{"id":551,"date":"2021-10-26T23:32:19","date_gmt":"2021-10-26T23:32:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.uakron.edu\/empower\/?page_id=551"},"modified":"2026-03-13T02:52:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T02:52:12","slug":"alumni-information","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.uakron.edu\/empower\/alumni-information\/","title":{"rendered":"Alumni"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Dr. Auriel<\/span> Jasper-Morris<\/span><\/div>

Research Interests:<\/strong>\u00a0I am interested in intimate partner violence victimization and perpetration, trauma-informed care, prevention and intervention programming, and program evaluation.
Hometown:<\/strong>\u00a0Houston, TX
Pronouns:<\/strong>\u00a0She\/her
What does \"empowerment\" mean to you?\u00a0<\/strong>From a survivor-advocate perspective, empowerment is the act of actively listening, supporting, and advocating for survivors' rights based on their expressed needs. It is also the act of helping survivors recognize their strength and capacity to change their lives.<\/p><\/div>

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Dr. Janessa<\/span> Garcia<\/span><\/div>

Research Interests:<\/strong>\u00a0I am interested in gender-based violence victimization and perpetration, LGBTQ+ experiences, social support, trauma-informed care, feminism, and multiculturalism.
Hometown:<\/strong>\u00a0Chicago, IL
Pronouns:<\/strong>\u00a0They\/them
What does \"empowerment\" mean to you?\u00a0<\/strong>Empowerment occurs at all levels of a person's life; it is the development of a sense of personal power, an ability to affect others on an interpersonal level, and enacting change on social institutions on an institutional level.<\/p><\/div>

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Dr. Nina<\/span> Parekh<\/span><\/div>

Research Interests:<\/strong>\u00a0Intimate partner violence, South Asian cultural values and experiences, arts-based trauma interventions, feminism, and multiculturalism
Hometown:<\/strong>\u00a0Baltimore, MD<\/p><\/div>

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Dr. Kristyn<\/span> Oravec<\/span><\/div>

Research Interests:<\/strong>\u00a0Looking at the LGBT+ community and how IPV looks differently within that community compared to heterosexuals and looking into different ways to use the research we find to advocate for more LGBT+ specific IPV support and resources. Additionally, looking into the interplay that gender has within the LGBT+ community and different types of IPV that are perpetrated within same sex relationships.\u00a0
Hometown:<\/strong>\u00a0Ohio
What does \"empowerment\" mean to you?\u00a0<\/strong>Empowerment means being able to use your support systems and those who you are close with to overcome an obstacle that you are going through in your life. I firmly believe that people are not islands and that we need others in order to lift us up and help us deal with the struggles that we have in our lives. I also think that it means being able to learn from our past and taking those experiences we've had and becoming stronger from them. Lastly, I think for me, it also means being able to use my voice as a weapon and speak out against things I don't believe in or having conversations with others to widen my knowledge about different areas that I may not have as much background in.<\/p><\/div>

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Dr. Erica<\/span> Temes<\/span><\/div>

Research Interests:<\/strong>\u00a0Broadly, my research interests include applied research related to the fields of eating disorders and trauma.
Hometown:<\/strong> Albuquerque, NM
Pronouns:<\/strong>\u00a0She\/her
What does \"empowerment\" mean to you?\u00a0<\/strong>Claiming or re-claiming one's power, rights, self-esteem, confidence, and authority over their lives in order to thrive!\u00a0<\/p><\/div>

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Dr. Alyssa<\/span> Eversmeyer<\/span><\/div>

Research Interests: <\/strong>The effects of incarceration and reentry on families and mental health, developmental crime prevention and vocational development, and health-related prevention and promotion in general
Hometown:<\/strong>\u00a0Sterling, VA
Pronouns:\u00a0<\/strong>She\/her
What does \"empowerment\" mean to you?\u00a0<\/strong>Empowerment makes me think of strengths-based therapy. It's a marvelous privilege to help people notice the things they're good at and then collaboratively figure out ways for them to put those strengths to work in achieving their goals.<\/p><\/div>

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Dr. Marisa<\/span> Norton<\/span><\/div>
Forensic Postdoctoral Fellow, Twin Valley Behavioral Healthcare<\/div>

Research Interests:<\/strong> Trauma and PTSD broadly within the criminal justice system, prison\/incarceration as trauma, decarceration, social justice within the justice system, protective factors in reentry and rehabilitation.
Hometown:<\/strong>\u00a0Kent, Ohio
Pronouns: <\/strong>She\/her
What does \"empowerment\" mean to you?\u00a0<\/strong>Empowerment is the process of finding power, strength, and determination to passionately chase after personally valued goals and dreams, with both individual and collective impacts.<\/p><\/div>

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Dr. Nicole<\/span> Fogwell<\/span><\/div>

Research Interests:<\/strong> Measure development and measurement issues, needs assessment, LGBTQ+ individuals and oppressed populations broadly.
Hometown:<\/strong> Strongsville, OH<\/p><\/div>

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Dr. Alejandra<\/span> Gonzalez<\/span><\/div>
Assistant Professor, Xavier University<\/div>

Research Interests:<\/strong>\u00a0interpersonal trauma, gender based violence (e.g., intimate partner violence, sexual violence), PTSD, resilience, Latinx and Mexican American culturally specific strengths, prevention and intervention research
Hometown:<\/strong> Wichita, KS
Dissertation Topic:\u00a0<\/strong>An Adaptation of the Resilience Portfolio Model for Latina Survivors of Interpersonal Trauma
<\/strong><\/p><\/div>

\"Faculty<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span>
<\/div>
Dr. Nuha<\/span> Alshabani<\/span><\/div>
Postdoctoral Researcher, Boston Medical Center<\/div>

