Graduate Student Awards: Read about our national and university graduate student awards here.

Doctoral Students

Ndidi Amutah, a first year Maternal and Child Health doctoral student, is originally from Trenton, NJ. She completed her undergraduate education at Rutgers University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Health and a Bachelor of Arts in African Studies. She then attended George Washington University where she received her Master of Public Health in Maternal and Child Health from the School of Public Health and Health Services. Ndidi's current research interests include maternal mortality and morbidity, health disparities, reproductive health, and HIV/AIDS in ethnic minority populations. While earning her Master's, Ndidi worked as a research intern at the Baltimore City Health Department, in which she studied asthma among children living in the city. She also investigated workplace injuries in immigrant adolescents and presented this work to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Upon earning her doctorate, Ndidi envisions working for an agency like USAID or the World Health Organization, where she can implement and evaluate national and international Maternal and Child Health programs, particularly focusing on regions in sub-Saharan Africa. In her spare time, Ndidi enjoys spending quality time with family and friends, traveling, shopping, and reading.

Lisa Benson, a second year Family Science doctoral student, earned her Bachelor's in Biology and Psychology from Brigham Young University and her Master's in Family Science from UMCP. While earning her Master's, Lisa worked on research projects related to the physical and mental health of rural families and food stamp nutrition education, and her theis explored the influence of healthcare accessibility on self-reported health outcomes among rural, low-income mothers. She currently teaches FMSC 332, Children in Families, and plans to complete her doctoral work by 2009.

Nicolle Buckmiller, a third year Family Science doctoral candidate, originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, earned both her Bachelor's degree in Marriage, Family and Human Development and her Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Brigham Young University. Nicolle's Master's thesis investigated the influence of DSM-IV diagnoses for psychotherapy on patients' use of health care. Her current research interests center around family, couple, and parent-child relationships, fathering, and foster care. She is also specifically interested in the transitions that military families make during reunions and separations. Nicolle currently teaches FMSC 330 (Family Theories and Patterns) and supervises student therapists in the MFT program. When she's not studying and researching, Nicolle enjoys spending time with her new husband, visiting historic sites along the East coast, playing tennis, and enjoying the outdoors.

Regina Davis, a first year Maternal and Child Health doctoral student, earned her Master of Public Health degree from The George Washington University and Bachelor of Science in Biology from Howard University. She currently manages a $5.9 million dollar capacity building initiative for the American Public Health Association. Prior to APHA, Regina worked on health education efforts for the federal government; a multimedia health information service for the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation; and one of the first U.S. studies to investigate the prevalence of uterine fibroid tumors. She also served as a Public Health Service Fellow in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health. Regina’s research interests include women’s reproductive health and adolescent sexual responsibility. In addition to school, she enjoys traveling, watching movies, reading, cooking, and spending time with friends and family.

Taryn Dezfulian, a third year Family Science doctoral candidate, is originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Psychology and her Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from UMCP. Taryn's research interests primarily focus on non-normative life events in couples and families, including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), infertility, trauma, and displacement, as well as facilitating programmatic and policy initiatives to help meet the challenges of these events. While in the doctoral program, Taryn has taught FMSC 105 (Individuals in Families), co-facilitated an ADHD psychoeducation group for parents and children, and coordinated an undergraduate research program in which students watch communication samples of couples seeking therapy and code their behaviors using a standardized instrument. This year, Taryn will be working as a Pre-Doctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Virginia Commonwealth University, in which she will be investigating the effects of TBIs on couple relationships, particularly noting their marital satisfaction, adjustment, and commitment to the relationship.

