Lela is an Applied Social Psychology PhD student at CGU. She is an Applied researcher, methodologist, and DE/I strategist that enjoys using a wealth of knowledge and skills from across disciplines to promote awareness and knowledge, solve complex issues and improve practices.
She received her degree in Psychology (I/O concentration) from Texas A&M University in 2017 where she conducted extensive research on DEI and improving organizational processes and practices. She also worked with Disability Services and taught STEAM related courses at several school and after school programs to students of diverse backgrounds and ages. She is super passionate about this work!
She is currently a Research Associate for the YDEval lab and the CGU Accenture Talent Innovation Lab. She is also an active member of the Social Identity Center, Claremont Black Leadership, Psi Chi and several other organizations. She has been enjoying learning more about the super useful practice of evaluation and incorporating it into her skillset.
Currently, her projects focus on the application of social psychology concepts (attitudes, behaviors, social influence, social identity, group processes, intergroup relations. etc.) into organizations, media, marketing and schools to provide insights, trainings, and solve complex issues. She is particularly interested in these topics as they relate to marginalized communities.
She enjoys all things Disney and musical theatre, the performing arts, true-crime (truly an amateur detective), and she is a big foodie. She also still enjoys mentoring other students of color and private tutoring students.