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Doctoral Students | Masters Students

Doctoral Students

Eyitayo Akomolafe

Doctoral Student

eakomolafe@uky.edu

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

jbeier1@uky.edu

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

mlbe240@uky.edu

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

mckenna.fey@uky.edu

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

sh.ghorbani@uky.edu

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

rljo258@uky.edu

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

em.johnson@uky.edu

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

allison.leip@uky.edu

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

tiago-lobo-dos-santos@uky.edu

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

Lynn.Maamari@uky.edu

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

melinda.murdock@uky.edu

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.

Portrait of Jacqueline Norman

Jacqueline Norman

Doctoral Student

jacqueline.norman@uky.edu

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

nsh@uky.edu

Education:

M.S., Family Studies, University of Kentucky

B.S., Psychology, Berry College

Emphasis Area: Family Finance and Economics

Samadhi Weeraratne

Doctoral Student

ThiliniS.Weeraratne@uky.edu

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

s.yamini@uky.edu

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

Clark.Courtney@uky.edu

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

Lily.Dunn@uky.edu

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

justin.graham@uky.edu

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

McKinley.Hall@uky.edu

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

Ryno.Hogg@uky.edu

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

Trevor.Howard@uky.edu

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

Ellen.Keith@uky.edu

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

Austin.Mathews@uky.edu

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

Margo.Munday@uky.edu

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

Jessica.Nincehelser@uky.edu

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

ben.patterson@uky.edu

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.

Lindsay Roesel

Master's Student

Lindsay.Roesel@uky.edu

Education:

Emphasis Area: Couple & Family Therapy

Haley Scruggs

Master's Student

haley.scruggs@uky.edu

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!

Portrait of Natalie Tate

Natalie Tate

Master's Student

natalie.ohara@uky.edu

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.

Portrait of Tory Thomas

Tory Thomas

Master's Student

tory.thomas@uky.edu

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.

Portrait of Vanessa Vela

Vanessa Vela

Master's Student

vanessa.vela@uky.edu

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!