2020 Convention Presenters

Rashaad Abdur-Rahman, MSSW has completed executive training in leadership at Harvard's Cross-Sector Partnerships course, the National Council for Behavioral Health clinical models including EMDR, TF-CBT, Seven Challenges, Trauma Informed Care, and Motivational Interviewing. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Berea College, and his Masters in Science and Social Work from the University of Louisville’s Kent School of Social Work in 2008. He is currently pursuing his Doctorate in Social Work at Spalding University. Rashaad has worked in the field of child and family mental health services in various roles as a direct care counselor, case manager, therapist, consultant, trainer, supervisor, and program administrator. Rashaad is the Founder and CEO of the Racial Healing Project, a company dedicated to helping groups, businesses, and organizations: identify, contextualize, and resolve inequitable outcomes that are rooted in our shared history and based in race.He has been an adjunct professor at Spalding University, and guest lecturer at Berea College,Western Governors University, University of Louisville, and the University of Kentucky. Heserves on the Metro United Way Black Male Achievement Roundtable. Rashaad believes deeply in the power of community and that in order to foster the equitable and transformative society that we all deserve; we must work tirelessly to secure racial, economic,and social justice.

Brenda Arellano, MS, LPA is a bilingual, Licensed Psychological Associate currently working at the Behavioral Wellness Clinic. Brenda specializes in providing empirically-supported treatment for children, teens, and adults suffering from OCD. Brenda also works with individuals experiencing other difficulties, including anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, PTSD and eating disorders. As a fluent native Spanish-speaker, Brenda provides therapy in both English and Spanish. Brenda is trained in delivering various empirically supported interventions, including Exposure and Response Prevention, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Behavioral Therapy, and Mindfulness and Acceptance Based Interventions. She graduated from the University of Louisville in 2017 with a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology. In addition to her clinical training, Brenda was involved in various research projects during her time at the University of Louisville. She shared her research on child anxiety and the intersection of culture and mental health at national conferences as well as peer-reviewed articles. In addition to her clinical practice, Brenda enjoys sharing psychological science through community talks and spending time with friends and family.

Theresa Botts, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Eastern Kentucky University and Director of Admissions for the Clinical Psychology doctoral program there. Dr. Botts teaches specialty doctoral level classes in Trauma and is director of the Trauma and Suicide PreventionClinic at EKU Psychology Clinic. She has worked extensively with veterans and developed an intervention for veteran and military families.

Alissa Briggs, PhD, NCSP, is an assistant professor of pediatrics in the University of Kentucky College of Medicine and a licensed psychologist for the Adolescent Medicine clinic within UK Healthcare’s department of pediatrics. Her journey to this position started with an interest in psychology, a passion for social justice, and a drive to reach this aspiration by serving youth. After graduating from Grinnell College in Iowa, she moved to St. Louis where she taught special education as a Teach For America Corps Member. After two years of teaching, she decided to pursue a degree in school psychology in order to address the inequities she witnessed as a teacher. Dr. Briggs earned her doctorate in school psychology from Loyola University Chicago and completed an APPIC approved internship at a high school in the suburbs of Chicago. Prior to starting at the University of Kentucky in 2014, Dr. Briggs was a school psychologist for Lincoln County High School. Dr. Briggs transitioned to the clinical care in order to address the mental health needs of children and adolescents within the state of Kentucky by working with families throughout the state, training future providers, and engaging in research on health promotion in schools.  

Georgeann Stamper Brown, Ph.D., is currently the Federal Advocacy Coordinator for KPA. She is also involved on the Legislative Committee, the PAC committee, and has helped plan the past 7 annual KPA Legislative Days in Frankfort. She currently works in private practice at True North Counseling and Development in Lexington, Kentucky. She graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2006 with a doctorate in Clinical-Community Psychology.

Rachel Buehner, Ph.D. is the President (Elect) of the Kentucky Psychological Association and an American Psychological Association Leadership Development Fellow for 2020. She is a Licensed Psychologist in Kentucky and Ohio, is employed by Shelton Forensic Solutions, and she works in a multi-state telehealth practice.

Myra Bundy, Ph.D. completed her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of South Carolina, a pre-doctoral internship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Maternal Child Health Post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Colorado Health Science Center. She completed Applied Behavior Analysis coursework at the Florida Institute of Technology. She is a licensed psychologist and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Dr. Bundy has been an undergraduate and graduate faculty member in EKU's Department of Psychology since 1996. She has been teaching all-online undergraduate classes in psychology since 2003 and recently developed an all-online graduate program in applied behavior analysis. Beginning in March, 2020, along with the rest of the world, she has been working to learn how to do more and more teaching and clinical tasks virtually.

