Ria Shelton is a research assistant in the reproductive health and family formation research area. Prior to joining Child Trends, she received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. At UNC Chapel Hill, she volunteered as a research assistant in two psychological research labs—Family Journey Co-Labs and Emotions and Social Interactions in Relationships. Her research interests include promoting racial equity in the health field and adolescent health and well-being. In addition, she is interested in working to improve research with underserved and underrepresented populations. During her undergraduate career, Ria served as communications officer for Blueprints for Pangea, a student-run non-profit organization that reallocates medical supplies to countries in need. Her time serving on the executive board informed skills in managing social media, creating products with graphic design software, and facilitating interactions with UNC Hospital department and legal staff.