People
- LAMLab |
- People
Graduate Students
Undergraduate Students
Lab Alumni
Savannah Strickland (BS, 2023) – Savannah is pursuing an accelerated B.S. to Pharm.D. program at the Harrison School of Pharmacy.
Grace Schooley (BS, 2022) – Grace is working in an E.R. and plans to attend medical school in 2023.
Sydney Hendrix (BA, 2022) – Sydney is pursuing an MA in Experimental Psychology at UA-Huntsville.
Jesse Cape (BS, 2022) – Jesse is leading a medical study abroad program in Costa Rica, working as a patient care technician in Colorado, and then teaching English in Spain to elementary-aged students. Jesse plans to attend medical school in 2023.
Erica George (BA, 2022) – Erica is pursuing an MS in I/O Psychology at Auburn University.
Blakely Hammonds (BA, 2022) – Blakely is pursuing a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of South Alabama.
Addie Hutcheson (BA, 2022)
Yixuan Ni (BA, 2022) – Yixuan is pursuing an MS degree in Neuroscience at Tulane.
Meredith Nowak (BA, 2022) – After graduation, Meredith will be pursuing her Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Clemson University.
Amelia Grace Hill (BA, 2021) - Amelia Grace worked as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Spain after graduation. She is now an MA student in Hispanic Linguistics at University of Arizona.
Ally Salchert (BS, 2021) - Ally is pursuing an MS in physician assistant studies at Samford University.
Stephen Woods (BA, 2021) - Stephen is pursuing an MS in human factors at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Michelle Barrineau (BA, 2021) - Michelle is pursuing an MS degree in child life at Auburn University.
Katie Moore
Erin Blythe (BS, 2020) - Erin is working for Teach for America and plans to apply to law school to pursue a career in public health policy.
Caroline Doran (BA, 2019) - Caroline is pursuing a master's degree in I/O psychology at St. Cloud State University.
Erika McLaughlin (visiting scholar, 2019) - Erika completed her M.Ed. in learning, design and technology at the University of Southern California in Spring 2020. She is currently an instructional design associate at General Dynamics Information Technology.
Victoria Badalto
My name is Victoria Badolato, and I am currently attending Auburn University's Graduate Program for Speech-Language Pathology. A native of Birmingham, Alabama, I attended Auburn University for my undergraduate education where I received a Bachelor's of Science in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish. These two degrees have shaped my perspective as a growing Speech Language Pathologist, and I am eager to use my Spanish as a resource in the work force.
Victoria Slayton
Victoria is a senior majoring in speech, language, and hearing sciences with a minor in human development and family studies. Her other involvements include being the president of the Auburn Wesley Foundation and a member of the National Student Speech, Language, and Hearing Association (NSSLHA).
Why Victoria joined the lab: "I wanted to join the lab to learn more about research in the field of speech-language pathology."
Sophie Wilkerson
Sophie is a senior majoring in speech, language, and hearing sciences with a minor in philanthropy and non-profit studies and a concentration in special education, rehabilitation & counseling/school psychology intending to graduate in December 2022. Her other involvements include the National Student Speech, Language, and Hearing Association (NSSLHA), Bold and Gold Organization, a WINGS Peer Mentor in the EAGLES Program, and Eagles Chair of Delta Delta Delta.
Sophie's reason for joining the lab: "The reason I wanted to join the lab is because of my interest in the project and desire to learn more about research in speech-language pathology"
E'Keema McCray
E’Keema earned a BS in Business Administration (Supply Chain Management) from Auburn University. Currently, she is completing biomedical science courses to prepare for medical school. E’Keema plans on pursing an MD and becoming an attending physician.
Emma Childs
Emma is a junior majoring in speech, language, and hearing sciences. Her other involvements include Delta Gamma sorority and serving as a Life Group Leader for First Baptist Opelika.
Emma's reason for joining the lab: "I wanted to get more involved in my major and felt that research would be a great opportunity to learn more about the field, stay updated with what's currently happening within SLHS, as well as get more experience and be exposed to more activities and discussions that occur within this major."
Jessica Criswell
Jessica Criswell is a freshman studying Biomedical Sciences with a Pre-Med concentration. This summer she will be returning to her hometown, Chatom, Alabama. Jessica hopes to utilize the knowledge she has gained from her year at Auburn to give back to the community that molded her into the person she is today.
Sophie Spano
Sophie Spano is an undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Speech Language and Hearing Sciences degree at Auburn University. She joined the SNAP lab at the beginning of the 2022/2023 school year. After graduating she plans on pursuing a degree in Speech Language Pathology.
Carley Rickman
Carley is an undergraduate student majoring in Pre Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at Auburn University. She joined the lab in fall 2022 of her sophomore year. After graduating, she plans to attend graduate school to earn a Masters Degree in Speech Language Pathology in hopes to have a career as a speech therapist.
