Rana Yaghmaian

Rana Yaghmaian serves as Professor of Counselor Education and Coordinator of the Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling Program at Portland State University's College of Education. She earned her PhD in Rehabilitation Psychology from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and previously chaired the Counselor Education Department from 2021 to 2024.

Her educational background includes:

• PhD in Rehabilitation Psychology, University of Wisconsin – Madison

Dr. Yaghmaian's research centers on psychosocial experiences of people with disabilities at intersections of race, gender, and sexuality, with specific focus on women of color with chronic illness and college students of color with disabilities navigating higher education systems. Her work integrates disability justice frameworks and examines campus support structures through an equity lens.

She has received significant recognition:

• College of Education’s Researcher of the Year Award
• PSU’s President’s Diversity Award
• Oregon Counseling Association’s Leona Tyler Award
• PSU Women’s Resource Center Feminist of Color Collective’s Outstanding Mentor Award

Dr. Yaghmaian maintains active clinical supervision practices and secures external funding including grants from the U.S. Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services Administration and Spencer Foundation’s Racial Equity Grant program, demonstrating sustained commitment to translating research into counselor training curricula and campus accessibility initiatives.