Mark D. Weist (Hamilton, 353)
Professor, Clinical Community and School Psychology, and director of the School Behavioral Health Team.
Dr. Weist finished doctoral training in clinical psychology from Virginia Tech in 1991 after completing his internship at Duke University.
Prior to joining the Department of Psychology at the University of South Carolina in 2010, he was on the faculty of the University of Maryland for 19 years where he helped to found and direct the Center for School Mental Health (http://csmh.umaryland.edu), providing leadership to the advancement of school mental health (SMH) policies and programs in the United States.
He has edited ten books and has published and presented widely in SMH and in the areas of trauma, violence and youth, evidence-based practice, cognitive behavioral therapy, Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports (PBIS), and on an Interconnected Systems Framework (ISF) for SMH and PBIS.
He is currently co-leading a regional conference on school behavioral health (reflecting integrated SMH and PBIS, see www.schoolbehavioralhealth.org) and leading a randomized controlled trial on the ISF.
Courtnie Smith, Psy.D. (Hamilton 355), became a part of the School Behavioral Health team in October 2017 to assist with the coordination of the Pee Dee Resiliency Project (PDRP). In addition to her role on PDRP, Courtnie also manages the SBHT. Courtnie completed her Doctorate of Psychology at the Georgia School of Professional Psychology in September 2016 and her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the University of South Carolina in 2010. She completed an APA accredited internship in health psychology at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and a post-doctoral fellowship in developmental-behavioral pediatrics at Greenville Health System. Courtnie’s training thus far has been aimed at conducting psychological assessments and providing therapeutic interventions and resources primarily for pediatric populations. Courtnie looks forward to broadening her experiences to include improving access to mental health services and resources for underserved populations.
Patricia Stone Motes, PhD, (Barnwell 436C), leads implementation support for the Behavioral Alliance of South Carolina (BASC) project. Dr. Motes earned her doctorate degree in clinical-community psychology from the University of South Carolina. Her research and practice background includes program development, program evaluation, and community-based action research She has been a leader in the state of South Carolina in facilitating partnerships among mental health, juvenile justice, schools, and community organizations for the translation of research evidence into the development of comprehensive programs and services that support youth and their families. With a focus on contextual influences on the promotion of positive youth development, Dr. Motes has led a range of research projects including efforts focusing on systems of care to promote positive mental health outcomes for children, youth, and their families, statewide policy studies on the overrepresentation of minority youth in the juvenile justice system, a volunteer community-based program of support to families in crisis or with acute needs, and a mentoring initiative for children and families affected by incarceration. Dr. Motes has served as a national consultant to the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, a Blueprints for Violence Prevention Program. She joined the School Behavioral Health Team in August 2018. Prior to joining the SBHT, Dr. Motes was research professor in the Institute for Families in Society, University of South Carolina.
Victoria Rizzardi, M.Ed. (Hamilton 357), received a B.S. in Natural Sciences and a B.A. in Psychology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2015 and went on to earn a M.Ed. in Educational Psychology and Research from the University of South Carolina in 2017. Currently, Victoria is the data manager for the Project About School Safety (PASS) and is involved with the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Grant. In the future, she hopes to pursue a second master’s degree in applied statistics with a focus in education.
Tristan Collier, B.S. (Hamilton 360), received a B.S. with honors in Experimental Psychology and a minor in Sociology from the University of South Carolina in Fall 2017. Currently, Tristan is involved with planning the annual Southeastern School Behavioral Health Conference, managing PSYC 498/PSYC 598 students, the Project About School Safety (PASS), the Pee Dee Resiliency Project (PDRP), and assisting with other SBHT lab-related tasks. In the future, Tristan plans to attend graduate school to earn a Ph.D. in School or Clinical Psychology. His research interests include dissemination and training in evidence based-practices for child, adolescent, and school-based clinicians, evidence-based treatment for disruptive behavioral disorders in children and adolescents, and effective family engagement in treatment of child/adolescent behavioral health concerns.
Danielle Morey, LMSW (Barnwell 436B), received a B.S.W from Limestone college in 2015 and, later, earned her M.S.W with a concentration in mental health from the University of South Carolina in 2017. She joined the School Behavioral Health Team in August of 2018 to provide consultation and implementation support services on behalf of the Behavioral Alliance of South Carolina (BASC). Danielle’s clinical experience has been in the areas of child welfare and trauma-informed care. She has worked for the state of South Carolina for over 7 years, including as a school mental health counselor for Lexington school districts. She is currently certified in Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) Primary Care.
