Yas Saghafi
Richmond,VA
Summary
Dedicated and passionate aspiring forensic psychologist with a strong foundation in psychological research, trauma-informed care, and offender rehabilitation. Experienced in conducting research on mental health and social media’s impact, demonstrating proficiency in critical analysis and continuous learning. Skilled in effective communication and ethical decision-making through professional work as a victim advocate, providing compassionate support to individuals navigating trauma. A four-time Dean’s List honoree with proven academic rigor, eager to contribute to advancing knowledge in forensic psychology through graduate study in Clinical Psychology. Excited to merge clinical research and practical application to address recidivism and promote justice within the criminal justice system.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
Work History
Victim/Witness Specialist I
Victim/Witness Services at the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office
07.2024 - Current
- Contact 20-30 victims per week regarding court dates and available resources
- Assist families of homicide victims through the court process and funeral funding
- Complete 20 hours of data entry per week
- Collect Police reports and communicate with prosecutors and officers in a timely manner to ensure the needs of the victims are thoroughly met
- Attend court hearings four times a week, give support to victims, and guide them through the Criminal Justice System
- Assist 10-20 victims weekly in obtaining protective orders and standing before the judge
Election Officer
Loudoun County Office of Elections
02.2022 - Current
- Assist voters in a 15-hour shift every voting period at the precinct to ensure an efficient and structured check-in process
- Assist with the setup of the precinct before the polls open, including setting up signs, machines, computers, and materials
- Display customer service skills by maintaining a welcoming environment through a positive and attentive attitude toward voters
- Check-in voters efficiently, make sure voters are abiding by the rules of the precinct, provide them with the ballots, direct them towards the ballot scanner, and respond to their questions and needs
- Assist in securing equipment and ballots, complete paperwork and pack up materials and supplies when the poll closes
Swim Instructor
Self-employment
06.2019 - Current
- Coach 7-10 students between ages 3 and 12 in basic and competitive swimming skills and techniques
- Create a welcoming and interactive environment for students to thrive
- Advanced three students ages 7, 8, and 12, from treading skills to successfully joining the swim team, through proper education and individualized attention
- Communicate with 2 to 3 parents on a bi-weekly basis regarding their children's individual progress to ensure parental support and resources for each student
- Conduct professional communication with parents and students through written emails or calls whenever needed
Aquatics Instructor
Loudoun County Parks, Recreation, and Community Services
07.2023 - 08.2024
- Taught swimming to seven different levels of classes, to students of different ages, three to fifteen years old, and instructed adult classes four times a week
- Conducted placement evaluations for incoming students to determine which level suits them best
- Produced lesson plans before each shift to ensure the best use of the 30-minute lesson duration
- Adjusted how checkpoints are met based on the different skill levels of each student in a 6-person class
- Communicated with parents/guardians of students about their progress and what I would work on with them to ensure their success
Camp Leader
Loudoun County Parks, Recreation, and Community Services
07.2023 - 06.2024
- Supervised a class of 14-18 kids, ages from three to ten 5 times a week
- Created learning schedules as well as ideas for crafts for the kids
- Supervised students while playing on the playground, going on walks, and while at the pool
- Ensured hygiene and cleanliness at all times in the classrooms
- Regularly communicated with parents during departure about the students' behavior and reported incidents if any
Victim/Witness Advocate Intern
Richmond Commonwealth's Attorney's Office
02.2024 - 05.2024
- Organized information folders for homicide and sexual assault victims twice a week
- Compiled resource folders for victims to place protective orders twice a week
- Attended court hearings with victims and witnesses 8 hours a week to ensure they have support, and be present if they had any questions
- Organized client files and police reports, and Contacted victims of crime and provided them with the available resources
Research Assistant Intern
Virginia Commonwealth University Wellbeing Lab
08.2023 - 12.2023
- Managed study participants, scheduled lab sessions, sent reminders and replied to emails from participants
- Conducted lab sessions as an experimenter by instructing and guiding participants
- Assisted with participant recruitment through social media, distributed flyers around campus, and brainstormed other ideas for recruitment
- Conducted post-intervention interviews
- Introduced the study to participants, informed them about their responsibilities, and answered any questions
Sales Associate
Homesense
05.2021 - 05.2023
- Operated cash registers and maintained accurate knowledge of products and services available in the store to assist customers with finding and purchasing products efficiently
- Trained new team members on how to operate the cashier workspace
- Improved customer service experience by completing in-store tasks efficiently as well as communicating with customers in a hospitable manner, which resulted in two promotions in 6 months
- Organized workspace and maintained a clean environment to ensure efficient service output by coworkers
Education
Bachelor of Science - Applied Psychology
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA12-2024
Skills
- Scientific writing
- Qualitative and Quantitative research
- Data entry and interpretation
- Experimental design
- Ethical considerations
- Academic networking
- Critical thinking and Problem-solving abilities
- Victim advocacy and Referral services
- Criminal law and Legal system navigation
- Domestic violence response
- Trauma informed care framework
- High-risk populations identification
Websites
Languages
Persian
Native or Bilingual
Spanish
Limited Working
Timeline
Victim/Witness Specialist I
Victim/Witness Services at the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office
07.2024 - Current
Victim/Witness Advocate Intern
Richmond Commonwealth's Attorney's Office
02.2024 - 05.2024
Research Assistant Intern
Virginia Commonwealth University Wellbeing Lab
08.2023 - 12.2023
Aquatics Instructor
Loudoun County Parks, Recreation, and Community Services
07.2023 - 08.2024
Camp Leader
Loudoun County Parks, Recreation, and Community Services
07.2023 - 06.2024
Election Officer
Loudoun County Office of Elections
02.2022 - Current
Sales Associate
Homesense
05.2021 - 05.2023
Swim Instructor
Self-employment
06.2019 - Current
Bachelor of Science - Applied Psychology
Virginia Commonwealth University
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