2025 Interns

Mahlet Azezew is an aspiring Clinical Child Psychologist pursuing a double major in Psychology and Child & Family Studies at Berea College in Berea, KY. She is building a strong foundation in child development through hands-on experience at the Child Development Lab and community engagement with Berea Buddies and CELTS tutoring programs. Passionate about creating supportive environments where children can thrive, Mahlet is thrilled to be interning at ATSA and assisting with Adventure Camp for kids with Selective Mutism. She hopes to expand her understanding of communication difficulties and develop her clinical skills in a private practice setting. She is excited to be a support system for children with Selective Mutism using their brave, learn from experienced clinicians, and contribute to a supportive and therapeutic environment.

Celine Phan is a rising junior majoring in Psychology and Quantitative Economics at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. She thrives on meaningful connections, whether it is through thoughtful conversations or quiet moments of shared understanding. In the past two years, she has worked as a Research Assistant across different labs and served as a Teaching Assistant in the INBM department. Through these experiences, she discovered her passion for understanding human behavior, supporting personal growth, and creating spaces of empathy and reflection. While still on the path of self-discovery, Celine is drawn to a future in academia or clinical practice, where she hopes to become a professor, a clinical psychologist, or even both! She dreams of building a career rooted in care, curiosity, and community. Now, eager to gain hands-on, human-centered experience in a clinical setting, Celine is thrilled to apply her knowledge and passion for child development in a real-world environment. She looks forward to not only learning and growing alongside her campers, but also to helping them #UseYourBrave as they face new challenges. With her dedication to understanding each child’s unique needs, Celine is excited to support the campers in building their confidence, fostering resilience, and making meaningful progress during their time at Adventure Camp.

Viktoria Tekielak is a rising senior at Elmhurst University, where she is majoring in Psychology with triple minors in Social Work, Sociology, and Childhood and Youth Studies. Originally from Roselle, IL, Viktoria is passionate about working with children and adolescents, particularly in helping them build regulation, perseverance, flexibility, and frustration tolerance skills. She brings experience from both Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and youth behavior support settings, where she enjoys fostering growth through evidence-based strategies and compassionate care. Viktoria aspires to become a child clinical psychologist or developmental psychologist, with a research focus on borderline personality disorder (BPD) traits in youth. She is especially interested in developing trauma-informed interventions that promote coping and emotional resilience. This summer, Viktoria is excited to deepen her hands-on experience working with children with selective mutism, applying her skills in a supportive camp environment. With her background as a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT), where she was supervised by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), and the supervision she received from child & adolescent therapists as a youth behavior support specialist, she is equipped to follow Adventure Camp protocol and use evidence-based strategies to help children build emotional resilience and overcome challenges. She looks forward to making a positive impact on the campers’ growth and well-being at Adventure Camp.

Moriah Billingsley is a rising senior at Loyola University Chicago and double majoring in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychology. At Loyola Chicago, Moriah has been a part of various mentorship roles, and she has worked with children ages from 18 months to 12 year olds who have anxiety, depression, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Moriah is passionate about child neurodevelopment, learning and memory, brain activity, and attention processing. Additionally, Moriah is thrilled to be working in the Cognitive Development Lab during her senior year at Loyola Chicago, and she will be researching infant processing of faces in contrast to non-social stimuli. After she earns her degrees from Loyola, Moriah hopes to work as a research assistant or intern before applying to earn her PhD in Clinical Neuropsychology. Moriah is excited to deepen her understanding of selective mutism and effective treatment methods. She is committed to creating a safe, encouraging environment where each child feels confident and supported as they work on building their communication skills and emotional resilience during Adventure Camp.

Shaan Raval is a rising senior at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, majoring in psychology on the pre-medicine track. At UIUC, Shaan is an undergraduate research assistant, working for the neurocognitive health behavior laboratory. In the lab, he works under the Plants Optimizing Development Study (PODS) in which he assists in neurocognitive, anthroprometric, and behavioral interventions to investigate the effects that soy isoflavones have on health in childhood. Shaan has a strong background in both volunteer work and crisis counseling, having volunteered at NAMI and currently serving as a crisis counselor for Crisis Text Line. In this role, he uses evidence-based de-escalation techniques to help texters manage intense emotional situations and develop coping strategies. At NAMI, Shaan assisted with scheduling and record management, while also identifying signs of distress to refer individuals to appropriate support services. Additionally, he serves as the Volunteer Director for the Pre-health Psychology Association (PPA), where he connects groups and organizations in need of volunteers with PPA members. Shaan aspires to pursue a career in Psychiatry, focusing on a holistic approach to treating addiction by integrating medicine with behavioral and psychotherapeutic interventions.Shaan is both excited and grateful for the opportunity to gain hands-on, clinical experience at ATSA in Adventure Camp this summer. He is eager to work closely with selectively mute children, helping them navigate and overcome their fears in a supportive, nurturing environment. Shaan looks forward to applying his skills and knowledge to make a meaningful impact on the campers, guiding them as they build confidence and tackle challenges in ways that promote both personal growth and emotional resilience.

Frida Ruiz is a senior at Arizona State University, majoring in Counseling and Applied Psychology, and is set to graduate in December 2025. Her deep passion for helping children and becoming a trusted adult mentor has been a driving force in her career path. Since she was 17, Frida has been working with children of various ages (1-12), gaining invaluable experience in understanding their emotional and developmental needs. Frida’s most recent internship with two school counselors broadened her perspective on school psychology, where she worked directly with children facing a range of emotional and behavioral challenges. This hands-on experience gave her a solid foundation in supporting children with diverse needs, including those who may struggle with social anxiety or selective mutism. Frida has developed an understanding of how to approach sensitive situations with patience, empathy, and evidence-based techniques that create a safe space for children to express themselves at their own pace. Now, as she prepares for Adventure Camp, Frida is excited to bring her skills and experience to help the campers build confidence, face challenges, and develop new coping strategies. She is particularly eager to work with children experiencing selective mutism, ensuring that they feel heard, supported, and comfortable in their own time. Frida is looking forward to meeting the campers and their families, and she is dedicated to providing a positive, encouraging environment where every child can thrive.