SERD Executive Board


Hsiu-Lan Cheng, Ph.D.
Pronouns: She/Her
Chair | Contact

Dr. Cheng is currently an Associate Professor at the University of San Francisco. Her research focuses on multicultural issues and mental health (particularly anxiety, depression, body image, and disordered eating issues), attachment and affect regulation, positive psychology, and help-seeking attitudes and behaviors among diverse populations. She is particularly interested in the contextualization of mental health and psychological wellbeing within the sociocultural milieu of racism, acculturative stress, and classism. 


Batsirai Bvunzawabaya, Ph.D.
Past Chair

Dr. Batsirai Bvunzawabaya is a Counseling Psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) in Philadelphia. She graduated from Auburn University’s Counseling Psychology program in 2012. In addition to providing individual and group therapy, Dr. Bvunzawabaya enjoys participating in training, and outreach and prevention services at CAPS. Dr. Bvunzawabaya’s clinical interests include exploring issues related to minority mental health, body image concerns, sexual trauma, racial and ethnic identity development and social justice counseling. She is strongly committed to promoting and exploring how issues of equity and inclusion are incorporated in all aspects of our work. Dr. Bvunzawabaya is originally from Zimbabwe, Africa.


Charlotte Williams, Ph.D.
Secretary

Charlotte Williams, Ph.D. is currently an Assistant Professor of psychology at Bismarck State College. She has a M.A. in Counseling and Guidance, and a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from New Mexico State University. Her research interests concern multiracial identity development, health care, military and third culture kids.

 


Hsiu-Hui Chen
Treasurer

Hsiu-Hui graduated from University of Missouri 2014. She is currently a staff psychologist at the Center for Counseling and Student Development at the University of Delaware. She identified as a multicultural feminist. Her focus areas are multiculturalism, social justice, trauma work, grief work, and relationship. When Hsiu-Hui is not working, she loves to spend time with her two dogs and being outdoors.

 


Kelly Liao, Ph.D.
Membership Coordinator

Kelly Yu-Hsin Liao is an Assistant Professor in the Counseling Psychology Ph.D. program at Cleveland State University. She received her Ph.D. from Iowa State University after completing her internship at the University of Missouri-Columbia University Counseling Center. Her research interests include coping with discrimination, gratitude, self-compassion, and cancer survivors.



G.E. Kawika Allen, Ph.D.
Committee Chairperson for Programming

Professor Allen received his BS in speech/organizational communication and his MS in counseling psychology at the University of Utah. He then received his PhD in counseling psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia (a top-ranked program) and completed his predoctoral clinical internship at Duke University. His research areas involve spiritual, cultural, and indigenous ways of healing in psychotherapy including culturally appropriate psychotherapies and interventions for underserved populations. Specifically, Professor Allen has focused much of his research on the intersections of religiosity/spirituality, coping/collectivistic coping, depression, anxiety, and psychological well-being/adjustment among Polynesians/Polynesian Americans. Professor Allen leads the Poly Psi Team research efforts involving not only Polynesian/Pacific Islander Psychology Research, but research across all BIPOC and minoritized groups. He is currently an assistant professor in the counseling psychology doctorate program at Brigham Young University.
Dr. Jessica Jackson
Pronouns: She/Her
Award Committee Chair

Dr. Jessica Jackson is a licensed psychologist and a passionate advocate for research focused on racism and mental health equity. Using her expertise in clinical practice and mental health advocacy, she delivers culturally responsive evidence-based treatments to adult clients with a wide range of emotional, behavioral, and adjustment problems. Dr. Jackson is the Global Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Care Lead for a digital mental halth company and has a private practice in Houston, TX. She regularly provides local and national workshops, seminars, and webinars on culturally responsive psychological treatment. In 2019 she was awarded the Society of Counseling Psychology, Section for Ethnic & Racial Diversity Outstanding Service to Diverse/Underserved Communities Award. 

Jessica Borders
Pronouns: She/Her
Student Representative

Jessica Borders is a doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology at Arizona State University. Her research interests and experience center around the influence of stress on romantic relationship outcomes for individuals who come from diverse, marginalized backgrounds. Her clinical interests include romantic relationship concerns, racial and ethnic identity development and traumatic stress.