2020 OPA Conference Virtual Student Poster Session

 

Gamer Tech to Teaching Tech—A Proposal for a Truly Gamified Technology-Assisted Flipped-Classroom - Pacific University

Peter A. Steele is currently a fourth-year doctoral candidate at Pacific University in Hillsboro, Oregon. Mr. Steele received his BA in human services from Lesley University in 2010, his MA in clinical mental health counseling with a specialization in trauma from Lesley University in 2013, and his MA in clinical psychology from Pacific University in 2018. Mr. Steele’s research interests include diversity considerations; graduate psychology teaching and training; the gamification of psychological principles and clinical interventions; clinical supervision; and psychological assessment, scale development, and validation. Mr. Steele has experience in presenting at local, regional, and national professional conferences on various topics in the field of psychology including trauma-informed care; addictions treatment; religious, spiritual, and secular worldviews; prospective memory; microaggressions; scale development; and gamification.

 

Dr. Bjorn Bergstrom is an Assistant Professor and Clinical Psychologist, engaging in research, teaching, consulting and clinical practice. Dr. Bergstrom's research foci are: Anxiety disorders, Exposure therapy and integrated behavioral therapies, Treating comorbid and complex presentations, small-N design research, Psychological ethnography and clinical case studies, Adapting and tailoring evidence-based practices (EBPs) to individual clients and cultural contexts. Systems and organizational-effectiveness, -culture, and -leadership. Dr. Bergstrom also engages in organizational consulting, helping organizations improve workflow, team functioning, diversity and wellness trainings and leadership development. Dr. Bergstrom’s clinical practice (www.anxietytherapyclinic.com) primarily provides EBP treatments for: Anxiety Disorders, ADHD, gifted and talented populations, and Couples Counseling.

 

Keegan King completed his MS in Psychology in 2019 at Pacific University. His research was varied, but included Personality profiling and trait Theory; the study of extremist groups, lone wolf terrorism, and cognitive dissonance; and correlates of success in graduate psychology programs. As of the Fall of 2019, Mr. King begun his PhD Program at Pacific University where he studies under Dr. Peter Vik where he focused his research on the use of technology in neuropsychological assessment in older adults and he continues projects in gamification, end-of life care, pedagogy, and intervention technology


Suicidal Idealtion in a Transgender/Gender Non-Conforming Population - George Fox University 

Jo Crowl, M.A. is a fourth-year doctoral candidate at George Fox University. Her professional interests include working long-term therapy with trauma survivors, improving LGBTQ+ healthcare access, and spirituality. Jo’s hobbies outside of school include reading, hiking, cooking, nursing houseplants back to health, and spending as much time with her family as possible.

 

 

 

Born and raised in California, Kami Naber, M.A. has lived in Oregon for the last 18 years, enjoying it’s beautiful nature and friendly people. She is a doctoral student in clinical psychology with a specialty in adolescents, currently working on a high school based, population health intervention to decrease suicidality in this population. Upon completion of her degree, she plans to work in private practice, adjunct profess at a University and speak on suicide prevention.

 

Elisabeth Gibson, MA, MS, NTP is a current 3rd year Doctor of Psychology student at George Fox University. Prior experience within college counseling and nutritional therapy informed her decision to pursue clinical work from an integrative approach. She is interested in working with trauma from integrative health and neuropsychological perspectives with adult and military populations. Current research projects include vicarious trauma in doctoral students and bicultural identity formation in early-career professionals.

 

Danni Ewing, BS is currently a second year Doctor of Psychology student at George Fox University. Her research interests include trauma, LGBTQ issues, and access to healthcare. In her free time, Danni enjoys painting, gardening, and learning languages.

 

 William (Bill) Buhrow, PsyD is completing his 26th year at George Fox University where he serves as Dean of Student Services, Director of the Health and Counseling and Asst. Professor in their APA-Approved Graduate School of Clinical Psychology. He is a licensed psychologist with specialties in college student mental health, the integration of faith and psychology, and mental health crisis evaluation. Dr. Buhrow's hobbies include playing basketball and tennis, doing his own house repairs and landscaping, attending Broadway shows and outdoor concerts, and watching series like Stranger Things, Bosch and Hunters.

 


The Prevalence of ACEs and Compassion Fatigue Among Healthcare Professionals – An Ongoing Study - Pacific University

Winner: Professionalism & Relational Competency Award

 

Sarah D. Afromowitz is currently a third-year doctoral student at Pacific University in Hillsboro, Oregon. She is expected to graduate on the Adult Track with her PsyD in clinical psychology in 2022. Her research interests include trauma, resilience, ACEs, compassion fatigue, preventative mental health care, and program development for suicide prevention. Ms. Afromowitz is involved in other ongoing research where secular, spiritual, and religious diversity factors intersect with healthcare providers’ training and clinical work. In addition, Ms. Afromowitz has clinical training experience in interprofessional healthcare settings and long-term specialty mental health settings working with clients of all ages.

