Mercedes Peña is a PhD student in the Health Psychology area of the Psychological Sciences Department at the University of California, Merced. She earned a B.A. in Psychology at UC Merced where she graduated with honors as Summa Cum Laude. Mercedes is a Eugene Cota-Robles Fellowship recipient for the 2023-2024 and 2025-2026 academic years. Her general research interests include stress, mindfulness, mental health, well-being, culturally-relevant interventions, health education, and health outcomes among historically underserved populations. In her free time, she enjoys reading, baking, doing puzzles, and rewatching her favorite movies.