Lab Personnel. |
Dr. Naomi Goldstein, Professor and Lab Director
|
Naomi Goldstein, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Co-Director of the JD/PhD Program in Law and Clinical Psychology, and Director of the Juvenile Justice Research and Reform (JJR&R) Lab at Drexel University. She collaborates with community stakeholders to use clinical and developmental neuroscience research to improve juvenile justice policy and practice. Dr. Goldstein conducts translational research to guide large-scale system change, lead implementation projects to promote high-quality dissemination of juvenile justice reforms, and evaluate the effects of new programs and policy changes on youth.
For more than 20 years, Dr. Goldstein has partnered with public agencies and individuals with lived legal system experience to generate and evaluate juvenile justice system reforms to: 1) prevent youth from entering the legal system and connect them with needed services in their communities, 2) minimize and optimize youths’ time in the legal system via use of empirically based interventions, and 3) promote youths’ long-term growth and wellbeing. Her work has led to improved school policing practices, enhanced community policing approaches that reduce racial and ethnic disparities for youth, greater protections of youths’ due process rights during interrogation, and implementation of developmentally responsive juvenile probation practices. Dr. Goldstein has been awarded nearly $25 million in federal, state, and foundation funding for community-partnered research to improve juvenile justice system prevention and intervention efforts. She has authored more than 100 publications, including peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, forensic assessment tools, juvenile justice treatment manuals, police training curricula, and books on juvenile justice. She has given more than 400 talks and workshops and provided training and technical assistance to more than 300 counties across the United States to support developmentally responsive juvenile justice system transformations. Dr. Goldstein has contributed to amicus briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court, authored comments to state supreme courts, provided recommendations to governors and state legislatures, and informed legislative decision making abroad. She also serves on city, state, and national policy committees and advisory boards, providing guidance on juvenile justice reforms grounded in research. Dr. Goldstein received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and completed her clinical internship at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. She obtained her B.A. in Psychology from Wesleyan University. | ||
Our Team
Rena Kreimer
| |||||
| Rena's Curriculum Vitae |
Rena Kreimer, MSW, currently serves as the Deputy Director of Drexel University's Juvenile Justice Research and Reform Lab. In this role, she facilitates communication between the Lab and diverse stakeholders and research partners; helps integrate empirical findings into state and local justice strategies; leverages grant funding to support change-making research, implementation, and evaluation projects; and provides technical assistance to jurisdictions engaging in data-informed juvenile justice initiatives. She also helps to lead the Lab’s contributions toward improving programs and systems through creative, data-driven translations of research, practice, and policy.
Prior to joining the Lab, Ms. Kreimer coordinated Philadelphia's Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) for the City of Philadelphia's Department of Human Services and Family Court, where she led and facilitated multiple reform projects to improve detention and juvenile justice practices, with a focus on juvenile probation enhancement. She previously gained professional experience in child-focused systems in California and Pennsylvania. Ms. Kreimer earned a B.A. in Psychology from Pitzer College, and an M.S.W. from the University of Pennsylvania.
Prior to joining the Lab, Ms. Kreimer coordinated Philadelphia's Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) for the City of Philadelphia's Department of Human Services and Family Court, where she led and facilitated multiple reform projects to improve detention and juvenile justice practices, with a focus on juvenile probation enhancement. She previously gained professional experience in child-focused systems in California and Pennsylvania. Ms. Kreimer earned a B.A. in Psychology from Pitzer College, and an M.S.W. from the University of Pennsylvania.
Amanda NeMoyer
Assistant Research Professor; Director of Research
| Amanda's Curriculum Vitae |
Amanda NeMoyer, J.D., Ph.D., is an Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Drexel University. In the Juvenile Justice Research and Reform Lab, she serves in a leadership role for several federally funded and foundation-sponsored research projects, including the Lab’s evaluation of a city-wide record expungement clinic initiative and an investigation into the patterns of verbal and physical violence in schools to lay the foundation for implementation and evaluation of a peer coaching intervention for non-classroom school climate staff.
With training in both psychology and law, Dr. NeMoyer enjoys evaluating current juvenile justice practices, investigating the potential need for reform, and advocating for policy change. In particular, her research has focused on alternatives to detention and incarceration for justice-involved youth, including diversion and probation initiatives.
