People

Dr. Rashmita Mistry

A developmental psychologist, Dr. Mistry completed her doctorate in Human Development and Family Sciences from the University of Texas at Austin in 1999 and received postdoctoral training at the Center for Developmental Science, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill (1999-2002). From 2002-2003, she was an Assistant Professor at the Claremont Graduate University and has been at UCLA since 2003.

She completed her B.A. and M.A. in Psychology from San Jose State University. Dr. Mistry uses the gender pronouns she, her, hers.

Amaesha Durazi

Amaesha is a doctoral student in Human Development & Psychology. Her research aims to understand how culture, race, and identity play out in the early-middle childhood period with the goal of improving children’s socio-emotional outcomes and child-family-school dynamics. Amaesha is particularly interested in the experiences of Asian American immigrant families and hopes to use her research to inform innovative solutions in practice and policy. Prior to joining the Education Department at UCLA, Amaesha worked as a Lab Manager at the Developmental Affective Neuroscience Lab at Columbia University. Additionally, she held a dual role as Research Coordinator and Assistant Teacher at the Center for Toddler Development at Barnard College. Amaesha uses the gender pronouns she, her, hers.

Qiana Duru

Qiana is a doctoral student in Human Development and Psychology. Her research interests include financial literacy development in emerging adults, as well as the impact financial planning has on students from marginalized backgrounds and students with disabilities. She is a certified Resource Specialist and received her B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. Qiana uses the gender pronouns she, her, hers.

Anna Kimura

Anna is a doctoral student in Human Development and Psychology. Her research interests lie in the early-middle childhood period with a focus on understanding and improving the experiences of children and families of color from an equity-centered perspective. She is particularly interested in the experiences of Asian American children and families as well as the intersection of social policy and early childhood development. Prior to attending UCLA, Anna served as the Policy Assistant at the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD). She has a M.A. in Education from UCLA, and a B.A. in Child Study and Human Development with a minor in Asian American Studies from Tufts University. Anna uses the gender pronouns she, her, hers.

Lauren Kinnard

Lauren is a doctoral student in Human Development and Psychology (HDP). Her research interests center around the racial socialization of white children, particularly in academic contexts. Her inquiries also focus on how white teachers’ racial identity impacts the social, emotional, and academic development of all students. Prior to joining HDP, Lauren taught elementary and middle school students for almost a decade in Atlanta, Georgia and Washington, D.C. She received her M.S. in Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education from Georgia State University, and B.A. in Spanish from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Lauren uses the gender pronouns she, her, hers.

Stephanie Nguyen

Stephanie Nguyen is a doctoral student in the Human Development and Psychology program. Her research interests focus on parent-child relationships and family dynamics in Asian American families. Specifically, she is interested in exploring the ways parent-child relationships shape educational perspectives and well-being for Vietnamese youth. Prior to attending UCLA, Stephanie completed her M.S. in Child Development from San Diego State University and her B.A. in Psychology from California State University, San Bernardino. Stephanie uses the gender pronouns she, her, hers.

Asil Yassine

Asil is a doctoral student interested in how young people make sense of both their individual socioeconomic identities but also of the broader economic systems of their environment, namely capitalism. Her inquiries are focused mostly on adolescents, with a particular emphasis on young Arab Americans. Prior to joining GSE&IS, she completed a masters in education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education with a focus on language and literacy. She has taught middle and high school students in Detroit, Michigan, Somerville, Massachusetts, and Beirut, Lebanon. Asil uses the gender pronouns she, her, hers.

Jeffrey Yo

Jeffrey is a doctoral student in Human Development and Psychology. His research interests include exploring the ways adults, educators, and teachers influence the well-being, behavior, and social development of children. Jeffrey has also taught as a certified middle school teacher, worked as a college consultant, and led K-6 students in after school programs. He received his B.A. in Sociology from the University of Chicago. Jeffrey uses the gender pronouns he, him, his.