Meet the Team

Robin Bailey joined Penn State in 2014 after receiving an Associates in Business Administration: Accounting from South Hills School of Business and Technology. Previously, Robin retired from the U.S. Navy as a Logistics Specialist (Storekeeper).

Brandon Balotti, M.S., received a B.S. in Psychology from Slippery Rock University and a M.S. in Psychological Science from Shippensburg University. He is interested in applied research—especially of education programs on the topics of health, nutrition, and well-being. Outside of the office, he enjoys traveling, hiking, and learning computer programming. He also enjoys a good book and cup (or more) of coffee.

Gerome Q. Banks is a Research Project Manager and veteran of the U.S. Air Force and Army. He received his M.B.A. with distinction from The New York Institute of Technology and a B.A. in International Economics from the American University of Paris. He is a doctoral candidate in organizational leadership. Prior to joining the Clearinghouse, Gerome provided senior program and project management, research, and writing expertise to senior Department of Defense executives in support of critical federal government strategies.

Lisa Bell, a Research and Evaluation Associate, received her B.S. in Business Administration with a major in Accounting from the University of West Florida. She is currently pursuing an M.S.W. from Widener University. Prior to her work at the Clearinghouse, she worked with New York University as a Research Scientist on the pilot of the Army Family Advocacy Program transition to the Incident Determination Committee. Lisa is a military spouse and is passionate about helping other military families whenever possible. When Lisa is not working, she enjoys running or working out with her family!

 

Mandie Boone, a Research and Evaluation Associate at the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readinessat Penn State, received her Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Social Sciences from Mount Aloysius Collegein 2007. Prior to her work at the Clearinghouse, Mandie worked as a preschool teacher for Hort Woods Child Centerat Penn State, and she has worked in the field of mental health for seven years as the Mental Health TechnicianManager and Staff Development Coordinator at the Meadows Psychiatric Center. Mandie is a military spouse, and sheis passionate about improving the health and well-being of our military Service members and their families. Mandieenjoys spending time with her husband and two children.

Kristi Brawley received her B.S. in Management from the Louisiana State University. She is a 27-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force and was deployed in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Being a military member, military spouse, and a parent, she understands the challenges and opportunities that face our military communities. At the Clearinghouse, she is passionate about assisting partners with implementing evidence-based programs that will have a positive impact on Service members and their families.

Molly Burns, M.A., a Research and Evaluation Associate, received her M.A. from Duquesne University in Communication Rhetoric and her B.A. from Westminster College in Broadcast Communications with minors in Speech and Theater. For 15 years, Molly taught courses in Communication at Penn State Altoona and Saint Francis University. In her free time, she and her husband enjoy traveling and performing with theater groups in the area.

 

Ryan Chesnut, Ph.D., received his Ph.D. in Communication Arts & Sciences, with a specialization in Family Communication, from Penn State. He received his M.A. in Communication and his B.S. in Communication from Southern Illinois University – Edwarsdville. His research primarily focuses on understanding how parent-child interaction shapes children’s developmental outcomes. He is particularly interested in investigating how parenting prevention and intervention programs can be harnessed to strengthen parent-child relationships and promote child well-being. His current work at the Clearinghouse focuses on the dissemination, implementation, and evaluation of a suite of parenting programs that have been adopted by the Department of Defense to support military families. He is also currently working on understanding how moral injuries that military personnel suffer during their service impact relational functioning. This work will help to inform family prevention and intervention services designed to strengthen Service member resilience and promote successful reintegration into family life.

Derek Croad, Learning Designer, received his M.A. in Higher Education and Adult Learning from Michigan State University and a B.A. in Education from the University of Michigan. He began his career as a K-12 classroom and mentor teacher and has been an instructional designer, developing engaging and authentic online courses, for the past 10 years.

