School Psychology Current Students

Current Students

Alexandra Barber

Email: ajbarber@wisc.edu

Alexandra Barber is a doctoral graduate student in the School Psychology program area. She received a BA in Psychology from Amherst College where she studied the adverse outcomes of experiencing race and gender-based microaggressions on students of color. At UW–Madison she is advised by Dr. Katie Eklund. Her research interests include examining the factors that make internalizing disorder interventions successful for diverse students, and the accommodations needed in schools to ensure that they are tailored to diverse needs. She is also interested in how cultural competency trainings for teachers and administrators result in meaningful positive change for students.

Mali Barnard

Mali Barnard is an Educational Specialist student in the School Psychology program. She completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Human Development & Family Studies at UW-Madison. While completing her undergraduate degree, Mali spent three summers as a paraprofessional behavior specialist at Camp STAR Summer Treatment Program for ADHD and Related Disorders. She has also worked as a behavior technician with Caravel Autism Health and as a special education paraprofessional. She is interested in supporting students with disruptive classroom behavior and problem solving in schools.

Madeline Bartels

Email: mfbartels@wisc.edu

Madeline Bartels is graduate student in the School Psychology EdS program. She received a BS degree in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Madeline was a research assistant in the Developmental Psychology Lab where she conducted cognitive-developmental research and had the opportunity to work with children and their parents. Madeline also had the opportunity to work in a clinical-developmental psychology research lab where she was trained on the use of psychological interventions, specifically acceptance and mindfulness-based interventions, and motivational interviewing with mothers. Madeline is interested in parent-student collaboration, including parents in PBIS practices to improve student outcomes and educational success.

Gina Bednarek

Gina Bednarek is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program and is advised by Dr. Andy Garbacz. She earned her BS in Psychology from UW-Madison and after graduation worked as a Research Specialist at the HealthEmotions Research Institute investigating the biology of childhood anxiety disorders. She is trained to conduct the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia clinical interview. Through this training she developed an interest in studying children and adolescents with anxiety and depression and learning about ways to better support their parents and teachers.

Madeline Beeders

Madeline Beeders is a graduate student in the School Psychology EdS program. She received her BA degree in Community Development and Communication (double major) from the University of Washington-Seattle. Madeline worked as a Special Education Assistant Teacher at a public middle school and an aide to teenagers with nonverbal autism spectrum disorder. Madeline is interested in social and emotional learning interventions addressing social media use, autism spectrum disorder, and culturally responsive Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. She is currently a participant in the Project CASTLE grant receiving specialized training in autism spectrum disorder.

Maddison Bohrnstedt

Maddison Bohrnstedt is a graduate student in the School Psychology EdS program. She received her BA in Psychology from UW–Madison. She was a research assistant in the Learning, Cognition, and Development Lab helping graduate students with studies focusing on science learning in children, and also worked as a school psychology intern at Gompers Elementary School. Her interests include in-school treatments for internalizing disorders in youth, especially depression and anxiety, and unique and innovative ways of implementing different treatment strategies for all ages. She is currently interested in human-animal resilience therapy and its usage for internalizing disorders, especially in older youth.

Stephanie Campbell

Email: scampbell24@wisc.edu

Stephanie Campbell is a doctoral student in school psychology. After growing up in a rural town, she attended the University of Arkansas and earned a degree in psychology and music. Stephanie’s research interests center around social justice, culturally responsive practice, intersectionality, body image, and weight bias. She is fascinated by how the intersection of weight status, heritage/culture, race, SES, and gender impact the mental health and well-being of young people. This year, Stephanie is co-teaching an undergrad seminar, working as lead clinician for Student Assessment Services, and serving as co-chair of the department’s Diversity and Inclusion Association.

