2025 Commencement Program | Fresno
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY
Alliant International University is a private university accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) which offers programs in psychology, education, business management, forensic studies, law, and nursing. Alliant’s mission is to prepare students for professional careers of service and leadership, and to promote the discovery and application of knowledge to improve the lives of people in diverse cultures and communities around the world.
Alliant is comprised of six schools: California School of Professional Psychology, California School of Education, California School of Management & Leadership, California School of Forensic Studies, San Francisco Law School, and School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Our locations include Fresno, Irvine, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, and San Francisco in California, a campus in Phoenix, Arizona and another in Mexico City, Mexico.
Alliant holds program-level accreditation by the American Psychological Association (APA), California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE), Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), and others. Our nursing programs have also received provisional approval from the Arizona Board of Nursing (AZBN).
MISSION STATEMENT
Alliant International University prepares students for professional careers of service and leadership, and promotes the discovery and application of knowledge to improve the lives of people in diverse cultures and communities around the world.
Alliant is committed to excellence in four areas:
- Education for Professional Practice
Alliant’s educational programs are designed to give students the knowledge, skills and ethical values they need to serve and lead effectively in a variety of professional settings. Alliant graduates are expected to achieve mastery of a body of knowledge and be able to apply that knowledge in professional practice in order to achieve desired and beneficial outcomes. - Scholarship
Scholarship in the Alliant context includes the discovery of new knowledge; the discovery of new applications of knowledge to solve practical problems; the integration of knowledge in new ways; and innovation in teaching knowledge and professional competencies. - Multicultural and International Competence
Alliant is an inclusive institution committed to serving diverse populations around the world by preparing professionals to work effectively across cultural and national boundaries; by increasing the number of professionals working in underserved areas; and by understanding and responding to the needs of diverse communities. - Community Engagement
Alliant’s faculty, students, alumni and staff are dedicated to making a positive difference in the world through professional education and practice. We measure the success of our university in part by the impact we have, both directly and indirectly, on the welfare of individuals, families, organizations and communities.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Carolyn E. Hickman, PhD
Denis Del Bianco
Eloy Ortiz Oakley
James Lyons, PhD
Jeffery Keith – Chairperson
Joyce Berenstein, JD
Lawrence Moore, PhD
Natalie Porter, PhD
Ron Longinotti
William Husson, PhD
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Benedikt Balkmann—Chair
Kay Krafft
Tina Krebs
ALLIANT EDUCATIONAL
FOUNDATION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Ron Longinotti – Chair
Connell Persico, PhD – Vice Chair
Kim Arnett – Treasurer
Jennifer Treese Wilson, JD – Secretary
Natalie Porter, PhD – Immediate Past Chair
Sue Ammen, PhD
Charles Dempsey
Kris Mohandie, PhD, ABPP
Mike Pittenger, PhD
Kumea Shorter-Gooden, PhD
Don Wing, PhD
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM
Andy Vaughn, MSEd
President & CEO
Tracy L. Heller, PhD
Provost & Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Afshin Afrookhteh, PhD, JD
General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer
Brandon Jouganatos, EdD
Chief Operations & Innovation Officer
Christoph Winter, MSc
Chief Financial Officer
Esmeralda Silva
Vice President of Student Affairs
Joshua Blazer
Chief Information Officer
Tremier Johnson
Vice President of Human Resources
ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP
David Stewart, PhD
Dean, California School of Professional Psychology
Diana Concannon, PsyD
Dean, California School of Forensic Studies
and Associate Provost, Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships
Kristy Pruitt, EdD
Dean, Accreditation and Quality Assurance,
California School of Education
Judy Mantle, PhD
Interim Dean, California School of Education
Lisa Radesi, DNP, MSN
Interim Dean, School of Nursing & Health Sciences
Rachna Kumar, PhD
Dean, California School of Management & Leadership
Sherrie Palmieri, DNP, MBA
Founding Dean, School of Nursing & Health Sciences
Debra Kawahara, PhD
Associate Dean of Academic Affairs,
California School of Professional Psychology
Stephanie Wood, PhD, MHA
Associate Dean of Training & Administration, California School of Professional Psychology
Ruth Best, EdD
Assistant Dean, California School of Education
KJ Conner, PhD
Associate Provost, Academic Administration and Accreditation
CAMPUS ADMINISTRATION
