Kidist Beker
Kidist is now a PhD student at Oklahoma State University who received her bachelor’s degree in psychology at Oklahoma State University. She worked in the Laboratory of Emotion And Psychophysiology (LEAP Lab) as an undergraduate research assistant. She also worked as a mentor to first generation college students in the TRiO Program. Her primary research interest is in the difference in risk-taking attitudes of prenatal and postpartum women.
Lillian Bengtson
My name is Lillian Bengtson, and I am originally from Portland, Oregon. I earned my B.A. in Psychology from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, and am currently in my second year of the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program! My primary research interests include maternal-child relationships and the potential effects of trauma on individual development. I am interested in how maternal trauma can affect not only the psychosocial aspects of a mother-child relationship, but also how it may affect an infant’s physical development. In my free time, I enjoy hiking and backpacking in the great outdoors, cooking, reading, and spending time with the people I love.
Sierra Clayson
Sierra is in the second year of the Speech-Language Pathology Master Program at ISU. After graduation she plans to stay in Idaho. She has varying interests in the field and will pursue employment in a private practice setting as well as pursue interests in telehealth. Completing graduate school during the Covid-19 pandemic introduced her to the potential of using telehealth to provide services to more individuals and she hopes to provide services to rural populations in the state via telehealth modalities.
Nicole Douthit
After graduating from ISU, Nicole went on to work at Frenova Renal Research.
Jason Gibbs
I am currently a clinical supervisor for a behavioral health clinic in Appleton Wisconsin. My job is to oversee and provide supervision to our licensed therapists for our intensive outpatient program (IOP; 15 hours per week) and partial hospitalization program (PHP; 30 hours per week) for a wide variety of programs for kids and adults, including: Eating Disorders, PTSD, Anxiety Disorders, OCD, Mood Disorders, and Dual Diagnosis. I still collaborate with the lab on projects such as the MTURK study.
Rachel Godin
Jennifer Hambleton
My name is Jennifer Hambleton, and I hail from Jerome, Idaho. I earned my A.A. in Psychology from the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls, and my B.S in Psychology from Idaho State University in Pocatello. I am now in my fourth year of the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at Idaho State University. My primary research interests broadly involve exploring both individual and intergenerational effects of trauma-related stress on psycho-social functioning and physical health. In the Perinatal Psychobiology Lab, my research is examining how risk factors associated with inter-generational trauma transmission relate to infant temperament outcomes in a rural cohort of mother-infant dyads. In my spare time, I enjoy outdoor activities, painting, playing billiards, traveling, spending time with friends and family, and attending music concerts and festivals.
Madison Hoffer
After graduating from ISU in May of 2017 with a B.S. in Biology, I moved back to my hometown Boise, ID. I took a year off to travel and work as a phlebotomist. In August 2018, I began my first year of medical school at University of Washington School of Medicine. I am currently in my fourth year and will be graduating in June 2022, So I am in the midst of residency interview season! I am applying to Internal Medicine programs in the Pacific Northwest, with the eventual goal to practice as a hospitalist and possibly complete a fellowship in Infectious Disease or Pulmonology/Critical Care.
Madeline Hudson
Madeline graduated from TU in 2023 with her B.A. in psychology. She is currently working as a research assistant at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences in the Department of Psychiatric and Behavioral Sciences. She hopes to eventually pursue graduate school to become a clinical psychologist.
Anika Lovgren
Anika Lovgren is a second-year Master of Public Health student in Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health at the University of California, Berkeley. She conducts research with Stanford School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics and is currently examining the intersection of social and environmental neighborhood disparities on life-threatening complications during labor and delivery. In 2018, she received her Honors Bachelor of Science in Psychology and minor in Biology from Idaho State University. After the completion of her MPH, she intends to pursue a PhD in Environmental Health Sciences or Epidemiology to further examine prenatal environmental exposures on maternal and child clinical and behavioral outcomes. She is immensely grateful for the IDAHO Mom Study, her lab group, and Dr. Aubuchon-Endsley’s mentorship in helping her find her passion to examine maternal and infant health disparities.