Caroline Snow
Caroline is a junior majoring in speech, language, and hearing sciences with a minor in human development and family studies. Her other involvements include being a member of the Auburn University Danceline, National Student Speech, Language, and Hearing Association (NSSLHA), and Cardinal Key Honor Society.
Caroline's reason for joining the lab: "I wanted to join the lab in order to further my understanding of the experiences of children with communication disorders and gain research experience."
Sharlinda Guillaume
Sharlinda is a post-baccalaureate student at Auburn University and received her bachelor's in biology from Florida Atlantic University. She joined the lab this year and will be assisting as needed. Sharlinda plans on attending the graduate program for speech-language pathology at Auburn University.
Mikailie Caulder
Mikailie Caulder is a sophomore from Weaver Alabama. She is pursuing a career in Genetics and Public Health at Auburn University. Mikailie is eager to spend her summer in Elba, Alabama as part of the Living Democracy Program. She is especially excited to emerge herself in a new small town experience! Growing up in a small community herself, Mikailie cannot wait to build flourishing connections with locals and learn more about this beautiful place!
Payton Davis
Payton Davis is a junior in mathematics and Spanish from Huntsville, Alabama. She hopes to learn more about southern and Hispanic communities in rural towns. Payton is excited about the opportunity to develop her language and communication skills by becoming a part of the local community in Collinsville and Fort Payne.
Meghan Stinnette
Meghan Stinnette graduated from Radford University with a B. S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders in 2022. While at Radford, Meghan was able to complete an undergraduate capstone project with the honors department and Dr. Diane Millar on nonverbal communication and body language. Meghan is currently a graduate student studying Speech-Language Pathology at Auburn. She has been apart of the lab since fall 2022.
Madison Tyler
Madison Tyler is a senior majoring in psychology with a minor in sports coaching. She is a member of the Auburn University Marching Band and serves as the Flagline Captain. After graduating from Auburn University, she hopes to attend graduate school and obtain a PhD in clinical psychology. After finishing graduate school, she hopes to work as a sports psychologist and participate in new research in that field.
Prachi Shukla
Prachi has her masters of Education in School psychology from Indiana State University. She is currently enrolled in the post-baccalaureate program (SLP) at Auburn University. Her clinical interests include Autism Spectrum Disorder, Stuttering and specific learning disorders. She has worked at an ABA clinic as a registered behavior therapist and has experience of working with a diverse population. Prachi will be applying to graduate schools during the coming year in hopes of starting school speech language pathology in the Fall of 2024.
Lauren Peck
Lauren is an undergraduate student majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences with a double minor in Counseling and Public Health. She joined the lab in the fall of 2022. She plans on graduating from Auburn University in the Spring of 2024. After graduating, she plans on attending graduate school to pursue her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology and have a career as a Medical Speech Language-Pathologist working in pediatrics.
Lauren Boyd
Lauren is a graduate research assistant at Auburn University and is in her first year of the master's program for Speech-Language Pathology. She graduated with her B.S. in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and B.A. in Spanish from Auburn University in the spring of 2022.
Eddie Parma
Eddie Parma is a senior majoring in psychology with a minor in computer science. He plans to pursue a career in clinical psychology. He enjoys music and outdoor activities such as hiking and camping in his spare time.
Katelyn Gilson
Katelyn is an undergraduate student majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and minoring in English. Katelyn joined the SNAP lab because of her interest in pediatric Speech-Language Pathology and fluency disorders. After graduation, Katelyn’s plans include obtaining a master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology. Katelyn hopes to one day continue to find solutions for children with disfluencies.
Kaitlin Stabler
Kaitlin Stabler is currently a freshman at Auburn University, pursuing a double major in English and Journalism. With her degree, she aims to work as a copyeditor for one of the many publishing companies that print her favorite novels. This summer, she will be returning to the town of Camden, AL, where she was born and raised to reconnect with her community and give back to the place that has given so much to her over the years. She hopes her time away from Camden will allow her to come back with fresher eyes and a deeper appreciation of the cozy, quaint town she calls home.
Rebecca Dunterman
Rebecca Dunterman received her B.S. in Psychology from Western Illinois University. Presently, she is pursuing a Ph.D in the Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences department. Rebecca has research experience in a variety of areas including cognitive aging, visual attention, eye-tracking, and perceptions of aging. Her research here at Auburn University will focus on changes in visual attention associated with age and their impact on driving safety. Rebecca enjoys keeping in touch with family and friends in her free time.
Andrew Luu
Andrew Luu received his B.A. in Psychology from California State University, Dominguez Hills. His prior research examined the impact of technology on learning outcomes. Andrew has experience working with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), galvanic skin response (GSR), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines. Currently, he is interested in examining cognition, memory, and language acquisition to improve learning outcomes. In his free time, he enjoys cooking four-hour meals that taste completely average.
