Dr. Castro-Atwater is the Director of the M.A. Counseling Programs at Loyola Marymount University, teaching courses in culturally responsive counseling, individual and group counseling, counseling theories and techniques, and applied developmental psychology across the lifespan in the Counseling Program at LMU. Dr. Atwater received her B.A. from Stanford University and her M.A., P.P.S. Credential, and Ph.D. (School Psychology) from the University of California at Berkeley. Dr. Atwater has served as past President of the School Psychology Educators of California (SPEC); member of the Advisory Board for the Center for Multicultural Education (CSULA); and Editorial Review Board Member for Scientific Journals International. Dr. Atwater is also the creator and Project Director of the SUCCESS Coaching program, a multi-year collaboration (2010-2026) with the Los Angeles Unified School District, where she supervises counselors and graduate students as they provide individual and group counseling services to K-8 students. Her most recent national workshop presentations focus on how educators can foster effective culturally-relevant dialogue in classrooms and schools and avoid the "trap" of color-blind racial ideology.