President & Founder
Joseph Dorri
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Joe is the founder of The Good Student. His personal and academic journey have shaped his interest in psychology and education. He was recognized by the California Legislature for his academic excellence, leadership, and service. He graduated from a community college in the top sixty-nine among two million students and completed graduate-level courses as a part of his undergraduate degree in psychology at the University of Southern California. He earned a master's in education. Joe teaches psychology to both high school and college students online and at the University of California, Los Angeles. He received various awards including the Ed Walsh Service Award for service to the community and the Most Promising Future Educator Award. His mentors include Phil Zimbardo, past President of the American Psychological Association. Joe studies and applies findings in well-being, high school and college student success, and psychosocial interventions.
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Board of Directors
LaShonda Johnson
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Shonda has over 12 years of experience working directly with youth in educational programs and school settings, providing several students with individual and group counseling. She has worked in many grade levels in Los Angeles County, including elementary, middle, K-8, high schools, and colleges. Over the years she has helped several students improve academic achievement, develop life goals, prepare for college admissions, and to take effective steps toward preparing for a successful future. Shonda also works as a summer counselor at UCLA. She is a first-generation college student and received her master's in counseling psychology from Mount St. Mary’s College and earned a Pupil Personnel Services Credential in School Counseling. Shonda works for multiple community organizations.
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Marilyn Saucedo
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Marilyn has 17 years of experience as a classroom instructor, teaching English as a Second Language, Spanish, World History, and Math in both bilingual and mainstream classroom settings. She also has 17 years as a school site and district administrator working with district and school administrators, teachers, students, and parents to build capacity for learning through collaborative partnerships. She was Beaumont Unified School District's director of college and career readiness. Marilyn also gathers data for comprehensive analysis during an academic climate review of a classroom, school, or district, bolstering efficacy. She holds a doctorate in education from the University of Massachusetts Global, is a child of immigrants, and is a member of the Elevated Achievement Group, which leads educators to create environments of educational ownership to support academic achievement.
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Ronald Vincent
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Ron is a retired high school teacher and successful instructor for Advancement Via Individual Determination, a nonprofit that influences lives by helping schools transition to a more equitable, student-centered approach. He has invested more than four decades in youth development, working with over 9,000 emerging adults, many of whom are minorities and low-income families. Ron has served as Teacher Representative in the California Teachers' Association Representative Assembly. He is also a professor sought out for his expertise in pedagogy and effective communication – teaching at California State University, Stanislaus and among others. He has authored several books, to include a sensational novel about a college student's journey to success, titled "Shake." Ron has earned graduate degrees from Texas A&M and the University of Notre Dame.
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Philip Zimbardo
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Phil is a Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Stanford University and has taught at NYU and Columbia, among others. He is recognized as the "voice and face of contemporary American psychology" through his widely seen PBS-TV series, Discovering Psychology. Phil was the principal investigator of the Stanford Prison Experiment, now on its 51st Anniversary (2021). He has published over five hundred articles and several books. He is the past president of the American Psychological Association and Western Psychological Association. Phil is also the founder and president of the Heroic Imagination Project, which is based on his research on good and evil and uses psychological interventions to train all people to be everyday heroes. His work has reached several countries. His most recent initiative includes an eco-hero youth movement.
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Project Coordinator
Katie AllenPhoto coming soon...
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Katie earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Puget Sound, graduating magna cum laude and one of the five students who received honors in the field. While at university, Katie supported her campus community by providing tips and resources and organizing campus-wide events to support student mental health and well-being. She is a member of Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology, and Phi Eta Sigma, a national academic honor society. Prior to joining The Good Student, she was a coordinator and program assistant at the University of California, Los Angeles. Her interests include neuropsychology, health, forensic and law psychology, and justice studies. She plans to attend graduate school for forensic and law psychology and wants to work at a social justice organization to support underserved communities and enact policy changes in the American and international criminal justice systems.
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Interns & Volunteers
Alexa Wright
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Lexi is a second-year doctoral student in clinical psychology at Palo Alto University (PAU). She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from DePaul University and her Master of Science Degree in Clinical Psychology from PAU. Her interests include neuropsychology, social justice, and implementing anti-oppressive practices. Lexi is a member of the Identity, Culture, and Liberation research lab where their work is grounded in critical consciousness, inclusion, equity, intersectionality, and explores how the intentional analysis of components such as these can lead to healing, liberation, and wellness amongst vulnerable populations. Lexi's clinical practicum at the Gronowski Center includes serving diverse populations with various conditions across the lifespan. Her other affiliations include the Psi Chi Honor Society, the Society for Black Neuropsychology, and the Queer Neuropsychological Society. Lexi aspires to become a licensed clinical psychologist that specializes in working with BIPOC women and other minoritized individuals.
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Isabella Brod
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Bella is a high school junior in Miami, Florida, where she helps bring the Nonprofit's Tool to her school, Miami Country Day School, and community. Bella first fell in love with psychology when she took Joe Dorri’s psychology course offered through UCLA. As an intern at The Good Student, Bella builds her research, community partnership, and leadership skills; and she provides valuable insights into creating content that will support many high school students. Furthermore, Bella shadows a school counselor, focusing on child psychology and ways to cultivate a positive learning environment for them. Her growing passion for psychology and proactive approach have led her to enroll in an intensive course through Stanford University to explore the different stages of child development. Bella desires to give back to her community and introduce The Good Student's Tool across Florida and the United States.
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JEN WELLS
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Jen is a student at Western Washington University, after several decades away from college, where she is completing her bachelor of arts in Psychology. As a mother to two teenagers, Jen understands the route that must be navigated and the challenges that must be overcome by teenagers. Discovering the work of the nonprofit, she jumped into the role of an intern to support students in her various communities. Jen is an engaged Psi Chi, International Honor Society in Psychology, member researching the effects of gender stereotypes in nonbinary college students. Jen also volunteers with the Inner Ocean Empowerment Project, a nonprofit that works to support vulnerable individuals around the world dealing with trauma. She plans to continue her education by attending graduate school where she will focus on developing and implementing innovative mental health resources for underserved populations.
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ZAHRA FOUAD MOHAMED
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Zahra is currently a senior at the American University in Cairo (AUC), working towards getting her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. She is helping bring the Non-profit tool to her university in Egypt. Zahra worked as a research assistant in the AUC Psychology Department, where she assisted in a study investigating the link between faith and emotions. Zahra is also a talented Creative Writing Minor who believes in the power of stories in spreading awareness and helping people understand mental illness. She has a huge passion for Psychology and hopes to pursue her postgraduate studies in counseling and psychotherapy, where she can continue to spread more awareness on mental health, not only in the Middle Eastern community but also in other communities around the world.
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