Dr. Meléndez-Maldonado is a Puerto Rican clinical psychologist with a strong background in
working with Latino communities both in Puerto Rico and the United States. Trained at the
Ponce Health Sciences University, an APA-accredited program, and having completed his
doctoral internship at the Ponce Health Sciences University Psychology Internship Consortium,
Dr. Meléndez-Maldonado obtained his license as a psychologist in Puerto Rico in 2024.
His clinical experience reflects a deep commitment to Latino populations in high-vulnerability
contexts. He has worked with crime victims, including survivors of domestic and gender-based
violence, provided psychotherapy to children and adolescents under state guardianship in Puerto
Rico and delivered mental health services to university students, including crisis interventions
with LGBTQ+ adults.

His experience extends to integrated healthcare work with migrant Latino communities, where he
provided diagnostic evaluations, behavioral consultations, and brief interventions for Latino
adults and families. Among his clinical areas of interest, crisis intervention and suicide
prevention stand out as fields in which he has received specialized training and has been actively
engaged in both clinical and community settings. His work in these areas reflects a genuine
concern for reducing the impact of suicidal behavior in Latino communities, where cultural and
linguistic barriers frequently limit timely access to culturally competent mental health services.

 Sheila Ruiz Acosta, Psy.D. – Committee Member

Dr. Ruiz Acosta is a Postdoctoral Psychologist in Missouri, specializing in autism and
psychological assessment across the lifespan. She is from Ponce, Puerto Rico, and completed her
doctorate degree in clinical psychology at Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU). Her pre-
doctoral internship was at Cleveland, Ohio, in the county hospital, where she also completed her
post-doctorate fellowship. Dr. Ruiz Acosta has experience evaluating individuals from early
childhood through adulthood, including neuropsychological and medically complex cases. She is
committed to culturally responsive assessment and has contributed to professional presentations
and training focused on improving diagnostic practices for diverse and linguistically diverse
populations. Her work emphasizes cultural humility and equitable approaches to psychological evaluation.

Rochely M. Negrón-Martinez, MA – Committee Student Member 

Rochely Negrón-Martinez is originally from Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico and is currently a
fourth-year PsyD student at Kansas City University. Her professional goal is to become a
neuropsychologist specializing in bilingual assessment for older adults. Her clinical training
includes experiences in private practice, community mental health, university assessment and
accommodation services, and neuropsychological services within the VA healthcare system.
Additionally, she received training in and provided interventions informed by Dialectical
Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with diverse clinical
populations. Through her work, she hopes to help bridge gaps in access to culturally and
linguistically appropriate neuropsychological services by expanding the availability of bilingual
Spanish-language assessments and increasing access to culturally responsive care
within underserved communities.

Emilia Arroyo is a second-year doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at Kansas City
University. She is passionate about psychological assessment and evidence-based clinical
practice, with a commitment to supporting mental health and well-being in adults.

National Latinx Psychological Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The National Latinx Psychological Association maintains responsibility for this program and its content.