Katie Davenport, Ph.D., a Research and Evaluation Scientist, received her Ph.D. from the Pennsylvania State University in Agricultural and Extension Education with a focus on applied program development and evaluation. She received her M.A. in Political Science from the University of Illinois. Her research interests include program evaluation and implementation. Katie appreciates translational research and discovering practical solutions to problems and applying science to practice and public policy. Katie joined the Clearinghouse in 2012 and has contributed to a wide range of projects related to research, program development, program evaluation, and implementation support for programs that support military family and veteran well-being. Her current work at the Clearinghouse focuses on the application of evaluation strategies to assess the impact of programs and policies that serve veterans.

Elise F. Dreibelbis is the Editor for the Clearinghouse, and she earned her B.A. in English – writing option from the Pennsylvania State University. She has used her professional editing skills in the following disciplines: Business, Continuing and Distance Education, Education, Engineering, Environmental Science, Geology, History, and Political Science. She has served as Editorial Coordinator for two professional Journals: The Association of Continuing Higher Education and Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance. Elise joined the Clearinghouse in 2012 and is very excited to be working in a field which positively impacts military personnel and their families. She is married and has four children, all four of whom have received their bachelor’s degrees from Penn State. She is the proud mom of an Army veteran.

Phillip L. Ealy, M.P.S., earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications from West Virginia State University, and a Master’s degree in Organization Development and Change from The Pennsylvania State University. Phillip is a retired Army Officer who has spent time working with foreign military around the world including Korea, Czech Republic, Jordan, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Romania to name a few. His interest includes leadership and organization development. Phillip is passionate about military families and the challenges they face on a daily basis.

Kellie Forziat Pytel, Ph.D., L.P.C, N.C.C., an Assistant Research Professor, received her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from the Pennsylvania State University. She received her M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lock Haven University with an emphasis on working with the military population. She has also earned two B.S. degrees, Psychology and Crime, Law, and Justice, from the Pennsylvania State University. In addition, she is a Licensed Professional Counselor and is recognized as a National Certified Counselor (NCC). Her main professional interests in research are military and first responder issues, suicide prevention, trauma treatment, counselor wellness/self-care, and counselor training/effectiveness. Her current work at the Clearinghouse focuses on the development of a new staffing tool for the Department of Defense’s Family Advocacy Program.

Cora Getgen, M.S. L.I.S., a Research and Evaluation Associate, received her M.S. in Library and Information Science and Advanced Certificate in Management for Information Professionals from St. John’s University and her B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Lock Haven University. While receiving her master’s degree, she focused on research that examined cultural humility and explored teaching social justice issues using graphic novels. Prior to obtaining her master’s degree, she served in the N.Y. and P.A. Army National Guard as a Health Care Specialist.

Jerah Griggs, M.Ed., L.P.C., a Research and Evaluation Associate, received her M.Ed. in Counseling from Georgia Southern University. She received her B.S. from Campbell University where she majored in Social Science and minored in Government. Jerah joined the Clearinghouse in 2016 and has worked on a variety of projects that have focused on the implementation and evaluation of mental health programs for Service members and military families. Having been an active-duty military spouse for over 20 years, and with a background in mental health, Jerah has worked to advocate for military Service members and their families for many years.

Jaemie Gyurik graduated from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown with a B.A. in Communicationand specialized in public relations and advertising. Previously, she has worked in web design/development andmarketing.

Cristin Hall, Ph.D., an Associate Professor in the College of Education at Penn State and a faculty affiliate of the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness, received her B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Penn State. She received her M.A. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Cristin received her doctoral training from the Penn State School Psychology Program. Cristin is a licensed psychologist and has had many clinical and school-based experiences with children and adults in a variety of settings including residential treatment, community mental health, corrections, and private practice. Her previous work as a research scientist for the Clearinghouse and for the Child Study Centers at Penn State sparked her interest in the dissemination of evidence-based practice using the internet and other technology-assisted platforms. She is committed to assisting with Clearinghouse projects that utilize technology-assisted delivery platforms to help serve remote and underserved families. Further, she is committed to school-based implementation of prevention and intervention for social, emotional, and behavioral adjustment.

