Dr. Reyes’ work includes a search for those factors that promote youths’ resilience and those that protect them against the significant risks in their lives and communities. She has examined factors that heighten youths' vulnerability for maladjustment during normative school transitions; the role of peer, family and school support in academic success; youngsters' attitudes and perceptions about school; and their involvement in high-risk behaviors like gang involvement, substance abuse, and premature sexual behavior. Her research also examines the role of environmental factors in school outcomes, such as school and neighborhood violence, demographic variables, and school administrative structures and policies.

Dr. Reyes’ work has been published in professional psychological journals, including the American Journal of Community Psychology, the Journal of Youth and Adolescence, and the Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences. Publications in some of these journals include “Pilot Study Examining Factors Associated with Academic Success for Hispanic High School Students” and “An Evaluation of a High School Dropout Prevention Program.” She has furthermore served on the editorial board of the American Journal of Community Psychology and the Journal of Youth and Adolescence and as ad hoc reviewer for such journals as Criminal Justice and Behavior, the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, and Child Development. 

A related focus in her work is on enhancing understanding about diversity and its value in different settings and importantly, how to achieve it. An award winning teacher at the most racially and ethnically diverse public university in the U.S., Dr. Reyes has ample opportunity to apply her knowledge and expertise with the student population of UIC. This work also extends to the faculty and administrative levels. Targeting these important gatekeepers greatly magnifies the potential reach of diversity efforts. Among the common barriers to diversity in educational or work arenas are:

1. a general lack of training, education, and opportunities for “practicing” in dealing with diverse groups;
2. the assumption that diversity efforts should be the province of primarily or exclusively individuals from minority backgrounds;
3. a lack of understanding about affirmative action and affirmative action practices; and,
4. the possibility that individuals from minority backgrounds could be seen as affirmative action hires and thus be construed as reverse discrimination.

Among the diversity objectives that Dr. Reyes strives for in her work are:

1. to enhance understanding about the value of diversity
2. to employ practices that are culturally appropriate with diverse groups
3. to create a forum for bringing together diverse groups for the purpose of promoting positive and culturally sensitive interaction;
4. to promote a sense of community; and,
5. to capitalize on the diversity of a setting through acknowledgement of, and appreciation for, the different contributions offered by diverse groups.

Other topics of expertise on which Dr. Reyes is able to speak include: parenting style and strategies, stress management, self-esteem building, addressing social problems through a non-victim-blaming lens, coping, and motivational themes.

Her programs include:

• Education Insights for Leaders: Promoting High School Completion Among Minority Youth
• Serving a Diverse Clientele
• The Value of Diversity: Enriching Your Work Setting
• Stress Management for a Lighter Life
• Building Your Child’s Self-Esteem
• Good Parenting: What Is It and What Does It Get You?
• Rethinking High School Dropout: Who’s Really to Blame?
• Urban School Secrets for Promoting Effective Learning
• The Educator as Leader: Guiding Students Toward Academic Success
• What Makes Students Tick: Urban Classroom Lessons for Turning around the High School Dropout Rate
• The Power of Empowerment: Owning Your Life