School Psychology Doctoral Students

Maddie Alexanian is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology. She received her BA in Psychology and Spanish with a minor in Education from Wake Forest University. Before beginning her studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Maddie worked as an English teaching assistant in Galicia, Spain through the Fulbright Student Program. There, she implemented curriculum-based measures of writing progress with her students. Advised by Dr. David Klingbeil, Maddie’s research interests include literacy development and evidence-based reading assessment and interventions. Specifically, she is interested in best practices for meeting the unique needs of linguistically diverse students.

Tory Ash is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology. Tory received her BA in Psychology and Philosophy from UW–Madison and her MS in Psychology from Syracuse University. Prior to graduate school, Tory worked as a lab manager studying prejudice reduction interventions for adults, parents, children, and teachers. Tory is advised by Dr. Andy Garbacz. Broadly, her research interests include developing, implementing, and evaluating school-wide interventions and supports aimed at promoting greater equity in educational outcomes

Kierin Barnett is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology. She is advised by Dr. Katie Eklund. Kierin received her BA in Psychology and Sociology from UW-Madison. Prior to graduate school, Kierin worked as a Research Specialist studying prejudice reduction interventions for adults, parents, and children as well as interventions designed to facilitate positive intergroup relations among children. Her current research interests center on supporting student mental health in schools. Specifically, Kierin is interested in promoting positive outcomes for students with internalizing and externalizing concerns using culturally responsive, evidence-based interventions.

Gina Bednarek is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology 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 childhood anxiety disorders. Gina currently collaborates with Dr. Garbacz to assist different state and community organizations with their goals surrounding family-school-community partnerships. Her research interests include learning how we can improve child and adolescent social-emotional assessment practices to better support families, schools, and clinicians.

Anne Bowen is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology, and advised by Andy Garbacz. She received her BS in Psychology and Ecology & Biodiversity from the University of Denver. Prior to graduate school, Anne was a clinical research coordinator at Children’s Hospital Colorado, where she coordinated a school-based mental health prevention program and adolescent health behavior studies. Anne’s current research interests center on promotion of school, family, and medical care provider connection to promote youth well-being.

Sophia is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology and is advised by Dr. Andy Garbacz. She received her BS in Educational and Human sciences from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Prior to joining UW–Madison, Sophia worked as an early childhood research associate at the Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools. Her current research interests are focused on early childhood mental health prevention and intervention as well as building equitable family-school partnerships within communities. She is passionate about raising community voices and building protective factors in young children.

Jim Cho is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology, under the guidance of Dr. Andy Garbacz. He completed dual majors in Psychology and Sociology at Case Western Reserve University and acquired his master's degree from Stanford University's Policy, Organization, and Leadership Studies (POLS) program. Before joining the School Psychology program, Jim served as a high school mathematics teacher and Dean of Instruction on the Lower Brule reservation. He also taught math in a public charter school in the San Francisco Bay Area. Currently, his research interests center on Native American communities and the relationships between families, schools, and the broader community.

Neicy Coleman is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology. She received her BA in Psychology with a minor in Child Development from the University of Memphis. Her primary research interests include the development and implementation of trauma-informed interventions for adolescents in marginalized communities. Additionally, she is interested in adolescents within the juvenile justice system, family-school partnerships, and liberation psychology. Neicy is a member of the Resilience Education Program (REP) and the School Mental Health Collaborative (SMHC).

Sara Coronel Rodriguez is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology. She is advised by Dr. Katie Eklund. Sara received her BA in Psychology and Anthropology from Wake Forest University and her MS in Education from Johns Hopkins University. Sara is a Teach for America alumni and worked as a Research Associate at Harvard Business School managing psychological behavioral research projects. Her current research interests center on culturally responsive social and emotional learning interventions and practices in the school setting.

Brittany Gregory is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology. 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.

Chloe Hendrix is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology and is advised by Dr. Katie Eklund. She received her BS in Developmental Psychology from the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities where she studied and conducted research in the departments of Educational Psychology, Developmental Psychology, and Sociology/Criminal Justice. Chloe served as an AmeriCorps Promise Fellow in a middle school in St. Paul, Minnesota. Her research interests include implementing Tier 2 interventions, specifically Check-in/Check-out and Resilience Education Program (REP), to students with internalizing concerns and externalizing concerns. She is also interested in mentorship for students of color and school climate.

Jessica Kim is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology. 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.

Temma Levis is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology. She is advised by Dr. Katie Eklund. Temma received a BS in Psychology with a minor in Education from Haverford College. Before coming to UW–Madison, she worked as a psychosocial teacher at an elementary school in New York City, served as a research assistant at Temple University’s Infant and Child Laboratory, and assisted with research at New York University’s Play and Language Laboratory. Her primary research interests focus on the social and emotional development of children. Temma is a member of the Resiliency Education Program (REP) and the School Mental Health Collaborative (SMHC).