 

 

Dr. Matthew Hunsinger is an associate professor in the School of Graduate Psychology at Pacific University, where he teaches Social Psychology, Research Methods, and Statistics.  He earned his M.S. in Cognitive Science at Illinois State University and his Ph.D. in Experimental Social Psychology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.  His areas of research include the impact of meditation, implicit bias, and predictors of conspiratorial thinking.


The Healthy Steps Program: Developmental Trajectory of Underserved, High-Risk Infants in an Integrated Pediatric Primary Care Setting - Pacific University

Winner: Science & Application Competency Award

Chelsea George, MA is a graduate student from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. She is in her third year in the Psy.D. program at Pacific University, and she is a member of the child and adolescent track. Chelsea’s clinical and research interests include parenting practices, trauma, pediatric psychology, and increasing access to behavioral health services for children and families with complex medical conditions. She provides assessment, therapy, and consultation for children and families in medical settings.

Allison Brandt, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor in the School of Graduate Psychology at Pacific University. She completed her pre-doctoral clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. Her scholarly work focuses on improving the access and quality of evidence-based treatments for underserved children and families, particularly Spanish-speaking Latinx families.
Dr. Paul G. Michael received his BS from Virginia Tech and earned his PhD in Experimental Psychology from the University of Memphis. Dr. Michael has been a faculty member for the past 15 years and has taught courses in personnel selection and assessment, research methods, meta-analysis, and advanced statistics. He is currently a Professor in the School of Graduate Psychology, Pacific University. Throughout his tenure, he has provided design and statistics consultation and has conducted research on anxiety and attitudes related to statistics and research. Further, he has served as a member on over 90 theses or doctoral dissertations, authored/co-authored 16 peer-reviewed publications, 2 book chapters, and over 60 professional presentations.


Compassion Satisfaction as a Protective Factor Among Teachers Working with Children Impacted by Trauma - Pacific University

My name is Kelsie Arsenault, and I am a second year Masters student in the Applied Psychological Science Program at Pacific University. I am originally from Canada, but grew up in Oregon for most of my life. My clinical/ research interests include working with children and adolescents who have experienced trauma and/or neglect. More specifically, I am interested in topics such as attachment, resilience, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Parent Child Interaction Therapy, and other forms of prevention and early intervention. My previous experience includes working as a research assistant in different labs at the University of Oregon, where I would collect and prep data for analysis. I also have some experience administering assessments with preschool age children with developmental delay, as well as working with kids from 5-13 in a school based setting. Currently, I am interning as a Registered Behavior Analysis Interventionist (RBAI), and working directly with young children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). I am graduating my program this August, and plan to go on to work as a School Counselor in rural Oregon. 

 
  My name is Madison Boeh, and I am a second-year PsyD student on the Child Track at Pacific University in Hillsboro, Oregon. My research interests include Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), childhood trauma, and programs/interventions geared toward supporting children and adolescents with trauma histories. I especially enjoy working with adolescents, and I hope to someday work as a psychologist at an adolescent psychiatric inpatient unit or residential care facility. 
  Allison Brandt, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor in the School of Graduate Psychology at Pacific University. She completed her pre-doctoral clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. Her scholarly work focuses on improving the access and quality of evidence-based treatments for underserved children and families, particularly Spanish-speaking Latinx families


Gender-Role Flexibility, Resilience, and Interpersonal Trauma - Pacific University

Winner: Diversity Award

Kiersten Kelly, MA is a doctoral student in her third year of the Adult Track of the School of Graduate Psychology of Pacific University. Kiersten is dedicated to enhancing the well-being of survivors of trauma through her clinical practice and research. She is especially interested in improving methods for honoring and utilizing clients’ innate strengths and resilience in treatment. 

 

 

Dr. Paul G. Michael received his BS from Virginia Tech and earned his PhD in Experimental Psychology from the University of Memphis. Dr. Michael has been a faculty member for the past 15 years and has taught courses in personnel selection and assessment, research methods, meta-analysis, and advanced statistics. He is currently a Professor in the School of Graduate Psychology, Pacific University. Throughout his tenure, he has provided design and statistics consultation and has conducted research on anxiety and attitudes related to statistics and research. Further, he has served as a member on over 90 theses or doctoral dissertations, authored/co-authored 16 peer-reviewed publications, 2 book chapters, and over 60 professional presentations.


