Welcome Valerie La!

Please join us in welcoming Valerie La, Clinical Research Coordinator to our Division!

Valerie started this morning and will be working with Drs. Janice Schwartz and Theresa Allison on their research studies, particularly on these projects:

  • Direct-Acting Oral Anticoagulants: Anticoagulant Activity in Understudied Older NVAF Patients (Schwartz)
  • Apixaban Nonadherence: Patient-Identified Reasons and Potential Solutions (Schwartz)
  • The Potential for Music to Improve Quality of Life in Dementia Caregiving Relationships (Allison)

Valerie earned her Master’s Degree in Social, Personality, and Affective Psychology and her Bachelor’s Degree in Nutritional Science.  Most recently, Valerie worked as a Laboratory Manager in the Culture and Emotion Research Laboratory of Dr. David Matsumoto at SF State.  She has experience managing multiple research projects, conducting literature and methodology reviews, designing research studies, collecting and analyzing data, as well as recruiting, interviewing, and training new Research Assistants.  In fact, her research support roles date back to 2012, including a Research Assistant role for Dr. Wendy Berry Mendes (UCSF) in the Emotion, Health, and Psychophysiology Laboratory.  Valerie also has teaching experience as a Statistics Graduate Student Instructor, Behavior Interventionist, Cross-Cultural & Clinical Psychology Teaching Assistant, as well as a Nutrition Instructor and Discussion Lead, just to name a few.  Last but not least, Valerie first-authored several poster presentations on topics such as: Age as a moderator between interpersonal communication competence and perceived social support and Depressive Rumination Styles Among Asian Americans.  We are very excited that Valerie has joined our Division to support Drs. Schwartz and Allison to execute, manage, and coordinate their research studies.  Valerie was onboarded remotely this morning and will move with us to Mission Bay in the fall.  Her Onboarding Buddy is Sarah Ngo (thank you Sarah!)  For now, Valerie can be reached at [email protected].  Please help us make Valerie feel welcomed to the team!