Demi Hester
Demi Hester is pursuing a degree in neuroscience with a minors in Spanish and business. She will graduate in the spring of 2023. She has a keen interest in studying the brain and how it works. She plans to attend medical school after graduating from Auburn in hopes of becoming a plastic surgeon. She wants to specialize in breast cancer reconstruction and open up her own clinic.
Emma Cox
Emma joined the lab in the Fall of 2020 after spending several years as an undergraduate research assistant. Emma graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Auburn, and then spent time working as a puppy developer for Auburn's Canine Performance Sciences. Her research interests include factors impacting detection dog search performance, as well as other predictive factors of success in working dogs.
Adam Davila
Adam joined the lab Fall 2018. Originally from Bristow, Virginia, Adam earned a BS at the University of Mary Washington and an MS from Villanova, studying the functional relationships of abstract concept learning. Adam is also interested in temporal perception as well as working memory. Outside of science, Adam enjoys learning new recipes and has a love/hate relationship with sports, and also has a bad habit of buying far more books than he has time to read.
Jordan Smith
Jordan joined the lab in the Fall of 2019. Jordan graduated with a B.S. in Biology from Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC and then spent time as a research assistant at the Penn Vet Working Dog Center in Philadelphia, PA. Her research interests include the impact of olfactory stimulation during early development in canines as well as other indicators of career success in working dogs.
Audrey Scott
Audrey graduated from Auburn University in spring of 2021 with her B.S. in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and a minor in Counseling. Audrey conducted undergraduate research in Dr. Plexico's lab and she is currently working on her master's thesis entitled, "The Development of Speech Language Pathologists' Counselor Self-Efficacy."
Peter J. Lusche, M.D.
Peter J. Lusche, M.D., graduated from the University of Southern California School of Medicine, and completed training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the U.S.C. - Los Angeles County Medical Center. For over thirty years, he has dedicated a significant amount of his practice to developing and coordinating community mental health programs for children, including children in protective custody and foster care. For his contributions in clinical and academic practice, program development and community service, he was made a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association in 2003.
Angelyn Harrell, M.S.
Angelyn Harrell, M.S., is a BCBA who graduated from Auburn University’s ABA Master’s program in 2015. Her expertise includes working with individuals with autism, severe problem behavior, foster youth, and caregiver training.
Jodi Robeson, M.S.
Jodi Robeson, M.S., is a BCBA working with the APMRT. She graduated from Auburn University in 2018. Jodi’s areas of experience include working with individuals with autism spectrum disorders, foster youth, incarcerated adolescents, problem behavior, and staff training.
Heatherly Williford, M.S.
Heatherly Williford, M.S., is a licensed Board Certified Behavior Analyst working with the APRMT. She earned her Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis and Developmental Disabilities (ABA-DD) from Auburn University in 2015. Her expertise includes the assessment and treatment of severe problem behavior in residential treatment facilities, schools, homes and clinical settings, as well as working with individuals with autism spectrum disorders, children and adolescents in foster and adoptive care, curriculum development and implementation, registered behavior technician staff training and parent-caregiver training. Outside of APMRT, her professional interests include the relationship between behavioral treatments and neural dysfunction, neural plasticity of individuals with autism spectrum disorders or trauma backgrounds, and operating an online publication.
Wayde Morse
Education
- BS, University of New Mexico, 1991, Economics & Political Science
- MS, Colorado State University, 1996, Agricultural and Resource Economics
- PhD, University of Idaho, 2007, Conservation Social Sciences (NSF IGERT Fellow)
Research Interests
- Linked social and ecological systems
- Recreation, environmental services and conservation incentive programs
- Landowner decision-making, rural livelihoods and the process of interdisciplinary research
- Research interests are for the US and Latin America
Selected Publications
- Cox, C., W. Morse, C. Anderson and L. Marzen. 2014. Using public participation geographic information systems to identify places of watershed service provisioning. Journal of the American Water Resources Association DOI:10.1111/jawr.12269.
- Cox, C., W. Morse, L. Marzen and C. Anderson. 2014. Applying public participation geographic information systems to wildlife management. Human Dimensions of Wildlife 19:200-214.
- Lowery, D., W.C. Morse and T. Steury. 2014. Exploring Saturation of themes and spatial locations in a qualitative PPGIS study. Society and Natural Resources. 0:1-15.
- Lupoli, C., W.C. Morse, C. Bailey and J. Schelhas. 2014. Assessing the impacts of international volunteer tourism in host communities: A new approach to organizing and prioritizing indicators. Journal of Sustainable Tourism. 22(6):898-921.
