Sasha Mejia-Bradford

Sasha is a PhD Candidate in Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Development at Penn GSE. Her current research investigates the role of cultural values in mitigating the effects of racial-ethnic discrimination (RED) stress among Latino adolescents, utilizing wearable technology to examine their physiological responses to racism. She also supports the work being done at the Racial Empowerment Collaborative Lab at Penn GSE, specifically a randomized controlled trial of a brief racial literacy intervention developed to increase racial coping self-efficacy in adolescents. Her work lies at the intersection of culture, resilience, and health, highlighting the importance of protective factors in the psychosocial development of students of color. 

Sasha integrates her expertise in education and quantitative analysis with a focus on cultural resilience among students of color. She holds two master's degrees—an M.Ed. in Secondary Education from Eastern New Mexico University and an M.A. in Program Evaluation and Improvement Research from the University of Michigan. As a former high school educator and Research and Evaluation Manager at University of Michigan—ADVANCE, Sasha has developed a keen insight into equitable research practices.