Kyle R. Hawkey, M.Ed., a Research and Evaluation Associate, received his M.Ed. in Human Relations from Northern Arizona University and his B.S. in Psychology from Brigham Young University. Kyle has spent the last 10 years leading organizational-change, initiative-change, and enterprise-change for the Department of Defense, the Air Force, the Army, and the Department of Agriculture.

Mark Hixon received his B.S. in Information Sciences and Technology from the Pennsylvania State University with a minor in Security and Risk Analysis. After graduation, he worked for Dell EMC in Pittsburgh but decided to return to Penn State and began working for the Clearinghouse in 2018. Mark diagnoses and resolves personal computer problems and consults with individuals to help them collaborate and streamline projects. Mark enjoys tennis, biking, recording music, and playing video games.

Brooke Kanaskie, M.S.P.M., a Research Project Manager, received her M.S. in Project Management from the Pennsylvania State University and her B.S. in Biology from Virginia Tech University. Brooke is a Project Manager for the Penn State Schools Empowering At-Risk Students (SEAS) Team. She was previously a research assistant for the Child Study Center in the Psychology Department at Penn State under the direction of Dr. Karen Bierman and project manager for Project RESPECT under the direction of Dr. Jennifer Frank. Brooke has worked in a variety of research settings, including biology, biochemistry, psychology, and educational development.

Jennifer Karre, Ph.D., a Research and Evaluation Scientist, received her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Northern Illinois University. Her research interests include fathering, parenting, and program evaluation. She is also interested in using data visualization techniques to effectively communicate research findings. Her work at the Clearinghouse has centered on program evaluation and data visualization.

Ray Kiser, Graphic Designer, received her B.S. in in Graphic and Web Design from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and a B.S.Ed. in Art Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She spent 4 years as the University Graphic Designer for Indiana University of Pennsylvania before joining the Clearinghouse. In addition to graphic design, she enjoys video game design, digital illustration, and animation.

Sarah Lemieux earned a Bachelor of Arts with a minor in Information Technology from Brigham YoungUniversity – Idaho, and an Associate’s degree in Information Technology from South Hills School of Business andTechnology.

Jessica Lynch, a Research and Evaluation Associate, earned her M.S.W. from Syracuse University and her B.S.W. from Plattsburgh State University. For 16 years, she has managed family advocacy programs and provided clinical treatment to children, adolescents, families, and couples. She is passionate about providing education to military families to mitigate stress and enhance quality of life. She is a military spouse and enjoys spending time with family, exploring outdoors, and photography.

Brittny Mathies, Ph.D., a Research Project Manager, is originally from New Orleans, Louisiana. She earned her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from Auburn University, her M.S. in Human Development and Family Studies from The University of Alabama, and her B.A. in Psychology from Mississippi State University. Prior to joining the Clearinghouse, Brittny worked as a director at a large non-profit organization where she oversaw research, strategic initiatives, and after-school programming. She has also taught several undergraduate-level courses in child and adolescent development.

Timothy Mazer received his B.S. in Secondary Education and History from Bloomsburg University. Prior to joining the Clearinghouse, he worked as a lead teacher for a cyber school and provided training and support services to his colleagues. He is interested in the research, dissemination, implementation, and evaluation of school-based programs that improve the well-being of at-risk student populations.

Kimberly McCarthy is a Research Project Manager with the Penn State VETERANetwork, and she is a trainer and curriculum writer for the THRIVE parenting initiative. She received her B.S. with high distinction in Health Policy and Administration and Human Development and Family Studies from the Pennsylvania State University. She is certified as a health education specialist, a coach, and as a trainer for a variety of evidence-based youth development, parenting, and community mobilization programs. In addition, she completed Leadership Center County. In previous roles, Kimberly coordinated coaching, technical assistance, and education efforts for federal and state initiatives aimed at improving outcomes for low-resource populations, increasing the utilization of evidence-based strategies for positive youth development, and promoting medical and dental access for underserved populations. Kimberly has also contributed to large-scale evaluation efforts, including a randomized control trial. Kimberly is grateful for the impactful work of her current position, and she strives to contribute to the Clearinghouse by embracing the perspectives of a community implementer, technical assistance provider, master trainer, coach, grant writer, program developer, and military spouse.