Laura Evans, a first year Family Science doctoral student, received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware where she majored in Psychology and minored in Women’s Studies, and she earned her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from UMCP. During her undergraduate career, Laura participated in a research study on adolescent-parent attachment in which she became interested in stress biomarkers, including cortisol. She also worked with survivors of sexual assault, providing crisis counseling and participating in medical advocacy projects. While completing her Master’s degree, Laura was involved with the Couples Abuse Prevention Program (CAPP), in which she taught undergraduate students how to code couple behavior patterns. Using this data, in addition to other information collected from couples receiving therapy, Laura completed her master’s thesis titled “Partner Positive Behavior and Recipient Satisfaction in Mild to Moderately Abusive Couples as Moderated by Attachment Style.” In addition to working with couples, Laura is also interested in working with families in which one member has an eating disorder, and she hopes to pursue research investigating family environment and disordered eating. Upon completion of the doctoral program, Laura hopes to continue conducting research, teaching, and working with clients.

Patty Fanflik is a first year Family Science doctoral student and a native of Maryland. She received her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Palm Beach Atlantic University, a Master's of Science in Human Development and Family Science from Kansas State University, and a Master's of Arts in Sociology from Southern Illinois University. For the past six years, she has worked as deputy director of the Office of Research and Evaluation at the National District Attorneys Association/American Prosecutors Research Institite. In this role, she served as senior researcher for studies designed to document promising practices and programs among local and state prosecutors, as well as to assess the impact of emerging crime issues on the criminal justice system. Recent studies she worked on include the examination of prosecutor-led reentry initiatives for formally incarcerated persons, the effectiveness of sexual assault nurse examiner programs, human trafficking, documenting current drug trends and programs, and victim responses to sexual violence and how juries interpret victim behaviors. Patty's research experience has included large-scale national surveys, experimental and quasi-experimental investigations, and qualitative case studies. Her areas of interest include the interface of law and the family, secondary traumatic stress following violent crime, family violence, and forensic interviewing in cases of child sexual abuse. Outside of school and work, Patty loves traveling and spending time with her family and friends. She especially enjoys being outside and having fun with her dog, Piggy.

Megan Fitzgerald, a second year Family Science doctoral student, earned her Master's in Family Science from UMCP. Prior to beginning graduate school, Megan worked as a researcher on several projects, including substance abuse among women, arrestees, and juveniles; immigrant families, and the Safe Start Initiative with the U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Megan's Master's thesis explored cultural values, acculturation, and parental involvement as predictors of Latino youth engagement in extracurricular activities. Her current research interests include substance abuse prevention, ethnic families, and family violence.

Lindsey Hoskins, a third year Family Science doctoral candidate, received her Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy in our department in 2005 and her B.S. in Family Science and Human Development from the University of Arizona in 2002. As an undergraduate, Lindsey planned on purusing a Master's degree in genetic counseling, but her plans changed when she participated in a semester-long study abroad program at the Centre for Counseling and Psychotherapy Education in London, England, and became interested in marriage and family therapy as a career goal. Lindsey developed a further passion for teaching when she worked as a high school science and math teacher in the spring of 2003. She is excited about the combination of therapy and academia that her dual graduate degrees will afford her. Lindsey especially enjoys working with young couples and adolescents. Her research interests include social support and communication in families with hereditary cancer syndromes and mental health outcomes related to living with genetic risk for serious illness. Currently, Lindsey is on fellowship at the Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics at the National Cancer Institute. There, she is conducting her dissertation research on young women with BRCA 1/2 mutations (which predispose women to breast and ovarian cancer at young ages), investigation how knowledge of a positive mutation status at an early age influences the formation and maintenance of couple relationships, decisions about childbearing, and prophylactic surgeries. Lindsey works under the direction of Mark Greene, MD, and genetic counselor June Peters, MS. Lindsey often visits her family in Arizona, and is also grateful for the supportive relationships forged with colleagues in the Family Science Department.

