RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow & Project Manager
University of Houston- Department of Educational Psychology
Houston, TX – September 2014 – September 2015
▪ Managed the day-to-day activities of a $2.5 million dollar National Institutes of Health research project that analyzes biological and psychosocial data to better understand substance abuse among Blacks.
▪ Daily activities included: supervising 12 graduate and undergraduate students; hiring and training volunteers; screening and scheduling research participants; creating weekly work schedule; maintaining the cash log; negotiating with vendors; running in-lab experiments; serving as a researcher; collecting quantitative data; and managing multiple research datasets with Access, Excel and other software.
▪ Oversaw recruitment and retention of study participants, providing expertise on advertising via social media.
▪ Assisted with writing of Institutional Review Board proposal and implementation of second NIH study.
▪ Aided in the development and renewal of contracts and grants.
▪ Prepared weekly briefing memorandum for Principal Research Investigator Dr. Ezemenari Obasi.
Dissertation Research
Dept. of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology
Western Michigan University- Kalamazoo, MI – September 2010- Nov 2014
▪ Planned, developed, and conducted research to understand the impact of being a young adult who
serves as a caregiver for their severely mentally ill mother.
▪ Surveyed 84 participants recruited using strategic random sampling techniques.
▪ Analyzed concepts related to lifespan development; quality of life; coping; and resilience.
▪ Quantitative data was collected via online survey instruments and was analyzed with SAS software.
▪ Successfully defended this research before an audience of social scientists on Nov 21, 2014.
Graduate Research Assistant
Department of Psychology
Michigan State University – January 2009- August 2009
▪ Conducted interviews with Black gay/bisexual men in the northwest Michigan region to identify their unique psychosocial needs.
▪ Participated in group sessions to develop/revise the study’s survey instrument
▪ Recruited new participants via direct community outreach.
▪ The information collected from this study was used by Michigan’s Department of Community Health to make urgent changes to HIV-prevention for this population.
Graduate Research Assistant
Dept. of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology
Western Michigan University- Kalamazoo, MI – 2007- February 2009
▪ Assisted in data collection for a project to reveal more about several historic social scientists.
▪ Participated in group discussions seeking to relate psychological theories to their work.
Graduate Research Assistant
Dept. of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology
Western Michigan University- Kalamazoo, MI – September 2007- June 2008
▪ Assisted in data collection of articles, books and videos that reveal more about domestic violence.
▪ The information collected from this project was used to teach a graduate-level course on gender issues.
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Institute for Policy Research
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL – May 2002- November 2002
▪ Served as a research assistant for a sociologist seeking to determine how poor families have
coped after welfare reform.
▪ Transcribed large sets of qualitative data (i.e. audiotaped interviews)
▪ Participated in group discussions to analyze and code the qualitative data.
▪ Helped develop and refine the data codes.
▪ The results of this study were published in a book entitled Work-Family Challenges for Low-Income Parents and Their Children.
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Center for Learning Technologies
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL – February 2000- May 2002
▪ Served as a research assistant for a study that sought to determine how children use models to learn.
▪ Transcribed large sets of qualitative data (i.e. videotaped model-building sessions)
▪ Participated in group discussions to analyze and code the qualitative data.
▪ Helped develop and refine the data codes.
▪ The results of this study were published as part of a doctoral dissertation.
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CLINICAL EXPERIENCES
Clinical Service Provider (Pre-Doctoral Internship)
Ohio Community Mental Health- Community Corrections Center
Lebanon, OH – August 2013- August 2014
▪ Counseled adult male felony offenders struggling with mental health and substance abuse disorders.
▪ Addressed criminal thinking and trauma. Made professional decisions concerning diagnosis and treatment, especially as related to the usefulness of psychiatric drugs with the offender.
▪ Participated in case consultations with clinical and non-clinical staff, including probation/parole officers, employment specialists, academic specialists, and security monitors.
▪ Assisted with discharge planning.
▪ Maintained electronic case notes and created reports for clinical staff members.
▪ Provided crisis intervention as needed, using active listening and safety skills.