Ellen Carpenter

Ellen Carpenter is a graduate student pursuing her EdS in School Psychology. She earned a BA in Psychology from GVSU, where she worked on executive boards (Alternative Breaks and Psi Chi), assisted with faculty research, and was an instructional aid for Psychology 101. She has worked at a camp for kids with disabilities, served as an Americorps VISTA in Madison schools, and was a teacher with Peace Corps Indonesia and at international schools. Her research interests include social-emotional learning and parent involvement. She is currently working on a WCER traineeship, collecting data on school problem solving teams in Wisconsin.

Bri’Anna Collins

Email: bcollins6@wisc.edu

Bri’Anna Collins is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program area. She received a BS in Psychology from Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL. She received a certificate in Statistical Analysis System and has experience researching anxiety and cognitive factors related to math performance. Her research interests include identifying the social, cognitive, and contextual factors related to positive outcomes for diverse student populations. Her current work involves intervention methods for students with behavioral and academic problems as well as family and school partnerships. She is also interested in the broader sociopolitical influence on educational outcomes for students across cultures.

Sahian Cruz

Sahian Cruz is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program. Previously, she studied Psychology and French at the University of Washington, where she participated in the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program while working in tutoring and after-school childcare. Her research interests focus on the promotion of resilience and empowerment for minoritized student groups and their families through collaboration with educational stakeholders. Sahian works with Dr. Garbacz on the Teachers and Parents as Partners project as well as with Dr. Quintana on the Centro Hispano grant partnership. She is also involved with the School Mental Health Collaborative (SMHC).

Elizabeth Davis

Elizabeth Davis is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program area. She majored in Psychology and minored in Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While in Chapel Hill, she worked as a research assistant at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute on the Self-Regulation Skills for Success Study. After graduation, she worked for two years as a research specialist at the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education on a project examining teacher preparation programs for elementary school teachers. Elizabeth is particularly interested in researching interventions for students with behavioral and social-emotional concerns.

Rachel Davis

Email: radavis6@wisc.edu

Rachel Davis is a graduate student in the EdS School Psychology program. She completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology along with minors in Social Justice and Spanish at UW- Oshkosh. As an undergraduate research assistant, Rachel assisted projects on gender pay inequities and the impact of grandparent dementia on grandparent-grandchild relationships. Rachel was an Education Coordinator for the Boys and Girls Club of Green Bay and facilitated a Wisconsin After Three grant funded program called Stride. She is interested in emotion regulation, social emotional learning, and family-school-community partnerships to support the holistic success of children.

Sophia Dodge

Email: scdodge@wisc.edu

Sophia C. F. Dodge is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program. She received a BA in Psychology with a minor in Education and a specialization in Developmental Disabilities and Human Services from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Sophia’s research interests include cultural adaptations of evidence-based interventions and preventative educational frameworks; advocacy and systems change; trauma-informed interventions; family and community engagement; culturally and linguistically diverse students; and homeless, immigrant, and refugee populations. Her current work involves the implementation and evaluation of the Wisconsin School Threat Assessment Protocol and identifying culturally sensitive preventative educational framework to provide equitable services to all students in the U.S. and other countries.

Taylor Dorlack

Email: tdorlack@wisc.edu

Taylor Dorlack is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program area. She received her BA in Psychology and Communication Sciences & Disorders from UW–Madison, where she became interested in serving children with neurodevelopmental disorders and their families. Before pursuing her graduate studies, she worked as a Behavioral Interventionist and Senior Behavioral Interventionist at an Autism treatment center and was a Psychology Fellow in the New Mexico Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) Program. Her research interests include early identification and screening procedures for young children suspected of Autism Spectrum Disorders and the promotion of early diagnosis and intervention services.

Hannah Dorshorst

Email: hdorshorst@wisc.edu

Hannah Dorshorst is an Educational Specialist student in the School Psychology program area. She graduated in May 2019 from UW–Madison with bachelor’s degrees in Elementary and Special Education. In 2017, Hannah started volunteering as a research assistant for Dr. Andy Garbacz’s Research Lab. Here she gained an interest in the role of family engagement in improving student outcomes. Hannah currently works as a project assistant on Dr. Andy Garbacz’s Teachers and Parents as Partners (TAPP) project. She is interested in researching differences in family involvement among culturally diverse families and its impact on student success and improving educational equity.

