Debi is a PhD student in Clinical Science in Child and Adolescent Psychology at Florida International University. Her research examines anxiety, irritability, and trauma through a transdiagnostic lens, with a focus on leveraging computational methods to identify, predict, and prevent adverse outcomes, reduce barriers to care, and increase flexibility within evidence-based practices.
Prior to her doctoral training, Debi was a senior Clinical Research Coordinator for the PREDiCTOR Study and the Multimodal Insights into Neuopsychiatric Disorders (MIND) Lab at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai as well as a Research Assistant at Columbia University’s Laboratory for Clinical and Developmental Studies. Debi also serves as Co-Founder, Board Director, and Education Consultant for Aid for Families in Need Inc., where she applies her expertise and passion to support underserved children and families.
Debi earned an A.B. with Highest Honors in Sociology and Government from Harvard University in 2021, where she pursued a quantitative track and earned a citation in Portuguese, along with a certificate in Latin American and Iberian Studies. She draws on her interdisciplinary background to bridge clinical science and practice, aiming to enhance adaptive, evidence-based approaches to address youth mental health needs.
🔭 Current project: Longitudinal analysis of irritability and suicidality in the ABCD Study
🌱 Learning: Python & clinical interventions for Selective Mutism and anxiety disorders
🤝 Open to collaboration on: Anxiety and irritability trajectories, neurobiological correlates, trauma/resilience research, and more!
📫 Contact me: deboragonzalez@alumni.harvard.edu