Matt McGee, M.Ed., graduated with his B.S. in Psychology and his M.Ed. in Learning, Design, and Technology from Penn State. He is passionate about creating engaging learning materials and designing interactive learning experiences.

Nicole R. Morgan, Ph.D., received her B.A. in Psychology from the University of North Dakota and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies from the Pennsylvania State University. She takes a developmental approach and applies advanced statistical analysis to evaluate prevention programs designed to reduce child maltreatment, post-traumatic stress, and improve well-being for Veterans and their families. Dr. Morgan has extensive experience in data management, measurement, program evaluation, and analysis. She has been data manager and analyst for The Veterans Metrics Initiative, a longitudinal study utilizing an innovative method for understanding the relationship between program components and Veteran well-being. Dr. Morgan’s experience with analytic models includes weighted data analysis, matched propensity, and longitudinal growth models. Prior to entering college, Nicole served five years in the U.S. Air Force as an Air Traffic Control Radar Specialist and Quality Control Specialist.

Christopher Nebgen is a Programmer/Analyst working with the Learning Design and Communications team. He received his A.A.S. from The South Hills School of Business and Technology. Prior to joining the Clearinghouse, Christopher worked for Forever Media, LLC, and for vCreative, LLC, as a developer and system administrator.

Holly Nusom, M.A., a Research and Evaluation Associate, received her M.A. in Teaching from Concordia University in Portland, Oregon, and a B.S. in Child, Family, and Consumer Studies from the University of Idaho. As the spouse of an active duty Soldier and parent of four, Holly understands the complex challenges and opportunities inherent to military life. She works to cultivate connection and wellness in the military community through involvement with local and national military spouse networks, installation support agencies, and community organizations. Most recently, Holly assisted with the implementation of the Army’s first Spouse Employment Center at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Her current work at the Clearinghouse focuses on parent education, military family transition to civilian life, and military spouse resource identification.

Cameron Richardson, Ph.D., a Research and Evaluation Scientist, received his Ph.D. in Human Development from the University of Maryland and his B.S. in Psychology from the Pennsylvania State University. His research focuses on program implementation and evaluation, including how to translate evidence to practice, inter- and intra-group relations, and moral development across the lifespan. He has taught college-level courses in research methods, developmental psychology, and psychological theory. His current work at the Clearinghouse involves analyzing the policy landscape in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as it relates to the support of veterans and identifying what is working and what could be improved for veterans with regard to finding where gaps in service provision exist. In addition, Cam is working on understanding the impacts that exposure to morally injurious events while serving in the military can have upon military personnel and their loved ones.

Jillian Rodgers, M.P.S., earned her M.P.S. in Community and Economic Development and her B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies from Penn State University. Jillian’s research interests include international development, policy, and the evaluation of community-based programs.

Jessie H. Rudi, Ph.D., received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Family Social Science from the University of Minnesota and her B.S. with honors in Human Development and Family Studies from Penn State University. Jessie is passionate about utilizing her quantitative skills and developmental mindset to solve complex data problems and answer applied research questions. Her research has examined technology use in the family context, parent-child relationships and parenting adolescents, program engagement and evaluation, and financial well-being during the transition to adulthood.

Terri Rudy, M.P.A., earned her M.P.A. and B.A. (Psychology) from Penn State University. Terri is a Research and Evaluation Associate at the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness and the Project Manager for the Resource Center for Improving Family Health Behaviors. She joined the Clearinghouse in 2012 and, currently, manages the outreach and communication efforts for several applied social science research projects. Terri has been involved in the development and implementation of programs and projects that focus on promoting health among military families, including the programs that fall within the THRIVE Initiative.

