Current Team Members

Yunqi (Kay) He is a doctoral student in the Family Social Science department at the University of Minnesota. She received a M.A. in communication from Rutgers University and a B.A. in psychology and communication from the University of Delaware. She is interested in finding ways to support children who have experienced trauma and families who are at risk due to living circumstances. After she finishes her Ph.D., she hopes to hold a faculty position where she can complement her research career with teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In her spare time, Kay likes watching stand-up comedy and traveling.

Renjiao (RJ) Tang is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota. She holds a Bachelor's degree in psychology and a Master's degree in applied psychology with a concentration in clinical and counseling psychology, both from Southwest University in China. Her research focuses on the interplay between individual differences in highly sensitive youth and their environment, specifically the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), parenting styles, and relevant interventions. In her spare time, RJ enjoys shopping with friends, staying active through workouts, and relaxing with a good mystery movie or TV show.

Haoran Zhou is a doctoral student in the Family Social Science department (CFT track). Born and growing up in Wuhan, a populated city in central China, he received his bachelor’s degree in Applied Psychology from Central China Normal University and later attended University of Pennsylvania for his master’s degree in mental health counseling. His research interest is related to prevention and interventions for youth along with their families ever exposed to trauma incidents. In his spare time, he enjoys hanging out, watching movies, cook different recipes, and play some video games.

Ana Mireya Díaz is a doctoral student in the department of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota. An educator by training, she worked for several years in community-based education, development projects and research. She holds a M.A. in Educational Studies-Teaching and Learning from the University of Michigan and a M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is interested in relational and learning supports for young people who have experienced trauma, risk and resiliency factors in the case of families touched by parental mental illness, and intervention research. In her free time, she enjoys getting to know the Twin Cities with her partner, spending time with their dog, Paulo, and watching a good movie (preferably with popcorn).

Briana Joseph is a third-year student at the University of Minnesota, majoring in Biology, Society, Environment and minoring in Family Social Science. She is interested in youth mentorship, support for young people who have experienced trauma, and rural mental health needs. In her free time, Briana enjoys playing tennis, reading, and taking walks with her Golden Lab. She is excited for the opportunity to work with Dr. Weiler’s team and gain valuable research experience.

My name is Abby Morara, and I’m a second-year student at the University of Minnesota, double-majoring in Psychology and Statistics with a subplan in Data Science. I’m interested in adolescent mental health, intervention research, suicide prevention, and biostatistics. In my free time, I like to spend time with friends, go on runs, cook, and watch football. I’m excited to work with qualitative research and learn more about the field of Family Social Science.

Not Pictured: Chandima H.M.

Previous Team Members

Previous members not pictured: Alex Hanson, Gilly McIntyre, Grace Goller, Lila Khan, Nathasha Chandrasekharan, Leah Jordan, Claire Busse, Meredith McDowell