ACCESS Lab Team
Lab Director
pronouns: she/her
Amanda is a Clinical Psychologist and Assistant Professor of Psychology at George Mason University. She earned her PhD in Clinical Science at Florida International University in Miami, Florida and completed a T32 postdoctoral fellowship where she gained expertise in implementation science to better understand and address the implementation of mental health services in community settings. Dr. Sanchez approaches her work from a health equity perspective that acknowledges and seeks to address the effects of structural marginalization (i.e., racism, classism, sexism, transphobia, etc.) on youth from minoritized identities. She has received external funding through NIMH and the international OCD foundation. She is committed to equity within her research and within the field of clinical psychology more broadly. Outside of work she enjoys being in nature, watching basketball with her husband, salsa dancing, eating new foods, and hanging out with her cats (Jungle and Mely).
Graduate Student(s)
Sasha Flowers
pronouns: she/her
Sasha is a third-year Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student at George Mason University. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Psychology. In the ACCESS Lab, she researches power imbalances within the therapeutic relationship and facilitators to culturally responsive care. Generally, she is interested in Participatory Action Research and decolonizing research methodologies. More specifically, Sasha is interested in assessing client perceptions of clinician cultural humility, addressing power dynamics in treatment, centering client voices in mental health care, developing authentic therapeutic alliances, and decreasing barriers to culturally responsive evidence-based practice.
Asha Rudrabhatla
pronouns: she/her
Asha is a Clinical Psychology PhD student at George Mason University. She graduated from Colorado College (2020) with a BA in Psychology. After graduating, Asha earned a research fellowship at the Marcus Autism Center and served as a research coordinator at the University of Southern California, where she applied community-centered research approaches to advance equity in the delivery of accessible and culturally-responsive mental health services for children, youth, and families. In the ACCESS Lab, Asha applies systems-level and community-driven research and advocacy approaches to advancing equity in the delivery of community mental health services for racial and ethnic minoritized youth impacted by contextual stressors (e.g., racism).
Research Assistants
Chris Kang
pronouns: she/her
Chris is currently a research fellow at the School of Global Public Health at New York University, where she researches the global implementation of stigma and mental health interventions. As a research coordinator at the non-profit organization, Believe New York, she also investigates the utilization of mental health and social services in New York City. She graduated from Teachers College, Columbia University with an M.A. in clinical psychology, and she received her B.A. in Cognitive Science and English from the University of Virginia. Her primary research interests are increasing access to evidence-based and culturally-sensitive mental health services for minority youth and improving mental health services for foster care populations. In her free time, she enjoys reading and spending time with family and friends.
Aysha Hameed
pronouns: she/her
Aysha is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Mental Health Counseling at Liberty University, following her completion of a B.S. in Neuroscience from George Mason University. Her research interests focus on the role of institutions in societal arrangements, such as adoption agencies, increasing awareness of culturally responsive care, and exploring the impact of the therapeutic alliance on treatment outcome. In her free time, she enjoys watching true crime shows, biking, cuddling with her three cats, and baking desserts.
Affiliated Research Coordinator(s)
Michal Weiss
pronouns: she/her
Michal is a clinical research coordinator at the University of Pennsylvania in the Center for Mental Health, working on Project RESPECT. She graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies (Psychology, Biological Sciences and Human Development). Her primary research interests include reduction of stigma through increased access and awareness of and equity in mental healthcare and the intersection between mental health research and policy. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and baking, board game nights, and exploring new restaurants.
Temma Schaechter
pronouns: she/her
Temma Schaechter is a clinical research coordinator at the Penn Center for Mental Health. Temma graduated from Brown University with a B.A. in Psychology and Music, where she researched mental health interventions for youth in the justice system. For her honors thesis, she studied factors that may attenuate racial/ethnic discrimination. Temma plans to pursue graduate studies to continue investigating mental health disparities and how to adapt services for marginalized communities. Outside of research, she writes folk music and loves food.