Graduate Students
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Bates, Charles
Youth Development, M.A.Previous Education: B.A. in Multidisciplinary Social Science; M.A. in Labor and Industrial Relations from Michigan State University and J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law
Research Interests: The area of youth development that Charles is most interested in, perhaps because of his legal background, is the intersection of youth and the law. This of course includes the juvenile justice system, but also includes "positive" intersections such as the areas he is involved in as a volunteer, including mock trail competitions and youth legislature through the YMCA-Youth & Government program; law merit badge through boy scouting; and youth courts and "judges in the classrooms" (Street Law) through the AOC. He is secondarily interested, perhaps influenced by his M.L.I.R. degree and human resources professional background, in the subject of youth and the world of work.
Contact Information: batesch4@msu.edu
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Bennett, Christine
Family Studies, M.A.Previous Education: B.S. from Edgewood College
Research Interests: Christine is interested in pediatric chronic illness and the effects of illness on the family system. In the first year of the Master’s program, Christine became interested in family stress theory and how chronic sorrow can impede or encourage overall family coping and adaptation. Christine has been a practicing Certified Child Life Specialist for the last four years and felt the need to expand her knowledge of family theory to better assess family needs in the hospital setting. She draws on her experiences with medically fragile infants and long term hospitalization to examine how family stress and adaptation occur in conjunction with a new medical diagnosis. Christine is currently applying her expanded knowledge of family theory by helping children and their parents prepare and cope with the surgery experience.
Contact Information: benne408@msu.edu
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Brinn, Janis
Youth Development, M.A.Previous Education: B.A. from the University of Findlay in Ohio
Research Interests: Janis is currently in her fourteenth year working for Allegan County Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) in 4-H Youth Development. Her work with the Michigan 4-H Youth Development offers many opportunities for cross-cultural exchanges for Michigan young people. The Polish, Japanese, and Belize 4-H International Exchanges will be her focus points as well as the China Art Exchange. She is particularly interested in creating new international exchanges with 4-H.
Contact Information: brinn@msu.edu
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Carpenter, Georgia
Couples and Family Therapy Concentration, Ph.D.Previous Education: B.A. from University of Pittsburgh, M.A. from Wayne State University.
Research Interests: Georgia is interested in research concerning intimate partner violence and it effects on the family system. She is particularly interested in intervention design and evaluation for abusers, emotional regulation for children and adults who have experienced or been exposed to violence, attachment relationships in couple and parent-child relations, couple therapy, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues in couples and families, and resiliency factors of survivors of childhood abuse. Georgia has worked as a legal advocate and counselor for LGBT and Spanish-speaking survivors of intimate partner violence for fifteen years in Pennsylvania and Michigan; she has also worked as a counselor with Latino and LGBT families and individuals.
Contact Information: carpe254@msu.edu
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Chee, Grace
Child Development Concentration, Ph.D.Previous Education: B.S. (cum laude) from Michigan State University, M.S.W. from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Research Interests: Grace is interested in grandparent-grandchild relationships. Specifically, she is interested in relationships in Chinese families and how these relationships contribute to the child's resiliency, performance in school and peer relationships. Her other research interests include best teaching practices to use with English language learners and the development of resiliency in child survivors of natural disasters. She has had overseas research experience in the Department of Psychological Medicine at the National University of Singapore and teaching experience in Jiangmen, China and in Singapore. As a social worker, Grace has also had experience working with children, adolescents and their families, both at an academic level as well as at a more interpersonal level.
Contact Information: cheegrac@msu.edu
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Cho, Sook In
Child Development Concentration, Ph.D.Previous Education: B.A. and M.A. from Ewha Womans University
Research Interests: Sook In is interested in parent-child relationship, parenting, fathering and the relationship between the role of each parent and children's socio-emotional development. She hopes to research more deeply about each parent's various emotional responses to their children verbally and behaviorally and their effects to the child's ability of controlling their emotion. Other interests include play therapy and filial therapy for children and family.