- Stern, M.J., C.A. Martin, S.A. Predmore and W.C. Morse. 2014. Risk tradeoffs in adaptive ecosystem management: The case of the U.S. Forest Service. Environmental Management, 53(6):1095-1108.
- Stern, M., C.A. Marin, S.A. Predmore and W.C. Morse. 2014. Risk tradeoffs in natural resource planning: the case of the U.S. Forest Service. Environmental Management, 53(6):1095-1108.
- Stern, M. J., S.A. Predmore, W.C. Morse and D.N. Seeholtz. 2014. Project risk in the US Forest Service: Factors predicting appeals of environmental assessments and their outcomes. Environmental Impact Assessment Review. 42:95-104.
- Morse, W. C. 2013. Integration of frameworks, theories and models across disciplines for effective Cross-disciplinary communications. In: Enhancing Interdisciplinary Communication. Eds. Stephen Crowley, Sanford Eigenbrode, Michael O'Rourke, and J. D. Wulfhorst. Sage Publications.
- Morse, W. C. 2013. Changing stakeholders and the planning process. In: Urban-Rural Interfaces: Linking People and Nature. Eds. David Laband, Lockaby, B. G., Zipperer, W. C. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, WI.
- Lowery, D., and W. C. Morse. 2013. A Qualitative method for collecting spatial data on important places for recreation, livelihoods and ecological meanings: integrating focus groups with public participation geographic information systems. Society and Natural Resources. 26:1422-1437.
Maryanna Bates
Maryanna is a senior majoring in speech, language, and hearing sciences with a concentration in human development and family studies. Her other involvements include the National Student Speech, Language, and Hearing Association (NSSLHA) and the Bold and Gold Organization.
Maryanna's reason for joining the lab: "I want to gain experience in lab research while expanding my knowledge of children with communication disorders. Participating in this research opportunity is the best way for me to grow my understanding in the field of speech language pathology."
Katie Wallace
Katie is a junior majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences with minors in Spanish and Psychology. Her other involvements include the National Student Speech, Language, and Hearing Association (NSSLHA), the Student Academy of Audiology (SAA), and volunteering.
Katie's reason for joining the lab: "I am interested in learning more about the field of Speech-Language Pathology outside of classroom experiences. I think it is important to seek out opportunities that will enhance my knowledge and further my abilities for my future career as an SLP."
Erica Ramey, DNP, PMHNP, PMHS
Erica Ramey, DNP, PMHNP is a psychiatric nurse practitioner and an associate professor in the school of nursing at UAB. She completed her doctor of nursing practice at Vanderbilt University and completed her psychiatric nurse practitioner preparation at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her research and experience focus on child and adolescent mental-health, deprescribing, and drug-gene compatibility.
Deepika Chandel
Deepika Chandel is a Ph.D. candidate in the joint Ph.D. Program in Public Administration & Public Policy at Auburn University. Deepika earned her bachelor’s degree in Dental Surgery from India. During her time in India, she worked full-time as a dentist and frequently served nonprofit hospitals that provided free dental services. She also worked with multiple nonprofit entities to take oral health care and hygiene awareness to the grass-root level, provide mass education, and provide affordable professional services to people in rural areas. She received her Masters in Public Administration from Auburn University at Montgomery in the spring of 2016.
Deepika is passionate about being a change agent for healthcare policy. She is also a strong proponent of a proactive versus reactive approach to health policies. Her dissertation examines how the state executive policies and responses influence death rate outcomes in the U.S. during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Track: Public Administration, Nonprofit Organizations & Community Governance
Areas of interest: Public Administration & Policy Adoption, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Nonprofit Management, Research Methodology, State Politics and Policy
Education:
Master of Public Administration, Auburn University at Montgomery, AL
Bachelor of Dental Surgery, CCS University, India
Xi (Troy) Chen
Troy received his Master of Public Administration from Illinois Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Human Resources Management from South China Normal University. Now a doctoral candidate in the joint Ph.D. Program in Public Administration & Public Policy, Department of Political Science at Auburn University, he teaches an undergraduate American Government course. He has presented at the American Society for Public Administration, the Southern Political Science Association, and the Southeastern Conference for Public Administration with research topics on environmental policy, welfare policy, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). His dissertation focuses on state comparison and variation on safe drinking water regulation.
Track: Applied Research, Community Planning
Areas of interest: Environmental Policy Analysis, Research Methodology, Program Evaluation, State and Local Government, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Education:
Master of Public Administration, Illinois Institute of Technology
Bachelor of Management, Human Resource Management, South China Normal University
ICPSR Certificate in Quantitative Methods, University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
Mac-Jane Crayton
Absolutely passionate about the nature of local government and nonprofit collaboration, Mac-Jane Crayton is a doctoral candidate in the joint Ph.D. Program in Public Administration & Public Policy at Auburn University, with a focus on nonprofit management.