Katherine Widener (Hamilton 357), joined the SBH team in January 2018 as Program Coordinator for the Behavioral Alliance of South Carolina (BASC). She has many years of experience working with International and Graduate students within the university. BASC is a new collaboration between the SC Dept of Education – OSEC and the USC School Behavioral Health team. She is leading the planning and management of the Southeastern School Behavioral Health Conference (SSBHC) held annually in Myrtle Beach. The BASC is a 3 tiered approach to creating wrap-around services and training in school mental health. Using her 20 years’ marketing and promotion experience from her own event planning company, she plans to continue growing the conference attendance to its maximum capacity. In addition to ground level conference management, she heads the committees for speaker recruitment, marketing, event logistics, financial management, teaching webinars and a monthly mental health community newsletter.
Cheryl Fitts MAT (Hamilton 241-E), earned a Master of Arts in Teaching (Elementary Education) at Columbia International University and completing a doctorate program in Special Education at the University of South Carolina. Cheryl serves as an Implementation Support Specialist for the Behavioral Alliance of South Carolina initiative funded by the SCDE Office of Special Education Services.
Katie Franke, Ph.D., BCBA (Hamilton 359-A), is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the School Behavioral Health Team, where she assists with projects related to the statewide alignment of behavioral health initiatives for children and adolescents. Katie obtained her Ph.D. in school psychology at the University of South Carolina in 2018, and she completed her doctoral internship at the Kennedy Krieger Institute at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. At Kennedy Krieger, she completed rotations in the Pediatric Developmental Disorders and Pediatric Feeding Disorders programs. She is also a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Postdoctoral Fellow at the Autism Academy of South Carolina, where she conducts psychological evaluations for developmental disabilities and provides individual, family, and group interventions for children and adolescents with developmental disabilities. Katie's research interests include behavioral health promotion and intervention for children with development disabilities, as well as for preschool-aged children.
Sommer Blair, B.A. (Hamilton 357) is an Advanced Year M.S.W. student at the College of Social Work at the University of South Carolina with a concentration in Children, Youth, Families. She received a Graduate Certificate in Drug and Addiction Studies from U of SC in the summer of 2018. Sommer earned a B.A. with honors in History and minors in Psychology and Spanish from North Greenville University in 2017. After graduation her plan is to continue to work within the field of child welfare as she has done with her MSW internships at Pendleton Place Assessment Center in Greenville, SC, and with the Anti-Human Trafficking Division of Richland County (S.C.) CASA. She assists the SBHT with various research projects and aids in planning and preparation for the annual Southeastern School Behavioral Health Conference. Sommer currently holds membership with the National Association of Social Workers and presented at the NASW SC Chapter Conference in the Spring of 2017. In the future, she hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in Social Work.
Josh Bradley, B.A., is a doctoral student in the Clinical-Community Psychology program at the University of South Carolina. He received a B.A. in Experimental Psychology with a Minor in Music from the University of South Carolina in Spring 2016. After completing his undergraduate education, Josh worked as a Research Specialist for two years with the School Behavioral Health Team. Josh's research interests center on the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based practices in children's mental health care and methods for early identification of youth emotional and behavioral health problems. He is also interested in the application of quantitative methods in psychology. Josh currently holds membership with the American Psychological Association, APA Div. 53: Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, and the Southeastern School Behavioral Health Community.
Carrissa Orlando, B.A., M.A., Carissa earned her BA in Psychology from Queens University of Charlotte and her MA in Clinical Health Psychology from Appalachian State University (ASU). She practiced as a Licensed Psychological Associate in North Carolina for three years, providing individual and group therapy to children and adolescents. Additionally, she served as a Clinical Research Coordinator for ASU’s Assessment, Support, and Counseling (ASC) Centers in Ashe and Alleghany counties. Carissa is currently pursuing her PhD at the University of South Carolina, where she is a member of the School Mental Health Team. Her research and clinical interests include school-based mental health, suicide prevention, and treatment of self-injurious behavior.
Alex Roberts, M.A., is a fourth-year doctoral student in the School Psychology program. He graduated summa cum laude from Newberry College in 2015 with a B.A. in psychology and a minor in English. He is co-mentored by Mark Weist and Nicole Zarrett. Alex’s research focuses on the feasibility and acceptability of mindfulness-based interventions to reduce teacher stress and improve well-being, with the ultimate goal of mitigating rising attrition rates in educators. Clinically, he has worked in multiple settings (i.e. schools, clinic, psychiatric hospital, state agency) and is primarily focused on the evidenced-based diagnostic and forensic assessment of children and adolescents. Alex is currently the junior assessment supervisor at the Psychology Services Center; he also conducts assessments for the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice (SCDJJ) and is involved with more specific forensic evaluations (i.e. competency to stand trial, criminal responsibility, etc.) via a private practice in Columbia, SC.
Samantha Martinez, B.A, MSW., is a first year doctoral student in the School Psychology program at the University of South Carolina. She graduated with a B.A. in Psychology with a double minor in Sociology and Music from Queens University of Charlotte. She received her Masters in Social Work (MSW) from the University of South Carolina with a specialization in Children, Youth and Families. Her research interests include: children, youth and families; school mental health; grief and loss; trauma focused interventions; evidence-based interventions to create systematic change; positive behavior intervention and support. Her mentor is Dr. Mark D. Weist.