Donald Burton, Ph.D. has been the consulting clinical neuropsychologist at Pathways Neurorehabilitation unit for the last 21years. Pathways is an inpatient program for the treatment of acute /subacute acquired and traumatic brain injuries. He is an adjunct faculty member in the School of Professional Psychology at Spalding University. He has completed a neuropsychology fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, a neuropsychology specialty residency program at Baylor College of Medicine in the Texas Medical Center, and received his Ph.D. from Nova Southeastern University with a specialty in clinical neuropsychology.

Julie Cerel, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist and Professor in the College of Social Work at the University of Kentucky. She is the director of the Suicide Prevention & Exposure Lab at the University of Kentucky and currently serves as the Interim Associate Dean of Research. Her research has focused on suicide exposure/bereavement, suicide attempt survivors and suicide prevention. She currently serves as Past-President of the American Association of Suicidology. She completed her PhD from The Ohio State University, an internship and post-doctoral fellowship from West Virginia University and a post-doctoral fellowship specifically in suicide prevention from University of Rochester. She has served as Research Division Chair and Board Chair of American Association of Suicidology. She is the author of over 80 academic publications and co-author of Seeking Hope: Stories of the Suicide Bereaved. Her work has been funded by the Military Suicide Research Consortium from the U.S. Department of Defense, the Patient Centered Research Initiative (PCORI), the CDC, SAMHSA, SPAN-USA and AFSP. She is an Editorial Board Member for Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior.

Patti Clark, M.Ed., MBA, CPS is the Program Manager of the Prevention and Promotion Branch within the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Department of Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities. She is the Project Director and Principal Investigator for Kentucky’s Partnership for Success 2015 grant, a five-year SAMHSA- funded grant focused on substance use prevention for youth ages 12-25. She also served as the Kentucky State Suicide Prevention Coordinator and Principal Investigator for the Kentucky Initiatives for Zero Suicides and was Project Director for the state’s Suicide Prevention Efforts for Adolescents in Kentucky, both Garrett Lee Smith funded suicide prevention projects.

Jennifer Cole, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor at the University of Kentucky, Department of Behavioral Science. Her overarching research career goal is to investigate the intersection of interpersonal victimization and substance use or misuse and system responses to individuals with victimization experiences and substance use disorders. Dr. Cole has conducted studies on sex trafficking of minors and outcome evaluations for adolescents in substance abuse treatment. Dr. Cole co-authored Partner Stalking: How Women Respond, Cope, and Survive (Springer Publisher) with Dr. TK Logan.

Sam Cotton, MSSW, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Family and Geriatric Medicine, University of Louisville School of Medicine, assigned to the University of Louisville Trager Institute. She is a Geriatric Academic Career Awardee (GACA). The primary focus of her GACA project is to educate urban physicians and other healthcare professionals practicing at the University of Louisville Physicians (ULP) specialty practices, along with the rural healthcare providers connected to ULP, on how to provide age-friendly care to their vulnerable rural older adult patients 65+ and their caregivers. She also serves as the coordinator for the Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) initiative funded through the HRSA Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) grant. She manages the interprofessional education and training component of the Trager Institute. Additionally, she provides supervision to social work learners from several local and regional universities that are completing their practicum at the Trager Institute.

Joe D'Ambrosio, Ph.D. Dr. D'Ambrosio's clinical work and community based research is focused on sustainable health initiatives for older adults. His efforts promote intersecting workforce, infrastructure, funding, self-governance, management and community leadership through the lens of compassion. He has presented over 40 peer-reviewed national presentations and has co-authored articles on community engagement related to health initiatives, and compassionate love. He has written and worked on grants funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health Resources and Health Administration and Passport Health Plan. His interest is in uncovering individual strength and resilience that fosters social sustainability through intentional and deliberate actions of compassion within the healthcare system and society in general.

