Alexis is a first-year Mental Health Counseling M.Ed. student at Lehigh university. He completed his B.A. in Psychology and minored in Communication Studies, cum laude, at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. During his last year in undergrad he was a part of the McNair Scholars Program, where he developed his research skills and interests. His six years of experience as a middle school teacher assistant for the Los Angeles Unified School District has allowed him to work closely with Spanish-speaking students, where he gained a passion for understanding and addressing the unique challenges they face.

My research interests revolve around adolescents and furthering my communication skills in Spanish to better assist latinx communities. I also want to do more work within schools to create positive changes in educational settings, particularly for English as a second language (ESL) students. Growing up in a bilingual household, I understand some of the unique challenges faced by ESL students, and especially in how mental health is addressed. I hope to create a more positive outlook on how mental health is perceived within latinx communities.