Contact Information: chosook@msu.edu
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Decker, Kalli
Child Development Concentration, Ph.D.Previous Education: B.S. and M.A. from Michigan State University
Research Interests: Kalli is a doctoral student whose research focuses on parent-child communication. Her thesis investigated complications and factors related to parents' communication decisions regarding their child who is deaf or hard of hearing. She is currently in the process of designing a study that will investigate aspects of communication between parents and children with specific language impairments. Kalli is also interested in the use of sign language with typically developing children, as well as factors that relate to maltreatment perpetrated against children. Kalli works as Lab Coordinator for Dr. Claire Vallotton's "Insights into Infant's Internal Worlds" research lab, where she manages multiple research projects. She has continued to work in local early child education settings, teaching sign language to typically developing children.
Contact Information: deckerk5@msu.edu
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Escobar-Chew, Ana Rocio
Couple and Family Therapy Concentration, Ph.D.Previous Education: B.S. in Clinical Psychology from University Rafel Landivar and M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Michigan State University.
Research Interests: Ana Rocío Escobar-Chew, is an international Fulbright scholar born and raised in Guatemala, Central America. After becoming a licensed Clinic Psychologist in her native country she migrated to the U.S. to specialize on Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT). Her clinical work has been committed to clients from disadvantaged groups, living in multi-stress situations, expecially from Latino populations, serving children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families.
Rocio has been involved in various research projects addressing Latino populations -- cultural adaptation of prevention programs, domestic violence, immigrant families, and clinical interventions for couples (couple communication) and parenting skills. Rocio is a student affiliate in the Violence Against Women, Research and Outreach Initiative of MSU. Rocio is fluent in English and Spanish.
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Finger, Tricia
Child Development Concentration, Ph.D.Previous Education: B.S. in Psychology from Michigan State University, M.A. in Occupational Therapy from Eastern Michigan University
Research Interests: Tricia is interested in early childhood development and learning. Specifically, she is interested in exploring the relationship between sensory motor development and the development of later skills in literacy, communication, and self regulation. In her work as a pediatric occupational therapist, Tricia has worked with you children and families in a variety of contexts including the school setting, early intervention services, and the home setting.
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Harper, Whitney
Human Development and Family Diversity Concentration, Ph.D.Previous Education: B.S. and MSW from Grand Valley State University
Research Interests: Whitney is interested in adolescent substance abuse, parent-child attachment and parenting styles. Her research will involve the evaluation of effective family based prevention/intervention programming. More specifically, what components of intervention programs are successful in decreasing adolescent substance abuse and why. Other interests include first generation college students and children aging out of foster care.
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Horsford, Sheena
Couple and Family Therapy Concentration, Ph.D.Previous Education: B.A. in Psychology from Hampton University in Hampton, VA; M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Michigan State University.
Research Interests: Sheena Horsford is a doctoral student in the Human Development and Family Studies Program at Michigan State University. After graduating from Hampton University, Ms. Horsford attended Virginia Tech as a NIH post-baccalaureate research scholar. Sheena’s research currently focuses on the parenting practices among ethnically diverse families. Her specific interests are among African American single mother headed households. Her goal is to work with additional community resources to enable support and stability within the lives of families at risk for abuse and neglect.
Contact Information: horsford@msu.edu
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Jarman, Chris
Couples and Family Therapy Concentration, Ph.D.Previous Education: BS, United States Military Academy at West Point; MSW, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Research interests: Chris is interested in factors that enable military families to remain resilient during prolonged periods of stress and strain such as repeated combat deployments. He is particularly interested in the protective effects conferred by their ability to make meaning of difficult situations and losses. He is also interested in the the risk factors facing military veterans and their family members as they transition back to peacetime lives. Chris is also interested in understanding the common factors of effective psychotherapy. He conducts research in both areas with Dr. Adrian Blow of Michigan State University.Contact Information: jarmanch@msu.edu
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Ketner, Joel
Couples and Family Therapy Concentration, Ph.D.Previous Education: B.A. in Psychology from Oberlin College (2006), M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Northwester University (2010).
Research Interests: Joel’s is working to develop more effective and better utilized interpersonal enhancement programs for military service members and their spouses/families. His preliminary interest is in treating substance abuse in this population and in integrating current methods in mental health research with those from neuroscience and physical health, in order to create a more systemic way of assessing and treating interpersonal struggles. He is primarily interested in couples systems, utilizing an attachment model and Emotionally Focused Therapy.
