This year, seven faculty with wide-ranging expertise join the team at the Lynch School of Education and Human Development. These community members bring with them diverse experiences across educational contexts and professional practices.听
Meet the new faculty:
What motivates your research & teaching?
鈥淚 am driven by a sense of curiosity about the human experience; I want to understand the narrative behind the statistics. I view research as a way of listening, which allows me to better support folks during vulnerable and transitional phases of their life.听听
This folds into my passion for training psychologists to approach each client with an understanding that there is a uniqueness to each person鈥檚 story. People and communities hold the wisdom within themselves to heal, but sometimes, the research doesn't account for that. It is important to start with the unique perspective of each person in front of you."
The intersection of trauma, spirituality, and human flourishing, with particular attention to how systems of oppression and communal resilience can shape pathways to healing.
Ph.D., University of North Texas
M.S., University of North Texas
M.A., Liberty University
B.S., Liberty University
B.A., Liberty University
Academic Researcher & Staff Psychologist, The Albert & Jessie Danielsen Institute, Boston University
Postdoctoral Research Associate, The Albert & Jessie Danielsen Institute, Boston University
鈥淚ts holistic approach and focus on the formation of the whole person, whether that be practitioners, researchers, clients, or community members. The Lynch School is very aligned with my approach to this work as well as the research I want to engage in, which centers marginalized voices that have yet to be fully represented in research.鈥�
鈥淚 am excited to take part in the holistic formation of students. As someone who is accustomed to working with students towards the end of their doctoral training, it鈥檚 exciting to go upstream a bit and work with undergraduate students as well.听
Whether it鈥檚 helping a student design a study, craft their dissertation, or wrestle with systemic complexities or power dynamics in class, I am looking forward to helping students attune intersectionally to the culture of each particular client. It鈥檚 very meaningful to be part of students' developmental trajectories鈥攖o get a glimpse of who they're going to become and the impact they're going to have.鈥�
What motivates your research & teaching?
鈥淚 am motivated to look beyond surface level and examine the various factors that influence how we feel, think, and behave. I view mental wellness through a public health lens, examining what cultural, societal, and environmental influences might be impacting our well-being. Every individual is different, but many of our personal struggles are informed by the interdependence of different systems, situations, and experiences.听
Research allows us to communicate important findings to law and policy makers in the hopes of making systemic change that improves mental health and wellbeing. It also helps us improve our understanding of the world and gives us new skills to make a positive impact, helping us to grow in a multitude of ways.鈥�
Race-based trauma, multiculturalism, post-traumatic growth, ecological systems in mental health, and technology integration in clinical practice.
Ph.D., James Madison University
Post-Graduate, Tabor College
M.A., The George Washington University
B.A., George Mason University
Founder and Owner, Two Rivers Psychotherapy and Consulting (present)
Associate Director, School of Counseling, Marymount University
鈥淚 am drawn to the Lynch School鈥檚 humanistic approach to learning, which is something I really value, both as a practitioner and as an educator. From my initial campus visit and conversations with the faculty, it was immediately evident that the community really practices what it preaches when it comes to a student-centered approach. There is a sense of welcoming and belonging here that you don't always find at other institutions.鈥澨�
鈥淚 am really excited to get to know the students and the essence of student life at Boston College. Every university is unique, so I am looking forward to familiarizing myself with the institutional culture while forming connections with students.听
I am also excited to connect with my colleagues, who are incredibly supportive of one another. There is always something new that we can learn from each other, and it doesn鈥檛 always have to be academic-related.鈥�
What motivates your research & teaching?
鈥淚 want to make psychotherapy as effective as possible. At its core, my work is driven by a love for the depth and authenticity that I have found in psychotherapy, both as a patient and a practitioner. I am passionate about connecting with people in a very real way and making sure others can do the same.听
My approach to both training and research is defined by two questions: How can I best impart knowledge to the next generation of psychotherapists, and how can I expand on existing knowledge in the field?鈥�
The improvement of psychotherapy effectiveness and access, with specific interest in the promotion of forgiveness and the integration of spirituality or physical activity for interested patients.
Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth University
M.S., Virginia Commonwealth University
B.A., Wheaton College
Associate Chair of Psychology and Ph.D. Training Director, Iowa State University
鈥淚 have known of the Lynch School鈥檚 Counseling Ph.D. program since my own doctoral studies; it is very well-known and respected nationally in the field of counseling psychology. When the opportunity became available to work in the M.A. in Mental Health Counseling program, it was such a fortuitous connection, and my family made the decision to move back to the East Coast.鈥�
鈥淚 am excited to join the community and get to know the staff, faculty, and students.听 In addition to providing training surrounding theories and the history of the field, I look forward to guiding students as they process their practicum experiences.
One of the most meaningful parts of my career has been sharing important learning moments with students. Whether in a group setting or one-on-one, there is nothing that compares to those lightbulb moments. What a privilege it is, to be part of that moment.鈥�
What motivates your research & teaching?
鈥淚 am motivated by the desire to understand how people go about the task of building lives together, much of which they have to do through communicating with one another.听
In the classroom, I aim to get students interested in these questions while providing them with the tools to think critically in regard to their everyday experiences鈥攎ost particularly, those that involve technology and media.鈥�
Linguistic anthropology that examines how people try to communicate with different kinds of nonhumans, from God(s) and animals to machines and AI, with a particular interest in how these relationships affect the sense of self.
