Meet the Team

Sofia Ortiz

Past Student

Sofia was born and raised in Tampa, Florida. She is an Undergraduate student at the University of South Florida studying Behavioral Healthcare with a concentration in children’s mental health. Growing up in Florida she realized that the resources, funding, and education in mental health were, unfortunately, not as abundant as they should. This fueled her interest in pursuing a career in the behavioral health field. As she began her undergraduate studies she learned the importance of early intervention and this blossomed into a passion of working with children and adolescents.

Sofia has volunteered at a local high school dedicated to working with students with mental and learning disabilities. This experience only further solidified her love for working with children and teens. She plans to dedicate her future career to making sure this population receives the proper care needed in order to ensure them a happy and healthy lifestyle. She believes by implementing the appropriate education and resources in our state’s school system we can help prevent stigma and other behavioral health challenges that may arise in the future.

Sofia is looking forward to working alongside other research lab members and under the mentorship of Dr. Kristin Kosyluk in an effort to attempt to erase the stigma surrounding mental illness.