Contact Information: Ketnerj1@msu.edu
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Lappan, Sara
Couples and Family Therapy Concentration, Ph.D.Research Interests: Sara utilizes theories that encourage client empowerment such as narrative and feminist approaches. She believes that emotions are important to create a strong bond between romantic partners and likes to utilize Emotion Focused Therapy with couples. Sara also believes that familial roles that function well for each member of the family are very important to help build and maintain strong relationships between family members. To maintain effective roles for family members, she utilizes Structural Family Therapy. Sara is interested in adapting parenting interventions to focus on children's health issues
Contact Information: lappansa@msu.edu
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Larner, Brad
Human Development and Family Diversity Concentration, Ph.D.Previous Education: B.S. in Psychology and M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy
Research Interests: Military Combat trauma and growth and change processes, Spiritual & Religious factors related to trauma and addiction. Career goals is growing a private practice into and organization devoted to helping returning veterans to work along side the VA to help those that are bet served in a private setting.
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Lee, Jeoung Min
Human Development and Family Studies, M.S.Previous Education: B.A. from Cheongju University, M.A. from Soong Sil University
Research Interests: Jeoung Min is interested in the research of adolescents’ bullying. Her special interest is in students’ cyber bullying in school field. She was a counselor for adolescent at a Youth Resource Center. She hopes after studying that she will help bullied adolescents and make a program to prevent cyber bullying.
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Lee, Jung Ah
Child Development Concentration, Ph.D.Previous Education: B.S. in Biology and M.S. in Social Work from Seoul Women's University, Seoul Korea
Research Interests: Jung Ah’s research interest is mastery motivation as a precursor of pride in toddlers. Early mastery motivation could predict later cognitive competence. Mastery motivation consists of several concepts including instrumental behavior and expression of positive emotions, and she expects it to be related to several variables, such as attachment with mothers, toddler temperament, and emotion regulation strategies.
Contact Information: leejun44@msu.edu
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Lee, Young-Eun
Child Development Concentration, Ph.D.Previous Education: B.S. from Kyung Hee University and M.A. in Child Development from Michigan State University
Research Interests: Young-Eun is interested in the areas of the early education and development of young children, age’s birth to five years. She is particularly focused at four sub components: 1) emotional and language development, particularly as related to adjustment behaviors in early childhood education and care settings; 2) interventions with children at higher risk for poor developmental outcomes, such as children living in poverty; 3) parent education, which is related to interaction with young children or teachers; and 4) examination of child care quality and child outcomes in families with very young children.
Contact Information: leeyou44@msu.edu
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Li, Jiayao
Child Development, M.A.Previous Education: B.S. from Beijing Normal University in China
Research Interests: Jiayao is interested in parent-child relationship; she wants to find out which factors in mother-child as well as father-child relationship will contribute to children's social performance, not only on the "control" dimension, but also on "warmth" dimension. She is also interested in investigating the far-researching influence of attachment style on children. To what degree can children's interaction with their parents indicate their adulthood relationship with others (including the quality of their romance relationship and the attachment style of their own offspring), a longitudinal study should be involved. Her third concentration is on children's socio-emotional development a pro-social behavior. She thinks that attachment, socio-emotional development and pro-social behaviors all can be significantly understood against the ecological contact with proper connections.
Contact Information: ljy_65738@gmail.com
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Makidon, Yvonne
Couple and Family Therapy Concentration, Ph.D.Previous Education: B.A. from University of Michigan-Flint, M.S.W. from Michigan State University
Research Interests: Yvonne is interested in working with clients using the Internal family Systems (IFS) framework. She is currently work with clients who struggle with substance abuse issues; mental health and relational issues. Research interests also includes: middle-aged women experiencing divorce, differentiation, and trauma.
contact information: makidony@msu.edu
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Martoccio, Tiffany L.
Child Development Concentration, Ph.D.Previous Education: B.A. in Psychology from Temple University, M.A. in Child Development from Michigan State University
Research Interests: Tiffany is interested in toddlers' social-emotional development, with an emphasis on parent-child dyadic interactions as a context for the development of children's self-regulation in high risk populations. Her specific research questions addresses: 1) the salient processes for promoting children's self-regulation through parent-child interactions characterized by parenting behaviors, joint attention and temperament; 2) the relation of growth between toddlers' self-regulation and parental stress, and within group differences; and 3) the relation between self-regulatory development across toddlerhood and impacts on internalizing/externalizing behavioral outcomes during the preschool years.
