Gabriella was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, and she knows all the best food spots. She received her BA in psychology at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. After graduation she returned home to work for the UO Portland campus in the Prevention Science Institute as a research assistant. She is excited to stay close to home as a PhD student in the Counseling Psychology program at University of Oregon. Her interest in health psychology stems from a family background in public health and social work. She is excited by research that focuses on better understanding and preventing mental and physical health disparities for underserved populations, especially racial/ethnic minorities. Her current research examines the intersection of racial discrimination and body image as it impacts Latina women’s mental health. She enjoys working for the RENEW lab so she can be a part of the conversation around weight stigma and eating behaviors among underrepresented groups. In her spare time, she performs with a social justice theater troupe, Rehearsals for Life, and loves repeatedly lifting heavy things and reading as many fantasy novels as she can get her hands on. ​