Kim Drastal

Kim Drastal is an Educational Specialist student in the School Psychology program. She received a BS from UW-Madison in 2019 where she majored in Human Development and Family Studies with a certificate in Education & Educational Services. After graduating, Kim continued her work in the Hartley Lab, which researches individuals with developmental disabilities and families across the lifespan. Her research interests are centered around health promotion in youth with neurodevelopmental disorders, specifically focusing on the systems and resources that promote positive development.

Kortni Dubose

Email: kdubose@wisc.edu

Kortni Dubose is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program at UW-Madison. Previously, she received a BA in Psychology at the University of Kentucky. Kortni’s broad research interests are in the area of school-based mental health, involving the development and implementation of school-based interventions for students presenting internalizing symptoms. Overall, she aims to study issues of diversity in schools and cultural adaptations for evidence-based interventions. Additionally, Kortni is currently assisting with the Resilience Education Program project with her advisor Dr. Katie Eklund, Dr. Stephen Kilgus, and Dr. Andy Garbacz.

Molly Duffy

Molly Duffy is a graduate student in the School Psychology EdS program. She previously worked as a journalist covering education for The Gazette in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she developed interests in the social, emotional and behavioral needs of students. She attended the University of Missouri for undergrad, where she received a Bachelor of Journalism degree and minors in Political Science and Women’s and Gender Studies.

Madison Eikenmeyer

Madison Eikenmeyer is a graduate student in the EdS School Psychology program. She received a BA in Psychology from the University of Cincinnati, where she was a research assistant in the ADHD center at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. After graduating, she worked as a Mental Health Specialist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in their inpatient psychiatry unit for two years. Her current research interests are around the impact of race, ethnicity, culture, and social justice for underrepresented minority groups in education. She is also interested in student success and resiliency, as well as, the transition from inpatient hospitalization back into the public-school setting.

Abbey Eubanks

Abbey Eubanks is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program. She is advised by Dr. Katie Eklund. Abbey received her BA in Psychology at the University of Arkansas in 2017. She is interested in behavior interventions for young children. Specifically, she is interested in Tier 2 behavior interventions and the generalization and maintenance of skills learned through behavior interventions. Abbey is a project assistant for the Academic and Behavior Combined support grant, which involves developing a Tier 2 intervention that addresses both academic and behavior interventions.

Sara Fitzpatrick

Sara is an EdS student in the UW-Madison School Psychology program. She attended the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities as an undergraduate student where she majored in Marketing and minored in Psychology and Graphic Design. Sara has worked with children in a number of capacities, but most recently as a substitute teacher for grades K-5. She is most interested in research related to mental health and wellness.

Caleb Flack

Email: ceflack@wisc.edu

Caleb Flack is a doctoral student in School Psychology at UW–Madison. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Carleton College. After graduating, Caleb served with AmeriCorps as a youth mentor at a public middle school. He later worked as a research assistant at DePaul University, where he contributed to a project that developed, implemented, and evaluated a culturally grounded coping with stress intervention. Caleb’s research interests are in preventive interventions designed to improve emotional, behavioral, and academic outcomes in youth. He is particularly interested in strengthening these interventions through collaborative family and teacher engagement.

Alli Foy

Email: afoy2@wisc.edu

Alli Foy is a Ph.D. candidate in the School Psychology Program. After completing her undergraduate education in Psychology and English at St. Olaf College, Alli spent four years working as a psychometrist, research assistant, preschool teacher, and personal care attendant. Her dissertation research compares neuropsychological predictors of social skill strengths and weaknesses among individuals with genetic and neurodevelopmental differences (e.g., RASopathies, Idiopathic Autism, Fragile X syndrome). She is currently completing an advanced practicum at the UW-Health Neuropsychology Clinic. Additionally, she is a project assistant on Maribeth Gettinger and Tom Kratochwill’s ABC Support Project.