Jean Deters, Psy.D. offers forensic, clinical and consultation services in psycho-legal areas primarily addressing the intersect of family court, mental health and the law. She has qualified as an expert witness in general and forensic psychology, practicing primarily in Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio. Her skills are executed through roles of litigation consultant, expert witness, custody evaluator, parenting coordinator, therapeutic co-mediator, therapist and coach. She is also a certified family specialist in the collaborative law process. Dr. Deters was appointed to the Kentucky Board of Examiners of Psychology and is currently Chair of the Board. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Kentucky Psychological Association, New Day Ranch and the Academy of Northern Kentucky Collaborative Professionals. Dr. Deters has worked closely with Northern Kentucky family courts in program development including co-authoring local rules operationalizing KRS 26A.140 which provides courtroom accommodations to child witnesses and victims. Dr. Deters co-facilitated a trauma-informed therapeutic mediation program for pro se litigants in family court and trains judges, attorneys and law students to better advocate for the need of court-involved children.She is the author of Bubbleworks, a trauma-focused cognitive behavioral program for child witnesses in adult criminal proceedings.

Joe Dickhaus, M.S. is a Licensed Psychological Practitioner who has worked in community mental health for over ten years.  He is currently employed as a Clinic Director with Pathways, Inc., overseeing an outpatient office and providing psychotherapy to consumers who experience a variety of mental health conditions.   Joe received his Master of Science in Clinical Psychology from Eastern Kentucky University in 2009. He was recently re-appointed for a second term as a member of the Kentucky Board of Examiners of Psychologists and has previously served as the Board’s Vice-Chair.

Laurel Everett, M.A. is a Doctoral Candidate at Spalding University and completed a practicum at Pathways Neurorehab program. She is intending to specialize in clinical pediatric neuropsychology and has additional areas of interest including rehabilitation psychology and behavioral medicine. 

Anna C. Faul, Ph.D., Executive Director, University of Louisville Trager Institute Professor, Kent School of Social Work Hartford Faculty Scholar. Dr. Anna’s 32-year career has been dedicated to helping older adults live productive and healthy lives across the lifespan. She has been awarded 16 awards for excellence in teaching, has published numerous peer reviewed articles and book chapters and has presented over 70 peer-reviewed national presentations. Her research that focused on implementation of evidenced based biopsychosocial interventions include studies funded by the National Institute on Aging, the Hartford Foundation and the New York Academy of Medicine, the Hartford Foundation and Gerontological Society of America, Department of Health and Human Services, The Kentucky Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services, Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Adrianna Fisher-Willis, Psy.D. is currently a Staff Psychologist at the University of Kentucky Counseling Center, where she assists clients with engaging in individual and group therapy, as well as psychological consultations and campus outreach services. As a Lexington native, she has truly enjoyed the opportunity to work at UK, assisting college students with navigating such a challenging phase of their lives. Dr. Fisher received her Doctor of Psychology degree at Adler University in Chicago, Illinois. Her work on the south and west sides of Chicago allowed her to the opportunity to see the many faces of poverty and systemic oppression, strengthening her passion to be a change agent in that system, given its heavy impact on the mental health for people of color. The majority of Dr. Fisher’s clinical training has been in correctional settings such as Illinois Youth Center-St. Charles, Cook County Jail, and Federal Medical Center-Lexington. Dr. Fisher has also received clinical training from Gateway Foundation, a substance abuse recovery center in Chicago. Dr. Fisher’s clinical interests include issues surrounding trauma, substance use, and racial trauma. She also enjoys using mindfulness meditation practices, feminist, Adlerian, and cognitive behavioral approaches, and working with college students facing issues surrounding cultural trauma, including work with ethnic, racial, sexual and gender minorities. For leisure, Dr. Fisher-Willis enjoys traveling, reading, creative writing, scrapbooking, genealogy research, and spending time with friends and family.

Dan Florell, Ph.D. is a nationally certified school psychologist, licensed psychologist, and associate professor in the psychology department at Eastern Kentucky University. He is also a private practice owner. His research focuses on how technology impacts adolescents and the practice of school psychology. In addition, he writes about technology issues including telesupervision and telehealth.

Rich Gilman, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist who has held academic appointments at Georgia State University, the University of Kentucky, and the University of Cincinnati Medical School, where he directed the clinical services and training programs at the UC Stress Center. He is President of Terrace Metrics, which works with schools districts to deliver a comprehensive resiliency/risk screening system. Dr. Gilman has authored over 100 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters on factors that contribute to optimal school and interpersonal success. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and the International Society for Quality of Life Studies. He received his Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina and his MBA from Oxford University. He currently serves as Editor of School Psychology (an APA publication) and is on the editorial boards of several peer reviewed journals across multiple disciplines.

David Hanna, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist. After working for over 25 years in various roles in community mental health, he is now a behavioral health program manager for Passport Health Plan. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky.

