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.
School Psychology Student
Barnett, Kierin
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.
Bowen, Anne
Anne Bowen is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology and advised by Andy Garbacz. They received their 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 they managed a school-based mental health prevention program and adolescent health behavior studies. Anne’s current research interests center on leveraging implementation science to develop, optimize, test, and scale evidence-based behavioral interventions to improve child and family health outcomes and reduce disparities.
Chleborad, Sophia
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.
Cho, Jim
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.
Coleman, Neicy
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).
Coronel Rodriguez, Sara
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.
Decker, Joseph
Joseph Decker is a doctoral student in the School Psychology area within the Department of Educational Psychology and is advised by Dr. Stephen Kilgus. He completed his BA at The University of Iowa in Psychology and Spanish with a minor in Portuguese. Joseph’s current research interests include the identification of trauma in students and developing equitable universal screening measures.
Gregory, Brittany
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.
Hendrix, Chloe
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.