology and research. In her free time, she likes to watch new movies or her favorite comfort films with friends and family, and attend coffee shops.

Bianca Cardona 

Bianca is a fourth year Theater and Psychology major with a Certificate in Musical Theater in the Honors College. She has been working in the FUERTELab since her sophomore year as a member of the Data Entry committee. She enjoys learning about developmental psychology and giving back to her community as part of the lab. In the future, she hopes to continue studying psychology in graduate school. In her free time, Bianca enjoys escape rooms and trying new places to eat with friends.

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Alicia Ache

Alicia is a third-year Psychology major with an emphasis on Neuroscience and a minor in Spanish. Her research interests include underrepresented populations, particularly Latino/a populations and the intersection between cultural competent care. After graduation, Alicia hopes to work in the healthcare field, where she can serve the Latino/a community and build meaningful connections with others. Alicia enjoys spending time with friends, being active and arts and crafts.

Aubrey Katz

Aubrey is a third-year student majoring in Spanish, Psychology, and Philosophy. Her research interests focus on how social identity and structural inequality shape mental health outcomes, particularly within Latinx and LGBTQ+ communities. After graduation, she plans to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology and ultimately work to develop accessible, culturally informed mental health care. Outside of academics, she enjoys riding and training horses, reading, writing, and spending time with friends.

Audrey Patty

Audrey is a fourth-year Psychology major with a minor in Communication Studies. Her research interests include gathering information about trauma and its effects on mood disorders and suicidal ideation in underrepresented and underserved communities. After graduation, she intends to either pursue a master’s in Social Work with a focus on adolescent therapy or apply to post-bacc programs to continue in research at the doctoral level.

Camila Del Olmo-Colón

Camila is a fifth-year student majoring in Biology and Psychology, also minoring in Spanish and Plant Biology. Her research interests include evidence-based practices to promote the mental health of Latino families, with a particular focus on mindfulness-based therapies. After graduating, she plans to complete a post-baccalaureate program before applying to Clinical Psychology PhD programs. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, DJing, and watching movies.

Sofia Fuenmayor-Diaz

Sofia is a third-year Psychology major pursuing minors in Human Development & Family Sciences and Spanish. Her research interests are in addressing how mental health and culture collide, as well as the interactions with child/adolescent development and religion. After graduation, she intends to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology. Sofia loves fashion, music, staying active, and always having fun with friends!

Lab Alumni

Dominique La Barrie, PhD; Cindy Argueta, Lab Coordinator; Sofia Castañeda, Research Assistant; Gabriela Castillo, Research Assistant; Alejandro Lopez, Research Assistant; Emily Garcia-Delgado, Research Assistant; Bansari Shah, Research Assistant; America; Hernandez, Research Assistant; Hannah Robinso, Research Assistant; Maya Giselle; Forcier, Research Assistant; Gabby Schlossberg, Research Assistant

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