Contact Information: martocc1@msu.edu
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Meyer, Lindsay
Youth Development, M.A.Previous Education: B.S. in Family Consumer Sciences Education from The Ohio State University in 2006
Research Interests: Lindsay’s passion has always been youth development and she is very excited to be pursuing this degree. She has a special interest in populations of youth that are not typically reached. She believes that all youth have potential and positive assets that can be developed. She is also excited to explore different interest areas and find a program that is a good fit for her.
Contact Information: meyerli2@msu.edu
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Pehrson, Kate
Human Development and Family Studies, M.S.Previous Education: B.S. in Psychology from Michigan State University
Research Interests: Kate is particularly interested in the significant role family’s pay in human development throughout the life cycle. Providing human services for these families across their life span is another interest of hers. She is on leaning toward family life education but have not come to a definite conclusion at this point.
Contact Information: pehrsonk@msu.edu
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Shamoon, Zain
Couple and Family Therapy Concentration, Ph.D.Previous Education: B.A. in Psychology and M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Michigan State University
Research Interests: Zain is interested in the cultural adaptation of emotion-focused therapies for Muslim American couples and families. He is also interested in issues of resilience for minority adolescents from various backgrounds. Zain also hopes to address the importance of performance ethnography, including theatrical role-play that focuses on "self of the therapist" issues for MFT's.
Zain is also very interested in emotional focused therapeutic (EFT) approaches to therapy. He hopes to find an advantageous balance between EFT and experiential therapy for a variety of clients. The therapeutic alliance, and self of the therapist issues are very important to Zain as he seeks to become a professional.
Contact Informant: shamoon1@msu.edu
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Shaver, Vicki
Youth Development, M.A.Previous Education: B.A. in Human Resource Management from Michigan State University
Research Interests: Vicki is interested in youth mentoring, especially in the areas of career development and life skills. Of particular interest is the study of naturally occurring mentors in the lives of youth, and ways in which to develop and formalize these important relationships. She has worked at MSU for 15 years and currently enjoys assisting students as they search for internships as part of the College of Social Science Study Away programs in Washington, D.C. and Hawaii.
Contact Information: shaverv@msu.edu
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Smischney, Tegan
Family Studies, Ph.D.Previous Education: B.A. in Psychology from Bethel University of Minnesota, M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from St. Mary's University of Minnesota.
Research Interests: Tegan's clinical approach is to work collaboratively with clients from a combined Attachment, Emotionally Focused, Cognitive Behavioral, and Transgenerational therapeutic perspective. Tegan's specific research interests are related to childhood attachment and it effects on later relational attachments and well-being. She also has an interest in adolescents who engage in negative coping mechanisms- specifically self-harming behaviors and eating disorders. Tegan is also interested in domestic violence and its emotional and physical effects on women and children. Upon completion of her Ph.D., Tegan hopes to focus her efforts on research and teaching in the field of CFT.
Contact Information: smischne@msu.edu
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Talbot, Amanda
Human Development and Family Diversity Concentration, Ph.D.Previous Education: B.A. in Psychology from Lee University and M.A. in Family Studies from Michigan State University
Research Interests: Amanda's research interests lie at the intersection of family relationships and finance. She is specifically interested in the centrality of finance in the marital relation. Amanda wants to investigate financial pressures, strain, and stress and the process through which that affects a couple's marital relationship. Her ultimate career goal is to obtain her Master's and Ph.D. degree in Human Development and Family Studies to be able to teach in the area of family studies, incorporating finance in the continued study of the family. Amanda is currently a TA for HDFS 238, Personal Finance.
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Tichenor, Karlin J.
Couple and Family Therapy Concentration, Ph.D.Previous Education: M.A. Marriage and Family Therapy, Michigan State University, B.A. in Communication and Psychology from Denision University.
During his undergraduate studies, Karlin completed two terms as a Ronald E. McNair Summer Scholar in the McNair/SROP Program at Michigan State, while founding a mentoring program at Denison University and working with the Promoting Academic Success (PAS) Mentoring Program through University Outreach and Engagement at MSU.
