Marilyn Marbella is an Educational Specialist student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology. Before returning to grad school, she worked in outdoor education in the Santa Cruz mountains in California and North Cascades National Park in Washington state, where she was able to mix her love for the outdoors and SEL to create powerful experiences in nature for diverse children and adolescents.
EdS Student
Marsh, Leah
Leah Marsh is an Educational Specialist student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology. She graduated from Trinity University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Education. She has worked as a lab coordinator for a child development research lab and as a research assistant for a team that investigated the effectiveness of mental health interventions for students. She is currently a Project LEADSS scholar, which emphasizes collaboration between school psychologists and school social workers to promote the mental health of all children.
Olvera Garcia, Karen (Baren)
Karen (Baren) Olvera Garcia is an Educational Specialist student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology.
Patlan, Samanta
Samanta Patlan is an Educational Specialist student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology. She completed her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Chicano/a Studies at California State University, Fullerton. Before entering the school psychology program, Samanta worked as a behavior technician and a bilingual 4th-grade teacher. As a first-generation Mexican-American, her cultural background plays a significant role in shaping her identity and professional values. Samanta is passionate about advocating for school mental health and promoting culturally responsive supports and interventions that empower students and families.
Rodriguez, Marybell
Marybell Rodriguez is an Educational Specialist student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology. She graduated from UW-Milwaukee, where she received his BA in Psychology and Spanish. While completing her undergraduate degree, she worked as a daycare teacher in the Milwaukee area. She is currently a scholar of Project SPACE.
Rubenzer, Grace
Grace Rubenzer is an Educational Specialist student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology. Grace attended the University of South Carolina where she majored in experimental psychology and history. Grace is a participant in the Project SPACE grant at UW-Madison. Her interests include school mental health and the provision of culturally responsive mental health care for students.
Salmons, Earl
Earl Salmons is an Educational Specialist student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology. He received his undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Sociology at the University of Denver. Prior to beginning this program, he worked as a case manager at Mental Health Center of Denver and at Journey Mental Health in Madison, WI.
Stanislawski, Sara Rose
Sara Stanislawski is an Educational Specialist student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology. She completed her BA in Psychology and Journalism with a certificate in Education and Educational Services at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While completing her undergraduate degree, she worked as a summer camp counselor with Madison School and Community Recreation and as a communications intern for the Department of Psychology. She continues to work as a behavior technician in the Madison community. These experiences, along with others, have influenced her interests in the field of School Psychology, particularly in autism, effective interventions for students with disabilities, social and emotional learning, family-school-community partnerships, and media coverage of K-12 education.
Sullivan, Erin
Erin Sullivan is an Educational Specialist student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology. She completed a BA in Biology and Psychology at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, with her thesis focusing on ACEs (adverse childhood experiences), substance abuse in adolescents, and interventions. Erin was a clinical research coordinator at the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center following graduation, which included working with patients and guiding them through the clinical trial process. Her interests in the school psychology field include school mental health and early intervention.
Swearengin, Piper
Piper Swearengin is an Educational Specialist student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology. She completed a BA in Psychology and a minor in Education at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. She works as an Employment Specialist, where she helps people with mental health concerns and disabilities seek employment. At UW-Madison, she is a part of the Project CASTLE training grant, where she receives specialized training in autism identification, intervention, and interdisciplinary practices. Her interests include social-emotional learning, suicide prevention, and treatment of co-occurring disorders in students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.