Early Career Specialists

• Tell us about your current professional roles and activities. 

 I am an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Pace University in New York City, where I teach and supervise in the Clinical Health Psychology Program. My interdisciplinary scholarship employs queer of color critique to examine intersectionality and racism-related stress among Asian Americans. I leverage psychoanalytic concepts to explore the evolving nature of anti-Asian racialization and its theoretical and clinical implications. Additionally, I operate an independent practice specializing in critically conscious and integrative psychodynamic psychotherapy, supporting high-achieving professionals from diverse backgrounds with a wide range of mental health and personal development goals.

• What do you enjoy most about your job? 

I find deep fulfillment in amplifying the untold stories of Asian Americans and other historically disenfranchised communities. Centering the struggles and strengths of the multiply marginalized can reveal transformative pathways for subverting hegemony and contesting hierarchies of domination. I am energized by the work of critically analyzing yet giving affirmative expression to our complex lived realities, generating fresh perspectives on the fluid yet enduring dynamics of racialization and the pursuit of liberation. The joy, insight, and resilience cultivated in these communities inspire my efforts to meet their psychological needs with care and creativity. 

• What inspired you to get board certified? 

I sought board certification to ensure that my professional activities meet the highest standards of ethical, compassionate, and competent practice, especially in serving communities burdened by disproportionate mental health challenges linked to resisting multiple systems of oppression. This is notably relevant for Asian Americans—one of the least studied racial groups in the health sciences—who face racialized barriers to accessing culturally responsive care and utilizing the life-changing potential of psychotherapy to foster personal freedom and self-actualization. I also aspired to increase the board-certified representation of queer psychologists of color, not just as a personal milestone, but as a meaningful step toward advancing behavioral health equity.

• How has board certification contributed to your professional activities? 

 Board certification has enhanced my engagement in the field by reinforcing my scholar-practitioner expertise and facilitating greater participation in organizations and initiatives. The examination helped me articulate an advanced professional identity, one that consolidates my diverse competencies with creative insights from my unconventional lived experiences and intersectional justice orientation. Earning the endorsement of the Board has also encouraged my efforts to advance innovative scholarship and practice that uplift queer communities of color and their radical wisdom regarding inclusion, belonging, and collective liberation.

• What is one piece of advice you’ve found helpful in your career?

The most valuable advice I have gleaned from my community—and often share with others—is to practice radical honesty and let go of distractions. For me, this means examining my motives, recognizing and addressing my defenses during times of challenge or uncertainty, and staying grounded in the priorities that shape my work and the values that guide my commitment to intersectional justice. Trying to be everything to everyone in every situation often means that nothing meaningful gets accomplished. Transformative praxis also requires navigating the tension between upholding the high standards that our constituents deserve and circumventing perfectionism, which can undermine the very progress we strive to achieve. This self-awareness enables me to manage my limitations while pursuing my goals with clarity, focus, and integrity.