As a Graduate Assistant at Auburn University in the office of Outreach Global and a Success Strategies instructor for first year students, Crayton has extensive experience in organizing and facilitating service-learning opportunities and international community outreach. Mac-Jane is currently the founder and Executive Director of Dream Mentorship, a curriculum-based nonprofit organization that provides women with the resources, strategies, and mentoring they need to pursue their dreams with confidence and clarity by offering professional development training and personal enrichment courses to women in North America and around the world, so that more women can have a competitive advantage in the corporate world. Mac-Jane applies lessons from her life as a student to leading and growing a nonprofit in real life.
Track: Public Administration; Nonprofit Organizations & Community Governance
Areas of Interest: Nonprofit Management, Public Administration & Policy Adoption, Diversity & Inclusion, Environmental policies
Education:
Master of Science in International Relations, Troy University, Troy AL
Bachelor of Arts in History/International Studies, Imo state university, Imo, Nigeria
Kate Henvey DeMoss
Kate is a student in the joint Ph.D. program in Public Administration and Public Policy at Auburn University. She holds a MA from the Georgetown School of Foreign Service, and a BA in political science from Trinity University, Texas. Serving as a policymaker and researcher in international economics, trade and development for over fifteen years, Kate has worked at the World Bank Group, the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of International Affairs and the North American Development Bank.
Track: American Politics & Policy, Global Public Policy
Areas of interest: Trade policy, foreign aid policy, public opinion, political behavior
Education:
Master of Arts, Georgetown School of Foreign Service
Bachelor of Arts, Trinity University
Brian Ezeonu
Brian Ezeonu is a Ph.D. candidate in the joint Ph.D. Program in Public Administration & Public Policy at Auburn University. He earned a Master’s Degree in Economics from Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from University of Nigeria Nsukka, Nigeria. Before beginning his doctoral program, he worked with nonprofit organizations in Nigeria, collaborating with other international development organizations to implement development projects and programs in Africa. His research focuses on collaborative governance and the role of the nonprofit sector in international development. He also has research interests in the areas of econometrics, public policy and global finance. He has presented his research at the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA) conference, as well as the Southern Political Science Association conference. He along with two faculty members are also recent awardees of a $120,000 USD research grant from the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (ACE-SOAS).
Track: Nonprofit Organizations & Community Governance; Applied Research
Areas of Interest: Collaborative Governance, Non-Profit Management, International Development, Econometrics, Global Finance, Public Policy
Education:
Master of Arts in Economics, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
Bachelor of Arts in Economics, University of Nigeria Nsukka, Nigeria
Malerie Goodman
Malerie Goodman is a Ph.D. candidate in the joint Ph.D. Program in Public Administration & Public Policy. Malerie has worked as a Graduate Research Assistant for the Hunger Solutions Institute (HSI) in Auburn University’s College of Human Sciences since January 2020, where she researches college student hunger, supports innovative projects to address food insecurity with data-based approaches, and contributes to HSI’s growing bi-partisan impact on federal policy to address hunger nationwide. Malerie’s academic interests center on using mixed-methods research to inform family policy and child welfare policy decisions, especially at the state level.
Track: Public Administration, Nonprofit Organizations & Community Governance
Areas of Interest: Child Welfare Policy and Administration; Family Policy; State-level Policymaking; Political Culture; Hunger and Food Policy; Policy Framing
Education:
Educational Specialist Degree in School Psychology, California State University, Fresno
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego, California
Ryan Hankins
Ryan Hankins is a Ph.D. candidate in Public Policy. He is executive director of PARCA, the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to inform and improve the decision making of state and local leaders in Alabama through objective research and analysis.
He is active in local and statewide nonprofit work and serves on numerous boards and committees including the Executive Team of the Alabama Committee for Grade Level Reading, the Alabama Counts! 2020 Census Committee, and the advisory boards for the Master of Public Administration at Auburn University and both the Master of Social Work and Department of Human Development and Family Science at Samford University. He has previously served on the board of the Alabama Association of Nonprofits, the Birmingham-Jefferson Food Policy Council, the Medicaid Citizens’ Advisory Board, the Bold Goals Workforce Development Council, the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, and is past president of the Alabama Association of Free Clinics.
He is a graduate of the Nonprofit Executive Leadership Institute, Leadership Birmingham, Leadership Alabama, and a Birmingham Business Journal Top 40 Under 40 Honoree. He has taught courses in nonprofit management and has guest lectured in classes in nonprofit management and fundraising.