Benjamin Glad

Benjamin Glad is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program area. He received a BS in Psychology from Indiana University and an MA in Clinical Psychology from Ball State University. Prior to starting the program, he worked as an assessment clinician for several government programs and as an ABA therapist for adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Benjamin is currently the PA for the UW Parent-Child Program, a research program that promotes child development through strengthening of the parent-child relationship. His research interests include diagnosis and intervention for students with executive functioning challenges, interdisciplinary collaboration, and parent-child relationships in adolescence.

Julie Gocey

Julie Gocey is a doctoral student in School Psychology. She is interested health and education disparities. Julie’s previous experience as a primary care pediatrician lends a unique perspective to her goal of facilitating multidirectional collaboration among healthcare providers, families, and school professionals. Dr. Gocey earned a BS in Psychology from Indiana State University, an MD from Southern Illinois University, and completed her General Pediatrics Residency at UW Hospital & Clinics-Madison. She has 19 years of clinical experience in pediatrics and maintains an appointment as Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics with the UW School of Medicine & Public Health.

Eliza Godfrey

Email: egodfrey@wisc.edu

Eliza Godfrey is a doctoral student in School Psychology, and her advisor is Dr. Garbacz. She attended UW–Madison for her undergraduate degree. After graduating with a BS in Psychology and certificate in Education and Educational Services, she worked in a local middle school assisting with special education. Eliza’s research interests are broadly focused on ways to strengthen family, school, and community partnerships to support students’ mental health, behavioral needs, and academic success. She is currently involved in the Teachers and Parents as Partners Project, the School Mental Health Collaborative, and the Rural Education Research & Implementation Center.

Dahlia González

Dahlia González is a doctoral student in the School Psychology doctoral program. She received a BS degree in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago in 2016 and her MS degree in Educational Psychology from UW–Madison in 2018. Dahlia is interested in the social and cultural influences and education theories that impact the educational services of diverse learners, and developing her skills as a culturally responsive clinician in her work with students. Dahlia has worked with linguistically and ethnically diverse student populations, including work in a dual language elementary school and at a community mental health center. Her dissertation research will explore the school climate experiences of Latinx dual language students.

Brittany Gregory

Brittany Gregory is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program. She received a BA in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Missouri where she examined the interactions between students and teachers in the classroom and the role of race, gender, and SES. Her research interests include issues of equity in education and social justice as they relate to students and mental health. She is currently involved in research with the Teachers and Parents as Partners (TAPP) project focused on promoting the collaboration of schools and families. She is also interested in students within the juvenile justice system, the role of mental health, and family-school partnerships.

Kelly Gregus

Email: gregus@wisc.edu

Kelly Ann Gregus is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program area. Last year she completed the traineeship in the Leadership in Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities program at the Waisman center. She received a BS in Biology, Neurobiology option from UW–Madison, where she worked in a developmental neuroscience lab with Dr. Timothy Gomez. Her research interests include brain-behavior relationships and neuromodulation interventions for children with Autism. When she is not working in the department or taking classes, she works for the Business Emerging Leaders (BEL) Program where she mentors undergraduate scholars.

Joseph Guzaldo

Joseph Guzaldo is a graduate student in the School Psychology EdS program. He received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Illinois State University. At Illinois State University, Joe was involved in multiple research teams that looked at values and diversity as well as Autism Spectrum Disorder. His advisor is Dr. Jenifer Asmus. His research interests include applied behavior analysis in the classroom setting and children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Séan Harry

Séan is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program. Originally from London, he received a BA (Hons) from Kingston University and MSc from the Institute of Education (UCL). Séan has been researcher at the Institute of Psychiatry (KCL) and University of Surrey; and before joining UW-Madison lived in Chicago & worked at Northwestern. He works as a research assistant with Dr. Stephen Kilgus evaluating the efficacy of a daily Check-In/Check-Out intervention for students at-risk for emotional and behavioral disorder. Séan's interested in supporting the academic achievements, aspirations, and social-emotional behavioral needs of adolescents living in poverty and marginalized communities.

