Ryeora gained her B.A. in Global Studies from University of Minnesota and M.A. in Sociology from University of New Mexico. Her research interests are cross-cultural approaches to mental health, specifically refugee mental health issues in conceptualizations and coping strategies in transnational contexts. Her dissertation focuses on exploring refugees’ understandings of mental health and experiences of Western mental health services as well as their notions and experiences of racism and related forms of discrimination, and how these affect refugees’ mental health in their new social contexts. She has been working with Refugee and Immigrant Well-being Project that supports newcomers’ resettlement and integration in Albuquerque. Her major roles of the project include coordinating and facilitating course and Learning Circle for UNM students and newcomer families, conducting interviews and analyzing qualitative data, and working on research paper.