Jordan Harp, Ph.D. is a neuropsychologist at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine Department of Neurology, Kentucky Neuroscience Institute, and Sanders-Brown Center on Aging. He received his MS and PhD in clinical psychology at the University of Kentucky, completed internship in the UK Internship Consortium, and recently completed a postdoctoral fellowship in clinical neuropsychology in the UK Department of Neurology. He sees patients and supervises trainees in the KNI neurocognitive assessment clinic and performs research on memory disorders and stroke.

Tammy Hatfield, Psy.D. serves as a Professor in the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at University of the Cumberlands. She is licensed as a psychologist in the state of Kentucky and serves as the Vice-President and Secretary of the Kentucky Psychological Foundation. Dr. Hatfield has been teaching and training in an online setting for seven years and is currently working on a research project related to wellness among online faculty.

Jamie Hopkins, Ph.D. completed her graduate degrees in Clinical Psychology at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada, and pre-doctoral internship at Memorial University of Newfoundland. She has been working as a staff psychologist at the University of Kentucky since 2007. She has been serving on the Kentucky Board of Examiners of Psychology for several years, including as Chair and Vice-Chair. She has been involved in several committees with ASPPB, and two task forces. She enjoys her work with mainly graduate students, and utilises more recent trainings in ACT therapy. In her “spare time” Dr. Hopkins enjoys running, bike riding, hiking, and Irish Dance. Like most people since March of 2020, she has been spending a lot of time with her family at home, and becoming more proficient and comfortable with all things online.

 FEATURED PRESENTER:

Kathleen Kendall-Tackett Ph.D., IBCLC, FAPA is a health psychologist, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and the Owner and Editor-in-Chief of Praeclarus Press, a small press specializing in women's health. Dr. Kendall-Tackett is Editor-in-Chief of the journal, Psychological Trauma and was Founding Editor-in-Chief of Clinical Lactation, a position she held for 11 years. She is Fellow of the American Psychological Association in Health and Trauma Psychology, Past President of the APA Division of Trauma Psychology, and a member of APA’s Publications and Communications Board, a committee that oversees all APA journals. Dr. Kendall-Tackett specializes in women's-health research including breastfeeding, depression, trauma, and health psychology, and has won many awards for her work including the 2019 President’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Field of Trauma Psychology from the American Psychological Association’s Division of Trauma Psychology. Dr. Kendall-Tackett has authored more than 470 articles or chapters and is author or editor of 39 books. Her most recent books include Depression in New Mothers, 3rd Edition (2017, Routledge UK), Women’s Mental Health Across the Lifespan (2017, Routledge US, with Lesia Ruglass), The Phantom of the Opera: A Social History of the World’s Most Popular Musical (2018, Praeclarus). She is editor of the Clinical Lactation Monograph series, which has 11 volumes including Breast and Nipple Pain, Milk Supply, and Tongue-Tie (Praeclarus).

FEATURED PRESENTER:
Ruth Lanius, MD, Ph.D. Professor of Psychiatry is the director of the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) research unit at the University of Western Ontario. She established the Traumatic Stress Service and the Traumatic Stress Service Workplace Program, services that specialized in the treatment and research of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and related comorbid disorders. She currently holds the Harris-Woodman Chair in Mind-Body Medicine at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Western Ontario. Her research interests focus on studying the neurobiology of PTSD and treatment outcome research examining various pharmacological and psychotherapeutic methods. She has authored more than 150 published papers and chapters in the field of traumatic stress and is currently funded by several federal funding agencies. She is the recipient of the 2019 Banting Award for Military Health Research. She regularly lectures on the topic of PTSD nationally and internationally. She has recently published a book ‘Healing the traumatized self: consciousness, neuroscience, treatment’ with Paul Frewen.

TK Logan, Ph.D. is a professor at the University of Kentucky, Department of Behavioral Science. Her research and writings focus on stalking, partner abuse, sexual assault, protective order effectiveness, safety and coping with victimization. Dr. Logan is an author on over 175 research articles and serves on the editorial board of two international journals. Dr. Logan has also conducted over 15 different studies on stalking and has some of the most extensive information about stalking in the nation. Dr. Logan’s books include: Women and Victimization: Contributing Factors, Interventions, and Implications (American Psychological Association Press) and Partner Stalking: How Women Respond, Cope, and Survive (Springer Publisher). Dr. Logan is also involved with a several community boards and national organizations working to prevent violence against women.

