PEOPLE
FACULTY
Matthew Yalch, Ph.D. Matt is an associate professor at Palo Alto University. He received his Ph.D. from Michigan State University (2016) and completed his predoctoral internship (2016) and postdoctoral fellowship (2017) in substance use and co-occurring disorders at the San Francisco VA Health Care System. Matt is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in the treatment of comorbid PTSD/SUD and multi-method personality assessment. His research interests include the intersection of personality and trauma, interpersonal theory, and the application of Bayesian statistics. CV |
STUDENTS
Amber Stewart, M.S.
Amber received her B.S. in psychology from San Jose State University (2013). Her interest in law, the criminal justice system, and psychology prompted her to pursue a career in forensic psychology. Amber is interested in assessing competency to stand trial, malingering, legal insanity, and the long term effects of trauma. She is also interested in personality-guided evaluation, including developing and improving upon measures that assess competency to stand trial, legal insanity, and malingering. |
Desheane Newman, B.A.
Desheane received his B.A. in psychology with a minor in Spanish from Swarthmore College in 2014. Desheane’s clinical and research interests include exploring how positive psychological concepts (e.g. character strengths, resilience, etc.) may influence the course of trauma and related outcomes, focusing on minoritized and marginalized communities. |
Kaleigh Newcomb, M.S.
Kaleigh received her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice and Public Health from the University of North Florida in 2019. Her interest in both forensic and veteran populations lead her to pursue a career in forensic psychology. Kaleigh’s primary clinical and research interests include competency to stand trial, risk assessment, the impact of trauma on violent behavior, intimate partner violence, and malingering. |
Margaret (Meg) Froehlich, M.A.
Meg earned her B.S. in Psychobiology with a minor in Evolutionary Studies from Albright College in 2015, followed by an M.A. in Psychology at American University in 2020. Her research interests include PTSD and other trauma-related disorders, emotion regulation, depression, personality, and addiction. Meg has experience working in residential treatment centers, which she continues to hone as a counselor. |
Abbey Robbins, M.S.
Abbey received her bachelor's degree in Sociology with minors in Child and Adolescent Mental Health and East Asian Studies from New York University in 2018, and her master's degree in Criminology from the University of Pennsylvania in 2019. She is currently pursuing forensic and neuropsychology emphases at PAU. Abbey’s clinical and research interests include psychopathy, aggression, and violence. |
Rebekah (Bekah) Nerenberg, B.S.
Rebekah Nerenberg received her B.S. in Applied Psychology with a minor in Global Public Health from New York University in 2018. Her clinical interests include trauma-focused treatment of refugees and military veterans. Bekah’s research interests include the intersection of personality disorders, decision making, trauma, and grief. |
Meghri (Meli) Sarkissian, M.A.
Meli received B.A. degrees in both European studies and in Psychology from San Diego State University in 2017, and her M.A. in Forensic Psychology from University of Denver in 2019. Since then, she provided therapeutic and substance use treatment to people involved in the criminal justice system and worked as an assistant to a trial consultant. Meli's clinical and research interests include working with the impact of trauma on anger disorders, substance abuse, and its influence on expressions of anger that may result in violent behavior. |
Emily Barbera, B.A.
Emily received her B.A. in Psychology with minors in Sociology and Geography from Rowan University, NJ in 2019. Her current clinical and research interests include mindfulness, mindfulness-based interventions for trauma, and predictors of traumatic responses in young adult and adult populations. |
Sydney Stone, M.S.
Sydney received her B.A. degree(s) in psychology, sociology, and criminal justice from Arkansas Tech University in 2019, and both her M.S. degree in clinical psychology from Missouri State University and certification in child forensic psychology in 2021. Sydney has clinical and assessment experience with forensic, collegiate, and community populations. Her research and clinical interests relate to the intersection of trauma and personality within forensic populations, particularly justice involved youth. She has secondary interests in offender psychopathology, law enforcement personality pathology, and policy and prevention. Sydney is also a member of the Human Rights in Trauma and Mental Health joint program with Stanford University. |
Mariana Ward, M.S.
Mariana received her B.S. in psychology and biology, with a minor in neuroscience from University of Connecticut in 2019, followed by an M.S. in psychology from Palo Alto University in 2023. Her primary clinical interest is working with veterans with PTSD. Mariana’s primary research interests are treatment-seeking behaviors and mental health care utilization in trauma-exposed individuals. |
ALUM
Dr. Kayleigh Watters received her Ph.D. in Psychology from Palo Alto University in 2022 and completing her clinical internship at the Oregon State University's Counseling & Psychological Services and her postdoctoral fellowship in PTSD at Stanford University. She is currently a faculty member in the Counseling Department at San Jose State University.
Dr. Sloane Rickman received her Ph.D. in Psychology from Palo Alto University in 2022, completing her clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship in Holistic Mental Health at VA Loma Linda. She is currently a staff psychologist at VA Loma Linda.
Dr. Sania Ahmed received her Ph.D. in Psychology from Palo Alto University in 2023, completing her clinical internship at the Southern Arizona VA. She will start her private practice in 2024.
Dr. Jessica Sklar received her Ph.D. in Psychology from Palo Alto University in 2023, completing her clinical internship at Marin County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services. She is currently at her postdoctoral fellowship at Kaiser San Rafael Adult Psychiatry with an emphasis in trauma.
Dr. Sloane Rickman received her Ph.D. in Psychology from Palo Alto University in 2022, completing her clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship in Holistic Mental Health at VA Loma Linda. She is currently a staff psychologist at VA Loma Linda.
Dr. Sania Ahmed received her Ph.D. in Psychology from Palo Alto University in 2023, completing her clinical internship at the Southern Arizona VA. She will start her private practice in 2024.
Dr. Jessica Sklar received her Ph.D. in Psychology from Palo Alto University in 2023, completing her clinical internship at Marin County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services. She is currently at her postdoctoral fellowship at Kaiser San Rafael Adult Psychiatry with an emphasis in trauma.