MEMBERS

Carol Robinson-Zañartu, Ph.D.

President and Standing Member*

Carol Robinson-Zañartu, former Chair of the Department of Counseling and School Psychology at SDSU, is a long-standing mentor and advocate, and PI/Project Director of some 14 OSEP and OELA federally funded projects for minoritized school psychology graduate students, primarily with Native American and bilingual/bicultural populations (1990-present). She was lead editor for Contemporary School Psychology’s special issue on bilingual school psychology, and lead author on SPEC’s white paper on appropriate service to English Learners/DLL (Robinson-Zañartu, Draper-Rodriguez, & Olvera, 2019). She has published 12 books or book chapters focused on culturally responsive assessment and intervention, over 50 professional articles, and made over 170 professional presentations on culturally related educational issues at state, national, and international professional venues. Dr. Robinson-Zañartu has over 25 years’ experience as a school psychology educator, prior to which she worked as a school psychologist in public schools and as principal of a private elementary school for youth with special needs. She has served as Chair of the California Consortium for Bilingual School Psychology (CCBSP) since its inception in 2020.    

Alejandra Ojeda-Beck, Ph.D

President Elect and Program Evaluation Committee Chair and Standing Member*

Alejandra Ojeda-Beck is a Health Service/Clinical Faculty member in the School Psychology Program at the University of California, Berkeley.  Dr. Ojeda-Beck is a Licensed Psychologist in the state of California, a Licensed Educational Psychologist, as well as a Nationally Certified School Psychologist and credentialed School Psychologist. She interned bilingually in Hayward Unified School District and worked as a part-time School Psychologist for the Piedmont Unified School District for 8 years. Dr. Ojeda-Beck currently serves on the Leadership Team for the National Association of School Psychologists, Bilingual Interest Group.

Prior to receiving her PhD in Education (School Psychology), she received a Master’s in Peace and Justice Studies, focusing on microlending in displaced communities. In 2016, Dr. Ojeda-Beck was awarded the American Education Research Association, Minority Dissertation Fellowship for her research on using graphic novels with bilingual and monolingual high school students to teach academic vocabulary and increase reading comprehension, reading motivation, and transportation. 

Patricia Sánchez Lizardi, Ph.D., NCSP

Secretary and Membership and Onboarding Committee Chair and Standing Member*

Dr. Sánchez Lizardi is an Associate Professor in the School Psychology program at San Diego State University. She has been a practitioner in AZ, CA, and NJ with a strong emphasis on servicing Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) students. She has also practiced and conducted research internationally in Brazil and Mexico. Currently, her scholarly work focuses on preparing bilingual school psychologists to provide services to the increasing population of Multilingual Learners in K-12 schools in the United States.

Arlene Ortiz, Ph.D.

Treasurer and Standing Member*

Arlene Ortiz is an Assistant Teaching Professor and Coordinator of the Bilingual School Psychology Certificate program at UC Santa Barbara. A licensed psychologist and Nationally Certified School Psychologist, she holds graduate degrees from Fordham and Penn State, and completed an APA-accredited fellowship at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Her scholarship and teaching focus on assessment and intervention for culturally and linguistically diverse students. She is dedicated to training the next generation of equity-minded professionals and increasing access to high-quality education.

Cathi Draper Rodriguez, Ph.D.

Research Committee Chair and Standing Member*

Dr. Cathi Draper Rodríguez, Professor in the Department of Education and Leadership at California State University, Monterey Bay, is a seasoned educator, researcher, and grant leader whose work centers on equity and inclusion in school psychology and special education. She has served as Department Chair (2014–2023), Interim Dean of the College of Education (2020–2021), and currently coordinates the School Psychology Program. Dr. Draper Rodríguez has secured over $15 million in federal funding as Principal Investigator for multiple OSEP and U.S. Department of Education grants, including Projects LEADS, REACH, and SALUD, focused on preparing culturally and linguistically responsive educators and mental health professionals. She is co-author of School Success for At-Risk Students: A Culturally Responsive Tiered Approach (Routledge, 2018) and has published extensively on bilingualism, assessment, and inclusive practices. A member of the California Consortium for Bilingual School Psychology and editorial boards for Psychology in the Schools and Intervention in School and Clinic, she continues to advance equity-driven preparation of school psychologists serving multilingual and minoritized youth

Kate Perry, Ph.D.

Advocacy and Legislative Committee Chair and Standing Member*

Kate Perry is the Director of UC Berkeley's School Psychology Program and the Training Co-Director of the Berkeley Psychology Internship Consortium, an APA accredited doctoral internship. She is a former National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation postdoctoral fellow. Her research focused on examining whether teaching practices, and in particular how students perceive these practices, play a role in the development of young children's academic, behavioral, and socio-emotional competencies. She also has over 20 years of experience working as a school psychologist. 

Stephanie D’Costa, Ph.D.

Teaching Resources Committee Chair and Standing Member*

Stephanie D’Costa is an associate professor of school psychology at St. Mary’s College (on the lands of the Ohlone peoples). She is passionate about community-based research that empowers culturally and linguistically diverse children and families. Her research focuses on a) critically exploring the impact of oppressive forces on minoritized youth and b) building culturally sustaining practices in academics, behaviors and mental health for k-12 students. She is also a licensed clinical psychologist with a specialty in trauma-informed practices for children.