Before joining the Lab in her current role, Dr. NeMoyer completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the Disparities Research Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, with support from Harvard Medical School and the National Institute of Mental Health, and completed her clinical internship at Emory University School of Medicine/Grady Health System in Atlanta, GA. Dr. NeMoyer earned a B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University, a J.D. from the Thomas R. Kline School of Law at Drexel University, and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Drexel University.
With training in both psychology and law, Dr. NeMoyer enjoys evaluating current juvenile justice practices, investigating the potential need for reform, and advocating for policy change. In particular, her research has focused on alternatives to detention and incarceration for justice-involved youth, including diversion and probation initiatives.
Before joining the Lab in her current role, Dr. NeMoyer completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the Disparities Research Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, with support from Harvard Medical School and the National Institute of Mental Health, and completed her clinical internship at Emory University School of Medicine/Grady Health System in Atlanta, GA. Dr. NeMoyer earned a B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University, a J.D. from the Thomas R. Kline School of Law at Drexel University, and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Drexel University.
|
|
|
Ilsa Papunen
Research Coordinator |
Derrell Frazier
Research and Policy Fellow |
| Ilsa's Curriculum Vitae |
|
Ilsa Papunen is the Research Coordinator for the Juvenile Justice Research and Reform Lab. She contributes to the evaluation of a city-wide expungement initiative in Philadelphia, a randomized controlled trial of a school safety initiative in Philadelphia public schools, and a multi-county evaluation of juvenile diversion reforms. Her research interests include forensic assessment, alternatives to incarceration, and improving outcomes for system-involved youth with substance use disorders.
Before joining the Lab, Ilsa assisted with research on substance use disorders, chronic pain, and suicide risk at the University of Michigan and Ann Arbor VA Healthcare System. She received her B.A. in Psychology with a Concentration in Clinical Psychology from Boston College in 2019. |
Derrell Frazier is an unwavering advocate for progress and a dynamic force at the intersection of social justice and community transformation. As the senior program manager of Memberships & Partnerships at Reform Alliance, his leadership has been a driving force propelling the organization in its mission to build safer communities through criminal justice reform. Through his journey, he has held key roles and made significant contributions to organizations like the US Dream Academy, Job Opportunities Task Force, and Annie E. Casey Foundation, including with the Youth Advisory Council and Juvenile Justice Strategy Group, showcasing his dedication to community empowerment and reform.
As a Research & Policy Fellow, Mr. Frazier will contribute to several projects in the JJR&R Lab, bringing to bear his years of experience in community engagement and partnership work to inform ongoing Lab efforts to work in collaboration with individuals and groups most impacted by juvenile and criminal legal policy. Additionally, Mr. Frazier will develop deeper policy knowledge related to youth probation to inform his work as a Next100 Policy Entrepreneur at the Century Foundation. |
J.D./Ph.D. Students
|
|
| ||||
|
Kelly Eom is a fourth-year student in the J.D./Ph.D. Program in Law and Psychology. Her clinical and research interests are in forensic psychology, focusing on topics of childhood stress and trauma in children and youth whose lives intersect with the justice system. She is particularly interested in adversity and its intersection with cultural and socioeconomic differences in ethnically minoritized and marginalized populations. She hopes to foster more discussion and compassion on issues of health, education, and equity. Kelly earned her B.S. in Psychobiology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, in 2017.
Jamie Kessler
Doctoral Student
Jamie Kessler is a second-year student in Drexel's J.D./Ph.D. program in Law and Psychology. Her clinical and research interests are in juvenile justice, particularly with regards to childhood stressors, exposure to violence, resilience, and intersections with the justice system. Jamie is also passionate about conducting community-based participatory action research, and she seeks to develop longstanding partnerships with the communities she works with. As she further hones her clinical and research interests, she hopes to produce work that facilitates change in the juvenile justice system. Jamie graduated with a B.S. in Psychology and Criminal Justice & Criminology from Loyola University Chicago in May of 2021.
|
Kayla McKeon is in her third year of Drexel’s J.D./Ph.D. Program in Law and Psychology. She’s particularly interested in assessing the effectiveness of various criminal justice system structures and alternatives to incarceration. Having previously worked in a social psychology lab, she is passionate about conducting research that effects social change and promotes equity and inclusion. Kayla obtained a B.A. in Law, Jurisprudence, and Social Thought and Psychology from Amherst College in 2022.
| ||
Ph.D. Students
Lena DeYoung
Doctoral Student
Lena DeYoung, M.S., is a fourth-year doctoral student in the clinical psychology program at Drexel University. Her research interests include to explore how youths' strengths and interests may serve as avenues for positive behavior change and to promote the use of community-based alternatives to justice system involvement. She currently leads a project focused on implementing and evaluating a city-wide criminal record clearing initiative. Lena received a B.S. in Psychology from Fordham University.