Jazzmin Sanders, MS
Associate Campus Director, Student Advisor
Debra Bekerian, PhD
Academic Program Director, Clinical Psychology PhD
California School of Professional Psychology
Victoria Williams, PhD
Director of Clinical Training, Clinical Psychology PhD
California School of Professional Psychology
Ya-Shu Liang, PhD
Program Director, Clinical PsyD
California School of Professional Psychology
Francesca Kassing, PhD
Director of Clinical Training,
Clinical Psychology PsyD
California School of Professional Psychology
David Paul, PhD
System-wide Program Director, Clinical Counseling
California School of Professional Psychology
CALIFORNIA SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
FACULTY
Mark Barnes, PhD
Debra Bekerian, PhD
Linda Boen, EdD
Kristen Curry, PhD
Amy Johansson, PsyD
Francesca Kassing, PhD
Craig Landers, PhD
Ya-Shu Liang, PhD
David Paul, PhD
Chelsee Osback, PhD
Alisa Title, PhD
Lynne Valek, PhD
Victoria Williams, PhD
Kathryn Yoshida, PhD
STAFF
Jazzmin Sanders, MS
Raul Martin Ramirez
Michael Mebane
Adan Ortega, MLIS
Marlene Romero
Brian Evans
OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL TRAINING – CSPP
Francesca Kassing, PhD
Chelsee Osback, PhD
Victoria Williams, PhD
W. GARY CANNON PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES CENTER
ADMINISTRATION
Dale White, PhD
Director, Psychological Services Center
Stephanie C. Wood, PhD, MHA
Systemwide Director of Psychological Services Centers
STAFF/FACULTY
Mark Barnes, PhD
PLATFORM PARTY
Andy Vaughn, MSEd
President & CEO
Tracy Heller, PhD
Provost & Executive Vice President
for Academic Affairs
Helen H. Hsu , PsyD
Keynote Speaker
David Stewart, PhD
Dean, California School of Professional Psychology
Ruth Best, EdD
Assistant Dean, California School of Education
ACADEMIC PROCESSION
2025 GRADUATING CLASS
FACULTY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNIVERSITY
PLATFORM PARTY
COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY
Pomp and Circumstance
Musical Recording
Welcome
Victoria Williams, PhD
Faculty Assembly Chair
Provost’s Remarks
Tracy Heller, PhD
Provost & Executive Vice President
for Academic Affairs
Introduction of Commencement Speaker
Tracy Heller, PhD
Keynote Address
Helen Hsu, PsyD
Alumni, Clinical Psychology PsyD
Introduction of Voices of Diversity
David Paul, PhD
Systemwide MACC Program Director and Associate Professor
Andrea LizethRamirez Arana
Stephanie Trevino
Mona Afshar
Introduction of Student Speaker
David Stewart, PhD
Student Address
Leticia Cervantes
Introduction of Student Speaker
Victoria Williams, PhD
Student Address
Joseph Eagle
PRESENTATION CLASS OF 2025
California School of Forensic Studies
Ruth Best, EdD
California School of Professional Psychology
David Stewart, PhD
Presentation of Candidates
Mike Richardson
Conferring of Degrees
Tracy Heller, PhD
Closing Remarks
Tracy Heller, PhD
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
HELEN HSU, PSYD
Dr. Helen H. Hsu is a Past President of the American Psychological Association (APA) Div. 45 (Society for the Study of Culture, Race, and Ethnicity) and a Past President and Fellow of the Asian American Psychological Association. Dr. Hsu devoted 20 years as a training director and clinician to community-based clinics within historically marginalized communities. She is currently the Director of Outreach at Stanford University Counseling and Psychological Services where she implements education and prevention efforts to promote campus-wide mental health. Dr. Hsu is the Clinical Lead at Pandora Bio which develops precision mental health early detection tools for college populations. She is the founder of Hella Mental Health providing consultation to corporate and entertainment entities committed to accurate mental health representation resources. Dr. Hsu is an advisory board member of the JED foundation, focused on youth suicide prevention. She was a member of the APA Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Expression as well as a mentor with the APA Minority Fellowship Program Training Advisory Committee. Her Healing Trauma Workbook for Asian Americans was published by New Harbinger in 2024.
ACADEMIC REGALIA
Academic dress has its origin in the Middle Ages. When the European universities were taking form in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, scholars were also clerics, and they adopted robes similar to those of their monastic orders. Caps were a necessity in drafty buildings; capes, or capes with hoods attached, were needed for warmth. As the control of universities gradually passed from the church, academic costume took on brighter hues and employed varied patterns in cut and color of gown and type of headdress.
The use of academic costume in the United States has been continuous since colonial times, but a clear protocol did not emerge until an intercollegiate commission in 1893 recommended a uniform code. In this country the design of a gown varies with the degree held. The bachelor’s gown is relatively simple with long, pointed sleeves as its distinguishing mark. The gown for a master’s degree has an oblong sleeve with the rear part cut square and the front part with a cutaway arc. The most elaborate academic costume is the doctoral gown with velvet panels down the front and three bars of the same material across the sleeves.
