EXECUTIVE BOARD 2025-2026
Ella Liu & Katherine Song
Editors-in-Chief
Ella is a fourth year psychobiology major who discovered a passion for research publication through URJP. She is a part-time staff RA at the UCLA Addictions Laboratory, where she is developing a departmental honors thesis on inflammation as a mechanistic link between chronic pain and alcohol use. She also works under the UCLA Psychiatry Department exploring tFUS as a novel treatment for substance use disorders at the Semel Institute. In her free time, she loves rock-climbing and exploring new cafes.
Katherine Song (she/her) is a fourth-year Psychology major at UCLA with minors in Public Health and Creative Writing. She is a research assistant in two UCLA labs, CALMA and CARE, as well as a research assistant for the CALMS Lab at CHLA. She plans to apply for a PhD in clinical psychology to study intervention implementation and improvement for minority populations and would love to form connections with likeminded people. Fight on!
Danika Suh & Jessica Sanders
Associate Editors-in-Chief
Danika Suh (she/her) is a third-year Psychology major and Education Studies minor. Outside of URJP, she is a College Access Mentor under the UCLA Kern Regional K16 Education Collaborative, Research Assistant at the ADRC, and Recruitment Chair for CELL Scholars. Off campus, she works as a Special Education intern at a tutoring site tied to the Westside Regional Center. After graduation, she plans to obtain an Ed.S in School Psychology, followed by an Ed.D to further her interest in implementing cross-cultural educational and mental health interventions in schools. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting and café hopping!
Jessica Sanders (she/her) is a third year Cognitive Science major from Sacramento, California. She is interested in law, especially how interdisciplinary perspectives can be used in the legal field to better serve underrepresented communities. She is pursuing attendance at a law school after graduation to pursue a career in public interest law. Outside of URJP she spends her time coaching figure skating, dancing, and reading!
Ashlyn Sze
Internal Staff Director
Ashlyn (she/her) is a second-year Cognitive Science major and Applied Developmental Psychology minor undergraduate from El Segundo, CA. She is actively involved in various organizations, including serving as the On-Campus Housing Council’s Director of Sustainability, the Assistant Membership Director for PSI CHI, and a mentor through the Pilipino Recruitment and Enrichment program. She is also a research assistant for the Language and Cognitive Development lab. Ashlyn is drawn to cognitive development for how its potential to improve education and well-being, hoping to attend graduate school to expand this passion. Known for her bubbly and approachable personality, she loves meeting new people and making meaningful connections.
Vibha Srinivas
External Staff Director
Vibha Srinivas (she/her) is a third-year Psychobiology Major that has developed a passion for psychiatry research through being a URJP Editor and being a clinical research assistant at the SNIHP Lab where she assists with participant interaction, data scoring, and designing new projects for the BWITS and LSA studies. Outside of research, she helps teach the LS30A/B courses as a Pedagogy Head Learning Assistant, is a clinical volunteer with UCLA Mobile Eye Clinic to provide free eye care to underserved communities, volunteers with Students United for Reproductive and Gender Equity, and volunteers with Bruin Vision Project to reduce the language barrier between patients and healthcare. In her free time, she loves writing poetry, going to the gym, and visiting new coffee shops.
Vanessa Tran & Nysa Lilani
Directors of Submissions and Workshops
Vanessa is a third-year Cognitive Science major who is interested in a career in industrial organizational psychology. She wants to gain a deeper understanding of how cognitive processes influence workplace behavior and decision-making. She is currently a research assistant in the Computation Visual Learning lab. In her free time she likes to scroll on Pinterest, curate oddly specific Spotify playlists, and read mystery books.
Nysa Lilani is a third year psychobiology major from Dallas, Texas. In addition to being Co-Director of URJP Submissions & Workshops, she is also involved in other organizations like Community Health Collective, Life Science Student Association, and Medical Experience in Service Health Care. She also really enjoy doing research, and has been conducting Neurocardiology Research in the Ajijola Lab for the past 3 years. Outside of school, she really enjoys dancing, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family.
