Team Members

Current Graduate Students & Postdoctural Fellows
Qi Huang

Qi Huang: Qi is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Psychology. She earned her Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies from Michigan State University. Her research broadly examines how cultural and ethnic-racial experiences shape the mental health, academic outcomes, and identity development of young people, particularly among ethnic-racial minoritized youth and international students. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking and practicing yoga.

Ruth Babich

Ruth Babich: Ruth is a first-year Ph.D. student in Counseling Psychology. She graduated from Clark University in 2025 double majoring in Psychology and Sociology. Ruth is interested in examining mechanisms of socialization and how they relate to identity development and mental health outcomes. She is also interested in exploring the dynamic relationship the individual has with their environment, especially among adopted families. (She also enjoys cooking and painting!)

Binhao Wu

Binhao Wu: Binhao is a first-year psychology PhD student in the Personality, Individual Differences, and Behavior Genetics program at the University of Minnesota, co-advised by Dr. Rich Lee and Dr. Juan Del Toro. He received his bachelor’s degree in education and social policy as well as psychology from Northwestern University. His research interests are self/identity development, belonging, and culture. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, watching TV shows and volleyball games, and writing Substacks.

Leyla Karimzadeh

Leyla Karimzadeh: Leyla is a third-year Ph.D. student in Counseling Psychology. She graduated in 2020 from Georgia State University majoring in Psychology. After graduating, she spent over two years working as a clinical research coordinator for the COMPASS study at the VA. Leyla is interested in understanding risk and resilience factors in marginalized individuals who have experienced stress and trauma. She is also interested in how socio-environmental factors play a role in the development of substance use as a coping mechanism. (Also enjoys cooking, baking, working out, and traveling)

Ariana Dejesus-Rodriguez

Ariana Dejesus-Rodriguez: Ariana is a third-year Ph.D. student in Counseling Psychology. She graduated in 2021 from the University at Buffalo double majoring in Psychology and Health and Human Services and minoring in Counseling. She also received her masters in Clinical Research Methodology from Fordham University in 2023. Ariana is interested in examining mental health outcomes in ethnic minority youth and its impact on general life and academic outcomes. She is also interested in examining facilitators and barriers of treatment for these youth. (Also enjoys reading, being in nature, working out, and watching sports)

Shujianing Li

Shujianing Li: Shujianing is a fourth-year Ph.D. student in Counseling Psychology. She graduated from Wesleyan University in 2019, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Economics. She is interested in Asian Americans’ identity development and how their self-concepts are linked to lifetime outcomes in mental health, civic participation, and professional development. Shujianing also co-founded A Safe Haven for Asians and Asian Americans, providing anti-racism resources to AAPI community members. (Outside of graduate school, she likes to travel, engage in food-centric conversations, and roll her eyes at films on Netflix audaciously claiming to be documentaries)

Vanessa Anyanso

Vanessa Anyanso: Vanessa is a seventh-year Ph.D. student in Counseling Psychology and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowm, currently on predoctoral internship. She graduated from Columbia University, majoring in psychology. She is interested in how being a member of multiple marginalized impacts mental health, with a focus on Black women. (Outside of research, she enjoys creative writing, reading, powerlifting and traveling!)

Victoria Wee

Victoria Wee: Victoria is a sixth-year Ph.D. student in Counseling Psychology, currently on predoctoral internship. She graduated from Northwestern University, majoring in Psychology. She is interested in mental health literacy and accessible, culturally appropriate interventions. (Also enjoys rock climbing, baking, and playing the kalimba!) 

Former graduate students who have gone on to bigger and better things
Familee lab members outside during Covid
Shout out to my graduate students who survived going through graduate school during the first few years of the COVID19 Pandemic (2020-2022)