The velvet is usually black, but it may be a color designating the field of study to which the degree pertains. The gown itself, usually black like those of lower degrees, may be of a color distinctive of a particular university.
The hood bears a still larger symbolic burden: the width of its velvet trimming designates the level of the degree; the color heralds the major field of study; and the lining identifies the institution that granted the degree. Alliant International University is symbolized by a lining of blue, sage and gold.
SIGNIFICANCE OF COLORS
Colors indicating fields of study are listed below:
Brown: Fine Arts
Copper: Economics
Dark Blue: Philosophy
Drab: Business Administration
Golden Yellow: Science
Green: Medicine
Light Blue: Education
Orange: Engineering
Pink: Music
Purple: Law
Royal Blue: Psychology
Russet: Forestry
Scarlet: Divinity, Theology
White: Arts, Letters, Humanities
The gold tassel indicates the doctoral degree; a black tassel indicates the
master’s or bachelor’s degree.
MILITARY HONOR CORDS
In recognition of military service to the United States of America, Alliant International University honors the graduation of Active Duty service members and Veterans by providing an opportunity for them to wear red, white, and blue honor cords to their commencement ceremony. Honorably discharged U.S. Veterans, Active Duty, National Guard, or Reservists, or ROTC students commissioning upon graduation are authorized to wear a Military Honor Cord.
OATH OF AFFIRMATION
I hereby affirm that I shall discharge the responsibilities of my profession in a manner consistent with respect for the dignity and worth of the individual and that I shall strive for the preservation and protection of fundamental human rights.
That I shall seek to increase knowledge of human behavior, to increase self understanding and understanding of others, and that I shall use such knowledge for the promotion of human welfare.
That I shall diligently protect the welfare of those who seek my services, and that I shall use my skills only in the furtherance of human welfare and the integrity of the individual.
And that I shall well and truly recognize the traditions and ethics of my profession, and that l shall subscribe to these traditions and ethics freely and upon my honor.
Adopted from the Code of Ethics of the American Psychological Association.
DEGREES EARNED FROM ALLIANT INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
CALIFORNIA SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
CREDENTIAL: SINGLE SUBJECT
Kyle T. De La Cruz
Zoë Anne Smurr Byers
CREDENTIAL: SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY
Hilary Rose Schulz
MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATION: EDUCATION SPECIALIST
Adina Im
Cody Saylor-Jump
Fabian D. Rios
Janice Charlene Thomas
Paighton Elizabeth Holton
Rudy Del Rio
Sara L. Diaz
MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATION: MULTIPLE SUBJECT
Alyssa L. McCaskell
Andrea Lizeth Ramirez Arana
Angela Herrera
Catalina Ballesteros
Daniela Flores-Cabrales
Diana Paajkublas Moua
Elizabeth Camacho
Lisa Inez Novella
Vanessa Marie Cervantes
MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATION: SCHOOL COUNSELING
Amanda Rhea James
Betsi Carrasco
Gianna Villanueva
Joshua Alejandro Ramirez
Meranda Virginia Macias
Shawna Ann Shelton
MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATION: SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY
Baylee Jo Luis
Caleb Caleb Chambi
Faith Xiong
Lezlie G. Becerra
Racquel Maria Silva Castellanos
Samantha Cabrera
MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATION: SINGLE SUBJECT
Eustolia Beltran
Ismael Ramirez
Johana Diaz Sandoval
Kelly Dawn Moreno
Kevin A. Brumana
Maricela R. Zavala
Mayra Cortes A
Nydia Revuelta
Sarah Elizabeth Eggman
MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATION: EDUCATION SPECIALIST IN SCHOOL COUNSELING
Crystal R. Martinez
MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATION: EDUCATION SPECIALIST IN SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY
Edith Farias Gonzalez
Stefani Storm M
Stephanie Swanson
DOCTOR OF PSYCHOLOGY: EDUCATIONAL
LEADERSHIP &
MANAGEMENT
Poutisak Smoky Rith
Navigating the Intersectionality of Identities: Understanding the Transition Experiences of First-Generation BIPOC College Students
Chair: James Perren, EdD
DOCTOR OF PSYCHOLOGY EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
