Our Team

Vaidehi (Vi) Rajagopalan, Ph.D. is a Developmental/Clinical Psychologist and Professor Emerita whose career spans more than twenty-five years of teaching and mentoring across six institutions, along with seventeen years in clinical practice. Her academic contributions include leadership roles such as department chair and consultant, and she currently serves a four-year term on the Appeals Panel for the Higher Learning Commission. Vi’s passion for the arts has been equally transformative. An award-winning Indian classical dancer, Vi began her training at age seven and has performed in both India and the United States. In 1991, she co-founded Abhinaya, a St. Louis-based dance organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich traditions of Bharatanatyam and other classical forms of India. Through Abhinaya, she has brought performers and productions from India and the U.S. to St. Louis, creating experiences that engage communities on both emotional and intellectual levels. Vi’s unique integration of psychology and dance has led to invited speaking engagements, including her analysis of personality traits for the Festival of Villains in Washington, D.C. Her work exemplifies how art and science intersect and deepen understanding of human behavior and its influence on social issues. Beyond the stage and classroom, she enjoys photography and poetry, continuing her lifelong commitment to creativity and expression.