Lee Look, Ph.D. is a Licensed Psychological Practitioner and a Licensed Long-Term Care Administrator, most recently focused on individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and providing services for first responders. As well, he has worked in private practice, both as a counselor and in the field of assessment. Lee’s current position is in LaGrange, KY, as the Director of Therapeutic Services for Cedar Lake Lodge. In addition, Lee is a company officer with St. Matthews Fire & Rescue, where he deploys with the Kentucky Community Crisis Response Team as a counselor. He is trained as a swiftwater rescue technician, and a Tactical Combat Casualty Care EMT.Lee is an experienced educator, working for 13 summers as a faculty member with the Governors Scholars Program, and previously leading Actors Theatre of Louisville’s Playwriting in the Schools Program.In a previous life, Lee has been a professional artist, working as an actor, director, and fight choreographer, throughout the country, with numerous television, film, and theatre credits, including Unsolved Mysteries, General Hospital, Port Charles, Sesame Street, The Profiler, Sam Steele & sequel, Actors Theatre of Louisville, National Theatre of the Deaf, DeafWest Theatre (Los Angeles), Alliance Theatre (Atlanta), Georgia Shakespeare Festival. Lee’s community service work includes serving on several boards of directors. Of note, he was the co-chair of Creative Diversity, an adult day training program for individuals with intellectual disabilities and traumatic brain injuries. He currently is the co-treasurer for the Kentucky Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. In addition, through the Community Foundation of Louisville, he runs a foundation for individuals with spinal injuries.

Walter Malone, Ph.D. is a current Staff Psychology Fellow at the University of Kentucky Counseling Center, where he provides clients with various forms of psychological services, including individual and group therapy, as well as consultations and campus outreach. Walter is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Counseling Psychology program at Western Michigan University with an anticipated graduation date of Spring 2020. Walter enjoys working with students and assisting them with navigating the various challenges they face throughout their college career. His experiences of growing up in Detroit, Michigan, and his work with underrepresented and minoritized populations in Kalamazoo, Michigan, has allowed him the opportunity to witness the systematic and oppressive challenges that people face in their communities and beyond. Walter is humbled by these real and often neglected issues and has commented his life to challenging, developing, empowering, educating, and supporting those who are most vulnerable, through his work as a Black, male, mental health practitioner.

Meghan Marsac, Ph.D., is a pediatric psychologist and associate professor at the University ofKentucky and Kentucky Children’s Hospital. She is a leader in the field of pediatric medicaltrauma and has published over 50 academic articles and 7 chapters on this topic. She haspublished in leading medical journals such as JAMA Pediatrics and Pediatrics and leading health psychology journals such as the Journal of Pediatric Psychology and Health Psychology.Dr. Marsac has also given hundreds of talks on understanding and promoting adjustment toinjury and illness in children and their families. She leads the Cellie Coping Kit for Children(www.celliecopingkit.org) Program (as a co-inventor) which has distributed over 2000 copingkits to families with children with medical conditions.

Michael McClellan, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist and core faculty member in the Psy.D. program in clinical psychology at Eastern Kentucky University. He teaches courses in clinical supervision, rural mental health, multicultural psychology, and advanced practicum. He founded the EKU Telepsychology Clinic in 2019, which provides free or low-cost mental health services to predominantly rural and underserved populations across Kentucky. His research focuses on telepsychology and cultural diversity issues. Dr. McClellan also has a part-time private practice where he provides clinical supervision and forensic evaluation services. He completed his predoctoral internship at the Appalachian Regional Healthcare Psychiatric Center in Hazard, KY and received his Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Kentucky in 2014.

Elizabeth McKune, Ed.D. has provided leadership in a variety of public and private clinical and managerial roles over the past 20 years. She is currently the Vice-President Health Integration at Passport Health Plan. Her Ed.D is from the University of Louisville.

Kimberly Meade is a graduate student in the M.S. Clinical Psychology Program at Morehead State University. She is currently completing a practicum in the In Bloom program. Ms. Meade is interested in pursuing a career in early childhood mental health, and her skills in this area are deepened through training in ABA.

Melinda Moore, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Eastern Kentucky University, where she trains Clinical Psychology doctoral students in suicide-focused treatment. She recently directed a SAMHSA campus suicide prevention grant, EKU Suicide Awareness and Focus on Education (EKU SAFE), at EKU. She conducts suicide bereavement research, focusing on Posttraumatic Growth, and regularly trains clinicians in the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS), one of three empirically supported treatment approaches for suicide. She is the co-editor of The Suicide Funeral: Honoring their Memory, Comforting their Survivors (Wipf & Stock) and a senior consultant for CAMS-care.