Felicity Hernandez Practical Individual and Group Behavior Intervention Strategies for Teachers
Chair: Vanessa Kovachy, PsyD
Kelsea Kunzler
Understanding the Impact
of Classroom Culture on Mental Health and Behavior in Students within a Special Day Classroom Setting
Chair: Lisa Vega, PsyD
Renee Maxine Boehme
How School Psychologists Can Use Strategic Consultation to Increase Educator Implementation
Fidelity of Trauma-Informed Practices in the Elementary School Classroom
Chair: James Adams, PhD
CALIFORNIA SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
(NON-TERMINAL) MASTER OF ARTS: CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Brianna Gill
Jerine C. Gonzalez
Meadow Farmer
Melissa Dawnavon McGinnis
Mia Obeso
Michelle Desmond
Nayeli Vivanco
Sabrina Wills
Sajan Badhan
MASTER OF ARTS: CLINICAL COUNSELING
Alexia N. Onate
Andrea Felix
Colleen Mckinnis
Dana M. Clark
Dana Michelle King
Denise Hernandez
Giselle Elise Ramirez
Jazmyn Michelle Benton
Jennifer Ruby Castro
Lisa Leonarda Gutierrez
Meleny Mercedes Arellano-Moran
Natalie J. Cervantes
Nina R. Lydon
Saul Garay
Stephanie Elizabeth Trevino
Tamara Margaret Mathison
Tina Vue
Travis G. Aroz
Vanessa Castillo Flores
Viviana Rios
MASTER OF ARTS: MARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPY
Amy M. Bettencourt
Angela Dawn Liu
Angelica Espinoza-Santiago
Christina Schick
Cristal G. Sanchez
Emily Brownrigg
Gabrielle Simmons
Hannah Kate Kilba
Kristina S. Hernandez
Laura M. Stidston-Serna
Leticia Cervantes
Lexingten Quinn Troehler
Michelle Nguyen
Serena Esquibel
MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK
Anayeli Perez
Caliyah Williams
Destiny Daysia Vargas
Juan J. Sandoval Jr.
DOCTORATE OF PHILOSOPHY : CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Adam W. Anderson
The Relationship Between Locus of Control and Endorsement of COVID-19 Conspiracy Suspiciousness
Chair: Debra Bekerian, PhD
Bret Gilmore
Behavioral Inhibition in Emotional Numbing and the Utilization of Defense Mechanisms
Chair: Victoria Williams, PhD
Devinalexus Marin
Racial/Ethnic Parings Effects on WASI/WASI-II FSIQ
Chair: Victoria Williams, PhD
Jessica M. Stoltenberg
Understanding the Relationship Between Aphantasia and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Chair: Debra Bekerian, PhD
Joseph Eagle
Psychological Distress, Risky Sexual Behavior, Alcohol Use, and Their Relationship Between Child Abuse and Revictimization: Analysis of Data From the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent
Health
Chair: Victoria Williams, PhD
Kimbra Anissa Juarez
Attachment Style & Loneliness During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Chair: Chelsee Osback, PhD
Mona Afshar
Mediating Factors in Eating Behaviors: Attachment and Emotional Regulation
Chair: Debra Bekerian, PhD
Severin James Koerner
Evaluating Stuart’s Police Officer Stigma Scale: Measuring Mental Health Stigma In California Law Enforcement Officers
Chair: Craig Landers, PhD
Shalini M. Kabeer
Domestic Violence Among Muslim Community, The Effect of Support Training on Participants Willingness to Seek Help
Chair: Debra Bekerian, PhD
Shianne Jŏnelle Gregg
Mitigating Racial Bias in Clinical Diagnosis: An Analysis of the MMPI-2 as an Objective Measure of Psychopathology
Chair: Victoria Williams, PhD
DOCTORATE OF PSYCHOLOGY: CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Ashley Clay-Guill
Religion and Communication Styles During Conflict: Does This Matter in Romantic Relationships?
Chair: Amy Johansson, PsyD
Camryn Sutton
Using the MMPI-3 to Detect the Relationship Between Childhood Trauma and Somatization Chair: Ya-Shu Liang, PhD
Claudia Araceli Wade
The Effectiveness of Positive Behavior Intervention and Support on Teacher Mental Health and Well-Being
Chair: Amy Johansson, PsyD
Destiny Ortiz-Nance
Tiktok Use, Attachment, and Psychological Distress in Adults
Chair: Amy Johansson, PsyD
Dustin D. Fore
The Role of Grit in Substance Use Recovery
Chair: Amy Johansson, PsyD
Emily A. Schenkel
The Impact of Trauma on Heart Rate Variability as Mindfulness Intervention
Chair: Amy Johansson, PsyD
Ernesto Ochoa
Emotional Intelligence as Measured by the Rorscach Inkblot Test (RPAS)
Chair: Robert Harris, PhD
Estefany Encarnacion Paulino
Marianismo and Intersectional Discrimination: An Investigation of Anxiety Among Latinas
Chair: Kathryn Yoshida, PhD, PhD
Eunice Alejandra Mejia
Body Appreciation Among Latinx Women: Examining Familismo, Social Approval, and Sociocultural Attitudes as Contributing Factors.