Research Interests: Karlin's research interests include African American couples. Specifically, he focuses on the development and maintenance of healthy, rewarding relationships in lieu of historical traumas experienced by this population. His goal is to develop community programs that focus on overcoming or coping with historical traumas to foster deeper and stronger bonds between men and women in African American couples, and supplemental programs for youth. He also works with international refugees in his clinical work with Lutheran Social Services of Michigan.
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Tobe, Erica
Human Development and Family Diversity Concentration, Ph.D.Previous Education: B.S. from Michigan State University, M.S.W. from Michigan State University
Research Interests: Erica is primarily interested in examining the needs of individuals and families, primarily mature workers, related to economic and workforce development issues and the factors that influence these issues within the individual, family, and community systems. Additionally, Erica has an interest in working with youth, primarily young adults, around similar topical areas. Prior to beginning this doctorate program, Erica worked with MSU Extension for twelve years, where during that time, she worked as an educator, and program leader for family economics programming both in the county and on campus.
Contact Information: tobee@msu.edu
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Weir, Geraldine
Couple and Family Therapy Concentration, Ph.D.Previous Education: B.S. in Psychology from Southern Illinois University, M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Michigan State University
Research Interests: Gera is currently the Child and Adolescent Therapist at Chestnut Health Systems in South Illinois near St Louis, MO. She is currently the Student/Associate Representative for the Missouri Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Her research interests include qualitative methods, feminist theory and biological parents with children in the childern's welfare system. After finishing her dissertation she plans to become a fully licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Illinois and Missouri. In the future she hopes to pen a private practice focusing on children and their families.
Contact Information: gera.weir@gmail.com
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Whitehead, Michael R.
Couple and Family Therapy Concentration, Ph.D.Previous Education: B.S. and M.S. from Brigham Young University
Research Interests: Michael is interested in the efficacy of Family Therapy interventions, particularly programs focused at improving parenting for multi-stressed underprivileged parents. Other interests include the efficacy of Bowen's theory of Intergenerational Family Processes in terms of parent-child attachment and emotion regulation. Michael utilizes a combination of child-centered play therapy and Emotion Coaching to help increase the relationship between parents’ and children. Another area of focus is using a combination of Bowen Theory, Solution Focused Brief Therapy and Emotionally Focused Therapy in couples and family therapy.
Contact Information: whiteh68@msu.edu
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Wright, Rebecca
Couple and Family Therapy Concentration, Ph.D.Previous Education: B.S. in Family Studies from University of Maryland-College Park and M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Michigan State University
Research Interests: Rebecca is interested in working with families and individuals to enhance couple relationships through the experience of change. Rebecca's clinical approach is to work collaboratively with clients from a combined Emotion Focused, Structural, Cognitive Behavioral, Transgenerational and Feminist informed therapeutic perspective. Rebecca's specific research interest is related to patterns of relationship stability and relationship satisfaction of parentally bereaved couples measured at various longitudinal points within the grief process, among bereaved couples spanning the life course.
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Yancey, Joseph H.
Child Development, M.A.Previous Education: B.S. in Psychology from Morehouse College
Research Interests: Joseph is interested in emotion regulation (ER) strategy use and attachment security in early childhood. His specific interests include mother-child strategy facilitation and emotion regulation predictors. He has previously worked as a secondary advanced mathematics educator in Miami-Dade County with low income student populations. His goal is to develop an effective nonprofit organization with an emphasis in strengthening the parent-child relationship using a combination of the IMH Model and attachment theory.
Contant Information: Yanceyj1@msu.edu
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Zomerlei, Daniel R.
Couple and Family Therapy Concentration, Ph.D.Previous Education: B.A. in History and Religion from Hope College, M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Fuller Theological Seminary
Research Interests: Dan is interested in the contributing factors to adolescent spiritual development, as well spirituality's role in effecting quality of life and quality of relationships. Other interests include the study of effective fathering practices pertaining to child adjustment, especially with at-risk youth and families. He is also interested in researching contributing characteristics to healthy marital relationships. In his clinical work, Dan primarily utilizes the integenerational frameworks of Bowen Theory and Contextual Therapy when working with couples, families, and individuals.
Contact Information: zomerle1@msu.edu