Carly Holtzman

Email: choltzman2@wisc.edu

Carly Holtzman is a graduate student in the School Psychology EdS program. She received a BA in Psychology with a concentration in Human Development as well as a minor in Creative Writing from DePaul University in Chicago. After graduation, she worked as a research assistant through the Center for Community Research at DePaul studying myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Her research interests include the implementation of interventions geared towards the support of social and emotional skill development in school settings. She is currently working on Dr. Andy Garbacz’s Teachers and Parents as Partners project aimed at improving communication and support between school and home settings for children with behavioral problems.

Soobin Im

Email: sim8@wisc.edu

Soobin Im is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program area. She received a BS in Psychology and a minor in Education and Educational Services from UW–Madison. Before her graduate training, she was involved in a research project on pediatric anxiety at the HealthEmotions Research Institute. Soobin’s research interests include understanding social-emotional development and support for English Language Learners and advocating for the students and their families who may face added stressors as a minoritized group. She currently works in the Rural Education Research and Implementation Center, examining mental and behavioral health needs of students in rural WI.

Megan Kaul

Email: mjkaul@wisc.edu

Megan Kaul is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program area in the Department of Educational Psychology. She graduated with her BA in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2017. Prior to graduate school, she worked as a lab manager researching children’s learning, cognition, and development with the intent to extend research findings to educational settings. Her current research interests broadly include family engagement practices in schools, prevention and early intervention, and school mental health. Specifically, she is passionate about researching ways parents and teachers can utilize evidence-based practices to best support students with behavior challenges.

Jessica Kim

Jessica Kim is a doctoral student in the school psychology program. She received her BS in Elementary and ESL Education from UW-Madison and her MA in Educational Psychology from UT-Austin. Jessica’s research interests include investigating resourceful and effective ways to identify students who need additional support as well as implementing interventions that integrate both behavior and academic skills. She is also interested in the interaction between research, policy, and practice and how they impact the services and education provided to students.

Lauren Knuckey

Lauren Knuckey is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program. She attended Luther College in Decorah, IA and received her BA in neuroscience and Spanish with a minor in environmental studies. After graduating, she worked as a student engagement specialist in a psychiatric treatment center in Denver, CO where she became interested in trauma-informed care within school systems. Lauren’s research interests include student mental health programming and culturally responsive practices, especially in the context of teacher, family, and community collaboration.

Chelsea Krenn

Email: ckrenn@wisc.edu

Chelsea Krenn is a graduate student in the EdS program. She received a BS in Elementary Education from UW–Madison, earning teaching licenses in Early Childhood Education and English as a Second Language. Chelsea spent three years as a kindergarten and first grade teacher at Creekside Elementary in the Sun Prairie Area School District, where she is now the Universal PBIS Coach and an academic intervention teacher. As an educator, her mission is to foster equitable learning environments that provide all students with rich educational experiences and academic rigor and to provide strong social emotional supports to advance student learning outcomes.

Alex Latham

Alex is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program. He received a B.A. with Comprehensive Honors in Psychology from UW-Madison in 2020, where he worked with Judith Harackiewicz to study motivation and social-psychological educational interventions. Alex is advised by Dr. David Klingbeil and is interested in researching academic assessment and intervention practices, teachers' use of data, and STEM promotion. In addition to assisting on two of Dr. Klingbeil's projects, Alex is involved with the Rural Education Research and Implementation Center (RERIC).

Julia Laube

Julia Laube is a graduate student in the School Psychology Ed.S. program. She received her B.A. in Psychology and Educational Studies from Macalester College. In her time at Macalester, Julia assisted the Psychology department in myriad ways, acting as a Writing Assistant for a first-year psychology course, voluntarily helping with faculty research, and serving as a member of the Psychology Club. Her research interests include school crisis response, social-emotional learning, and the development of children’s academic self-efficacy, and she hopes to one day become ASL-interpreter certified in order to best serve all learners.