|
Nivedita Anjaria
Doctoral Student
Nivedita Anjaria, M.S., is a second-year doctoral student in the clinical psychology program at Drexel University. Her research interests relate to addressing systemic inequities in the criminal legal system, such as breaking the cycle of cumulative disadvantage and analyzing racial disparities. She currently leads a project training school personnel on trauma-informed practices for working with youth. Nivedita received her M.S. in Psychology from Drexel University in 2023 and her B.A. in Psychology from George Mason University in 2020.
| ||||
Ann Chandler Tune
Doctoral Student
Ann Chandler Tune is a first-year Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student in the JJR&R lab at Drexel University. Ann Chandler is committed to developing and implementing effective, multi-systemic, developmentally appropriate, and community-based services for children and adolescents involved in the legal system. She is fluent in Spanish and works bilingually in both research and clinical settings. She graduated from the University of Chicago in 2020 with a B.A. in Psychology and Latin American & Caribbean Studies. After teaching high school for a year, Ann Chandler worked as a mitigation specialist in the Children’s Defense Division of the Miami Public Defender’s Office for three years before beginning her doctoral studies.
| |||
Master's Students
Nick Hare
Master's Student
Nick Hare is a second-year master’s student studying psychology at Drexel University. His research interests include improving outcomes for justice-involved youth, examining the experiences of individuals after incarceration, and addressing racial disparities in the criminal justice system. Nick received his B.S. in neuroscience and psychology from Central Michigan University in 2023.
|
| ||
Our Research Assistants |
|
Kellina Anderson, Anjali Banker, Adonia Easie, Christina Ing, and Trinity Bass
If you would like to be a research assistant, contact Ann Chandler Tune. |
Featured Alumni. |
Kevin J. Bethel, M.S., is Commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department, the fourth-largest police department in the nation, with more than 6,600 sworn personnel. Previous assignments throughout his 29 years of service with the department included Deputy Commissioner and positions within the Special Investigative Bureau, Narcotics Strike Force, Narcotics Field Unit, Narcotics Intelligence Investigative Unit, and the Internal Affairs Division, as well as Commanding Officer of the 17th Police District. Most recently, he served as Chief of School Safety in the School District of Philadelphia.
Previously, Commissioner Bethel was a Stoneleigh Foundation Fellow and member of Drexel University's Juvenile Justice Research and Reform Lab, where he built on his extensive work in the juvenile justice field, including his development of the Philadelphia Police School Diversion Program. The program diverts youth who commit low level offenses and have no history of delinquency away from justice involvement and toward voluntary community-based services. He also founded the Law Enforcement Juvenile Justice Institute, which encourages a rehabilitative approach to youth offending.
Commissioner Bethel also serves on various committees and boards in the field of juvenile justice. He testified before the President's 21st Century Task Force on the need for a concerted effort by law enforcement leaders to address the school-to-prison pipeline across the nation. He was a member of the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Law and Justice, served as a faculty member for the International Association of Chiefs of Police Juvenile Justice Leadership Institute, and regularly lecturer on school diversion and racial and ethnic disparities at Georgetown University.
Chief Bethel holds a Master's Degree in Public Safety from St. Joseph's University and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Chestnut Hill College.
Previously, Commissioner Bethel was a Stoneleigh Foundation Fellow and member of Drexel University's Juvenile Justice Research and Reform Lab, where he built on his extensive work in the juvenile justice field, including his development of the Philadelphia Police School Diversion Program. The program diverts youth who commit low level offenses and have no history of delinquency away from justice involvement and toward voluntary community-based services. He also founded the Law Enforcement Juvenile Justice Institute, which encourages a rehabilitative approach to youth offending.
Commissioner Bethel also serves on various committees and boards in the field of juvenile justice. He testified before the President's 21st Century Task Force on the need for a concerted effort by law enforcement leaders to address the school-to-prison pipeline across the nation. He was a member of the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Law and Justice, served as a faculty member for the International Association of Chiefs of Police Juvenile Justice Leadership Institute, and regularly lecturer on school diversion and racial and ethnic disparities at Georgetown University.
Chief Bethel holds a Master's Degree in Public Safety from St. Joseph's University and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Chestnut Hill College.