Shambra Mulder, Ph.D. has over 20 years of experience advocating for marginalized communities. She earned her Specialist degree in School Psychology and a doctoral degree (PhD) in Educational Psychology from the University of Kentucky. She is a former Assistant professor within the Masters of Special Education program at Kentucky State University an Historically Black College and University (HBCU).

Dr. Mulder holds a Kentucky certification in School Psychology where she spent 8 years working in the public schools.. She also completed an advanced program required for the Director of Special Education certification.

She is currently a Licensed Psychologist with her own practice in Lexington called Abundant Living Psychological and Coaching Services for Children and Adolescents, PLLC.

She was recently appointed by Governor Andy Beshear to be the Executive Director of the Office of Ombudsman and Administrative Review within the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

Brenda Nash, Ph.D. is a tenured full professor and the Chair of the School of Professional Psychology at Spalding University in Louisville. Prior to becoming Chair this past July, she was the Director of Clinical Training for 9 years. This past June she was honored with the Faculty of the Year Award by Spalding's Board of Trustees. She holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology (1998) from the University of Kentucky, an MA degree from Xavier University, and a BS/BA degree from Morehead State. Dr. Nash specializes in working with survivors of trauma and is passionate about teaching students how to work effectively and compassionately with trauma survivors.  She has served in the past as an Executive Board member (Secretary) of KPA and is currently the national CE coordinator for the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology (NCSPP).  She is also a current member of the Kentucky Board of Examiners of Psychology (KBEP). 

Teri Nowak, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Eastern KentuckyUniversity. Dr. Nowak teaches in the Clinical Psychology doctoral program and trains doctoral students inchild assessment and treatment.

Brooke Rappaport, Ph.D. is currently a postdoctoral associate in the counseling psychology program at the University of Louisville. In this role, Dr. Rappaport serves as the assistant director of the Cardinal Success Program, a research and training clinic that provides free psychotherapy and assessment services in the West Louisville community. Dr. Rappaport's primary responsibilities include supervising master's and doctoral-level students, teaching courses in the ECPY department, and seeing psychotherapy clients. Dr. Rappaport earned her Ph.D. from the University of Georgia in 2019. Dr. Rappaport's clinical and research interests include identity development, intersectional feminism, and ally/co-conspirator development.

Vestena Robbins, Ph.D. is employed by Eastern Kentucky University as an Executive Advisor for the Kentucky Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities where she serves as lead staff for behavioral health system transformation efforts, including evidence-based and best practices planning, implementation, and scaling-up efforts. She has worked in the behavioral health services field as a system of care services researcher, program evaluator, and program administrator for 30 years and has direct care experience in early care and education and as an elementary school counselor. She is Co-Principal Investigator of Kentucky’s State Opioid Response and Opioid State Targeted Response Grants; Co-Principal Investigator of Kentucky's CMHS-funded System of Care Implementation and Expansion grant for child welfare-involved families; co-coordinates Kentucky’s Emergency COVID grant for mental health and substance use and Kentucky’s Transformation Transfer Initiative aimed at using Contingency Management to increase treatment engagement for individuals with Serious Mental Illness; and coordinates the substance use treatment expansion funding to CMHCs and NAS providers on behalf of the Kentucky Agency for Substance Abuse Policy.

Erin Royal, M.S. is a Licensed Psychological Practitioner and Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher. She has practiced clinical psychology since 2003 in a variety of settings. Having recently taken ownership of a local yoga studio, she continues to teach yoga classes and see clients for private psychotherapy. Her sessions always incorporate mindfulness and she continues to work on developing her own practice outside of her work.

Street Russell, Psy.D., HSPP is a licensed clinical Psychologist and Associate Director of the Louisville OCD Clinic. Additionally, he is a clinical preceptor for the University of Pikeville Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine. He earned his Psy.D. at Spalding University in 2016, with an emphasis in coursework on health psychology. He completed an internship at the Colmery-O’Neil VA Medical Center in Topeka, Kansas, and a post-doctoral fellowship at the Behavioral Wellness Clinic under the direct supervision of OCD-expert Dr. Monnica Williams. His dissertation research involved the assessment of individuals with a cancer of the head and neck.Dr. Street Russell works with children, families, and adults with OCD & OCD-related disorders, as well as eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and social anxiety. He also has experience treating various phobic conditions, trichotillomania, excoriation disorder, and panic disorder. He is trained in providing evidence-based treatment for all the above-mentioned conditions including, but not limited to, exposure with response prevention (Ex/RP), habit reversal therapy, family-based therapy for anorexia nervosa, CBT for eating disorders, cognitive processing therapy (CPT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). He continues to receive regular consultation and training in the treatment of eating disorders from Clinical Director Cheri Levinson. He is approved to provide continued education training to other professionals in the treatment of OCD and eating disorders.

