Leah Jansen, M.A. – 4th year in Ph.D. Program
Advisor – Dr. Dante Dixson
Research Interests – “I am pursuing research in the field of positive psychology. I aim to make secondary education more equitable and holistic for all students.”
jansenl@msu.edu
Nathalie Marinho, M.A. – 6th year in Ph.D. Program
Advisor – Dr. Sara Witmer
Research Interests – “I am interested in supporting students from diverse backgrounds. My current research is on the effectiveness and validity of testing accommodations for English learners.”
marinhon@msu.edu
Lamia Bagasrawala, M.A. – 3rd year in Ph.D. Program
Advisor – Dr. Courtenay Barrett
Research Interests – Lamia holds a double master’s in clinical psychology and school psychology. She has over 8 years of experience as a psychotherapist in private practice, policy-level consultation with state and federal agencies in India, and direct and indirect service delivery in schools. Lamia’s research examines school-based consultation practices, the role of culturally responsive services in promoting students’ academic and mental health outcomes, and the application of decolonial and critical frameworks to school psychology research, training, and practice. She is passionate about policy-work, advocacy, and all things systems-related in K-12 education.
bagasraw@msu.edu
Katie Valentine, M.A. – 6th year in Ph.D. Program
Advisor – Dr. Adrea Truckenmiller – Research Advisor; Dr. Sara Witmer – Program Advisor
Research Interests – “I’m interested in reading and writing assessment and intervention, especially in the context of multitiered systems of support. I am also interested in how school psychologists work with teams of people with different training and backgrounds to support student growth and success.”
valen171@msu.edu
Jordan Bernard, M.A. – 3rd year in Ph.D. Program
Advisor – Dr. Sara Witmer
Research Interests – “My research area broadly surrounds accommodation provision and use for students with disabilities. Currently, I am interested in the use of testing accommodations among students with ADHD. Through my research I hope to help improve accommodation decision-making procedures for practitioners to ensure students are receiving the appropriate accommodations needed to display their underlying knowledge and skills.”
Briana Williams, M.A. – 6th year in Ph.D. Program
Advisor – Dr. Carlson
Research Interests – “My individual research interests lie in improving mental health outcomes for all students in schools. I am especially interested in developing programming for social-emotional learning in early childhood. Specifically, my research focuses on providing training and resources for parents to help foster and nurture their child’s social-emotional development.”
will3460@msu.edu
Joi Claiborne, M.A. – 6th year in Ph.D. Program
Advisor – Dante Dixson
Research Interests – “I am broadly interested in comprehensive school based mental health services, with a specific focus in teacher psychological wellbeing and its effect on student level factors (e.g, achievement, psychosocial factors, teacher-student relationship).”
claib11@msu.edu
Maddy Esterer, M.A. – 6th year in Ph.D. Program
Advisor – John Carlson
Research Interests – “Overall, I am interested in learning how to best support youth mental health in both school and community settings. Specifically, my interests include examining best practices for social-emotional assessment and intervention for youth and families who have experienced trauma. I am also interested in researching how evidence-based practices can be adapted for marginalized youth populations and culturally diverse youth in a way that builds on child strengths.”
Shelbie Spear, M.A. – 5th year in Ph.D. Program
Advisor – Dr. Barrett
Research Interests – “I am interested in addressing the gap in the literature on the unique strengths and needs of refugees with regard to academic, behavioral, and socio-emotional outcomes. My current research interests include practitioners and educators knowledge of and experience with refugee youth, and how best to support their successful implementation of evidence-based practices.”
Nicholas Ramazon, MPS, M.A. – 5th year in Ph.D. Program
Advisor – Dr. Kristin Rispoli
Research Interests – “Nicholas’ research interests include studying interventions that support emotion regulation in children who have neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorders (e.g., Autism Spectrum Disorder). Additionally, he is broadly interested in ways to enhance family functioning, promote parent-school partnerships, and foster the multiple systems of care that support school-age children.”
ramazonn@msu.edu
Nick Warren, M.A. – 6th year in Ph.D. Program
Advisor – Dr. Kristin Rispoli
Research Interests – “My interests include approaches to collaboration across home, school, and clinical systems in supporting children on the autism spectrum, as well as the application of individual children’s strengths within current interventions.”
warrenn4@msu.edu
Shelby Brennan, M.A. – 5th year in Ph.D. Program
Advisor – Dr. Volker
Research Interests – “I am broadly interested in the assessment and intervention of children with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder. I am specifically interested in how children with autism view their self concept and self-esteem. I am also interested in the assessment of co-morbid internalizing disorders with children with autism.”
brenn235@msu.edu
Ersie-Anastasia Gentzis, M.A. – 5th year in Ph.D. Program
Advisor – Dr. Dante D. Dixson
Research Interests – “Academic motivation, self-regulated learning, achievement in underserved populations, academic intervention development, Self-Determination Theory”
gentzise@msu.edu
Andryce Clinkscales, M.A. – 4th year in Ph.D. Program
Advisor – Dr. Courtenay Barrett
Research Interests – “Andryce Clinkscales received her B.S. in Psychology and Spanish from Grand Valley State University in 2018. Throughout her undergraduate career, she gained valuable experience with diverse populations abroad, volunteering with immigrant families in the Grand Rapids area, and providing services to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Her current research interests include bilingual education, consultation strategies and professional development trainings on cultural competence, and ensuring highly effective service delivery to marginalized students.”
clinksc4@msu.edu
Lindsay Poole, EdS – 5th year in Ph.D. Program
Advisor – Dr. John S. Carlson
Research Interests – “My research interests include culturally adapted and culturally informed mental health interventions for minority populations, as well as the impact of racial discrimination on black youth outcomes. Also, I am interested in preventative and treatment methods for SED youth, as well as alternatives to punitive discipline practices that perpetuate the school-to-prison pipeline.”
pooleli2@msu.edu