Aimee Martin
I am currently working as a Special Education Teacher in Saratoga Springs UT teaching a Small Group classroom for students with Autism.
Kara Mennella
Kara Mennella is from Chicago, Illinois. She is currently a junior at TU majoring in speech pathology and psychology. Along with that, she is minoring in health sciences. She serves as the Secretary of Psi Chi and is a member of Phi Eta Sigma. She is involved in the Psychology Club and TU Catholic. She plans to attend graduate school for a healthcare profession related to speech/communication and memory. When she is not in school, she likes to hike, read, go to the gym, and bake!
Sara Meotti
My name is Sara Meotti and I am from West Hartford, CT. I am currently living in Teton Valley, ID, working as a ski and bike patroller at Grand Targhee Resort. I received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Vermont in Environmental Studies and Political Science. I am now returning to school at ISU in hopes to change career paths. I am currently in the process of completing the prerequisite courses for medical school. One day, I hope to work in women’s health or emergency medicine. When I am not at school I love to spend my time backcountry skiing, mountain biking, hiking, and volunteering with local organizations.
Joe Neal
Christy Nolde
Hi! My name is Christy Nolde and I was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota (brrrr!!) After graduating from the University of Minnesota in 2015, I spent 5 years putting my Economics degree to good use working in corporate Trade Marketing and Finance for a company based out of MN. After some soul searching, I realized that Medicine is my true passion and I decided to take a leap and switch careers. I have been accepted to Medical School and am anticipating beginning in the fall! Outside of my academic pursuits, I am an avid sci-fi novel reader, True Crime podcast enthusiast and proud new mother to my Golden Retriever puppy- Frankie.
Emma Opoku
My name is Emma Opoku. I am from St. Louis, Missouri and my family is Ghanian. I am starting my senior year at the University of Tulsa, majoring in Biology and minoring in chemistry. After completing my undergraduate degree, I plan to attend medical school. I have an open mind when choosing a specialty but recently women’s health, primary care, and family medicine have peaked my interest. I am passionate about patient education and patient advocacy in which ever specialty I choose. Outside of school I enjoy cooking, travelling, and spending time outdoors!
Abby Prow
Abby hails from Meridian, Idaho. She graduated from Idaho State University with a degree in Microbiology. Abby will be attending Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine beginnign in Fall of 2020. She has a variety of interests and is open minded about which specialty she would like to pursue. When she is not busy doing something school related, you can usually find her helping out at ISU’s Catholic student center on campus, working on her music memorabilia collection, reading, or spending time with family and friends.
Taylor Ramos
I am in my second year of PA school here in Pittsburgh. I am in my clinical year and am experiencing different specialties of medicine and finally putting all of my skills to use with real patients which is exciting. My electives for my clinical year are in addiction medicine and children’s dermatology. Addiction medicine was quite the experience because I worked in a Methadone clinic which was a side of medicine I hadn’t really seen before. I graduate next June and will probably end up back on the West Coast as I pursue a career and another degree in public health! Fun wise my husband and I recently added a new puppy to our clan and her name is Jaylah!
Jessica Riedstra
My name is Jessica Riedstra, and I am originally from San Jose, California. I received my B.S in Psychology from Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California, and my M.S. in Clinical Psychology at ISU in 2018. I am currently in my fourth year of the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program. My primary research interests include perinatal and maternal mental health and wellness, anxiety, stress, depression, and coping mechanisms. My research has focused on the psychological correlates of breastfeeding behaviors, and I am studying experiences surrounding pregnancy loss in my dissertation. In my free time, I enjoy reading, watching movies, hiking, cooking, and exploring Idaho.
Valeria Rodriguez
My name is Valeria Rodriguez and this is my first year here at TU. I am a transfer student from Tulsa Community College and graduated from Union High School. I was born and raised in Warner Robins, GA, and moved to Oklahoma when I was 12. I am a native Mexican speaker and fluent in Spanish. My parents are from Aguascalientes, MX. I have been a volunteer translator for Union Public Schools and various departments of Saint Francis Hospital. Double majoring in Psychology and Spanish, I am looking forward to going to law school to become an immigration lawyer. Currently, I am working to gain my certificate to become an official translator for court. I love representing my culture through Balet Folklorico, which is the traditional Mexican dancing that involves different costumes and rhythms representing each state of Mexico.