Cheng Shuang Ji, a fifth year Family Science doctoral student, is originally from Beijing, China. She earned her Master's degree in Family Education and Studies from Beijing Normal University and her Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from He Bei University in China. Her research interests primarly focus on immigrant families' parenting practices and involvement, child and adolescent anxiety, depression and school achievement, maternal mental health, program evaluation, and cultural competency. While in the PhD program, Ms. Ji has had the opportunity to work on several research projects, including but not limited to needs assessments of low-income Chinese parents' involvement in their children's education, and the relationship between parental warmth and pressure to achieve with adolescent anxiety and depreesion. Her dissertation, entitled “Maternal mental health, education, and social support as predictors of parenting practices, parental involvement and parenting aggravation among Asian American and Asian immigrant mothers” uses data from Early Childhood Longitudinal Studies. After graduation, Cheng Shuang hopes to continue her research on the mental health and parenting needs of immigrant populations. When she is not researching, she enjoys hiking, swimming, and hanging out with her friends.

April McDowell, a first year Family Science doctoral student, earned her Bachelor's degree in Human Development and Family Science from UNC Greensboro, and recently earned her Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from UMCP. During her undergraduate career, April worked as a research assistant on a study investigating family relationships and she taught English to low-income Mexican-American families. As a Master's student, April worked with Dr. Kevin Roy coding qualitative interviews for the Fathers and Families Resource and Research Center. Her Master's thesis focused on the relationship between partners' health and their marital status. Currently, her primary research interests include interracial families and households headed by GLBT people.

Angela Pinzon is a second year doctoral student. She has a MD degree from Unversidad del Rosario in Bogotá, Colombia (1997) and a Master of Public Health degree from Harvard University (2000). She did her medical internship in child psychiatry. Since 2002 she is a tenure-track professor at the Universidad del Rosario in Colombia, where she will return upon graduation. Angela has also been the Editor of the “Revista de Ciencias de la Salud” (Colombia), and worked as a Research Assistant at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Her research interests include child health, child abuse, child labor and children’s rights. She received a Fulbright Faculty Development Grant for her doctoral study at the University of Maryland and last year she received first prize in the 2006 Biennial Competition of Pediatrics in the Americas (a program to stimulate physician research on child health in Latin America). She enjoys spending time with her husband and two young daughters, Maria and Helena.

Andrew Quach is a fifth year Family Science doctoral student and began the program after obtaining his undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice and his Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at UMCP. His research and professional interests focus on effective means for providing clinical services to Asian American families dealing with a variety of personal, emotional, and psychological issues. Andrew wants to teach at the college level and work as a marriage and family therapist. He has taught the undergraduate Internship & Analysis Seminar and the Children in Families course. He is also working with two pediatricians and a child psychologist at Johns Hopkins University to develop an online questionnaire for families in need of information and services, and he is assisting faculty from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in a three-year domestic violence research program at the Montgomery County Health and Human Services Department. Andrew’s interests include taking care of his infant son, playing tennis, fishing, watching his Redskins try to get over the hump, and going to movies with his wife.

Elise Resnick is a first year Family Science doctoral student and hails from Cleveland, Ohio. She received her bachelor’s degree in screenwriting from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1998. Following that, she was employed at the Advisory Board Company in Washington, DC, as a Research Specialist, completing strategic research for hospitals and health systems worldwide. Then, she worked at the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) as the manager of their policy department at the national headquarters in Arlington, VA. She worked on federal legislation advocating for the rights of those with mental illnesses. Elise was drawn to the mental health field, and she liked the idea of working with families and couples from a systems perspective. During her time in the program, Elise has enjoyed learning therapeutic techniques and models, seeing a wide range of clients, and spending time with her classmates. Elise has been married for five years to Jaime, and they live in Silver Spring. She enjoys traveling, shopping, cooking, and watching reality TV.

