Our Team
Sylvia Herbozo, Ph.D.
Founder & President
As a bilingual, Latina psychologist, Dr. Herbozo conducts pre-surgical evaluations and post-surgical interventions with a focus on monolingual Spanish speaking patients in the Bariartic Surgery program at Rush University Medical Center. She is also the director of the Body Image and Eating Behaviors lab. She was recently awarded a healthy equity grant to examine socioeconomic, cultural, and psychological factors influencing weight regain in Latinos after bariatric surgery. As an educator, Dr. Herbozo is invested in both clinical and research training for students. Dr. Herbozo is also a member of various professional organizations, including the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery where she serves on the Diversity and Inclusion committee.
Dr. Herbozo has a passion for training and mentoring students pursuing careers in mental health, particularly Latino students. She founded PLANS with the vision of increasing the representation of Latinos in Clinical and Counseling Psychology at the doctoral level. She values her Peruvian heritage and addresses cultural issues in both clinical and research work.
Dr. Herbozo completed her undergraduate training in Psychology at the University of Central Florida. She completed her doctoral training in Clinical and Counseling Psychology at the University of South Florida, followed by an internship in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Chicago, and a postdoctoral fellowship in the Program for Obesity, Weight, and Eating Research at Yale University.
Yasmin Asvat, Ph.D.
Vice President
In her clinical role, Dr. Asvat provides psychological support services to cancer patients and survivors both in the outpatient clinic and inpatient hospital settings. She is a multi-cultural (Latina, Indian, Muslim) and bilingual (Spanish, English) psychologist who is passionate about promoting equity in access to psychological services in oncology. Dr. Asvat’s research interestes include psychological and behavioral factors that impact coping and adjustment to cancer, and the development, evaluation, and dissemination of interventions that promote physical and psychological well-being among cancer patients and survivors. She is a member of the American Psychosocial Oncology Society, where she has served as a member in the Professional Education Committee and Program Planning Chair.
Dr. Asvat completed her undergraduate training in Psychology and English at the University of Toronto, followed by a Master’s degree in Psychology at San Diego State University. She completed her doctoral training in Clinical Psychology at the University of South Florida and the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, followed by an internship in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Chicago, and a postdoctoral fellowship in psychosocial oncology in the Department of Behavioral Sciences at Rush University Medical Center.
Isabel Quiñones, PhD
Director of New Members Program
Isabel is currently a Bariatric & Health Psychology postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Behavioral Sciences at Rush University Medical Center. At Rush, she continues to provide psychological support services in the outpatient clinic in both Spanish and English. Isabel is a member of the Body Image and Eating Behaviors Lab under the direction of Dr. Herbozo.
Isabel completed her undergraduate training in Psychology at the University of Michigan, followed by a Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology at the Illinois Institute of Technology. She completed her doctoral internship training at Rush University Medical Center. Isabel plans to continue serving the Latino community through her clinical and research career. As a proud Latina, she hopes to use her experiences in helping others achieve their goals in the mental health field.
Ramiro Angelino, B.S.
Research Assistant
Ramiro is an incoming doctoral student in Counseling Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University. His research interests center on addressing mental health disparities among Latinx populations, with a particular focus on culturally grounded interventions. This includes examining how gender and family dynamics influence mental health outcomes in marginalized communities.
Ramiro earned his Bachelor of Science in Clinical-Community Psychology and Criminology, Law and Society from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to beginning his doctoral studies, he served as a post-baccalaureate research scholar at several academic institutions including Rush University Medical Center, the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, the University of Nebraska - Lincoln and the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. Through these roles, he contributed to researching violence prevention and health disparities among LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities.
As a Latino and first-generation scholar, Ramiro is committed to uplifting community voices in research, training culturally responsive clinicians, and bridging the gap between research, clinical practice, and advocacy. He is excited to be part of the PLANS team and looks forward to supporting fellow Latino students on their paths into mental health professions.
Melanie Grad-Freilich
Program Development Intern
Melanie Grad-Freilich is a doctoral student pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical and Developmental Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh. Melanie completed her undergraduate training in Psychology with a concentration in Neuroscience at Yale University with Dr. BJ Casey. She then completed a post-baccalaureate position at Harvard University with Dr. Leah Somerville.
Now as a part of the Families, Emotions, Neuroscience & Development lab at the University of Pittsburgh and advised by Drs. Jennifer Silk and Cecile Ladouceur, she focuses on interpersonal adversity and psychopathology in adolescence using behavioral and neuroimaging methods.
In her clinical and research career, she plans to focus on youth who experience interpersonal adversity at an individual and structural level. As a proud bilingual Latina, she hopes to broaden the psychotherapy resources available to Spanish-speaking members of her current community in Pittsburgh and incorporate community outreach into her future clinical practice.
Laura Rosado Philippi
Social Media Coordinator
Laura Rosado Philippi is a junior double majoring in Psychology and Anthropology with a minor in Latin American and Latino Studies at Fordham University's Rose Hill Campus. On track to graduate in May 2026, she aims to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree. Laura's post-graduation aspirations include pursuing doctoral training in either Clinical Psychology or Developmental Psychology.
As a born and raised Puerto Rican woman, Laura has firsthand experience of the challenges faced by her community in accessing psychological services. Her move to the US after high school accentuated the disparities in mental health resources. Laura is dedicated to combating the stigma surrounding mental health in Latinx communities. She aspires to work within non-profit organizations and community service projects focused on addressing these issues.
Laura actively contributes to her university's multicultural affairs committees, particularly the Latine Heritage and Women's HERstory initiatives. Recently, she co-founded the Puerto Rican Student Association at Fordham, aiming to strengthen ties between her community and the university.
Excited to be part of the PLANS team, Laura intends to integrate her passion for psychology with her interests in marketing and communications to advocate for mental health awareness effectively.
Darlene Campos,
Social Media Manager
Darlene is a doctoral student at Lehigh University pursuing a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology. Her research focuses on Latinx mental health as well as youth interventions as they relate to ethnic-racial identity development.
She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Sociology at Clark University. During her undergraduate training, Darlene participated in various research and off-campus activities. At Clark University, she was an undergraduate research assistant for Dr. Amy Heberle. In her lab, she investigated the feasibility and acceptability of a parent intervention study in which white parents engaged in anti-racist parenting through a mixed methods study. Additionally, she has served as both coordinator and facilitator for the Latina Achievers in Search of Success (LASOS) youth program at the Latino Education Institute at Worcester State University.
Darlene is excited to join the PLANS teams and looks forward to disseminating valuable information to other passionate, future Latine clinical/counseling students.