Robert Listenbee, Esq., currently serves as First Assistant District Attorney at the Philadelphia Office of the District Attorney, where he is bringing his expertise and experience working at the local, state, and national levels on juvenile and criminal justice issues to this position.
Previously, Mr. Listenbee was a Stoneleigh Visiting Fellow and Director of Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Initiatives at Drexel University’s Juvenile Justice Research and Reform Lab. In this role, he worked with the city and state’s juvenile justice, criminal justice, and child welfare agencies and organizations to advance shared policy priorities.
In 2013, Mr. Listenbee was appointed by President Barack Obama as Administrator of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), serving in this position until January 2017. During his tenure as Administrator, he focused on three overarching priorities: addressing the core protections outlined in the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Act; reducing out-of-home-placements; and reforming the nation’s juvenile justice system so that it utilizes a developmental, trauma-informed approach with a focus on evidence-based practices and programs.
Prior to his appointment to OJJDP, Mr. Listenbee was Chief of the Juvenile Unit of the Defender Association of Philadelphia for 16 years and a trial lawyer with the Association for more than two decades. In this capacity, he was instrumental in developing several specialty court programs designed to divert youth out of the juvenile justice system and reduce their risk of residential placement. Mr. Listenbee has contributed his expertise on policy committees of the National Legal Aid & Defender Association, the National Juvenile Defender Center, the National Center for Juvenile Justice, and several other local, state, and national organizations. He played a central role in the Attorney General’s Defending Childhood Initiative and served as co-chair of the National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence. The MacArthur Foundation honored him as a Champion for Change in juvenile justice reform in 2011.
Mr. Listenbee holds a B.A. from Harvard University and a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley.
Previously, Mr. Listenbee was a Stoneleigh Visiting Fellow and Director of Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Initiatives at Drexel University’s Juvenile Justice Research and Reform Lab. In this role, he worked with the city and state’s juvenile justice, criminal justice, and child welfare agencies and organizations to advance shared policy priorities.
In 2013, Mr. Listenbee was appointed by President Barack Obama as Administrator of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), serving in this position until January 2017. During his tenure as Administrator, he focused on three overarching priorities: addressing the core protections outlined in the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Act; reducing out-of-home-placements; and reforming the nation’s juvenile justice system so that it utilizes a developmental, trauma-informed approach with a focus on evidence-based practices and programs.
Prior to his appointment to OJJDP, Mr. Listenbee was Chief of the Juvenile Unit of the Defender Association of Philadelphia for 16 years and a trial lawyer with the Association for more than two decades. In this capacity, he was instrumental in developing several specialty court programs designed to divert youth out of the juvenile justice system and reduce their risk of residential placement. Mr. Listenbee has contributed his expertise on policy committees of the National Legal Aid & Defender Association, the National Juvenile Defender Center, the National Center for Juvenile Justice, and several other local, state, and national organizations. He played a central role in the Attorney General’s Defending Childhood Initiative and served as co-chair of the National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence. The MacArthur Foundation honored him as a Champion for Change in juvenile justice reform in 2011.
Mr. Listenbee holds a B.A. from Harvard University and a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley.
Post-Doctoral Fellow Alumni
Leah Brogan, Ph.D.
Current Position: Psychologist, Center for Violence Prevention at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Associate Fellow, Center for Injury Research and Prevention at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Stephanie Brooks Holliday, Ph.D.
Current Position: Senior Behavioral Scientist, RAND Corporation.
Lindsey Cole, Ph.D.
Current Position: Associate Professor, Western New England University.
Joseph Gardella, Ph.D.
Current Position: Postdoctoral Associate, Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Siying Guo, Ph.D.
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Wayne State University.
Briana Huett, Ph.D.
Current Position: Associate Director, Office of Outreach and Engagement, University of Connecticut.
Current Position: Psychologist, Center for Violence Prevention at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Associate Fellow, Center for Injury Research and Prevention at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Stephanie Brooks Holliday, Ph.D.
Current Position: Senior Behavioral Scientist, RAND Corporation.
Lindsey Cole, Ph.D.
Current Position: Associate Professor, Western New England University.
Joseph Gardella, Ph.D.
Current Position: Postdoctoral Associate, Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Siying Guo, Ph.D.
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Wayne State University.
Briana Huett, Ph.D.
Current Position: Associate Director, Office of Outreach and Engagement, University of Connecticut.
J.D/Ph.D. Student Alumni
Stephanie Burke, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: Educating jurors about false confessions with juveniles.
