Past Team Members
Edward (Eddie) Rivero
Ed.M. in Counseling Psychology, Boston University
Edward Rivero received a degree in Ethnic Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. He formerly was an academic advisor at Youth Radio in Downtown Oakland, CA and a counseling intern at Boston Latin School. Eddie’s research interests include the disproportionate number of students of color in special education services and the Effects of spiritual healing traditions on Chicano/a Latino/a Mental health
Lavonia Montoute’
Ed.M. in Counseling Psychology, Boston University
LaVonia Montoute’ received her B.S. in Psychology from Davidson College. Lavonia has worked in research in cognitive and social psychology as well as fieldwork in applied behavioral analysis. Her research interests include ADHD, Autism, learning and memory in classroom environments, and first generation students.
Past Research Affiliates
Xinghua Qi
Associate Professor, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Began Jan 2020
Project: Rural youth’s development in China’s higher middle school and higher education system is a newly developing research strand since 1999, the year of the nationwide “enrollment expansion in higher education” that has been lasting till now. This project will involve a comparative analysis of rural career and technical education and career development strategies in order to provide policy recommendations for addressing rural youth development in China’s higher middle school and secondary education.
Lea Ferrari
Associate Professor, University of Padua, Began 2018
Project: One of these emerging research foundations is identifying the nature of caring and encouraging behaviors that enable career development providers to effectively work with high need, high risk youth. My goal is to co-launch an international study of social emotional learning and career readiness. This study will begin by examining cross-cultural perceptions among educators about the nature of social/emotional learning. Follow up research will establish a qualitative and quantitative SEL measure followed up by designing culturally responsive professional development materials to enable educators to become more confident in delivering SEL and career development lessons.
Products:
– Successful launch and end of year convening of the cross-cultural SEL research program.
– Received formal designation as an International Research Network by the World Educational Research Association.
– Solberg, V. S. and Ferrari, L. (Co-Chairs), Andrei, A., Gali, R., Garcia-Murias, R., Janerir, I., Kuttunen, J. H., Marsay, G., Newman, K., Park, C.M., Shin, T., & Weber, P.C. (September, 2019). Cross-Cultural Dimensions of Social Emotional Learning and Their Implications for Career Development. Plenary session presented at the 2019 International Association for Vocational and Education Guidance, Bratislava, Slovakia.
Angela Andrei
Senior Scientist, Romania Institute of Educational Sciences, Began 2018
Project: My goal is to understand the ways in which different stakeholders (e.g. school counsellors, teachers, school directors, researchers, university professors, decision-makers at local, federal level) work together to carry on the process of evaluation of career guidance programs in USA, as well as to develop new research and evaluation skills by exchanging ideas and practices with American colleagues.
Products:
– Andrei, A. & Solberg, V. S. (under review). Personalized career and academic planning – A promising policy and practice. Proceedings of the 2019 IAEVG, Bratislava, Slovakia.
– Andrei, A. (2018). Implementation and evaluation of the Academic and Career Plan (ACP) in Wisconsin & the U.S.: Case studies.
– Andrei, A. & Solberg, V. S. (September, 2019). Personalized career and academic planning – a promising policy and practice. Paper presented at the 2019 International Association for Vocational and Education Guidance, Bratislava, Slovakia.
Weiran Zhang
Doctoral Student, East China Normal University, Began 2018
Project: By evaluating long history of career guidance and counseling practices and policies in the US and Finland, my aim is to develop culturally responsive recommendations for China.
Products:
– Solberg, V., Lillis, J., Zhang, W., & Martin, J. L. (2020). Career Development Policy Strategies for Supporting Transition of Students with Education Needs and Disabilities. In M. Yuen, W. Beamish, & V. S. Solberg (Eds.), Careers for Students with Special Educational Needs: Perspectives on Development and Transitions from the Asia-Pacific Region. (pp. 1-26). Singapore: Singapore: Springer.
Judith L. Martin, Ph.D.
Research Scientist, Department of Counseling Psychology and Applied Human Development
Project: She conducts evaluation research with Dr. Solberg for the Vocational Rehabilitation Youth Technical Assistance Center (Y-TAC) led by the Institute of Educational Leadership and funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration. This work evaluates training and technical assistance delivered by Y-TAC for vocational rehabilitation agencies in multiple states. She also helps coordinate the State Leaders Career Development Network that meets monthly with leaders from over 30 states to discuss career development topics and the implementation of individualized learning plans (ILPs). Other recent projects include career development research for the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth and a longitudinal research project on high school graduates.
Rhonda Basha, J.D.
Research Affiliate, Counseling Psychology and Applied Human Development
Projects: one examines the current state of career advising in higher education (Higher Education Toolkit) and another that focuses on project-based learning/ MakerSpace and its connection to youth career development.
Bushra Ismail, M.A
Doctoral Student in Counseling Psychology
She completed a B.S in Neuroscience and a M.A in Clinical Mental Counseling both from the Ohio State University. She has done research on suicide prevention, the career concerns of immigrants and social justice in the counseling profession. She completed a year-long clinical internship at Ohio State’s college counseling center and was inspired by this experience to further her education and clinical training. Bushra’s clinical interests are marginalized college students and emerging adults. Her research interests include career development, coping, academic persistence and racial and ethnic identity development. Bushra is affiliated with the American Psychological Association Division 17 (Vocational Psychology) and Division 9 (Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues). In her spare time, she enjoys reading, watching films, and exploring Boston.
Yanling is a graduate student in the school counseling program at Wheelock College of Education and Human Development, Boston University. She received her MBA degree at Yunnan University, China. Yanling worked for three state-owned enterprises for seven years in China. The latest job was in Kunming Education Investment Co., Ltd, China, as a project manager. During that time, she had an excellent opportunity to get access to the K-12 education area. She noticed the gap in the education system that relates to career development and social and emotional learning. It inspired her to pursue graduate study in counseling. Yanling has followed Dr.Scott Solberg and worked on SEL and career readiness. Her research interests include the impacts of SEL on academic achievement and career readiness, identity development. In her spare time, she is practicing yoga and also enjoys cooking, traveling, and freediving.
Erin Jaques, Ed.M.
Erin was a Research Scientist on Dr. Solberg’s research team at the Center for Future Readiness, where she was responsible for project management of an evidence-based collective impact collaboration focused on the design of high quality career and academic planning (MyCAP) lessons. Her work focuses on the design, implementation, and evaluation of effective career development, mentorship, and leadership programming for all youth. She supports multiple other projects within the center that utilize the MyCAP or connect with individualized learning plans in collaboration with interested local, national, and international educators, specifically Boston Public Schools.
Biography
Ms. Jaques has her B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Communication from Texas A&M University at College Station, and Ed.M. in Education Policy and Management from Harvard Graduate School of Education. She began her journey in education in San Antonio as a Teach For America corps member, where she gained experience as a middle school special education teacher in both public and charter school settings. In these roles, she created leadership programming opportunities for students focused on developing their sense of purpose and deep connection to the school community through volunteering across the campus. Her recent work includes collaboration with Boston Public School’s Office of Strategy and Innovation in developing the BPS Transformative Mentorship Initiative, a system that provides social emotional and mentorship support to students, in a way which response to their individual needs and identities. This initiative served 15 schools and nearly 1,000 students in its first year. Prior to this role, Ms. Jaques served as the Research Assistant for the Urban Education Institute at UTSA, founder and Executive Chair of San Antonio Prism – a regional branch of Teach For America’s initiative to support LBGTQ+ students and teachers, and mentor and trainer for Teach For America special education corps members.
Pronouns: She/her/hers