Veronica is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Communication at UCSB. She received her bachelor's degree in Interpersonal Communication from Sacramento State University and her master's degree in Communication Management from University of Southern California. Veronica primarily investigates psychosocial determinants of well-being and how these factors influence life outcomes for vulnerable populations. More specifically, her research focuses on mental health and indicators of wellness such as stress appraisal, emotion regulation, social support, resilience and thriving.