Joyce Lee
Directors of Marketing
Joyce is a 4th year undergraduate pre-med student majoring in psychobiology and minoring in evolutionary medicine. She is currently working as a lead research assistant at The Peng Lab at UCLA. Her lab focuses on the mechanisms of alpha-synuclein and tau related neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and multiple system atrophy. She has a passion for psychology and neuroscience and is hoping to pursue a career in medicine/healthcare in the future.
Siobhan Nelson
Social Director
Siobhan (she/her) is a third year psychology major and global health minor from Sacramento, California. She has research interests in neuropsychology, pediatric neurodevelopment, and social skills interventions. Outside of URJP, she is involved as a research assistant in UCLA’s Parenting and Children’s Friendship Clinic, the Iacoboni Lab, and the Cognition, Affect, and Neurodevelopment in Youth Lab. She is also a research coordinator for Psi Chi. She enjoys running, reading, and drinking matcha in her free time!
Christie Fok
Finance Director
Christie Fok is a third-year Psychology & Communications double-major. In addition to URJP, she works as a research intern at Greenlight America and a research assistant with the UCLA Drasnin Archive. She’s active in the student community through BruinSynaptoGenesis and the Life Sciences Student Association. In her free time, she loves sweet treats and kayaking!
OUR 2025-2026 TEAM
Editing Leads
Pearl Agramon
Pearl Agramon (she/her/hers) is a second-year transfer majoring in psychology. Alongside editing for URJP, Pearl serves as mentor for first-year transfers to help them transition to UCLA. After undergrad, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and a J.D. in law with a specialization in criminal law. In the future, Pearl hopes to become a forensic psychologist. In her free time, Pearl loves to open blind boxes and play video games with friends!
Janelle Cao
Janelle is a second-year transfer student majoring in psychology with a minor in Asian American studies. They are presently a research assistant in the Social Minds Lab at UCLA, and previously worked as a research assistant in the Pathways Lab and the Higher Education & Diversity Lab at Stanford University. After graduating, they plan to eventually pursue a Ph.D. in social psychology with the goal of studying friendship.
Eugene Choi
Eugene Choi is a third-year Cognitive Science major and Professional Writing minor at UCLA. This is her second year serving as a Lead Editor for URJP, where she mentors editors and helps guide manuscripts through the editorial process. Her academic background centers on jurisprudence and argumentative writing, reflected in her roles as Editor for the Undergraduate Law Journal and annual Essay Sifter for the John Locke Institute. She loves studying human reasoning, moral decision-making, and the intersection of psychology and law, informed by her legal research and public-sector internships. Passionate about supporting undergraduate scholarship, Eugene is committed to advancing clear, thoughtful scientific communication through URJP. When she’s not editing, you can find her ranking matcha spots around LA!
Annika Ekenstam
Annika is a second-year Cognitive Science major and Professional Writing minor. On campus, she is a Research Assistant for the Language Processing Lab and is involved in clubs such as Autism Advocacy, Psi Chi, and URJP. Beyond academics, she enjoys hiking, running, bouldering, crocheting, and playing intramural sports.
Sarah Harris
Sarah Harris a 4th year psychology student at UCLA. She is an editing lead at URJP. Additionally, Sarah is currently working on her honors thesis with the SAND lab, studying how household unpredictability affects emotion regulation. She is also a research assistant in the Rissman lab, where she assists in MRI scan sessions at the Cognitive Center for Neuroscience.
Naima Kahl
Naima Kahl is a second-year Cognitive Science and Global Studies double major from Thousand Oaks, California. Outside of URJP, she is a member of the UCLA Scattertones A Cappella group and Afrikan Student Union, cultivating her passion for music performance and activism. She hopes to attend graduate school after college and pursue a career in global research, studying the cultural implications of ancestral trauma in underrepresented communities worldwide. She also enjoys traveling to new places, eating good food, and singing with friends.
