Current Students
Search our graduate students:
Doctoral Students
Eyitayo Akomolafe
Doctoral Student
Education:
M.A., English (TESL), Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
M.A., English (Sociolinguistics) Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
B.A., English Language, University of Abuja, Nigeria
Emphasis Area: Adolescent Development
Hometown: Ile-Ife, Nigeria
Interest: Volunteering, Advocating for young underprivileged teens, social justice advocacy, singing, cooking and spending time with family and friends.
Julia Beier
Doctoral Student
Education:
B.S. Psychology Missouri Western State University
Emphasis Area: Adolescent Development
Hometown: St. Joseph, Missouri
Interests: Being with friends and family, volunteering, and exploring new places and cultures.
Miranda Bejda
Doctoral Student
Education:
B.S. Human Development and Family Science, Illinois State University
Emphasis Area: Adolescent Development
Hometown: Naperville, Illinois
Interests: reading, dancing, and spending time with my bunny (Thumper)
McKenna Fey
Doctoral Student
Education:
M.S. Couple and Family Therapy, University of Kentucky
B.S. Human Development and Family Science, Oklahoma State University
Emphasis Area: Family Processes
Hometown: Plano, Texas
Interests: Cooking, hiking, house projects, board games, reading
Shabnam Ghorbani Kalkhajeh
Doctoral Student
Education:
M.S. Clinical Psychology, Kharazmi University
B.S. Clinical Psychology, Islamic Azad University
Emphasis Area: Adolescent Development
Hometown: Tehran, Iran
Interests: family dynamics, father-adolescent relationship, self-concept formation, learning more about other cultures and languages, cooking, exercising, traveling, spending time with family and friends.
Becca Johnson
Doctoral Student
Education:
M.S., Criminal Justice, East Carolina University
M.S., Couple and Family Therapy
B.A., Psychology with a minor in Human Development and Family Sciences, East Carolina University
Emphasis Area: Family Processes (ACES, Juvenile Justice)
Hometown: Scaly Mountain, North Carolina
Interests: Hiking, camping, kayaking, reading, and spending time with my dog.
Emily Johnson
Doctoral Student
Education:
M.S., Couple and Family Therapy, University of Kentucky
B.S., Human Development and Family Studies, Adult Life Programs, Auburn University
Emphasis Area: Family Processes
Hometown: Roswell, Georgia
Interests include: Cooking, reading, running, hiking, playing with my pup.
Allison Leip
Doctoral Student
Education:
B.S., Family, Youth, and Community Sciences, University of Florida
Emphasis Area: Family Processes
Hometown: Syracuse, New York
Interests: Snuggling with my dogs, gardening, hiking, reading, and crafting.
Tiago Lobo-Dos-Santos
Doctoral Student
Education:
M.S. Criminology, Faculty of Law, University of Porto
B.S. Criminology, Faculty of Law, University of Porto
Emphasis Area: Adolescent Development
Hometown: Esposende, Braga, Portugal
Interests: development of antisocial behaviors; development of Romani children and youth; longitudinal & trajectory analysis; early school absenteeism; social street work; community effects on developmental trajectories; racial/ethnic equity; developmental prevention projects' evaluation; poetry.
Lynn Maamari
Doctoral Student
Education:
M.S. Nutrition and Food Systems, University of Kentucky
B.S. Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Balamand
Emphasis Area: Adolescent Development
Hometown: Beirut, Lebanon
Interests: Travelling, Photography, Reading, Working out, Blogging ( I own a health and wellness Instagram account @yourhealthydiaryy), Spending time with family and friends.
Melinda Murdock
Doctoral Student
Education:
M.S., Couple and Family Therapy, University of Kentucky
B.A., Psychology, University of Memphis
Emphasis Area: Family Processes
Hometown: Benton, Arkansas
Interests: Running, working out, exploring the outdoors, writing, social justice advocate.