Katherine Lawlor

Katherine Lawlor is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program. She received a BA in psychology from Boston University. Her research interests focus on family-centered services, how relationships and interactional processes within families contribute to school success, and how schools can best support families. Katherine works on the Teachers and Parents as Partners project where she engages in Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) with teachers, parents, and middle school students experiencing behavior challenges. Additionally, she works on the Family Engagement through PBIS project, collaborating with PBIS teams to improve family engagement within existing PBIS systems and practices.

Mitchell Markham

Mitchell Markham is a graduate student in the School Psychology program area. He attended UW–Madison and received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Zoology, where he was involved in child development research and working with children in educational settings. His research interests include mindfulness-based practices used in classroom settings and the needs of rural schools and communities. In addition, he is interested in combining his knowledge of school psychology and education policy. His current work involves developing a mindfulness professional development training for teachers in rural communities.

Marie-Laure Mbi

Marie-Laure Mbi is a graduate student in the School Psychology EdS program. She received her BS degree in Psychology with a minor in Chemistry at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In her undergraduate years, she worked as a research assistant in a lab that examined the neural and behavioral mechanisms in individuals with neurological disorders. Prior to graduate school, she worked as a mental health technician at a psychiatric crisis center where she served children and adolescents with acute intellectual, mental, and behavioral disorders. Her research interests include culturally responsive interventions in schools, school mental health, and social-emotional learning.

Shuzi Meng

Email: smeng28@wisc.edu

Shuzi Meng is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program area. She received a MA in Developmental Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University in New York, NY, where she worked on creative thinking and developmental psychopathology. Before coming to UW–Madison, she worked as a behavior analyst at Devereux Glenholme School in Connecticut. Her research interests include population with Autism Spectrum Disorder, diversity issues in special education, and intervention design and implementation in schools. Her current work involves the evaluations of intervention programs for girls with Autism Spectrum Disorder. She is also interested in Asian representation issues in special education.

Emma Milek

Emma Milek is an EdS school psychology student from Michigan. She earned her B.A. from Michigan State University with a major in Social Relations and Policy with a minor in Educational Studies. Emma received her M.A. in Urban Special Education from Cardinal Stritch University. Emma was a former special education teacher in Milwaukee Public Schools and a reading and math interventionist in Muskego Public Schools. In her free time, Emma enjoys running, swimming, skiing, and watching movies!

Kyra Monson

Kyra Monson is a graduate student in the School Psychology EdS program. She received a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from UW–Madison in 2018. Prior to graduate school, she worked for an organization that promoted the language development and self-regulation of children with Autism. Coupled with UW-Madison’s Student Health Services, she was involved in research that focused on the implementation of support services to survivors of suicide loss in school settings. Her interests in the field of school psychology include the biological and social emotional effects of childhood trauma and school safety.

Elizabeth Moore

Elizabeth (Lisa) Moore is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program. She received her BA in Psychology from Wheaton College in Illinois, where she examined reading interventions for elementary school refugee English Language Learners who were struggling with reading. Her dissertation research with her advisor, Dr. Craig Albers, is exploring oral reading fluency intervention effectiveness with ELL students at various English language proficiency levels. The Society for the Study of School Psychology (SSSP) awarded Lisa a dissertation grant to fund her work. Lisa is completing her pre-doctoral internship at the Nebraska Internship Consortium in Professional Psychology through the Boys Town Child and Adolescent Outpatient Track.

Tonya Novotnak

Email: tnovotnak@wisc.edu

Tanya Novotnak is a school psychology doctoral student from Madison. She earned a BA from Knox College (Galesburg, IL) in psychology and French. Tanya is advised by Dr. Craig Albers, and she is interested in community prevention and early intervention strategies including family-school engagement interventions and increasing the capacity of professionals who work with students during out-of-school time. Currently, Tanya is involved in research on Teachers and Parents as Partners during middle school in the Garbacz Lab. Tanya is a TA for the Master of Science for Professional Educators (MSPE) Program in the Educational Psychology Department.