Ph.D., University of Chicago
M.A., University of Chicago
B.A., Reed College
Professor, University of Texas at Austin
鈥淭hough I am only visiting for the Fall 2026 semester, I am excited to have the chance to be a part of the community. The Lynch School鈥檚 values and mission intersect directly with anthropological study. Both are concerned with questions of how people flourish, how they learn, and how they become members of their communities.听
I am very interested in how people are sorting out the use of technology to create new kinds of social relationships, and I believe that the faculty and students at the Lynch School will be fantastic interlocutors.鈥�
鈥淚 look forward to thinking through emerging issues with students. The current collective sense of what it means to be human feels quite unsettled. Chatbots and other forms of AI seem to be doing things that have long been associated with human-only skills, such as speaking comprehensible language or creating visual imagery.
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I am excited to unpack the insightful perspectives that the students of the Lynch School will bring to this emerging discussion, especially given their training and interest in thinking about the conditions of human development.鈥�
What motivates your research & teaching?
鈥淚 am motivated by the opportunity to contribute to the creation of learning environments that uplift and form people in meaningful ways. I am committed to redesigning and rethinking traditional approaches to education in order to ensure equity and belonging.
I see myself as a facilitator, especially working in graduate education, where many people are stepping into the classroom with an array of qualifications and field experience. I am honored to be part of collective formation in the classroom, where we come together for discussions and inspire one another to bring positive change to society.鈥�
Learning environments and the student experience on college campuses, with specific attention to how students experience belonging and how teaching informs this sense of belonging.
Ph.D., University of Maryland
M.Ed., University of Vermont
B.A., University of Virginia
Associate Professor, Department of Educational Leadership, Evaluation, and Organizational Development, University of Louisville
Assistant Chair, LEAD Department, University of Louisville
Program Director, Higher Education Administration, University of Louisville
鈥淚 am very drawn to the Jesuit values at the Lynch School, knowing the ways in which they infuse the research and scholarship here. I spent a year in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, and some of my first positions in higher education were at Georgetown University, a fellow Jesuit institution. I have always highly valued the work of my colleagues at Boston College, so I'm looking forward to working more closely with the community.鈥�
鈥淚t is exciting to be joining as Boston College welcomes a new president. Though the transition is certainly bittersweet for the community, I am inspired by the ceremony, institutional reflection, and sense of opportunity that go hand-in-hand with ushering in new leadership.
I look forward to getting to know faculty and students as I immerse myself in this incredibly well-formed community. From alumni of programs to retired faculty, I am excited to engage with the Lynch School鈥檚 global network as well.鈥�
What motivates your research & teaching?
鈥淐uriosity. Both in the classroom and in research, I aim to leverage curiosity to examine the impact of the ideas that are often embedded in both content and how learning is facilitated. It鈥檚 crucial to prioritize the perspectives of those who have, historically, had their voices ignored, as this allows us to thoughtfully and critically address the alignment, or lack thereof, between mission and practice. Only then can we make education more equitable and inclusive on every level.鈥澨�
Disability in education with a focus on lived experience, with specific attention to how we conceive of, respond to, and talk about disability, and the ways in which these practices influence outcomes in education.
Ph.D., Boston College
M.S., Simmons University
B.S., Boston University
B.A., Boston University
Head Librarian, Educational Resource Center, Boston College
Instructional Services Librarian, O鈥橬eill Library, Boston College
鈥淗aving spent a few years at the Boston College O鈥橬eill Library, I knew the Lynch School to be a place where whole person education is really central to work being done, both in research and in teaching. As someone who cares deeply about student formation, I found myself drawn to the community at the Lynch School.听
Following the completion of my Ph.D. this past spring, I am thrilled to be taking on a role where I can make an impact in shaping programs and learning experiences. I am excited to become involved in this community and support the folks who are part of it.鈥�
鈥淔ace-to-face time with students. Over the past four years, a defining aspect of my work in the Lynch School has been supporting folks with a wide range of research focuses and experiences. As I embrace this new faculty role, I am looking forward to devoting my energy to really connecting with students.
I am very excited to be teaching students who are in their very first semester at AV研究所, all the way up to graduate students who are approaching the end of their time in the program. This array of learners will bring so many different areas of expertise, experiences, and values to our classroom communities.鈥�
What motivates your research & teaching?
鈥淓mpathy. All of my work aims to develop a deep understanding of what folks are going through, then communicate the strengths and challenges of immigration to those who may not understand it. When I teach, I try to create a space where everybody is attuned to one another. I'm very proud to have cultivated classrooms where people truly open up.听
Oftentimes, those who engage with my teachings are connected to immigration in some way, whether they are the child of an immigrant or in a partnership with an immigrant. My hope is that I can expand this discussion to those who have not thought about the reality of immigration very much.鈥�
The experiences of the children of immigrants, with specific attention to common denominators across origins and socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as how contexts that receive them (schools, faith-based organizations, or after school programs) can make a difference in their flourishing.
Ph.D., California School of Professional Psychology
M.A., John F. Kennedy University
A.B., University of California, Berkeley
Professor in Residence, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Director, Immigration Initiative at Harvard, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Professor Emeritus, Human Development and Psychology, Graduate School of Education, UCLA
鈥淚 have long admired colleagues at Boston College who do important work adjacent to my own. There is a hub of like-minded folks here, and I love the emphasis on the whole person flourishing. This alignment of values is crucial at a time when the topic of my research鈥攁nd most importantly, the children and families that I study鈥攁re under attack. The Lynch School felt like a wonderful home for the initiative.鈥�
鈥淚 look forward to meeting and conversing with people, collaborating, and thinking together. To be in community with folks who remain committed, curious, and empathetically attuned鈥攖hat is very exciting.鈥