Yueying (Maggie) Li
Maggie Li (she/her) is an undergraduate at UCLA pursuing a B.A. in Psychology and a B.S. in Statistics and Data Science. She is a research assistant across multiple UCLA labs, including the Wilson Motor Lab, the Anxiety and Depression Research Center (ADRC), and the COG Lab, where she contributes to research on motor control, attention and executive function, cognitive aging, and clinical interventions for depression. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology, with broad interests in learning mechanisms and socialization of people with ASD. In addition to her research work, she serves as the Co-President of Mood Psychology at UCLA, where she supports mental health advocacy among international students at UCLA.
Monica Ni
Monica is a second year psychology major from Hangzhou, China. She has research interests in friendships, imposter syndrome and relational dynamics. Outside of URJP, she is involved as a research assistant in UCLA’s Social Minds Lab and Anxiety & Depression Research Center. She is also the co-director of SWC SEARCH. She enjoys baking, crocheting, and watching sunsets.
Shea Ridl
Shea Ridl is a second-year Cognitive Science major and Stats and Data Science minor from Washington, DC. Apart from being an Editing Lead in URJP, she is involved with Club Tennis and Kappa Delta Sorority. She has previously worked as a Research Assistant in the Georgetown Laboratory for Relational Cognition and hopes to pursue a career in research or data analytics after graduating.
Raymond Shao
Raymond is a senior majoring in (psychology) and (linguistics + CS). His interests are in language processing and acquisition with an emphasis on computation modeling. Outside of school, he enjoys cooking and running. After graduation, he hopes to work in a post-bacc position before pursuing a PhD in Psycholinguistics.
Editors
Maria Baig
Maria Baig (she/her) is a first-year psychobiology major who has furthered her passion for clinical psychology research through her time in URJP. Outside of her time as a URJP editor, Maria is a research assistant for UCLA’s Social Minds Lab and for PSI CHI’s research project focusing on emotion socialization. She is an active member of UCLA’s community through UCLA’s Muslim Student Association, Team HBV Chapter, MEDLIFE Chapter, AMSA Chapter, MUN leadership team, and the Youth Movement Against Alzheimers. Maria hopes to pursue a career as a psychiatrist in the future and is deeply engaged with neuropsychological research as well as the de-stigmatization of mental illness in South Asian communities. Apart from her academics, she loves reading/watching cheesy rom-coms, going on coffee runs, spending time with her friends and family, and playing with her cat, Toffee.
Sara Bogdan
Sara Bogdan is a second-year Cognitive Science major, originally from Vienna, Austria. She is drawn to understanding behavioral decision sciences, specifically the intersection of psychology and behavioral economics. Beyond exploring these topics through URJP, Sara is a research assistant at The National Neuropsychology Network (NNN), helping aggregate neuropsychological data to improve research and clinical methods. She is also a research assistant at the UCLA Social Minds Lab, studying how individuals engage in social connections, with a focus on friendships. In her free time, Sara enjoys playing Bruin Club Tennis, as well as painting and exploring Los Angeles.
Christabella Calderon
Christabella (they/she) is a third year English and Psychology double-major and Anthropology minor from Pomona, California. They are currently a research assistant in the Computational Social Neuroscience Lab and a news and student life writer for BruinLife. Though they are still figuring out career paths, they hope to eventually pursue a PhD in either social psychology or counseling psychology after graduation.
Anagha Dogiparthi
Anagha (she/her) is a first-year Neuroscience major from the Bay Area. Outside of URJP, she is a research assistant at the PEERS Lab. She is an aspiring psychiatrist passionate about promoting equitable access to care for underserved communities, particularly in the field of mental health. In her free time, she enjoys reading, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family!
Alexandra Farsht
Alexandra is a Psychology and Public Affairs double major in her second year. She is interested in social psychology and is considering a pre-law track.
Leena Gupta
Leena (she/her) is a first-year neuroscience major from California’s Central Valley. In addition to her work as an editor for URJP, she is involved in Bruin Bhangra and the Student Wellness Commission. She enjoys learning about psychology, trying new foods, watching TV, and listening to music.
Jamie Joaquin
Jamie is a third-year Political Science and Psychology double major from the Bay Area, with an interest in pursuing a career public defense law. Outside of URJP, she is an investigative journalist for the Daily Bruin and enjoys spending quality time with friends and family. After graduation, she plans to explore the legal field and attend law school.
