My name is Sofia Deatherage and I am from Beaverton, Oregon. I did my undergrad at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska with Communication Studies and Psychology as majors and an English minor. I am so excited to be pursuing my PhD in Interpersonal/Family Communication with a focus on cross-cultural studies, as well as incorporating my other discipline, Psychology, into my studies. My research in the past has focused on mental health memorable messages in families of ethnic and cultural minorities and how these messages impact young adults’ perceptions and attitudes toward mental health and communication surrounding mental health in their families. Going forward I hope to continue researching mental health from a cross-cultural perspective as well as family messages about identity and place in Latino families and biracial/multiracial identity in families and peer groups. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, reading, writing, being outdoors, yoga, hanging out with friends, and anything that involves dogs.