Track: Public Policy
Areas of Interest: Nonprofit theory and administration, nonprofits in policy making, philanthropy, faith-based organizations, state and local government, applied research
Education:
Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management Executive Education, Harvard Business School
Graduate Studies in Public Administration, University of Alabama, Birmingham
Master of Divinity, Samford University
Post-baccalaureate studies, Oxford University
Bachelor of Arts, Ouachita Baptist University
Javier Juárez-Pérez
Javier holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Veracruz in Mexico. He joined Augusta State University's MPA program in 2006, where he collaborated with nonprofit organizations dedicated to serving the Hispanic immigrant community's needs. After graduation, he returned to Mexico, where he joined the School of Economics at Umar University in 2009. A year and a half later, Javier became the department chair, as well as president of the scholarship committee. He joined Auburn's Ph.D. program in fall 2013. He is currently finishing his dissertation entitled, "The Use of Economic Incentives to Lure Business: Is This A Winner's Curse Policy in Local Economic Development?" Javier seeks to uncover local governments' fiscal long-term consequences of granting economic incentives to attract firms. In Mexican universities, he has taught a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate courses in economics. At Auburn, he has taught undergraduate courses in Comparative Politics and introductory courses on American Government.
Track: Public Policy
Areas of Interest: Local Economic Development, Public Sector Economics, Policy Analysis, Political Economy, Research Methods, Comparative Politics, and Financial Analysis of Governments
Education:
Master of Public Administration, Augusta State University
Bachelor of Economics, University of Veracruz
Steven Nelson
Steven Nelson is a Ph.D. candidate in the joint Ph.D. Program in Public Administration & Public Policy. His professional experience spans almost 30 years in the environmental field and includes work as a consultant and contractor in private industry, performing environmental site investigations and cleanups. For the past 25 years he has focused on environmental health and safety management in higher education and currently serves as the Associate Director of Environmental Health and Safety at Auburn University. His dissertation involves comparative state water quality policy to address emerging contaminants. His published work has appeared in Review of Policy Research, The Extractive Industries and Society, and Risk, Hazards, & Crisis in Public Policy.
Track: Public Policy
Areas of Interest: Environmental and natural resources policy, sustainability, and environmental justice.
Education:
Bachelor of Arts, Southern Illinois University
Master of Business Administration, Georgia State University
Kara Newby
Kara Newby graduated with a B.A. in Psychology and a Master's in Human Development and Family Science, and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the joint Ph.D. Program in Public Policy & Public Administration. Before beginning her graduate work, she served as the Operations Manager for the Hunger Solutions Institute with Auburn University, working in education and advocacy for hunger alleviation globally and locally. During her career, Kara has worked in the nonprofit sector as well as with the Ohio State University Extension Service in the area of family and child development.
Kara’s research interests include place-based politics, specifically how geographic location affects political identity and policy implementation. She is also interested in the intersection of race and place, specifically as it relates to rural minorities and politics, policy implementation, and law enforcement. Some of her work has also looked at social welfare policies such as SNAP and how they intersect with politics, and how policies affect participation in these programs. She also has an interest in nonprofit management and how nonprofits adapt in stress.
Her teaching experience includes Gender and Global Studies, Public Administration, Nonprofit Management, Honors Global Topics, and Hunger Studies. She has presented at the Southern Political Science Association, American Political Science Association, International Society for Third-Sector Research, and the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action. She has published in the Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs.
Tracks: American Politics and Policy; Nonprofits Organizations & Community Governance
Areas of Interest: Welfare politics and policy, State politics, Nonprofit management, Race and Politics
Education:
MS Human Development and Family Science, Auburn University
BA Psychology, Harding University
Noemí Oeding
Noemí Oeding graduated with a B.A. in Vocal Performance and a Master's in Arts Administration, and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the joint Ph.D. Program in Public Administration & Public Policy at Auburn University. Prior to beginning her graduate studies, her career was spent in the arts, first as an opera singer and music teacher, and then as an administrator. She has worked with various arts nonprofits, most notably as Executive Director of the Montgomery Music Project in Montgomery, Alabama.
Noemí’s research interests revolve around nonprofits (specifically in the arts), American political behavior, and the intersectionality between the two. Her dissertation focuses on the impact Black operatic works have on mitigating racial bias. She has presented her research at multiple conferences, including the Southern Political Science Association, the International Society for Third Sector Research, and the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations & Voluntary Action.
At Auburn, Noemí teaches undergraduate courses in American Government and Political Participation. She has an applied background in nonprofit management, leadership and governance, fundraising and grant writing, and volunteer and event management. Noemí has successfully secured funding from the Alabama State Council on the Arts, the Florida State Arts Council, the Alabama State Department of Education, and various private foundations. She also has experience as a grant reader, including serving on the music grant review panel for the Alabama State Council on the Arts.