Kate Riera, a second year Family Science doctoral student, is originally from New Jersey. She attended the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned her Master's in Psychological Services; she earned her Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Spanish from Muhlenburg College in Allentown, PA. Kate's current research interests include ethnic families, interracial couples, and adolescent pregnancy. She is currently working with Dr. Braun, FMSC Associate Professor, on Project FRESH, a research study investigating low-income children's consumption of fruits and vegetables. In Spring 2008, Kate will also begin teaching FMSC 332, Children in Families. Upon earning her doctoral degree, Kate hopes to seek a position in academia. When not researching and teaching, she enjoys spending time with her two daughters (ages 1 and 4), gardening, and cooking.

Wakina Scott, a fourth year doctoral student in Family Science, earned a Master's in Public Health from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Science in biology from St. Joseph's University. While obtaining her Master's degree, Wakina developed a needs assessment for intervention programs on substance use and abuse for African American men at a medical clinic in Prince George's County, MD. Some career highlights include conducting HIV research at the MayaTech Corporation, and serving as a health policy analyst for the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, where she evaluated regulations for the Maryland Medicaid Waiver for Older Adults program. Wakina joined the Family Science department at UMCP because of her strong interest in learning more about the family and gaining the research and program development skills needed to address family issues, particularly within the African American community. Her specific interests are in the areas of family policy, child obesity, and poverty. Outside of school and research, Wakina enjoys spending time with her husband and son, and traveling.

Ashley Southard, a fourth year Family Science doctoral student, is a native of Phoenix, Arizona. She received her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Arizona State University and her Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from UMCP. Currently, she is working on her dissertation, which is a qualitative study exploring the roles of family environment and race/ethnic culture on women's experiences of bulimia. She hopes to use the findings to develop more culturally sensitive family therapy treatments for eating disorders. Additionally, Ashley is a doctoral instructor for FMSC 332 (Children in Families), she supervises student therapists in the MFT program, and she maintains a private practice in Columbia, MD where she provides therapy to individuals, couples, and families struggling with eating disorders (www.ashleysouthard.com). After graduation, Ashley plans to open a family therapy research clinic for families with a member who has an eating disorder, in which data is collected from clients throughout the process of therapy, so as to evaluate which factors are most helpful in their recovery. She also hopes to continue teaching, perhaps as an Adjunct Professor at a community college. In her spare time, Ashley, who has been married for 3 years, enjoys road trips with her husband throughout the mid-Atlantic region, gardening in her backyard, and reading fiction novels.

Kate Speirs, a second year Family Science doctoral student, earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Hamilton College and her Master's degree from the University of Connecticut. Her current research interests include motherhood and child care. Since Fall 2006, Kate has worked with Dr. Roy, an FMSC assistant professor, using ethnographic data from Welfare, Children, and Families: A Three-City Study, specifically investigating low-income mothers' decisions about child care and the transitions they must endure to receive adequate child care. This summer, Kate is also working with Drs. Anderson and Braun , both FMSC professors, on a grant proposal about childhood obesity and children's consumption of fruits and vegetables. After graduation, Kate hopes to use her degree to earn a position at a research or public policy think tank. Outside of school, she enjoys running, hiking, playing tennis, and reading.

Colleen Vesely, a second year Family Science doctoral student, is originally from Boston. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Human Development and Family Science from Colorado State University and her Master's degree in the same subjects from the University of Connecticut. Colleen's current research interests focus on parents' experiences of their transitions into parenthood, specifically looking at how social and public policies and institutions affect this transition for low-income families. During her first year in the program, Colleen worked with Dr. Kevin Roy on a qualitative study investigating low-income mothers' strategies related to child care, trying to answer the question, "How do mothers utilize kin networks and child care subsidies to patch together care for their children?" Colleen has also been working with Dr. Roy to understand low-income African American fathers' use of kin networks during their transitions into adulthood and fatherhood. After graduating with her doctoral degree, Colleen hopes to work for a research organization focusing on the experiences of low-income parents' transitions to parenthood. When she's not studying and doing research, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, running, reading, and hiking.