Outpatient Therapist (Pre-Doctoral Internship)
Ohio Community Mental Health- College Hill
Cincinnati, OH – August 2013- August 2014
▪ Counseled adult clients struggling with mental health and substance abuse disorders.
▪ Conducted intake assessments and created treatment plans.
▪ Addressed community-level needs and assist with case management.
▪ Consulted with and provided clinical reports to outside agencies including probation/parole officers and
Child Protective Services.
▪ Provided crisis intervention as needed, using active listening and safety skills
▪ Provided family counseling as needed
Clinical Social Worker/Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Specialist
Michigan Community Mental Health
Battle Creek, MI – November 2011- November 2012
▪ Worked with a multidisciplinary team to meet the psychiatric, medical, and service needs of 50 severely mentally ill adults, seeing clients at their homes and in the office.
▪ Taught independent living skills to prevent psychiatric re-hospitalization.
▪ Used motivational techniques to facilitate substance abuse recovery.
▪ Administered and monitored use of oral medications.
▪ Responded to after-hours crisis calls with active listening and safety skills.
▪ Provided testimony to judges, lawyers, and police officers regarding client welfare, issues of abuse/neglect, civil probate (i.e., hospitalization), and adult guardianship.
▪ Created written reports in both criminal and civil matters.
▪ Conducted annual and quarterly assessments and create treatment plans.
▪ Maintained electronic case notes.
FOCUS Program Student Advisor
Kalamazoo Valley Community College – September 2008- May 2011
▪ Met regularly with Kalamazoo Valley Community College students planning to transfer to 4-year colleges and universities.
▪ Discussed students’ current academic progress, career goals, and personal concerns.
▪ Met regularly with Michigan Prisoner Reentry Initiative (MPRI) students.
▪ Helped MPRI students overcome academic, financial, and social barriers related to having a criminal history.
▪ Developed and conducted presentations such as Overcoming Test and Math Anxiety and Express Yourself: Interpersonal Communication Skills for Students.
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COMMUNITY SERVICE/ CONSULTATION
Policy Consultant
University of Houston
Office of the Vice Chancellor – February 2015 – September 2015
▪ Assisted the Vice Chancellor in updating and rewriting the school’s sexual harassment policy.
▪ Provided consultation on matters related to gender dynamics, the role of mandated reporters, and social justice (e.g., the prohibitive costs of post-assault examinations).
▪ Assisted in the implementation of this policy (e.g., workshops, trainings, educating students/faculty about the updated policy).
Houston City Council Workgroup
Houston Commission on Disabilities
Houston, Texas – January 2015- present
▪ Support the activities of the Houston Commission on Disabilities workgroup as needed.
▪ Collaborating with local police and fire departments to improve the safety of group homes.
Disaster Mental Health Associate
American Red Cross
Greater Kalamazoo Chapter, Kalamazoo, MI – March 2010- April 2013
▪ Received 40 hours of disaster intervention training with a focus on psychological triage, crisis intervention, and psychological support of disaster victims.
▪ Stood prepared to conduct disaster mental health activities in a shelter or on a disaster site.
▪ Performed casework for affected individuals following a disaster.
▪ Assisted with the opening, operating, and closing of disaster relief shelters/kitchens.
▪ Performed other duties as requested by the American Red Cross.
Legislative Action Committee Member
Various Community Organizations and Western Michigan University Students
Lansing, MI – August 2009
▪ Along with approximately 30 other community members, traveled to Michigan’s State Capitol building to speak to Congress members about voting against redistributing funds away from GSRP.
▪ Great Start Readiness Program (GSPR) provides preschool programs for children “at risk” of school failure.
Crisis Intervention Volunteer
Gryphon Place
Kalamazoo, MI – May 2008- January 2009
▪ Received 45 hours of crisis intervention training focusing on suicide prevention.
▪ Responded to crisis calls with active listening and safety skills.
▪ Worked closely with Adult and Child Protective Services taking abuse calls and making appropriate referrals.
▪ Made referrals to domestic violence shelters, food banks, homeless shelters, rehab centers, etc. as needed.
▪ Helped train new volunteers by assisting with role plays and feedback sessions.
▪ Completed 200 hours of volunteer service (separate from the training).