Katalina Marie Ortiz (she/her) is a second-year doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at Palo Alto University. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology with honors from Clemson University. Her research interests center on personality pathology, personality neuroscience, chronic suicidality, and adolescent development. Her dissertation investigates the bidirectional relationship between risky behaviors and emerging borderline personality traits in adolescents, utilizing a dimensional trait framework and longitudinal panel modeling to clarify early developmental trajectories.

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Clinically, Katalina trains as a student therapist at The Clinics @ PAU. Her developing clinical focus centers on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and adolescent care, guided by the view that emotional challenges often reflect unique underlying strengths. She aims to support youth toward self-integration and emotional balance, empowering them to navigate the world with purpose and resilience.

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Outside of her academic and clinical work, she enjoys live music, rescuing animals, and international travel.