Tracks: Nonprofit Organizations & Community Governance, American Politics and Policy
Areas of Interest: Nonprofit funding and sustainability; Nonprofit management and best practices; Politicization of arts & culture nonprofits; Public opinion and political messaging; Political behavior and polarization
Education:
Master of Arts in Arts Administration, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Performance, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Shaniqua Williams
Shaniqua Williams is a Ph.D. candidate in the joint Public Policy and Public Administration program in the Department of Political Science at Auburn University. Her research interests include state politics, race and ethnicity, political behavior, and representation in government. Currently her main research focus is substantive representation in state government, specifically the impact of Black women in politics. She has presented at, as well as co-authored papers accepted for presentation, at the American Political Science Association, Southern Political Science Association, Auburn University Diversity Symposium, Southeastern Conference for Public Administration, and the American Planning Association. Her teaching experience includes undergraduate courses in research methods and state politics.
Aside from her academic pursuits, Shaniqua is involved in programming and mentorship through the Auburn Black Graduate and Professional Student Association. She has also served as a senator on the Graduate Student Council representing the political science department. In addition, Shaniqua has procured the following fellowships: SEC Emerging Scholars, Scholars Strategy Network, UC Berkeley’s Social Inclusion Policy, and Auburn’s President’s Graduate Opportunity Program. Williams is originally from San Diego, California and received her Bachelor’s of Applied Arts in Public Administration from San Diego State University and her Master’s of Public Administration from Auburn University.
Track: American Politics & Policy, Election Administration
Areas of Interest: State Politics, Race and Ethnicity, Political Behavior, and Representation in Government
Education:
Graduate Certificate in Election Administration, Auburn University
Master of Public Administration, Auburn University
Lane Montgomery
Lane Montgomery joined the lab in Fall of 2022. Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, Lane graduated with her B.A. in Psychology from Auburn University in 2021. After earning her Bachelors, Lane worked as an assistant at the Auburn University MRI Research Center and as a research assistant with Auburn’s Canine Performance Sciences program. Her research interests include the role of procedural memory in working dog success and the neurological structures underlying dogs’ scent memory.
Courtney Collins Pisano
Courtney joined the lab in Fall 2022. Originally from Boston, Courtney graduated from Wesleyan University with a B.A. in Neuroscience & Behavior, Biology, and Psychology in Spring of 2022. Her research interests include improving the training and selection of working dogs and indicators of working dog success.
Brittany Branyon
An Alabama native, Brittany Branyon graduated from Auburn University with a BA in Political Science in 2009 and earned a Master of Arts in International Relations from the University of Oklahoma in 2013. She is currently a doctoral student in Public Administration and Public Policy at Auburn University where her focus is nonprofit education, civil society, and gender equity. Her passion for the third sector and community engagement drives her work both professionally and academically, as well as beyond campus where she serves on the Associate Board of Directors at Storybook Farm.
Shamyla Taylor
Shamyla Taylor, a graduate of Opelika High School, is studying computer science at Auburn University. She is the illustrator of the coloring book “Plants and Trees at Pebble Hill.”
Melina Albrecht
Hometown: Auburn, AL
ABM Program Entry Year: 2021
Research interests: culture and diversity
Aria Brusch
Hometown: Cincinnati, OH
ABM Program Entry Year: 2022
Research interests: performance appraisal, employee learning
Sammi Fogelberg
Hometown: Brentwood, TN
ABM Program Entry Year: 2021
Research interests: occupational stress, work-life balance, and burnout
Olivia Morgan
Hometown: Columbus, GA
ABM Program Entry Year: 2021
Research interests: retention rates, job satisfaction, personnel selection
Regis Sims
Hometown: Auburn, AL
ABM Program Entry Year: 2021
Research interests: burnout, stress, occupational health, work-life balance, telework
Caroline Swiney
Hometown: Birmingham, AL
ABM Program Entry Year: 2021
Research interests: personnel selection, job analyses, training and development
DuBois Barnes
Ph.D. Program Entry Year: 2022
B.S. Baylor University
B.S. University of Houston
Research interests: work stress and recovery, work safety, workplace injustice and health, disadvantaged groups and workplace diversity
Julia Barrett
Ph.D. Program Entry Year: 2022
B.S. Florida State University
Research interests: work-life, work-family, telework
Kyle Benbow
Ph.D. Program Entry Year: 2021
B.A. Indiana University-Purdue University of Indianapolis
M.A. Ball State University
Research interests: organizational and coworker support, workplace incivility, social identity threats, employee silence
Peter Cook
Ph.D. Program Entry Year: 2020