Judy Liu
Judy is a first-year Psychobiology major with a strong interest in the biological, psychological, and societal component of mood disorders. Outside of URJP, she is a research assistant at the UCLA Social Cognitive Neuroscience Lab. She is also involved in the UCLA Chinese Music Ensemble and SHAN^9 Dance Drama Society as a performer. In her free time, she enjoys going on coffee hunts and writing stories.
Loretta Lye
Loretta, a Senior in Psychology and Economics from Singapore, takes an interest in anything Behavioral Sciences and Decision-Making. This is her second year editing for the URJP, while serving as Research Assistant to the Social Minds Lab (UCLA) and the Group for Persuasion and Evaluative Processes (NUS). In her free time, you can find her watching horror movies, designing posters, and thrifting in LA.
Mane Patatanian
Mane Patatanian is a first-year double major in Psychobiology and Political Science. She is the founder of Vital Teens and serves as a clinical volunteer with the Aliso Canyon Disaster Relief Research Study and Antelope Valley Medical Center. Mane is also involved in mentorship through LATM and is a UCLA Alumni Scholar, with aspirations to pursue an MD/JD and advocate for health equity.
Reyva Poage
Reyva Poage (she/her) is a first year Cognitive Science major from Bergen County, New Jersey. She is interested in the psychology behind decision-making, and how consumer research can tailor engaging and effective marketing campaigns. Outside of URJP, she plays clarinet for the UCLA marching band and is on the marketing team for SYNC at UCLA. In her free time, she enjoys watching Netflix, eating ice cream, and playing volleyball!
Caterina Stoica
Caterina Stoica is a second-year Psychobiology major from New York who is interested in neuroscience, rehabilitation, and integrative approaches to healthcare. She has worked at NYU Langone’s Translational Brain Imaging Lab, where she studied structural brain imaging for ASD, and at the Burke Neurological Institute, where she focused on the ferroptosis neuronal cell death pathway. Her research has been published in UCLA’s Undergraduate Science Journal (USJ). Outside of academics, she enjoys spending time playing piano, rock climbing, and being part of the aerial arts community at Muscle Beach in Santa Monica. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a path in physical/occupational therapy or functional medicine.
Fiona Xu
Fiona is a second-year Psychology major hoping to double major in Statistics & Data Science. She currently a research assistant in the Anxiety and Depression Research Center at UCLA. After finishing her undergraduate studies, she plans on pursuing a doctorate in clinical psychology.
Celia Zhou
Celia Zhou (she/her) is a 4th-year Cognitive Science major with a Neuroscience minor. Her passion for neuroscience began while researching anxiety and PTSD in rodents at the Der-Avakian Lab at UCSD, and continued while studying abroad at NTU, where she investigated cerebellar gene knockouts through brain slicing experiments. Celia currently serves as the Outreach Director for Vitals and Volunteers, skates for the UCLA Figure Skating Team, works as a Certified Medical Assistant, and is an Apartment Resident Assistant. She is pursuing an MD to further explore the intersection of psychology and neuroscience!
Submissions And Workshops
Ayse Bakircioglu
Ayse (she/her) is a second-year Psychobiology major from Portland, OR. She is passionate about working with and learning about children and hopes to become a pediatric clinical psychologist in the future. Outside of URJP, she is a research assistant in the Teaching, Learning, and Communication Lab. In her free time, she enjoys baking, spending time with family and friends, and being outdoors.
Maya Chisik
Maya (she/her) is a third year Psychology major and a Film and BBH double minor from Anaheim, CA. She is a research assistant at the LCAP and SPHERE labs. In addition to URJP, she is co-president of Cirque de LA and is part of Peaks and Professors on the programming committee. In her free time, Maya enjoys reading, drawing, watching movies, and hanging out with friends.
Esme Neubert
Headshot and bio coming soon!
Mindy Ngyuen
Mindy Nguyen (she/they) is a fourth-year and second-year transfer student majoring in Psychology at UCLA. She is a research assistant in the Quantitative Research Collaboratory (QRC) Lab and the Social Minds Lab. Her research interests include metascience and social psychology, particularly how personality shapes engagement in digital spaces. In her free time, she enjoys drawing people and contributing to art zines.