Current Position: Assistant State Attorney, Office of the State Attorney, 4th Judicial Circuit of Florida.
Jennifer Mayer Cox, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: The impact of juveniles' ages and levels of psychosocial maturity on judges' opinions of adjudicative competence.
Current Position: Clinical Psychologist, Mental Health Management Services, Concord, NH.
Meghann Galloway, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: Remote sexual assault risk reduction: Changing sexual assault attitudes and beliefs of college men.
Current Position: Senior Advisor, Community Relations Service, U.S. Department of Justice; Senior Counsel, Office of Legislative Affairs, U.S. Department of Justice.
Emily Haney-Caron, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: True and false confessions: Comparing self-reported likelihood of confession with actual confession behavior.
Current Position: Assistant Professor of Psychology, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York.
Jennica Janssen, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: Public opinion on the appropriateness of juvenile sex offender registration and notification requirements.
Current Position: Associate Attorney, Giovanniello Law Group; CBT Therapist, Center for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy & Mindfulness.
Sharon Kelley, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: Addressing relative criteria for Miranda waivers: A comparison of juvenile justice youths' and adult offenders' understanding and appreciation of the rights to silence and legal counsel during police interrogations.
Current Position: Research Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioral Sciences, Institute of Law, Psychiatry, & Public Policy, University of Virginia.
Kim Larson, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: The effects of gender and length of time between commission of crime and trial on juveniles' trial outcomes.
Current Position: Professor, Department of Clinical Psychology, William James University.
Constance Mesiarik, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: Gender, suggestibility, and self-reported likelihood of false confessions.
Current Position: Clinical and Forensic Psychologist, Narberth, PA.
Amanda NeMoyer, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: Predictors of juveniles’ failure to appear at probation review hearings.
Current Position: Assistant Research Professor, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA.
Seyi Olubadewo, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: The relationship between mental health symptoms and comprehension of Miranda rights in male juvenile offenders.
Current Position: Psychologist, San Antonio, TX.
Lindsey Peterson, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: Answering the ultimate legal question: A survey of lawyers and psychologists.
Current Position: Therapist, ClearView Communities, Frederick, MD.
Suraji Wagage, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: Public opinion on juvenile solitary confinement.
Current Position: Co-Founder and Director, Center for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy & Mindfulness.
Melinda Wolbransky, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: Capital jury sentencing recommendations: The relationship between mental illness-related mitigating factors and life versus death decisions.
Current Position: Director of Evaluations, Gateways Hospital CONREP, Los Angeles, LA.
Heather Zelle, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: Judges' treatment of the knowing and intelligent requirements for Miranda waivers.
Current Position: Associate Professor of Research, Department of Public Health Sciences; Associate Director of Mental Health Policy Research, Institute of Law, Psychiatry, & Public Policy, University of Virginia.
Amanda Dovidio Zelechoski, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: The content of child custody evaluation reports: A forensic assessment principles-based analysis.
Current Position: Professor and Founding Director of Clinical Training, Department of Psychology, Purdue University Northwest.
Dissertation: Educating jurors about false confessions with juveniles.
Current Position: Assistant State Attorney, Office of the State Attorney, 4th Judicial Circuit of Florida.
Jennifer Mayer Cox, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: The impact of juveniles' ages and levels of psychosocial maturity on judges' opinions of adjudicative competence.
Current Position: Clinical Psychologist, Mental Health Management Services, Concord, NH.
Meghann Galloway, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: Remote sexual assault risk reduction: Changing sexual assault attitudes and beliefs of college men.
Current Position: Senior Advisor, Community Relations Service, U.S. Department of Justice; Senior Counsel, Office of Legislative Affairs, U.S. Department of Justice.
Emily Haney-Caron, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: True and false confessions: Comparing self-reported likelihood of confession with actual confession behavior.
Current Position: Assistant Professor of Psychology, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York.
Jennica Janssen, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: Public opinion on the appropriateness of juvenile sex offender registration and notification requirements.
Current Position: Associate Attorney, Giovanniello Law Group; CBT Therapist, Center for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy & Mindfulness.
Sharon Kelley, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: Addressing relative criteria for Miranda waivers: A comparison of juvenile justice youths' and adult offenders' understanding and appreciation of the rights to silence and legal counsel during police interrogations.
Current Position: Research Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioral Sciences, Institute of Law, Psychiatry, & Public Policy, University of Virginia.