Jacqueline Norman
Doctoral Student
Education:
M.Ed., Moderate & Severe Disabilities, University of Kentucky
B.S., French Education, Georgia Southern University
Emphasis Area: Family Processes
Hometown: Lexington Kentucky
Interests: family time, swimming, hiking, baking, community service
Nicole Stork-Hestad
Doctoral Student
Education:
M.S., Family Studies, University of Kentucky
B.S., Psychology, Berry College
Emphasis Area: Family Finance and Economics
Samadhi Weeraratne
Doctoral Student
Education:
M.S., Applied Finance, University of Sri Jayewardenepura
B.S., Finance, University of Sri Jayewardenepura
Emphasis Area: Family Finance and Economics
Hometown : Colombo, Sri Lanka
Interests : Music and dancing, spending time with friends and family, travelling, working out,
Sara Yamini
Doctoral Student
Education:
M.S. Industrial Management, Kar University
B.S., Industrial Engineering, Mazandaran University of Science and Technology
Emphasis Area: Adolescent Development
Hometown: Tehran, Iran
Interests: going to concerts, watching movies, spending time with family and friends
Masters Students
Clark Courtney
Master's Student
Education:
B.S., Career and Technical Education, University of Kentucky
Emphasis Area: Couple & Family Therapy
Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky
Interests: hiking, backpacking, canoeing, puzzles, environmentalism
Lily Dunn
Master's Student
Education:
B.A. Psychology, University of Kentucky
Emphasis Area: Couple & Family Therapy
Hometown: Downers Grove, Illinois
Interests: Reading, cooking, painting, and spending quality time with friends and family!
Justin Graham
Master's Student
Education:
B.S., Marriage and Family Studies, Brigham Young University-Idaho
Emphasis Area: Couple & Family Therapy
Hometown: Ammon, Idaho
Interests, Running, sports, watching movies, reading, spending time with family/friends.
McKinley Hall
Master's Student
Education:
B.A., Marriage and Family Studies, Brigham Young University-Idaho
Emphasis area: Couple & Family Therapy
Hometown: Soldotna, Alaska
Interests: Cooking, working out, yoga, dancing, watching movies, and spending time with family
Ryno Hogg
Master's Student
Education:
B.A, Child and Family Studies, Berea College
Emphasis Area: Couple & Family Therapy
Hometown: Whitesburg, KY
Interests: People, cooking, skateboarding, and sports.
Trevor Howard
Master's Student
Education:
B.S., Psychology, Utah State University
Emphasis Area: Couple & Family Therapy
Hometown: Utah
Interests: Adventuring together with wife and three daughters, as well as hiking, fishing, and camping.
Ellen Keith
Master's Student
Education:
B.S., Family Science, University of Kentucky
Emphasis: Couple & Family Therapy
Hometown: Versailles, KY
Interests: spending time with friends and family, reading
Austin Mathews
Master's Student
Education:
B.S., Biology, East Carolina University
Emphasis Area: Couple & Family Therapy
Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky
Interests: Running, biking, watching movies & shows, listening to music, and being outside.
Margo Munday
Master's Student
Education:
B.S., Family Sciences, University of Kentucky
Emphasis Area: Couple & Family Therapy
Hometown: Lugansk, Ukraine
Interests: painting with acrylics, knitting, walking dogs
Jessica Nincehelser
Master's Student
Education:
B.S., Human Development & Family Science, The Ohio State University
Emphasis Area: Couple & Family Therapy
Hometown: Johnstown, Ohio
Interests: Theatre, board games, scrapbooking, and hosting theme parties!
Ben Patterson
Master's Student
Education:
M.A., Education, Asbury University
B.A., Classics and English, University of Kentucky
Emphasis Area: Couple & Family Therapy
Hometown: Versailles, Kentucky
Interests: Board games, crochet, computer programming, speculative fiction.
Haley Scruggs
Master's Student
Education:
B.S., Psychology, Murray State University
Emphasis Area: Couple & Family Therapy
Hometown: Paducah, Kentucky
Interests: Spending time with family and friends, listening to music, cross-stitching, playing sudoku, and loving on animals!
Natalie Tate
Master's Student
Education:
B.A., Psychology, University of Kentucky
Emphasis Area: Couple & Family Therapy
Hometown: Palo Alto, California
Interests: Walking my dogs, spending time with family and friends, cooking, hiking and yoga.
Tory Thomas
Master's Student
Education:
B.S., Family Sciences, University of Kentucky
Emphasis Area: Couple & Family Therapy
Hometown: Seattle, Washington
Interests: dance, disney movies, photography, drawing, animal lover, diet coke, and anything mint.
Vanessa Vela
Master's Student
Education:
B.S., Sociology, Abilene Christian University
Emphasis Area: Couple & Family Therapy
Hometown: Fort Worth, Texas
Interests: watching movies, hanging out with friends and family, working out, being a friend of the world, and ice cream!