Sydney is a current 5th year graduate student in the FAMH Lab. She completed her undergraduate education at Spelman College as a Psychology major. Following graduation, she dedicated two years to teaching English Language Arts at Detroit Achievement Academy in Detroit, MI. Her research interests center around identifying risk and protective factors for African American youth exhibiting externalizing behaviors, with a specific focus on enhancing their engagement with mental health services. Her master's thesis focused on examining the parenting behaviors between Black mothers of children with and without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Her clinical interests revolve around working with and engaging underserved youth and their caregivers in evidence-based therapeutic interventions.