Kim Larson, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: The effects of gender and length of time between commission of crime and trial on juveniles' trial outcomes.
Current Position: Professor, Department of Clinical Psychology, William James University.
Constance Mesiarik, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: Gender, suggestibility, and self-reported likelihood of false confessions.
Current Position: Clinical and Forensic Psychologist, Narberth, PA.
Amanda NeMoyer, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: Predictors of juveniles’ failure to appear at probation review hearings.
Current Position: Assistant Research Professor, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA.
Seyi Olubadewo, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: The relationship between mental health symptoms and comprehension of Miranda rights in male juvenile offenders.
Current Position: Psychologist, San Antonio, TX.
Lindsey Peterson, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: Answering the ultimate legal question: A survey of lawyers and psychologists.
Current Position: Therapist, ClearView Communities, Frederick, MD.
Suraji Wagage, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: Public opinion on juvenile solitary confinement.
Current Position: Co-Founder and Director, Center for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy & Mindfulness.
Melinda Wolbransky, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: Capital jury sentencing recommendations: The relationship between mental illness-related mitigating factors and life versus death decisions.
Current Position: Director of Evaluations, Gateways Hospital CONREP, Los Angeles, LA.
Heather Zelle, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: Judges' treatment of the knowing and intelligent requirements for Miranda waivers.
Current Position: Associate Professor of Research, Department of Public Health Sciences; Associate Director of Mental Health Policy Research, Institute of Law, Psychiatry, & Public Policy, University of Virginia.
Amanda Dovidio Zelechoski, J.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation: The content of child custody evaluation reports: A forensic assessment principles-based analysis.
Current Position: Professor and Founding Director of Clinical Training, Department of Psychology, Purdue University Northwest.
Ph.D. Student Alumni
Keisha April, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Let’s “talk” about the police: The role of race and intergenerational transmission of police legitimacy attitudes in the legal socialization of youth.
Current Position: Assistant Professor, School of Criminal Justice, Rutgers University.
Leah Brogan, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Sexual health knowledge and behaviors among young adults with and without juvenile justice system involvement.
Current Position: Psychologist, Center for Violence Prevention at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Associate Fellow, Center for Injury Research and Prevention at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Elizabeth Gale-Bentz, Ph.D.
Dissertation: The role of the juvenile probation officer in the review hearing process: Impact of probation officer recommendations on judges’ decision.
Current Position: Psychologist, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School/Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital, Worcester, MA.
Christy Giallella, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Are crossover youth a distinct group? Comparing the mental health and substance use needs of crossover youth and delinquent-only youth.
Current Position: Forensic Psychologist, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Kathleen Kemp, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Characteristics of developmental immaturity: A cross-disciplinary survey of psychologists.
Current Position: Assistant Professor (Research), Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University; Research Psychologist, Division of Child & Family Psychiatry, Rhode Island Hospital.
Rachel Kalbeitzer, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Evaluating legal learning: The effects of time and development on adolescents' understanding of legal rights.
Current Position: Clinical and Forensic Psychologist, U.S. Federal Government.
Jeanne McPhee, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Impact of Juvenile Risk Assessment Information on Judges’ and Probation Officers’ Decisions about Residential Placement and Restrictive Sanctions.
Current Position: NIMH T32 Postdoctoral Fellow, Juvenile inJustice Behavioral Health Lab, University of California, San Francisco
Doug Osman, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Relationship between academic achievement and Miranda rights comprehension and false confessions.
Current Position: Director, Clinical Science, MedAvane-ProPhase.
Lea Parker, Ph.D
Dissertation: Preventing Dual-System Involvement for Youth With a Child Welfare History: the Role of Prearrest Diversion
Current Position: Forensic Evaluator, Washington State Office of Forensic Mental Health Services.
Mina Ratkalkar, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Effects of trauma and child welfare history on decisions made by potential sentencing jurors for youth prosecuted in criminal court.
Current Position: Founder, New Spark Therapy, Durham, NC.
Christina Riggs Romaine, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Juvenile decertification in Philadelphia County: A model for jurisdiction-specific research.
Current Position: Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Wheaton College.
Jennifer Serico, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Clinical decision-making in the juvenile justice system: Effects of comorbidity on accuracy of diagnosis and treatment planning.
Current Position: Clinical Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; Psychologist, Center for Child and Family Traumatic Stress, Kennedy Krieger Institute.
Martha Strachan, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Development of a theory-based, Miranda rights education program: Are there cognitive developmental limitations to legal learning?