Fred Schmitt, Ph.D. is a neuropsychologist at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine Department of Neurology, Kentucky Neuroscience Institute, and Sanders-Brown Center on Aging. He sees patients and supervises trainees in the KNI neurocognitive assessment clinic and performs research on (1) early detection of dementia and (2) outcomes of therapeutic interventions in Alzheimer’s disease. Other projects include behavioral and neuroimaging predictors of HIV dementia, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and descriptions of neuropathological changes in brain with advancing age. Dr. Schmitt has been on faculty at Sanders-Brown Center on Aging for over 35 years and has participated as an investigator in a number of clinical trials in Alzheimer’s disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Sheila Schuster, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist who has previously served as KPA’s Executive Director and Federal Advocacy Coordinator and currently is KPA’s Legislative Agent. Dr. Schuster also represents a number of mental health and health care organizations in Frankfort. She currently serves as Executive Director of the Advocacy Action Network, an umbrella organization encompassing the work of the KY Mental Health Coalition and the United 874K Disabilities Coalition. Dr. Schuster also serves as Board Chair of Kentucky Voices for Health, a statewide coalition whose mission is to improve the health of Kentuckians.

Shruti Shastri, M.A. completed a practicum at Pathways Neurorehab program and is a Doctoral Candidate at Spalding University intending to specialize in clinical neuropsychology.

Miriam Silman, MSW serves as the Trauma Informed Care Program Administrator at the Kentucky Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities and addresses to create a trauma-informed, resilience-oriented system of service delivery and workforce support within the department and across the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.  She has 30 years of experience as a clinician, researcher and trainer focusing on trauma and resilience across various populations, professionals, and service sectors.  In addition, Miriam serves as the Kentucky Co-Director for Project AWARE, a five-year federal grant through the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration to promote student mental health and wellness through school-based behavioral health supports. 

Miriam has a BA in Literature and Society from Brown University, an MSW from the University of Kentucky, and has completed doctoral coursework in Social Work at the University of Kentucky.  Miriam has worked in behavioral health since 1986, and has focused on trauma for 30 years.  She began her career as a therapist in a public Community Mental Health Center in eastern Kentucky, helping to build the trauma service program and ultimately serving as the Clinical Director.  In addition, she worked at the University of Kentucky Department of Psychiatry as a forensic evaluator and trauma-focused clinician, and at the University of Kentucky Center on Trauma and Children, providing clinical assessments and services, working as part of the translational research team, and serving as a lead trainer for trauma-informed care and secondary traumatic stress.  Miriam has also worked to develop, implement and evaluate a number of behavioral health, health prevention, and arts programs at these institutions and across eastern Kentucky. A focus of her clinical, training and research attention has been on the impact of secondary trauma exposure on human service workers, particularly healthcare, behavioral health, education and global health providers.  She has published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at state and national conferences.

FEATURED PRESENTER:

Anneliese Singh, Ph.D., LPC (she/they) is a Professor and Associate Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity/Chief Diversity Officer at Tulane University. Her scholarship and community organizing explores racial healing and racial justice, and the resilience, trauma, and identity development experiences of queer and trans people, with a focus on young people and BIPOC people. Anneliese is the author of The Racial Healing Handbook: Practical Activities to Help You Challenge Privilege, Confront Systemic Racism, and Engage in Collective Healing and The Queer and Trans Resilience Workbook. Anneliese is co-founder of the Georgia Safe Schools Coalition and the Trans Resilience Project. Dr. Singh is @anneliesesingh on Twitter and Instagram, and her website is www.anneliesesingh.com.  

Joshua Smith, Psy.D. is a psychologist and owner of Katelyn’s Place. He provides individual, family, and group therapy to individuals with developmental disorders. He obtained his doctorate degree at Spalding University. He completed his internship at Jewish Family Services. He worked with inmates with autism at Kentucky State Reformatory before starting his practice. He has been an adjunct professor at Spalding University for the last year. He is worried with four children. 