B.S. Virginia Tech
Research interests: telework, stress, occupational health psychology
Isabelle Couvillion
Ph.D. Program Entry Year: 2021
B.S. University of Alabama
M.S. University of New Orleans
Research interests: personnel selection
Austin Cunningham
Ph.D. Program Entry Year: 2019
B.S. Virginia Tech
M.S. Auburn University
Research interests: occupational stress, employee recovery, work-life balance, workaholism
Lilah Donnelly
Ph.D. Program Entry Year: 2021
B.S. Mercer University
Research interests: leadership, organizational commitment, organizational culture
Brielle Johnson
Ph.D. Program Entry Year: 2021
B.S. Grand Valley State University
M.A. Miami University
Research interests: stereotypes, discrimination, intergroup dynamics, occupational stress
Soonyoung Kim
Ph.D. Program Entry Year: 2022
B.S. Virginia Tech
Research interests: personnel selection, leadership, artificial intelligence, emotional intelligence
Ana Kriletic
Ph.D. Program Entry Year: 2019
B.A. Houston Baptist University
M.S. Auburn University
Research interests: leadership, cultural intelligence, turnover and retention
Jingyi Li
Ph.D. Program Entry Year: 2020
B.S. Soochow University
Research interests: personnel selection, machine learning, vocational interest
Jiayi Liu
B.S. East China Normal University
M.S. Auburn University
Research interests: personnel selection, decision making, big data
Kendall McGoey
Ph.D. Program Entry Year: 2020
B.S. Louisiana State University
Research interests: telework, burnout, workaholism, turnover, and turnover intentions
Lauren Postier
Ph.D. Program Entry Year: 2020
B.A. Marquette University
Research interests: work-life dynamics, burnout, telework, psychometrics
Jonah Richardson
Ph.D. Program Entry Year: 2021
B.A. DePaul University
Research interests: personnel selection, telework, workplace boredom
Faith Shannon
Ph.D. Program Entry Year: 2021
B.S. Spelman College
Research interests: work-family, occupational health psychology, leadership, DE&I
Thomas Wilmore
Ph.D. Program Entry Year: 2019
B.S. University of Louisiana at Lafayette
M.S. Auburn University
Research interests: organizational culture, organizational climate, ethical decision making, organizational justice perceptions
Teng Zhao
Ph.D. Program Entry Year: 2018
B.A. Shandong University
M.S. University of Science & Technology of China
M.S. Auburn University
Research interests: newcomer orientation and socialization, faking in personnel selection, cross-cultural adjustment and training
Lee Chapman Parks
BA: University of Alabama
Current MS Student at Auburn University
Clinical and Research interests:
- Pediatric feeding and swallowing
- Pediatric neurodivergent populations
- Auditory-Verbal therapy
Tori Holcomb
Tori Holcomb is a freshman at Auburn University from Peachtree City, Georgia, who is majoring in biomedical sciences and neurosciences on the pre-med track. She hopes to continue her time in the LAM lab for several semesters! Tori is involved in many campus organizations including Alpha Epsilon Delta, Active Minds, Women in Science, and her social sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta. Fun fact: Tori used to drive a golfcart to school because her city was a golf community!
Callie Coxwell
Callie Coxwell is a senior pursuing her degree in Neuroscience and will graduate in the Spring of 2023. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school with the goals of obtaining a PhD in neuroscience and working in cognitive neuroscience research.
Amatallah Saulawa
Amatallah is a sophomore studying international studies with a minor in public health. She plans to pursue a graduate degree and career in public health. In her free time, she enjoys reading fiction.
Cole Elsea
Cole Elsea is a sophomore Biomedical Science: Pre-medicine major with a minor in Spanish here at Auburn. He plans to go to medical school once graduating. He enjoys running, volunteering at his church and watching Auburn basketball.
Madeline McCormick
Madeline McCormick is a sophomore majoring in Biomedical Sciences - Pre Medicine, with a minor in Business. She hopes to attend medical school upon graduation in order to become an anesthesiologist. She enjoys going to the beach, spending time with friends and family, and being a Young Life leader in Auburn!
Faith Miller
Faith Miller is a sophomore majoring in psychology with an interest in neuroscience. She hopes to attend graduate school in the future where she wishes to eventually obtain her Ph.D. and one day lead research in Alzheimer's.
Gracie Farmer
Gracie Farmer is a sophomore majoring in biomedical sciences planning to attend medical school after graduation. She hopes to become an obstetrician. In her free time, Gracie enjoys outdoor activities and spending time with my family and friends.
Lainie Doyle
Lainie Doyle is a senior in biomedical sciences with a concentration in pre-med, graduating spring 2024. She plans to go to medical school in the fall of 2024 with the hope of becoming an emergency room doctor or trauma surgeon.
Gracie Mae Hundley
Why did you choose the SLLAC Lab?
I chose the SLLAC Lab because of my interest in working with children with speech sound disorders. I am excited to gain experience in promoting academic achievement and look forward to expanding my knowledge in speech, oral language, and literacy.
Clinical and Research Interests:
- Speech Sound Disorders
- Fluency Disorders
- Dysphagia
