Congratulations to the following students in the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences (CBCS) who successfully defended their doctoral dissertations this semester:
Jacquelyn Burckley, a student of criminology, successfully defended her dissertation, "Military Sexual Trauma and Suicidality: An Analysis of Interpersonal Risk Factors," on March 16. Burckley's examining committee included Stephanie Bonnes, PhD, who served as chairperson; Jessica Grosholz, PhD; who served as co-major professor; Ráchael Powers, PhD; who served as co-major professor; Richard Moule, PhD; and Mateus Santos, PhD.
Kelsey Greenfield, a student of behavioral and community sciences, successfully defended her dissertation, "Encouraging a United Response: A Systematic Review and Mixed-Methods Collaborative Evaluation of Co-Responder Model Effectiveness in Florida," on March 13. Greenfield's examining committee included Anna Abella, PhD, who served as chairperson; Kathleen Moore, PhD, who served as major professor; Liliana Rodriguez-Campos, PhD, who served as co-major professor; Paul Stiles, PhD; Kristin Kosyluk, PhD; and Kathleen Thompson, PhD.
Brooke Haney, a student of behavioral and community sciences, successfully defended her dissertation,"High Risk, High Need, High Potential? Exploring the Potential of Drug Treatment Courts for Individuals with Substance Use Disorders and Violent Offending Histories," on March 2. Haney's examining committee included Jessica Grosholz, PhD, who served as chairperson; Kathleen Moore, PhD, who served as major professor; M. Scott Young, PhD; and Donna Burton, PhD.
Trevor Maxfield, a student of applied behavior analysis, successfully defended his dissertation, "Development and Feasibility Testing of a Video-Based Virtual Reality Bullying Safety Skills Intervention for School-Aged Children with Disabilities," on April 3. Maxfield's examining committee included Elizabeth Shaunessy-Dedrick, PhD, who served as chairperson; Kwang-Sun Cho Blair, PhD, BCBA-D, who served as major professor; Raymond Miltenberger, PhD, BCBA-D; and Kimberly Crosland, PhD, BCBA-D.
Kimberly Menendez, a student of behavioral and community sciences, successfully defended her dissertation, "Examining Nonfatal Opioid Overdoses through Emergency Medical Services Data and First Responder Perspectives," on March 12. Menendez's examining committee included Kathleen Moore, PhD, who served as chairperson; Tom Massey, PhD, who served as major professor; Bruce Levin, PhD, who served as co-major professor; Ardis Hanson, PhD; and Khary Rigg, PhD.
Carl Reeds, a student of criminology, successfully defended his dissertation, "Prosecutorial Philosophy and Racial Disparities in Arrest Rates," on March 16. Reeds's examining committee included Ojmarrh Mitchell, PhD, who served as chairperson; Lyndsay Boggess, PhD, who served as major professor; Mateus Santos, PhD; and Michael Lynch, PhD.
Maria Salomé Velez, a student of social work, successfully defended her dissertation, "Case Managers' Perceptions of Working with Human Trafficking Survivors: A Secondary Data Analysis," on April 30. Velez's examining committee included Vicky Phares, PhD, who served as chairperson; Alison Salloum, PhD, who served as major professor; Jeongsuk Kim, PhD; Manisha Joshi, PhD; and Dinorah Martinez-Tyson, PhD.
Elzbieta Wiedbusch, a student of behavioral and community sciences, successfully defended her dissertation, "Unmasking Girls with ADHD Involved in the Juvenile Justice System," on March 13. Wiedbusch's examining committee included George Burruss, PhD, who served as chairperson; Kathleen Moore, PhD, who served as major professor; Micah E. Johnson, PhD, who served as co-major professor; and Michael Baglivio, PhD.
Trevor Maxfield with Kwang-Sun Cho Blair, major professor
Kimberly Menendez
Brooke Haney
In addition, the following CBCS students were admitted into doctoral candidacy:
Natalia Babenko
Aging Studies
Natalia Babenko earned a Master of Public Health from USF with a graduate certificate in Health Management and Leadership and is certified in public health by the National Board of Public Health Examiners. She has also earned a master's degree in chemistry and teaching and a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Donetsk National University in Ukraine. Babenko's research interests include psychological resilience in caregivers, age-friendly initiatives, social connection and engagement, health behavior and cognition of older adults, and mental health of older cancer survivors.
Celine Davis
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Celine Davis holds a Master of Science in speech-language pathology and a Bachelor of Arts in communication sciences and disorders, both from USF. With a clinical foundation in speech-language pathology, she has gained hands-on experience in the management of cognitive-communication disorders and dysphagia, particularly within the adult-geriatric population. Her research interests lie at the intersection of technology, culture and health. Celine is especially passionate about the integration of accessible mobile health technologies in aphasia research, exploring aphasia within multicultural populations and examining the impact of infectious diseases—such as COVID-19—on language and cognition.
Claudia Reyes
Applied Behavior Analysis
Claudia Reyes is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with a Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis from USF and a Bachelor of Science in psychology from the University of Florida. Her research interests include behavior reduction of high intensity problem behaviors, reducing reactivity in treatment integrity, and application of applied behavior analysis in childhood sexual assault and exploitation.
Estefania Simon
Behavioral and Community Sciences
Estefania Simon holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology, a Bachelor of Science in behavioral healthcare with a concentration in applied behavioral analysis, and an Master of Arts in rehabilitation and mental health counseling from USF. Her research areas are the intersections of disability and the criminal justice system.
Lacey Tucker-Karpisek
Behavioral and Community Sciences
Lacey Karpisek is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Qualified Supervisor and a Certified Public Health Professional. She holds a Bachelor of Science in behavioral healthcare with a concentration in applied behavior analysis, and both a Master of Social Work and Master of Public Health, along with a graduate certificate in translational research from USF. Her work integrates clinical practice, higher education and behavioral health research. As part of her doctoral training, she teaches in higher education and contributes to the mentorship of emerging behavioral health professionals. Her research focuses on advancing equitable, scalable behavioral health interventions through implementation science, with emphasis on task shifting, rural and underserved populations and technology-enabled strategies to expand access and improve outcomes.