Current Position: Associate Professor, School of Medicine, University of Central Florida.
Lori Thomas, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Physical abuse or physical discipline: How do clinicians decide?
Current Position: Director of Forensic Services and Practice Development, Wynns Family Psychology, Raleigh, NC.
Jennifer Weil, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Developing a substance use screening instrument: The Juvenile Offender Substance Abuse Screen.
Current Position: Vice President, The Lewin Group, Falls Church, VA.
Dissertation: Let’s “talk” about the police: The role of race and intergenerational transmission of police legitimacy attitudes in the legal socialization of youth.
Current Position: Assistant Professor, School of Criminal Justice, Rutgers University.
Leah Brogan, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Sexual health knowledge and behaviors among young adults with and without juvenile justice system involvement.
Current Position: Psychologist, Center for Violence Prevention at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Associate Fellow, Center for Injury Research and Prevention at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Elizabeth Gale-Bentz, Ph.D.
Dissertation: The role of the juvenile probation officer in the review hearing process: Impact of probation officer recommendations on judges’ decision.
Current Position: Psychologist, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School/Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital, Worcester, MA.
Christy Giallella, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Are crossover youth a distinct group? Comparing the mental health and substance use needs of crossover youth and delinquent-only youth.
Current Position: Forensic Psychologist, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Kathleen Kemp, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Characteristics of developmental immaturity: A cross-disciplinary survey of psychologists.
Current Position: Assistant Professor (Research), Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University; Research Psychologist, Division of Child & Family Psychiatry, Rhode Island Hospital.
Rachel Kalbeitzer, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Evaluating legal learning: The effects of time and development on adolescents' understanding of legal rights.
Current Position: Clinical and Forensic Psychologist, U.S. Federal Government.
Jeanne McPhee, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Impact of Juvenile Risk Assessment Information on Judges’ and Probation Officers’ Decisions about Residential Placement and Restrictive Sanctions.
Current Position: NIMH T32 Postdoctoral Fellow, Juvenile inJustice Behavioral Health Lab, University of California, San Francisco
Doug Osman, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Relationship between academic achievement and Miranda rights comprehension and false confessions.
Current Position: Director, Clinical Science, MedAvane-ProPhase.
Lea Parker, Ph.D
Dissertation: Preventing Dual-System Involvement for Youth With a Child Welfare History: the Role of Prearrest Diversion
Current Position: Forensic Evaluator, Washington State Office of Forensic Mental Health Services.
Mina Ratkalkar, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Effects of trauma and child welfare history on decisions made by potential sentencing jurors for youth prosecuted in criminal court.
Current Position: Founder, New Spark Therapy, Durham, NC.
Christina Riggs Romaine, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Juvenile decertification in Philadelphia County: A model for jurisdiction-specific research.
Current Position: Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Wheaton College.
Jennifer Serico, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Clinical decision-making in the juvenile justice system: Effects of comorbidity on accuracy of diagnosis and treatment planning.
Current Position: Clinical Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; Psychologist, Center for Child and Family Traumatic Stress, Kennedy Krieger Institute.
Martha Strachan, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Development of a theory-based, Miranda rights education program: Are there cognitive developmental limitations to legal learning?
Current Position: Associate Professor, School of Medicine, University of Central Florida.
Lori Thomas, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Physical abuse or physical discipline: How do clinicians decide?
Current Position: Director of Forensic Services and Practice Development, Wynns Family Psychology, Raleigh, NC.
Jennifer Weil, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Developing a substance use screening instrument: The Juvenile Offender Substance Abuse Screen.
Current Position: Vice President, The Lewin Group, Falls Church, VA.
Master's Student Alumni
Carolyn Appleton, Ph.D
Thesis: IQ differences between male and female adolescent offenders.
Current Position: Clinical Director, Woods Services, Langhorne, PA
Stephanie Singer Burke, J.D., Ph.D.
Thesis: Psychometric properties of the Perceptions of Confession behavior in the Holding and Interrogation Process (P-CHIP).
Current Position: Assistant State Attorney, Office of the State Attorney, 4th Judicial Circuit of Florida, Jacksonville, FL.
Andrea DeWitt-Gay, M.S.
Thesis: Review of the MacArthur violence risk assessment study data: A look at neighborhood context and peer influence as factors increasing patients’ impulses to commit violent acts in the community.
Current Position: Director of Regulatory Compliance, Saint John Vianney Center, Downingtown, PA.