Xiaofang Wang, a fifth year Family Science doctoral student, is originally from China, where she earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Education. Xiaofang's primary research interests include Asian American families, acculturation, mental health of children and adolescents, and immigrant families. Xiaofang has served as an interim instructor of psychology and family education, as well as a guest speaker for several FMSC undergraduate classes.

Marriage and Family Therapy Students

Holly Bramble, a first year Master's student, grew up in San Diego, CA and completed her undergraduate degree at the University of California, Davis. Prior to attending graduate school, Holly worked as a Mental Health Counselor at a residential treatment center for adolescents. Currently, she is interested in exploring aspects of interracial couple relationships and how family therapy can be of help to people around the world who have survived mass atrocities in their homelands. After graduation, Holly anticipates becoming a licensed family therapist, and she is still discovering how she would like to use her degree. Outside of school, Holly enjoys horseback riding, reading, outdoor sports, watching Broadway musicals, and traveling.

Moireen Clark, a first year Master's student, is originally from Fair Haven, NJ. She graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park in May 2007 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Family Science. She worked for two years as a behavioral coder and administrative assistant for Dr. Werlinich in the Couples Abuse Prevention Program. Throughout her undergraduate career, Moireen volunteered for the Choice Program of Prince George's County as a tutor and mentor for at-risk youth. During her senior year, she interned for Montgomery County's Community Supervision Program, where she worked closely with juvenile delinquents and their families to assist in their transitions from detention facilities back into school, home and the community. Outside of school, Moireen works as a nanny in Manhattan, and goes to the beach to relax whenever she has a day off! She loves doing crossword puzzles, spending time with friends and family, reading, and making people laugh. Moireen is also a nationally certified pharmacy technician and worked in retail pharmacy for five years.

Nicole Finkbeiner, a second year Master's student, is originally from Pennsylvania but relocated to Southern Maryland in 1995 and considers that her hometown. In 2005, Nicole earned her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from UMBC; throughout her undergraduate career she had the opportunity to intern at a domestic violence shelter where she worked with both perpetrators and victims, and she also interned at a school with adolescents who were severely emotionally and mentally challenged. After graduation, prior to coming to UMCP to pursue her education in Marriage and Family Therapy, she worked for a year at a local adult detention center. Nicole's current research interests include couples counseling with a specific focus on sex therapy and premarital counseling. After graduation she hopes to build a private practice specializing in couple's issues, and may even pursue a Ph.D. in sex therapy. She hopes to also continue volunteering at a domestic violence shelter, since her experiences with individuals in abusive relationships have had such a profound effect on her personal growth and development. Outside of school and clinical work, Nicole enjoys reading (especially novels by Jodi Picoult and murder mysteries by authors like James Patterson), going to the movies, and spending time with friends, family, and her boyfriend.

Alexandria Lammers, a first year Master's student, is originally from Cleveland, OH. She graduated from Ohio State with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Religious Studies. During her time there, Alexandria had the opportunity to assist doctoral MFT students with their research on racial therapeutic alliances and children suffering from manic symptoms. In addition, she completed her senior thesis entitled, "Family caregiver wants and needs as related to hopefulness and problem severity." Currently, her clinical interests include working with premarital couples, and upon earning her Master's degree, Alexandria hopes to open a private practice. Outside of school, she keeps busy cheering on all sports teams from Ohio State and Cleveland.

Lynda Lee, a first year Master's student, is a native of Salt Lake City, UT. She earned her Bachelor's degree from the University of Washington in Seattle. She later moved to DC where she had the opportunity to work in a research center at Georgetown University that focuses on research in health and education to reduce the disparities of race, income, and socioeconomic status. Lynda is very interested in learning about and providing therapy to 1st and 2nd generation Asian American families, studying the different effects of immigration and adaptation on the individual and family. Eventually, Lynda would like to open a private practice. When she's not studying and providing therapy, Lynda enjoys playing tennis, football, and volleyball, and she also loves playing and listening to music.