Chase Savela
Chase Savela is a second-year Psychology major from Manhattan Beach, California. Outside of URJP, Chase is a volunteer research assistant in the UCLA Brain and Body Lab and the UCLA Sumner Stress Lab. He also works part time as a client assistant at a local mental health center. In the future, Chase hopes to pursue a doctoral program in Clinical Psychology researching the prevention and treatment of internalizing disorders in young people. In his free time, he loves rock climbing, slacklining, and trying to learn the drums!
Sarah Stinson
Sarah Stinson is a second-year Psychology major with prospective minors in Gerontology and Global Health. She is a research assistant for the Anxiety and Depression Research Center, the TRUST Lab, and PEERS Clinic, as well as a research assistant for Psi Chi and a volunteer at the Kasari Lab. As an avid volunteer at Belmont Senior Living Village, she has developed interest in research in stress and Geropsychology, and hopes to pursue graduate study in one of these fields. In her free time, she loves trying new coffee shops, skateboarding, concerts, and watching basketball/football.
Cindy Sun
Cindy Sun is a first-year Psychology major from Houston, TX, and currently working toward adding a double major in Philosophy. With interests in clinical psychology and social psychology, she is involved in the Social Minds Lab at UCLA coding research articles for a meta-analysis on friendship. Beyond research, she volunteers with the Friendship Line, offering conversation and support to elderly individuals experiencing loneliness, and serves as an outreach member for Mood Psychology. In her free time, Cindy enjoys staying in to watch Netflix, shopping, and exploring new restaurants around the city!
Marketing and Finance
Kristin Abe
Kristin Abe (she/her) is a third year Psychology major from Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. As a research assistant in the Social Vision Lab and the Social Minds Lab at UCLA, she is currently working on projects exploring which cues matter most in forming first impressions as well as what determines friendship preferences and friendship acquisition from an evolutionary perspective. Outside of URJP, she is the Executive Vice President of Bruins for Accessible Education and works as an English tutor for Ringle Education Services; she also enjoys dancing, hiking, and going to the beach!
Leil Cheng
Leil (she/her) is a third year psychobiology major with a minor in bioinformatics. As a member of Marketing, she dabbles in a variety of creative pursuits, from oil painting to crochet. She can often be found reading murder mysteries, playing board games, and working on various game development projects!
Chelsea Dong
Headshot and bio coming soon!
Christina Lee
Christina Lee (she/her) is a third year Cognitive Science major from Burbank, California. As she continues her studies at UCLA, she plans to pursue a Specialization in Computing. Christina’s research interests are in nutritional psychology and neuroscience–more specifically neurogastronomy. Outside of URJP, Christina currently serves as an Graphic Designer for Korean Culture Night’s PR & Marketing Team, in addition to her position at the UCLA Asian American Studies Center where she does illustration, website management and design.
Leyun Liu
Leyun Liu (she/her) is a second-year Sociology and Labor Studies major from Sacramento, CA. She’s works in Residential Life as a Programming Board member and she’s an active member of SHRM at UCLA. In her free time, she enjoys trying now foods and exploring new places!
Willow Reyes
Willow Reyes (she/her) is a third-year Psychobiology major. Outside of URJP, she is a research assistant for the TenJ Lab, serves as the social media coordinator for Teddy Bear Hospital at UCLA, and volunteers with the Transforming Care at the Bedside Program in the Orthopedics/Trauma unit at Cedars-Sinai. She is also an active member of Samahang Pilipino and the Pre-PA Club. In her free time, she enjoys creating digital collages and videos, singing, dancing, and exploring new restaurants. After graduation, Willow plans to pursue a career as a physician associate.
Morgan Sun
Morgan Sun (she/they) is first-year Psychology and Economics double major from South Pasadena, California. In addition to URJP, she works as an explanatory journalist for the Daily Bruin, a finance intern and policy writer for UCLA Activism Through Policy, and a research assistant at SWC SEARCH in sexual health literacy. They love color guard and reading random books in their spare time!