Tara Saathoff-Wells, Ph.D., CFLE (Certified Family Life Educator) earned her M.S. in family relations and child development at Oklahoma State University, received her doctorate in organizational culture and family development from the University of Alabama in 2000, and became a certified family life educator in 2011. Her research focuses on strengths and challenges experienced by highly mobile families, early intervention, and parent education and home visitation programming. She recently co-authored a textbook on military families and taught a variety of Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) courses including a course on military family life, during her time as a faculty member at both Central Michigan University and the University of Central Florida.

Jill A. Schulte, M.Ed., a Research Project Manager, earned a M.Ed. in Youth and Family Education from the Pennsylvania State University and a B.A. in Family Services from the University of Northern Iowa. Jill worked as the Program Coordinator for the Department of Children and Youth Domestic Violence Program in Buchanan County, Iowa, and as a Family Worker for Head Start. At the Clearinghouse, Jill manages several research projects that are designed to support military professionals who work with the Family Advocacy Program. Her research interests include programing that promotes well-being for families and youth. She enjoys spending time with her husband and two children.

Jennifer Smith, M.Ed., earned a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education with an emphasis in Communication Arts at Clarion University in 2000. She completed her graduate work in 2008 at Lancaster Bible College and earned her M.Ed. in School Counseling. Outside of her work with the Clearinghouse, Jennifer’s interests include being a group fitness instructor, running, theater and music performance, and being a mom of four children.

Avery Urusow graduated from The Pennsylvania College of Technology with an A.A. in Advertising Art, and Temple University with a B.S. in Advertising. Although classified as a graphic designer, Avery also enjoys illustration, animation, and anything else art related.

Brett Weldon is a graduate of the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Family, Youth, and Community Sciences with a minor in Organizational Leadership for Nonprofits. Brett is currently working on earning his Master’s degree in Public Administration at Penn State. His current professional interests are concentrated on program design, development, and evaluation.

Lisa White, M.Ag., a Research and Evaluation Associate, earned her M.Ag. in Horticulture and her B.A. in Anthropology from Penn State. Lisa joined the Clearinghouse in 2014 and has led a variety of research, evaluation, and cost-benefit analysis projects in partnership with the Army, Air Force, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. For almost a decade prior to joining the Clearinghouse team, Lisa was a project manager at Penn State’s Survey Research Center. Lisa has applied research experience in both the natural and social sciences. Most recently, Lisa has managed projects that focus on the military’s Family Advocacy Program, which is a program designed to help prevent and treat intimate partner violence and child maltreatment within military families. Lisa is gratified to be part of an organization with a mission to help support and foster the resilience and well-being of the military community.

Savanna Woika, M.Ed., received her master’s degree in counseling education and her B.S. in Rehabilitation from Penn State. At the Clearinghouse, she has worked as a graduate assistant and as a research assistant for the Schools Empowering At-Risk Students (SEAS) project since January of 2019. She is excited to be working with the SEAS team because it is an opportunity to positively affect the school experiences of thousands of military-connected children.

Sing Wong, M.Ed., received his M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration, with a focus in Curriculum Development, from the Pennsylvania State University and a B.S. in Finance from Penn State. Prior to joining the Clearinghouse, Sing worked in several different roles, from instructional production to learning design, that have centered around curriculum development and online learning. His research interests include the use of education technologies and learning sciences in creating effective communities of learning. Outside of the office, Sing enjoys spending time with his family and his dog.

Melissa Zack, Ph.D., earned a B.A. in Sport and Exercise Science, an M.S. in Nutrition in Sport andChronic Disease, and a Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences. Melissa enjoys spending her free time walking, weighttraining, reading, and being with friends and family.