She received her doctorate in community psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2010. She then served as a National Institute of Mental Health postdoctoral fellow at the University of Minnesota from 2010 to 2011. Her research focuses on promoting positive youth development among immigrant and refugee youth. Her most recent research examines how civic and political participation can prevent problem behaviors and promote successful transition to adulthood for this population of youth. For example, her recent projects investigate the impact of service-learning programs on academic adjustment of immigrant college students; and the role of religion in promoting civic engagement among Korean immigrants. Her work also addresses the development, implementation, and evaluation of after-school programs designed to promote successful adaptation for immigrant children and adolescents.