Ronna Banada, Ph.D., LCSW, PPSC

Biography

Ronna is an assistant professor in the School of Social Work at San Francisco State University. A 1.5-generation Filipina American, she was born in the Philippines and raised in Los Angeles on the unceded lands of the Tongva people. Her research focuses on mental health, undocumented immigrant experiences, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Desi American (APIDA) communities, and ethnic identity.

She is a licensed clinical social worker with experience in both the Bay Area and Southern California, specializing in school- and community-based mental health. As a social work educator, she has taught courses on school social work and the application of research evidence to practice. She has also served as a clinical supervisor and practicum instructor, dedicated to mentoring future social work practitioners and scholars.

Ronna earned her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in East Asian Languages and Cultures from the University of Southern California, her Master of Social Welfare from UC Berkeley with a focus on school social work, and her Ph.D. from the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work.