A.J. Steele, Psy.D. worked in the psychology and addiction fields for over 30 years. She graduated from Spalding University in Louisville, KY with my MA and PsyD in clinical psychology and also has a MA in Health & Human Performance with a focus of Sport Psychology from Michigan State. Additionally, she is a Licensed Clinical Alcohol & Drug Counselor and recently trained to become a Therapeutic Pain Specialist. Dr. Steele has worked for Recovery Programs, Community Mental Health Centers, Private Practices, the U.S. Department of Defense, Inpatient Psychiatric Hospitals, and the KY Department of Corrections. She also taught for 10 years in undergraduate/graduate psychology and counseling programs. Currently, I am retired and doing consultation and supervision to stay actively involved in the field.

Emma Sterrett-Hong, Ph.D., LMFT received a master degree in marriage and family therapy from Northwestern University and a doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is currently an Associate Professor and Director of the Master of Couple and Family Therapy program at the University of Louisville. She is also a founding board member of Sweet Evening Breeze Inc., which seeks to provide LGBTQ+-affirming services to homeless youth and young adults.

Stephanie Stone, M.S., LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker with over 15 years experience in serving children and families impacted by trauma. She is currently the senior director of clinical operations for Passport Health Plan. Her MS is from the University of Louisville.

Aesha L. Uqdah, Psy.D. is the Director of the Counseling Center at the University of Louisville. She is a Chicago native, and attended The University of Michigan (B.A., 2000), the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (M.A., 2004) and the Chicago School of Professional Psychology (Psy.D., 2009). Her clinical interests in include multicultural/diversity issues, LGBTQ concerns, anxiety & depression, health psychology, and stress management; she uses Cognitive Behavioral, Interpersonal, and Multicultural theories and interventions in her clinical work. Dr. Uqdah has held adjunct faculty status at UofL and at Spalding University, and taught courses related to the clinical applications of multicultural psychology on both campuses. She strongly believes in the concept of the University as a community and the importance of decreasing the stigma surrounding mental health, particularly as it applies to racial, cultural, and sexual minorities. To that end, Dr. Uqdah serves on UofL’s Student Care Team and is the chair of the Student Affairs Diversity Committee and the GROWTH Mindset Committee.

Ryan Wetzler, Psy.D., CBSM, DBSM, ABPP has been treating sleep disorders for the past 16-years. He worked in a sleep disorders center for 14-years prior to starting a private practice specializing in the treatment of insomnia and related disorders in 2018. He has been certified in the practice of behavioral sleep medicine since 2005, board certified in clinical health psychology since 2011, and became a diplomate of the board of behavioral sleep medicine in 2018. Dr. Wetzler was a founding board member of the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine, a past president of Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine, and a past president of the Kentucky Sleep Society. He founded Sleep Health Center, a practice devoted to providing the best possible care for those with insomnia and related conditions. He currently serves as a board member of the Kentucky Sleep Society and as an adjunct instructor of medicine (pulmonary) with the University of Louisville School of Medicine.

Geoff Wilson, LCSW, LCADC, received his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Kentucky. He has been practicing in the mental health treatment fields since 1995. Geoff is in private practice and provides counseling services for individuals, couples, and families and has extensive experience treating adolescents and adults with co-occurring mental health disorders. Geoff has a variety of experience in different settings, including inpatient psychiatric, adolescent and adult residential, and various outpatient levels of care. In these settings, he has had experience treating individuals with depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship, chemical dependency, and family issues. He provides supervision for individuals pursuing their independent certification and license in alcohol and drug counseling and social work.

Matthew Winslow, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Psychology Department at Eastern Kentucky University. He earned a PhD in Social Psychology at the University of Minnesota. He joined the faculty at EKU in 1998 and has been teaching online courses since 2013. He has won several teaching awards at EKU and in 2017 won the Acorn Award.

DeDe Wohlfarth, Psy.D. earned her bachelor’s degree from Earlham College, master’s degree from Ball State University, and doctorate degree in clinical psychology from Spalding University in 1998. DeDe is a full professor at Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky and the Director of the Child, Adolescent and Family Emphasis Area. She is also a practicing clinical psychologist in Indiana and Kentucky who specializes in treating children and families who are affected by intergenerational poverty, abuse and neglect, and trauma. Of central importance to her work is trying to practice from a cultural humility framework, approaching people from a space of genuine curiosity instead of pathologizing people perceived as "other."