Julia Porter

Email: jporter9@wisc.edu

Julia Porter is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program. She received a BS degree in Neuroscience from Michigan State University. Her research interests fall under the umbrella of social, emotional, and behavioral assessments and interventions. She is currently working on a project evaluating the Check-in/Check-out Tier II intervention and is assisting on a meta-analysis for the Rural Education Research and Implementation Center. Julia’s advisor is Dr. Stephen Kilgus.

Cheyenne Poston

Cheyenne Leialoha Poston (she/they) is a graduate student in the School Psychology EdS Program. After completing their B.S. in Chemistry with a Minor in Education from Stanford University, Cheyenne served two years as an AmeriCorps Member with City Year San José. While at City Year, Cheyenne worked in both elementary and middle school settings providing academic and social-emotional Tier 1 and Tier 2 support during the school day and leading the after-school enrichment program. Their academic interests include crisis response, transformative justice, radical healing, and liberation in schools, and social justice advocacy in the public education system.

Madeline Schmitt

Maddy Schmitt is a graduate student in the School Psychology EdS program. Originally from the Austin area, she received her BA in Cognitive Science along with minors in Education and Mathematics from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY. Her research interests include creating accessible academic evidence-based interventions and culturally responsive practices to address inequities within education. She is currently working with her advisor Dr. Klingbeil on developing a database to help researchers and practitioners estimate effect sizes for single-case study designs.

Haley Schultz

Email: hmschultz2@wisc.edu

Haley Schultz is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program area. She received her BS in Human Development and Family Studies and her MS in Rehabilitation Psychology from UW–Madison. In addition to her academics, Haley is the project manager of the Hartley Lab at the Waisman Center where she studies families who have a child on the Autism spectrum. Her current research interests involve school-based mental health screening and identification for adolescents with neurodevelopmental disabilities.

Leah Schwartz-Dodek

Leah Schwartz-Dodek is a graduate student in the School Psychology EdS program. She received a BS degree in Child Development and Psychology with minors in Spanish and Special Education from Vanderbilt University. Leah’s research interests are in the area of school mental health, particularly the development and implementation of school-based intervention and prevention programs. She is currently assisting with the Resilience Education Program, a Tier 2 intervention for students with internalizing behavior concerns.

Yuna Seong

Yuna Seong is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program. She is advised by Dr. Katie Eklund. She received her B.A. in Sociology with minors in Applied Psychology and Professional Writing from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2020. At UCSB, Yuna worked on studies on Tier I-III MTSS for social-emotional skills. Her current research interests are in cultural responsivity of MTSS for social emotional learning.

Julianne Snyder

Email: jnsnyder@wisc.edu

Julianne Snyder is a graduate student in the School Psychology EdS program. She graduated from the University of South Carolina (BS, Psychology; Minor, Spanish), and the University of Pennsylvania (MS, Elementary Education). Julianne was a kindergarten teacher in the Philadelphia School District, and a preschool teacher at UW–Madison. Her interests include early childhood education, intervention and prevention practices, and family support. She currently works on a Madison Education Partnership project involving professional development of 4K teachers and received the Office of Special Education Program training grant which trains future school psychologists to be leaders of school wide problem-solving teams.

Danya Soto

Danya Soto is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program and Steve Quintana is her advisor. She was born and raised in Mexico City and moved with her family to the U.S. about 8 years ago. Danya graduated from DePaul University in 2019 with a degree in psychology and minors in early childhood education and political thought. Her research interests include mindfulness interventions for Latinx-youth, race-based stress, acculturation, biculturalism, and child and adolescent psychopathology.

Maria Szalkowski

Maria Szalkowski is a graduate student in the School Psychology EdS program. She received her BA degree from UW Madison. Maria was a research assistant in the Learning and Transfer Lab where she conducted research on multi-tasking and executive function as well as a research assistant in the Child Emotion lab where she worked with children and families to research how childhood stress influenced decision making. Maria also served as an AmeriCorps member providing literacy support to elementary students in Madison. Maria is interested in social emotional learning, school equity, and crisis response.