Josh McConnell is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology. Josh received his BSc in Psychology with a minor in Philosophy from the University of Calgary. Prior to attending UW-Madison, Josh worked as a psychologist assistant at Springbank Psychology, a Canadian private practice specializing in neurodevelopmental-related clinical concerns. Josh’s research is focused on behavior management strategies, in addition to exploring ways to cater educational experiences for individual students with autism spectrum disorder, primarily using a strength-based approach.

Angelos Ntais is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology at UW–Madison and is advised by Dr. David Klingbeil. Originally from Greece, Angelos holds a BA in Secondary Education from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and a MSc in Educational Neuroscience. Angelos has worked as a Greek Language teacher in Greece, and as a high school music teacher in the US. His research interests are focused on academic assessment and intervention. He is particularly interested in universal screening procedures and intervention within a Response to Intervention model, and cultural adaptation of academic interventions.

Sinead O'Neill is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology. She is co-advised by Dr. Andy Garbacz and Dr. Katie Eklund. Sinéad received her BFA in Modern Dance Performance from the University of the Arts. She completed her MA and Psy.S. in School Psychology from Cleveland State University, where she was a research assistant at The Center for Urban Education. Besides practicing as a school psychologist, she has taught performing arts and yoga. Her research focuses on developing youth agency and sense of belonging to self and community. Research areas include Youth Participatory Action Research and sociopolitical development; contemplative, mindfulness-based practices; and student-based decision making for equitable school climates.

Carly Oddleifson is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology. She received a BA in Psychology with a minor in Hispanic Studies from Oberlin College in 2016. She has worked in a Montessori School and has worked on research teams at Oberlin College, the Center for Responsive Schools, and Boston College. Her primary research interest is social-emotional and behavioral assessment. Carly is a member of the MIDAS project team and the School Mental Health Collaborative (SMHC). Dr. Steve Kilgus is her advisor.

Anabell Ramos is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology. She earned her BA in Psychology and Human Development from California State University, San Bernardino and conducted research through the Undergraduate Research Initiative for Student Enhancement (NIH-Funded). Her research is focused on the application of behavioral analytic interventions in school settings, with an emphasis on adapting these interventions to ensure cultural appropriateness for students who are culturally and linguistically diverse. She is passionate about delivering culturally sensitive and congruent services to Latine students and aims to elevate the voices of both students and families.

Josh Rysiew is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology. He is advised by Dr. Steve Kilgus. Josh received his BS in Psychology from the University of Georgia. Prior to graduate school, Josh worked in the Gifted Education Equity Research lab, where he focused on testing an equity measurement tool for school districts to examine their gifted enrollment data. His research interests center on assessing internalizing concerns for high-achieving students of color and promoting equitable identification practices in gifted and talented programs.

Ishan Vengurlekar is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area at UW–Madison and is advised by Dr. Stephen Kilgus. He received his BA in Psychology and a minor in Social Work from the University of Arkansas. Ishan's research interests are broadly twofold: (1) to explore the intersection between social-emotional learning and adolescents' arts education, with a particular focus on the impact of peer relationships and (2) to investigate the risk and protective factors affecting the wellbeing of music majors, in order to develop better programs to support their mental health.

Monica is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (Bilingual) who received her Master's of Education (MEd) and Educational Specialist Degree (EdS) from National Louis University in Skokie, IL. She is currently a School Psychology PhD student and Project STARS Fellow being advised by Dr. Dave Klingbeil. Prior to joining UW–Madison, Monica practiced as a school psychologist for 6 years, including her internship. In her practice, Monica developed an interest in consultation and the use of data in making decisions to promote equity for diverse learners. Monica’s research interests include MTSS and program evaluation of Bilingual programming in the Midwest.

Mariah Vigil is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology, advised by Dr. Jennifer Asmus. At the University of Utah, she double majored in Psychology and Family, Community, Human Development. Mariah currently serves as the School Psychology Training Clinic clinician/teaching assistant. Mariah is also the Diversity and Inclusion Association Co-Chair. Her research interests focus on understanding effective and inclusive sexual/romantic supports for autistic individuals that are gender and/or sexual minorities.

Taiming Xue is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology. She received her BA in Psychology with Honors from UW-Madison. Broadly, Taiming's research interests include the development and implementation of school-based mental health interventions to address student's internalizing concerns, especially through collaboration with families. She is also interested in making interventions more accessible and tailored to students who are culturally and linguistically diverse.

Temi Yusuf is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology. She is advised by Dr. Andy Garbacz. Before her graduate studies, she received dual bachelor’s degrees in psychology and Secondary Education from the University of Michigan. Temi’s research interests include family-school-community partnerships and developing culturally sensitive adaptations for interventions.