Class of 2024

Krista Fisher

Krista graduated from UC Berkeley with a B.A. in Psychology in 2019. During her undergraduate career, she worked in research labs in clinical and social psychology and completed an honors thesis on diversity of emotional experiences. Krista also contributed to a clinical trial implementing a memory support intervention into cognitive behavioral therapy for depression. As a result, she authored a poster on the differential effects of training on therapists’ use of treatment elements. She also worked on a longitudinal study evaluating ADHD and factors of social and psychological adjustment in girls and women. After graduating, Krista became a research coordinator on an NIMH-funded project aiming to implement an evidence-based intervention into 20+ organizations throughout California. She also authored a poster on provider attitudes and their integration of knowledge following trainings. Throughout this work, Krista gained experience in training development and evaluation, employee motivation, organizational development, and implementation science. These experiences inspired Krista to seek a better understanding of I/O principles and she pursued the M.S. in I/O psychology at SFSU. 

Second Year Internship: TBD

Kentaro Kawasaki

Kentaro graduated from San Diego State University in 2021 with a double major in Psychology and Political Science with a minor in the Honors College. He spent his time there involved in Dr Emily Kappenman's Kappenman Laboratory as an Undergraduate Research Assistant, the College of Sciences Student Council as a Student Representative, and the International Student Center Advisory Board as a Student Advisor. After graduating, Kentaro moved back to his hometown of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam where he worked at a large business conglomerate and found his love for people operations and human resources. At SF State, Kentaro works as a research assistant in Dr. Sanchez's Workplace Technology Research Lab, wherein he cultivated his research interests of technology in the workplace, gamified learning, and advancements in workplace relevant virtual and augmented reality software. During his time in the Workplace Technology Research Lab, Kentaro developed a thesis looking at reactance phenomena, self efficacy, and gaming populations in the workplace. Kentaro is also a Graduate Teaching Assistant for several undergraduate statistics classes wherein he helps aspiring psychologists better understand statistical theory and analysis at a beginner and intermediate level. In his second year at San Francisco State University, Kentaro became the president of the Industrial Organizational Psychology Student Association. When he's not working or studying, Kentaro loves to practice martial arts, read non-fiction, and discover new coffee flavors to fall in love with. In the distant future, Kentaro wishes to take what he's learned throughout the program and beyond back to his home country, where he seeks to revolutionize what it means to be a healthy, engaged, and social member of the workplace.

Second Year Internship: TBD

Mikayla Newsome-Rouse

Mikayla “MK” Newsome-Rouse received her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Managing Diversity in Organizations and a pathway minor in Science, Technology, and Values at California State University, Chico. During her undergraduate years, MK challenged herself and joined the Honors in General Education and Honors in the Major programs. In these programs, she had the pleasure of conducting her own research under the guidance of a psychology faculty member. At SF State, MK volunteered as a mentor in the Mentoring Undergraduate Student Experience (MUSE). There she provided support and resources to an undergraduate psychology student looking to apply to graduate programs. She also joined the Employee Selection and Retention Lab. There she had the pleasure of supporting other students in their thesis work. In that lab, she also assisted Dr. Chris Wright with his comprehensive study of the impact of pandemic-related changes on organizational conditions. In her free time, MK enjoys watching anime, walking various trails throughout the city, and painting.

Second Year Internship: TBD

Reshma Shelke

Reshma Shelke graduated with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Human Resource Management from the University of Houston. Reshma was actively involved in undergraduate research under Dr. Qian Lu in the health lab and with Dr. Spitzmueller in the I/O lab which piqued her interest in the field. Reshma's interest in I/O psychology coupled with her HR experience at a startup cemented her desire to pursue graduate school in I/O. Reshma’s areas of interest lie in employee selection, employee engagement, DEIB and work - life balance. Reshma is an avid movie lover and prior to COVID would strive to watch a movie once a week in the theaters. When not studying or working, you will find Reshma exploring brunch places in the Bay Area, traveling, and spending time with her husband and son. 

Second Year Internship: TBD

David Stewart

David is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles with a B.A. in Psychology. During his time as an undergrad, he worked in student led organizing spaces such as the UC Divest Coalition and SJP at UCLA. With a passion for helping others he hopes to improve organizational hiring practices, ensuring a level playing field for all candidates. He is also passionate about furthering research of employee work-life balance and how this dynamic can impact an employees performance and retention in an organization. In his free time, David spends his time camping, exploring new music, and going on bike rides. 

Second Year Internship: Federal Home Loan Bank San Francisco

Brian Trinh

Brian graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in English and minored in Education. He was passionate about education and becoming a teacher at the time. Brian attended UC Davis to earn a multiple subject teaching credential and M.A. in Education. He primarily taught upper elementary students in a combination private and public schools in the Bay Area, Central Valley, and Atlanta, GA. Teaching has imparted diverse set of soft skills, such as managing multiple projects, differentiating approaches to varying audiences, and thriving in ambiguity while remaining flexible. Over time, feelings of burnout and employee dissatisfaction ensued, which had him question the impacts of leadership, professional development training, DEI, and onboarding on current and future employees within an organization. These stepping stones were critical to the impetus that eventually led to a career change and transition into I/O psychology at SFSU. Brian worked in Dr. Sanchez's WorkTech Lab, where he learned how to peer edit, write research papers, and prepare papers for publication. He was also the program coordinator for MUSE and a graduate teaching assistant for SFSU statistics courses. His research interests are talent acquisition, training and learning development. Brian’s long-term goal is to be a lead training and development manager for an organization or work for a consulting firm.

Second Year Internship: TBD

Chia Candy Wang

Candy did her undergraduate at Chapman University where she double majored in Communication Studies and Psychology. Despite her initial aspiration of becoming a clinical psychologist, Candy's path led her through roles such as a public relations intern, business development intern, and family success associate during and after her undergraduate. These experiences ignited a passion for integrating psychology into workplaces, propelling her toward the field of Industrial-Organizational Psychology (I/O). Currently, Candy works as an Organizational Health and Recruiting Intern. Furthermore, Candy also works for Dr. Eschleman's Health and Organizational Psychology lab, with a thesis focus on Job Burnout. lting firm. When the program ends, Candy hopes to advance her career as a consultant, continually helping organizations develop and employees flourish.

Second Year Internship: TBD