The Role of Self-Efficacy and Attitudes Toward Dating Violence in College Students - Pacific University

Grace Hawley is currently a Clinical Psychology doctoral student at Pacific University, School of Graduate Psychology, in Hillsboro, Oregon.  She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri and her Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology at Pacific University, School of Graduate Psychology.  She has clinical experience providing therapy services to individuals, couples, and families in a community mental health setting and has specialized training working with victims and perpetrators of domestic violence, including sexual assault and abuse.  She has a specific passion for working with underserved clients and the LGBTQIA+ community.  Grace’ research interests include examining the impact of childhood trauma on adult mental health and examining risk and protective factors for sexual assault and intimate partner violence, particularly in young adults.   

 

Dr. Paul G. Michael received his BS from Virginia Tech and earned his PhD in Experimental Psychology from the University of Memphis. Dr. Michael has been a faculty member for the past 15 years and has taught courses in personnel selection and assessment, research methods, meta-analysis, and advanced statistics. He is currently a Professor in the School of Graduate Psychology, Pacific University. Throughout his tenure, he has provided design and statistics consultation and has conducted research on anxiety and attitudes related to statistics and research. Further, he has served as a member on over 90 theses or doctoral dissertations, authored/co-authored 16 peer-reviewed publications, 2 book chapters, and over 60 professional presentations.


Impact of Maternal ACEs and Postpartum Depression on Infant Socioemotional Functioning - Pacific University

 

Lindsay Kuo is currently a doctoral student in clinical psychology at Pacific University. She received her MA in Psychology at Pacific University. Previously she earned her MSSW at the University of Texas at Austin and worked as a licensed social worker in medical social work. Her clinical and research interests focus on child and family interventions, especially for diverse, multicultural populations. 

 

 

Dr. Paul G. Michael received his BS from Virginia Tech and earned his PhD in Experimental Psychology from the University of Memphis. Dr. Michael has been a faculty member for the past 15 years and has taught courses in personnel selection and assessment, research methods, meta-analysis, and advanced statistics. He is currently a Professor in the School of Graduate Psychology, Pacific University. Throughout his tenure, he has provided design and statistics consultation and has conducted research on anxiety and attitudes related to statistics and research. Further, he has served as a member on over 90 theses or doctoral dissertations, authored/co-authored 16 peer-reviewed publications, 2 book chapters, and over 60 professional presentations.

 

Allison Brandt, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor in the School of Graduate Psychology at Pacific University. She completed her pre-doctoral clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. Her scholarly work focuses on improving the access and quality of evidence-based treatments for underserved children and families, particularly Spanish-speaking Latinx families


Diagnosis effects on the three pongs of competency in defendant’s competency restoration -- An Ongoing Study - Pacific University

Sara Shugert, MA - I am currently a third year clinical psychology doctoral student at Pacific University on the forensic track. Since starting graduate school, my interests have been in competency restoration and SMPI populations. I am currently at Oregon State Hospital for my practicum, working on a guilty except for insanity unit, as well as working and conducting research in competency restoration. This summer, my next practicum will be conducting forensic evaluations at a private practice. I hope to intern at a state hospital and continue to work and research competency restoration in the future.


Addressing Barriers to Care: An Integrative Model Approach to Understanding Older Adults' Perceptions of Teleneuropsychological Modalities - Pacific University

Winner: Education & Systems Competency Award

Moriah Splonskowski is a second-year student in the Clinical Psychology PhD program at Pacific University. Her research interests involve neurodegenerative diseases, biopsychosocial predictors of dementia, and addressing barriers to care for older adults seeking cognitive assessment. Mrs. Splonskowski is also the founder of a student group involving educational community outreach, research, and clinical student presentations

 

 

 

Holly Elizabeth Cooke is currently a fourth-year doctoral candidate at Pacific University in Hillsboro, Oregon. Ms. Cooke will be starting her internship this summer at the Veterans Affairs Connecticut Health Care System in West Haven, CT for their neuropsychology program.  Ms. Cooke expects to graduate with her PhD in clinical psychology in August of 2021. Ms. Cooke's research interests include:

  • Prospective memory
  • The effects of smartphones on prospective memory
  • Diseases and disorders of aging
  • How to promote secular, spiritual, and religious (SSR) diversity training in higher education
  • The impact of SSR microaggressions in the graduate training environment, and
  • The in group/out group experiences of SSR individuals
  Davina Binng is a fourth-year doctoral candidate in the PhD program at Pacific University in Hillsboro, Oregon and serves as the program’s president for the Student Association. Her research interests include neurodegenerative diseases, neuropsychological assessment and timely diagnosis of dementia, and teleneuropsychology. Ms. Binng will be starting her predoctoral internship this July with Wasatch Behavioral Health in Provo, Utah with a focus on neuropsychology.