Mariana Davila is a third-year doctoral student in the School/Clinical Child Psychology Ph.D. Program at The University of Texas at Austin. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and her master’s degree in school psychology from Texas State University. Prior to beginning her doctoral training, Mariana worked as a bilingual school psychologist. Her current clinical training is primarily based in hospital-based child development clinics, where she conducts neurodevelopmental assessments with children and families.
Mariana’s research interests center on family-school partnerships with Latine families, particularly at the intersection of culturally responsive practice and special education. She is especially interested in understanding how school psychologists can foster collaborative and culturally responsive relationships with Latine caregivers as families navigate evaluation, special education services, and educational decision-making. Her broader interests include advancing equitable assessment practices, strengthening family engagement, and improving continuity of support for culturally and linguistically diverse families across clinical and school settings.