Kelley Durham, Ph.D.
Thesis: Depression and anxiety as predictors of adult offenders’ likelihoods of false confession.
Current Position: Psychologist, Kendall Psychological Associates, Cambridge, MA.
Kristen Fescoe, M.S.
Thesis: The relationship between comprehension of specific legal vocabulary words and comprehension of the Miranda rights warning.
Current Position: Director of Marketing Strategy, Connexio Health, Endicott, NY.
Holly Hinz Kaufman, Ph.D.
Thesis: Hostile attribution bias as a mediator of the relationship between psychosocial maturity and aggression.
Current Position: Clinical Psychologist, Kaufman Psychological Services, Atlanta, GA.
Rachel Kalbeitzer, Ph.D.
Thesis: Assessing the “evolving standards of decency”: Public perceptions of capital punishment for juveniles.
Current Position: Clinical and Forensic Psychologist, U.S. Federal Government.
Angela Pollard, M.S.
Thesis: Impacts of school transfer on academic achievement and attendance following school-based arrests.
Current Position: Ph.D. Student, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Sadia Rharbite, M.S.
Thesis: Relational aggression among college students involved and uninvolved in the Greek-life system.
Current Position: Mathematics Teacher, The Women's Leadership School of Astoria, New York, NY.
Stephanie Taormina, M.D., M.S.
Thesis: Young adults’ perceptions of police interrogation techniques with juvenile suspects.
Current Position: Psychiatrist, Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Boston Medical Center.
Marchelle Thomson, M.S.
Thesis: Treating self-mutilation in female juvenile offenders.
Current Position: Judge, National Association of Women’s Gymnastics Judges, San Diego, CA.
Madeline Barry Wessner, M.S.
Thesis: Comparing perceptions of conflict mediation strategies between school administrators and non-administrators.
Current Position: Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Psychology, Fordham University.
Thesis: IQ differences between male and female adolescent offenders.
Current Position: Clinical Director, Woods Services, Langhorne, PA
Stephanie Singer Burke, J.D., Ph.D.
Thesis: Psychometric properties of the Perceptions of Confession behavior in the Holding and Interrogation Process (P-CHIP).
Current Position: Assistant State Attorney, Office of the State Attorney, 4th Judicial Circuit of Florida, Jacksonville, FL.
Andrea DeWitt-Gay, M.S.
Thesis: Review of the MacArthur violence risk assessment study data: A look at neighborhood context and peer influence as factors increasing patients’ impulses to commit violent acts in the community.
Current Position: Director of Regulatory Compliance, Saint John Vianney Center, Downingtown, PA.
Kelley Durham, Ph.D.
Thesis: Depression and anxiety as predictors of adult offenders’ likelihoods of false confession.
Current Position: Psychologist, Kendall Psychological Associates, Cambridge, MA.
Kristen Fescoe, M.S.
Thesis: The relationship between comprehension of specific legal vocabulary words and comprehension of the Miranda rights warning.
Current Position: Director of Marketing Strategy, Connexio Health, Endicott, NY.
Holly Hinz Kaufman, Ph.D.
Thesis: Hostile attribution bias as a mediator of the relationship between psychosocial maturity and aggression.
Current Position: Clinical Psychologist, Kaufman Psychological Services, Atlanta, GA.
Rachel Kalbeitzer, Ph.D.
Thesis: Assessing the “evolving standards of decency”: Public perceptions of capital punishment for juveniles.
Current Position: Clinical and Forensic Psychologist, U.S. Federal Government.
Angela Pollard, M.S.
Thesis: Impacts of school transfer on academic achievement and attendance following school-based arrests.
Current Position: Ph.D. Student, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Sadia Rharbite, M.S.
Thesis: Relational aggression among college students involved and uninvolved in the Greek-life system.
Current Position: Mathematics Teacher, The Women's Leadership School of Astoria, New York, NY.
Stephanie Taormina, M.D., M.S.
Thesis: Young adults’ perceptions of police interrogation techniques with juvenile suspects.
Current Position: Psychiatrist, Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Boston Medical Center.
Marchelle Thomson, M.S.
Thesis: Treating self-mutilation in female juvenile offenders.
Current Position: Judge, National Association of Women’s Gymnastics Judges, San Diego, CA.
Madeline Barry Wessner, M.S.
Thesis: Comparing perceptions of conflict mediation strategies between school administrators and non-administrators.
Current Position: Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Psychology, Fordham University.