Leidy Mena is a first year Master's student in the Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) program. Prior to beginning her graduate career at UMCP, Leidy attended classes at Montgomery County Community College and then transferred to UMCP, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Family Science in May 2007. In preparation for graduate school, Leidy worked as an FMSC research assistant on the Couples Abuse Prevention Program - this experience allowed her to watch videotapes of couples communicating about a conflictual topic (prior to beginning therapy sessions) and then code their interactions using a standardized instrument. As a therapist intern, Leidy is particularly interested in working with couples and families who have experienced abuse, as well as with immigrant families. After graduating with her MFT degree, Leidy hopes to go on to earn her PhD so that she can pursue her research and teaching interests. In addition to school, Leidy enjoys watching comedy movies, dancing, skiing, attending plays, and spending time with her wonderful (and very large) Hispanic family.

Katelyn Opel, a second year Master's student, earned her Bachelor's in Psychology from St. Mary's College in Southern Maryland. Prior to beginning graduate school, Katelyn worked as a research assistant for an early literacy program, a teacher's assistant for Psych 100, and she also interned at Barstow Acres Children's Center. Her current clinical interests primarily focus on working with premarital couples.

Ken Parnell, a first year Master's student, is originally from San Jose, CA and recently graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology. During his undergraduate career, Ken worked at a residential treatment center for at-risk adolescents in Provo, Utah and he also interned at a mental hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in which he administered tests to patients with a variety of challenges, including ADHD. Ken's clinical interests are primarily focused on the effects of life stressors on couple and parent-child relationships. He is also interested in the use of forgiveness to heal broken relationships. After completing the MFT program, Ken hopes to earn a PhD so that he can practice therapy and teach at the same time. When not in school, Ken enjoys reading about history and religion, backpacking, hiking, playing football and volleyball, and hanging out at the beach.

Ann Scheiner, a second year Master's student, earned her Bachelor's degree in Women's History from the University of Michigan and her JD from George Washington University. Prior to beginning the MFT program, Ann advocated for legislation related to disability rights, handicapped citizens, and health planning. She also worked as a Communications Coordinator for the Parent Encouragement Program (PEP), which is focused on parent education. Ann is interested in working with individuals, couples, and families with a variety of issues, and she hopes to continue practicing therapy after graduation. When not in class or seeing clients, Ann enjoys art, graphic design, knitting, theater and film, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Tiffani Stevenson, a first year Master's student, is from Fruit Heights, Utah. She recently graduated with honors from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. As an undergraduate, she assisted in research exploring the link between immigration and heart health, and she also conducted research for her honors thesis which investigated the theoretical implications of a theistic approach to psychotherapy. She spent 4 months in Romania where she conducted qualitative research and provided therapy for institutionalized children with developmental disorders, and 18 months in Venezuela where she worked as a missionary helping families and individuals with both spiritual and temporal needs. Upon graduating with her therapy degree, Tiffani hopes to go abroad to help families, while also continuing to do research about spirituality and therapy. Outside of school, Tiffani enjoys singing, playing the guitar and piano, practicing yoga, running, outdoor activities, and spending time with people she loves.

Damian Waters, a first year Master's student, graduated with his Bachelor's degree from Georgetown University. While there, he had the opportunity to work as a hotline counselor, providing clinical support for people who were in crisis and/or feeling suicidal. After graduation, Damian pursued his interest in counseling as a New York City Teaching Fellow, in which he was able to work with emotionally disturbed high school students in the Bronx. Damian's current clinical interests focus on African American families, particularly fathers. After completing the MFT program, Damian will continue into the Family Science PhD program. Eventually, he aspires to be a faculty member at a university where he can pursue new research on African American fathers' interactions and involvement with their children. He hopes to use findings from this research to develop programs and initiatives that would encourage low-income fathers to become actively involved in their children's lives. Outside of school, Damian remains busy as an active member of his church, reading about early church history, teaching GED classes, cooking, and studying Brazilian Jujitsu.