Teagan Twombly

Email: twombly@wisc.edu

Teagan Twombly is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program. She earned her BA in Psychology and Spanish from UW–Madison, where she participated in research that explored children’s understanding of different social categories such as race and gender. As a senior thesis project, Teagan engaged in an interdisciplinary collaboration in which she evaluated the effectiveness of a Multilingual Language Awareness curriculum, which hopes to serve as a foundation for a more grounded theory of linguistically inclusive practice for schools. Teagan’s current interests broadly include identification and implementation of culturally and linguistically appropriate socioemotional services for English Language Learners.

Valerie Von Bargen

Valerie von Bargen is a student in the School Psychology EdS program. She earned her BS in Psychology and certificate in Education & Educational Services from UW-Madison in 2020. Throughout her undergraduate career, she provided ABA services for children with autism, provided respite care for children and young adults with developmental disabilities, instructed youth dance classes, educated peers regarding violence prevention, and she studied childhood trauma and resiliency as a research assistant. She is particularly interested in how she can use a trauma-informed perspective to best serve students who are culturally and linguistically diverse and students with autism spectrum disorders.

Madeline Wadington

Madeline Wadington is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program area. She received a BS in Psychology from Colby College in Waterville, ME. Her research interests include examining screening procedures and support for academic, emotional, and behavioral functioning in the school setting, as well as exploring teacher identification methods of emotional and behavioral concerns in early childhood settings. Her current work includes exploring issues related to education in rural areas, working with teachers and families to support student behavioral and mental health using the Teachers and Parents as Partners intervention, and creating an academic, emotional, and behavioral screening measure for use in early childhood settings.

Madison Weist

Email: weist2@wisc.edu

Madison Weist is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program area. She received her BA in Studio Art from Williams College in Williamstown, MA, and teaching certificate at the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, PA. After teaching Special Education at the high school level for three years, she found the field of school psychology through her coursework and mentors. She plans to work as a practicing and research school psychologist, using an intersectional lens to focus on creating inclusive school climates for all children.

Leroy Williams

Leroy Williams is currently a doctoral student in Educational Psychology with a specialization in School Psychology and focus in Neuroscience and Behavior. Leroy is currently advised by Dr. Jenny Asmus. His research targets families with a history of Alzheimer’s and children with Autism. His passion is to understand the mechanisms that are involved with learning to best support families and vulnerable populations to obtain quality education. He went to Goucher College, a small liberal arts college. After college, Leroy worked at Kennedy Krieger Institute and John Hopkins as a researcher and therapist.

Juliet Ye

Juliet Ye is a current doctoral student in the School Psychology Program and Dr. Stephen Kilgus is her advisor. She earned a BA degree in Psychology, with a minor in Sociology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Before graduate school, she worked as a research assistant at the Missouri Prevention Center where she assisted with grant funded projects involving development and implementation of best practices for reducing mental health issues in schools. Her research interests include studying the prevalence of internalizing problems and behaviors, and possible disparities in assessment and treatment for those in cultural, racial, and ethnic minority groups.

Kaitlyn Young

Email: kmyoung6@wisc.edu

Kaitlyn Young is a doctoral student in the School Psychology Program. She earned her BS degree in Psychology in 2016 and her MS in educational psychology in 2019 from UW–Madison. Kaitlyn’s area of study is adolescent mental health and the systems that support mental health intervention within school settings; of particular interest to Kaitlyn is how these systems look in rural areas.

Miranda Zahn

Email: mrzahn@wisc.edu

Miranda Zahn is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program area who is advised by Steve Kilgus. She received a BS in Psychology and Human Development & Family Studies from UW–Madison. Her current research focuses on indirect service delivery for social, emotional, and behavioral needs in schools. Her dissertation examines how secondary teachers can be supported to assess and promote student mental health, classroom engagement, and student behavior. She works with Dr. Garbacz to provide behavioral consultation to teachers and parents of middle school students, and with Drs. Kilgus and Eklund to promote student mental health for students who are at-risk for developing behavioral disorders.