Chair: Ya-Shu Liang, PhD
Jennifer M. Williams
A Comparative Study of
Administration Accuracy
in Rorschach Performance
Assessment System (R-PAS) Proficient and Non-Proficient Examiners
Chair: Robert Harris, PhD
Kathrine Crenshaw
Testing Self-Rated Confidence in Transgender and Gender Diverse Literacy for Health Service Psychology Doctoral Interns
Chair: Kathryn Yoshida, PhD, PhD
Kori Hunter Nemec
Predicting Residual Grief
in Emerging Adults Who Lost a Parent or Guardian to Cancer During Childhood
Chair: Robert Harris, PhD
Krystal Ann Saenz
A Brief Psychoeducational
Intervention to Promote Veteran Help-Seeking Attitudes
Chair: Kathryn Yoshida, PhD, PhD
Madalyn Quinn Stokke
Fearing the Reaper: How Ego Integrity and Perceived Health Status Predict Death Anxiety in Older Adults
Chair: Robert Harris, PhD
Megan Cuanaag Mouanoutoua
The Immigration Paradox in AAPI Immigrants and Subsequent Generations
Chair: Kathryn Yoshida, PhD
Omar Renteria Jr.
An Examination of Machismo and Mental Health Literacy in Latino College Men
Chair: Kathryn Yoshida, PhD
Paimanjot Kaur
The Relationship Between Intergenerational Conflict and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in Second Generation South Asians
Chair: Kathryn Yoshida, PhD
Priscila Aldana
Effectiveness of an Online Parent Workshop: Increasing Awareness of and Preventing Cyberbullying
Chair: Ya-Shu Liang, PhD
Susan Guadalupe Zazueta
The Effects of Social Support on Childhood Trauma and Youth Incarceration
Chair: Kathryn Yoshida, PhD
Talar Ourfalian
Exploring Attachment Styles and Childhood Trauma in the BDSM Community
Chair: Kathryn Yoshida, PhD
William Hagblom
Comparing English and Spanish Administrations of the Big Five Personality Trait Short Questionnaire
Chair: Kathryn Yoshida, PhD
DOCTORATE OF PSYCHOLOGY: ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Katherine Kennedy
Becoming America: A System’s Perspective on the Power of the Black Vote
Chair: Toni Knott, PhD
Shaka Phillips
Rooted, Ready, and Reshaping the Table: Black Women’s Lived Experiences on Nonprofit Boards
Chair: Peggy Grant, PhD
NOTE TO OUR NEW ALUMNI
Congratulations! Commencement is an inspirational and exiting time for you and your family! You are now joining over 45,000 alumni of alliant International University. We are sure you will make a difference in the world, just as many other alliant alumni have done and continue to do so.
Your fellow alumni have gone on to become world-renowned psychologists, couples and family therapists, educators, government leaders, international entrepreneurs, leaders of universities, authors, television stars and even academy award winners. You are in great company when you proudly state you are a graduate of Alliant International University.
The Alliant Alumni Association, which includes graduates from a rich 85+ year history at Balboa University (1926-1959), Cal Western (1959-1973), United States International University (1973-2001), California School of Professional Psychology (1972-2000), and now Alliant International University (2001-present) are excited to welcome you to this incredible worldwide network.
You are important to us, and we want to stay connected!
An important part of your future is being a member of the Alliant Alumni Association. Keep the Office of Alumni Relations up to date with your most recent address, both physical and electronic, as well as career successes and personal developments and achievements. Alliant continues to contribute to your professional development and gives you the means to expand your professional network. We encourage you take advantage of the following alumni services:
- Get involved by attending University events, participating on alumni panels, and guiding students interested in your field.
- Join the Impact Network alumni portal to connect with fellow alumni and students.
- Access alumni benefits such as the use of Career Services and the Library as well as discounts on Continuing Education classes and theme park attractions.
- Update your contact information to stay in touch!
Our Alumni Association wishes you great success as you travel through life with the valuable knowledge and experience you have gained at Alliant. Stay connected!
Contact Information: alumni@alliant.edu
Website: alumni.alliant.edu
Be sure to also check out your school-specific alumni webpage for additional
information! Links to the CSML, CSFS, CSOE, CSPP & SFLS pages are on the main
alumni website.