On The Student Front: Welcoming the 2025-26 Student Advisory Board Members
We are delighted to introduce the newest members of the Student Advisory Board (SAB) for the 2025-26 term! This year, we received an impressive number of applications from an exceptionally talented and diverse group of candidates. After a highly competitive selection process, we are thrilled to welcome these outstanding individuals who will undoubtedly bring fresh perspectives, energy, and dedication to the SAB.
As we look forward to the exciting contributions of our new members, we also take a moment to honor the exceptional efforts of our outgoing members: Amanda Flagg, Ariel Blakely, Ashley Wolfe, Ellie Choate, and Isa Sereno. Your leadership, vision, and unwavering commitment to supporting students have left a lasting legacy, and we are deeply grateful for your impact. We wish you all the best as you embark on your next adventures!
Congratulations to our new members on this well-deserved achievement. Welcome to the SAB—your journey as student leaders begins now, and we can’t wait to see the incredible work you will accomplish!
- Perry A. Catlin, M.S.
Student Representative, Division 54
Annisa Ahmed (she/her)
Student Representative, Board of Directors
Chair, Student Advisory Board
Annisa Ahmed is a third-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Program at Texas A&M University, working under the mentorship of Dr. Idia Thurston and Dr. Noni Gaylord-Harden. Her research focuses on health equity, particularly examining how familial and systemic factors influence disease management in historically underserved youth and their families. Annisa is also passionate about working with children and adolescents affected by chronic pain, aiming to advance interventions that promote resilience and well-being. As the 2025 Student Representative for the Society of Pediatric Psychology (SPP), Annisa leads the Student Advisory Board (SAB) and serves on the Division’s Board of Directors. In this role, she advocates for programs and initiatives that address the unique needs of trainees, fostering support and professional growth for the next generation of pediatric psychologists.
Francesca Lupini (she/her)
Student Representative-Elect
Francesca Lupini is a second year in the Clinical-Community Psychology Ph.D. program at the University of South Carolina under the mentorship of Dr. Daniel Cooper. Prior to USC, Francesca worked with youth with type 1 diabetes as a research coordinator at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC. Francesca obtained her B.S./M.S. in Experimental Psychology from Saint Joseph’s University in 2020/2021, with a focus in pediatric sleep. Her research interests lie in promoting health equity among chronic illness populations and in child sleep health, and harnessing cultural strengths such as ethnic racial socialization to promote child well-being.
Annie Chuning (she/her)
Community Outreach & Service Co-Chair
Annie Chuning is a second-year graduate student in the Clinical Child Psychology Ph.D. program at the University of Kansas under the mentorship of Dr. Ann Davis at KU Medical Center. Her research aims to understand how cognitive decision-making traits and social barriers impact intervention effectiveness for pediatric patients and their families. Clinically, Annie is passionate about supporting rural families’ engagement in healthy lifestyles and increasing well-being for families with medical complexity, especially families whose journey began in the NICU. With a background in nonprofit work and current efforts to engage local policymakers and community stakeholders, she is excited to apply her passions by serving as Co-Chair for the Community Outreach and Service Committee for SAB.
Brenda Duran (she/her)
Community Outreach & Service Co-Chair
Brenda Duran is a fourth-year graduate student in the School Psychology Ph.D. program at the University of Houston. She works under the mentorship of Dr. Marisa Hilliard in the Resilience and Diabetes (RAD) Behavioral Research Lab at Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children’s Hospital. Brenda’s research interests include examining the effects that family and school systems have in the overall mental health and health-related outcomes in pediatric patients with chronic illnesses, with a specific focus on Hispanic youth and their families. Her long-term career goal is to be a practicing bilingual pediatric psychologist, providing services to youth and families from under-resourced backgrounds who are at risk for health or educational disparities.
Kristen A. Torres (she/her)
Communication Committee, Podcast Co-Chair
Kristen Torres is a third-year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at Oregon Health & Science University under the mentorship of Dr. David Wagner. Kristen’s research focuses on children living with chronic or complex medical conditions experiencing high social risk, with a particular focus on resilience and protective factors for these families. Clinically, Kristen aspires to work with children diagnosed with medical conditions and their families to deliver evidence-based treatment. As Podcast Co-Chair on the SAB Communications Committee, Kristen is passionate about discussing pediatric psychology, increasing representation within the field, and uplifting trainee voices.
Katherine Weaver (she/her)
Communication Committee, Podcast Co-Chair
Katherine Weaver (she/her) is a second-year graduate student in the Psychology Ph.D. program (School Psychology concentration) at the University of South Carolina. Katherine works under Dr. Sayward Harrison’s mentorship in the Healthy Futures Lab. Her interests aim to explore the shift from parent to adolescent self-management of chronic conditions, particularly in the contexts of medication adherence (e.g., antiretroviral therapy) and the pediatric-to-adult care transition. Katherine aspires to collaborate with and empower vulnerable adolescents to adopt adherence and self-management strategies that will promote lasting positive health outcomes. In this role, she is excited to collaborate with others and promote the diverse voices within SPP.
Frances Cooke (she/her)
Membership Committee, Network of Campus Representatives Co-Chair
Frances Cooke is a second-year in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at the Catholic University of America under the mentorship of Dr. Christina Sharkey. Her research interests include identifying risk and resilience factors for healthcare transition and self-management among adolescents and emerging adults with chronic medical conditions. She is passionate about researching, developing, and providing evidence-based and culturally responsive treatment to address health disparities and improve psychosocial and health outcomes for youth and their families. Frances is the co-chair of the Network of Campus Representatives, which aims to raise awareness of pediatric psychology across the country.
Kathy Yanes Pérez (she/her)
Programming Committee, Mentorship Chair
Kathy Yanes Pérez is a third-year Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) student at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, with a background in public health, having earned her master's degree in public health from Florida International University. Kathy’s clinical focus is on supporting children and families facing medical challenges such as cancer, diabetes, and neurological disorders. She is currently completing a practicum with children managing diabetes and gastrointestinal issues and is passionate about promoting culturally competent care for Latinx communities. For her directed study, Kathy is examining pediatric palliative care utilization among Latinx children, focusing on cultural adaptations and barriers faced by their families. Her research interests also include neuropsychological interventions for children who have survived cancer, specifically those experiencing cognitive and social challenges during school reintegration. Kathy currently serves as a National Campus Representative for Division 54 and is excited to step into her role as Mentorship Chair on the Student Advisory Board.