Isabella Saltmiras
My name is Isabella Saltmiras and I am from St. Louis, Missouri. I am currently a senior at The University of Tulsa and am majoring in Biochemistry and minoring in Psychology. I am also involved in the orchestra at TU, and I hope to continue to play the violin after college. After I complete my undergraduate degree, plan to continue my education at a pharmacy school, and I am in the process of applying to schools now. Outside of my schoolwork, I love cooking, music, hiking, reading, and spending time with friends and family.
Reilly Sasaki
Reilly is currently in the ISU nursing program. After graduating he would like to move back to Boise for a short time before becoming employed as a travel nurse and exploring more of the country. Eventually he would like to receive my NP and specialize in pediatrics. When not in school Reilly is often volunteering with my fraternity, exploring the mountains around Pocatello or hanging out at home with my two cats.
Lucinda Scott
My name is Lucinda Scott, and I am originally from Forest Grove, OR. I earned my B.S. and M.S. in Psychology from Idaho State University and I am currently in my fifth year in the Clinical Psychology PhD program. My research interests involve investigating the impact of health behaviors and social determinants of health on maternal mental health. I am particularly interested in how residence in a rural area or health professional shortage area (HPSA) impacts mental health. My clinical interests include a biopsychosocial approach to treatment and assessment, and mindfulness-based therapies. Outside of school I enjoy spending time and traveling with my friends and family.
Shelby Sidall
Since I left the lab I moved back to Boise, started a Master’s program in Counseling at ISU Meridian, worked in the Institute of Rural Health doing research on children with special health care needs and am currently working for Molina Healthcare. I also have a beautiful little boy
Shannon Snow
Hi! My name is Shannon Snow, and I’m from Belton, Texas. I’m a senior at the University of Tulsa, and I’m majoring in Psychology with a minor in English. I’m a member of Psi Chi, Psychology Club, and Chi Alpha. I previously worked as a research assistant with the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study at Laureate Institute for Brain Research. I plan on attending graduate school where I hope to obtain a PhD in Clinical Psychology. In my free time, I enjoy listening to music, woodworking, hanging out with my cats, and working as a barista at my hometown coffee shop.
Kyle Stephens
Kyle Stephens is from Austin, TX and is currently a junior pursuing a BS in psychology. He is involved in the psychology club and the treasurer of Psi Chi. He plans to go to graduate school to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology. When he is not at school, he is either climbing outside, coaching at Climb Tulsa, or hanging out with friends somewhere on the TU campus.
Hillary Swann-Thomsen
Alexis Swanson
My name is Alexis Swanson and I am born and raised in Pocatello Idaho. I am currently a rising junior at Idaho State University and am majoring in Health Science and minoring in Global Studies. After completing my undergraduate degree in spring of 2022, I hope to continue my education in Medical School. I am keeping an open mind as to what I would like to specialize in, however I am very interested in neuroscience, women’s health, and reconstructive medicine. When I am not studying, I like to spend my time volunteering, hiking, playing my instruments, and spending time with my friends, family, and puppy!
Jared Vineyard
After graduating as ISU’s first student to receive a Ph.D in experimental psychology, Jared went on to the position of postdoc fellow at St. Luke’s Health System. Next, in 2017 Jared started a position as a statistical faculty member at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Here he assists supporting faculty and graduate students in the study, design, data, and statistical analysis of research. He also teaches a graduate stats course to students seeking an masters in business administration
Hailey Wilcox
Hailey is a second-year Physician Assistant student at Des Moines University with an anticipated graduation date of June 2022. She is currently completing rotations in a variety of specialties including Cardiology, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Family Medicine, General Surgery, Oncology, Women’s Health, Behavioral Medicine, and Emergency Medicine. After graduation, she is excited to serve patients in her community utilizing Evidence-Based Practice and the knowledge and skills she learned both in her graduate program and during her undergraduate career working in the Perinatal Psychobiology Lab.