Research Interests:<\/strong> Refugee and immigrant populations, Arab Americans, trauma, oppression, resiliency, community participatory research, and culturally specific interventions.
Hometown:<\/strong>\u00a0Cleveland, OH
What does \"empowerment\" mean to you? <\/strong>Identifying one\u2019s strengths, available choices, and ways to improve their situation which gives them confidence and control and results in them being able to improve their own life, their immediate context, and in turn the world at large.<\/p><\/div>

\"\"<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span>
Dr. Kathleen Alto<\/span> <\/div>
Integrated Care Training Director at Northeast Ohio Neighborhood Health Services, Inc.<\/div>
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Dr. Samantha Holmes<\/span> <\/div>
Assistant Professor, College of Staten Island<\/div>
\"Faculty<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/span>
Dr. Nicole L. Johnson<\/span> <\/div>
Associate Professor, Lehigh University<\/div>
\"Faculty<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Dr. Taylor Ceroni<\/span> <\/div>
Staff Psychologist, Southeastern Louisiana Veterans Health Care System<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span>
Dr. Stephanie Drcar<\/span> <\/div>
Assistant Professor, Cleveland State University<\/div>
\"Faculty<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span>
Dr. Katherine Fedele<\/span> <\/div>
Staff Psychologist, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span>
Dr. Heather Sperry<\/span> <\/div>
Staff Psychologist, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Dr. Coda Derrig<\/span> <\/div>
Staff Psychologist, Cleveland Clinic Akron General<\/div>
\"Staff<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/span>
Dr. Kristin Silver<\/span> <\/div>
Staff Psychologist, VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Dr. Elsa Rojas<\/span> <\/div>
Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University<\/div>
\"Faculty<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span>
Dr. Megan Yetzer<\/span> <\/div>
Psychologist, Columbus Women\u2019s Wellness<\/div>
\"Staff<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span>
Dr. Vanessa Facemire<\/span> <\/div>
Staff Psychologist, VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System<\/div>
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<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Previous Lab Members<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>
<\/div>
Caitlin<\/span> Moore<\/span><\/div>

Research Interests:<\/strong>\u00a0I am interested in research with child development and trauma.
Hometown:<\/strong>\u00a0Medina, Ohio
Pronouns:<\/strong>\u00a0She\/Her
What does \"empowerment\" mean to you?<\/strong>To me, empowerment means\u00a0 pushing forward in the face of adversity and striving to create a better life for oneself and better future for others.<\/p><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Renee<\/span> Clippinger<\/span><\/div>

Research Interests:<\/strong>\u00a0I am interested in intimate partner violence and gender based violence.\u00a0
Pronouns:<\/strong>\u00a0She\/her
Hometown:<\/strong>\u00a0Wakeman, OH<\/p><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/span>
<\/div>
Janessa<\/span> Garcia<\/span><\/div>

Research Interests:<\/strong>\u00a0I am interested in gender-based violence victimization and perpetration, LGBTQ+ experiences, social support, trauma-informed care, feminism, and multiculturalism.
Hometown:<\/strong>\u00a0Chicago, IL
Pronouns:<\/strong> They\/them
What does \"empowerment\" mean to you? <\/strong>Empowerment occurs at all levels of a person's life; it is the development of a sense of personal power, an ability to affect others on an interpersonal level, and enacting change on social institutions on an institutional level.<\/p><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Nina<\/span> Parekh<\/span><\/div>

Research Interests:<\/strong>\u00a0Intimate partner violence, South Asian cultural values and experiences, arts-based trauma interventions, feminism, and multiculturalism
Hometown:<\/strong>\u00a0Baltimore, MD

<\/p><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/span>
<\/div>
Kristyn<\/span> Oravec<\/span><\/div>

Research Interests:<\/strong>\u00a0Looking at the LGBT+ community and how IPV looks differently within that community compared to heterosexuals and looking into different ways to use the research we find to advocate for more LGBT+ specific IPV support and resources. Additionally, looking into the interplay that gender has within the LGBT+ community and different types of IPV that are perpetrated within same sex relationships.\u00a0
Hometown:<\/strong>\u00a0Ohio
What does \"empowerment\" mean to you? <\/strong>Empowerment means being able to use your support systems and those who you are close with to overcome an obstacle that you are going through in your life. I firmly believe that people are not islands and that we need others in order to lift us up and help us deal with the struggles that we have in our lives. I also think that it means being able to learn from our past and taking those experiences we've had and becoming stronger from them. Lastly, I think for me, it also means being able to use my voice as a weapon and speak out against things I don't believe in or having conversations with others to widen my knowledge about different areas that I may not have as much background in.<\/p><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Brittany<\/span> Vanasse<\/span><\/div>

Research Interests:<\/strong>\u00a0Develop and expand my learned statistical skills in areas that I am passionate about such as the social construct of gender and its effects on individuals, LBGTQ+ experiences, feminism, and intersectionality.\u00a0
Hometown:<\/strong>\u00a0Dover, OH<\/p><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/span>
Mackenzie<\/span> Holliday<\/span><\/div>

Research Interests:<\/strong>\u00a0Eating Disorders, Intimate Partner Violence\/Gender-based Violence, Trauma\u00a0
Hometown:<\/strong>\u00a0Tallmadge, OH<\/p><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Previous Lab Members<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4579,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-551","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uakron.edu\/empower\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/551","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uakron.edu\/empower\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uakron.edu\/empower\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uakron.edu\/empower\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4579"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uakron.edu\/empower\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=551"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uakron.edu\/empower\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/551\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":952,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uakron.edu\/empower\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/551\/revisions\/952"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uakron.edu\/empower\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=551"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}