Cameron Massey, B.A., M.A., completed his B.A. in Psychology from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill in 2004 and his M.A. in Clinical Health Psychology from Appalachian State University in 2010. He then worked as a licensed masters-level staff psychologist for a community mental health center in rural Western North Carolina and on a federal Title V grant from 2011 until 2014. He is currently a 5th year doctoral student at the University of South Carolina, working with Dr. Mark Weist and the School Behavioral Health Team. He continues to provide school-based therapy services for youth and their families via the LiveWell Kershaw project and is the current Associate Director of the Psychology Services Center in Columbia, SC. His areas of interest include diagnosis and treatment of adolescent disorders, school-based mental health, and issues surrounding rural mental health. Cameron can be reached at cmassey@email.sc.edu.
Sami Hartley, B.A., is a fourth year doctoral student in the Clinical-Community Psychology program. She graduated with a B.A. in Human Biology (Area of Concentration: Neuroscience & Mental Health) from Stanford University in 2011. Before joining the SMH Team in August 2015, she worked as a research coordinator in Stanford's Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, collaborating with community coalitions and schools/districts throughout the San Francisco Bay Area to advocate for and implement school mental health interventions for adolescent suicide prevention and response. At the University of South Carolina, she is co-mentored by Drs. Mark Weist and Abe Wandersman. Her interests include program evaluation, organizational readiness as it relates to school mental health, and helping schools and mental health systems promote high quality implementation of evidence-based practices in SMH.
Elaine Miller, M.A.T., earned a Masters of Arts in Teaching (Special Education) at the University of South Carolina with a concentration in Emotional and Behavioral Disorders in 2008 and a B.A. in Psychology in 2004. Elaine was the study coordinator for the Project About School Safety, funded by the National Institute of Justice. Additionally, she managed the School Behavioral Health Team and oversaw the administration of our grants. Elaine's primary interests include evidence-based interventions for students with emotional and behavioral disorders, improving the quality of individualized education plans and applied behavior analysis. Elaine is currently a registered behavior therapist and is pursuing board certification as a Behavior Analyst.
Leo Draham, Psy.D., earned his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, PA in 2017. He joined the School Behavior Health Team in September 2017 as a Research Postdoctoral Fellow. Leo is also working at the Autism Academy of South Carolina providing therapy and assessment services for children and their families. He is currently working towards licensure in Clinical Psychology. Prior to his work in South Carolina, he worked at an outpatient mental health clinic providing therapy and assessment services to a broad range of clients and presentations. His research interests include school behavior health program evaluation and engagement, as well as emerging adulthood.
Liz Miranda-Needham, LMSW, joined the School Behavioral Health Team in July 2017 as Project Coordinator for work supporting collaboration between SBHT and South Carolina Department of Mental Health (SCDMH). Liz also works with adolescents as a school-based mental health counselor with SCDMH. Liz earned a M.S.W. with a concentration in mental health from the School of Social Work at the University of Washington in Seattle in 2016. Her interests include the intersection of social justice and behavioral health services and promoting evidence-based practices in school-based mental health services. She is currently pursuing LISW-CP licensure and credentialing as a MAP Therapist.
Hannah Hunsaker, is a senior at the University of South Carolina working on her B.S. in Biological Sciences with a minor in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior. After graduation her plan is to go to graduate school for Public Health or Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior with a focus on nutrition. Hannah assisted the SBHT with various research projects and aided in planning and preparation for the annual Southeastern School Behavioral Health Conference.
Ashley Quell, M.Ed., is a Research Associate on the School Behavioral Health Team. She received both her bachelor's and master's degrees in special education from Vanderbilt University in 2010 and 2011 respectively. Her research interests include universal screening, interconnecting PBIS and school mental health, and high quality professional development training on evidence-based practices.
Lee Fletcher, M.Div., LMSW, finished his Master of Social Work degree in 2015 and joined the SBHT in January of 2016. During the first part of the year, Lee was heavily involved in the planning and administration of the annual South Carolina School Behavioral Health Conference. In addition to ground level conference management efforts, he was also tasked with participant recruitment, event logistics, and financial management. He utilized his experience from his previous career as a management technology consultant to build the SCSBHC website and streamline much of the communication processes. Lee joined the team in hopes of gaining a more broad experience in adolescent mental health diagnosis and treatment – a continuation of his work as longtime youth pastor.
Allison Farrell, MPH, LISW-CP, ACM, joined the School Behavioral Health Team in May of 2016 as Project Coordinator for Carolina CARES: Strong Students, Safe Schools, a school-based mental health initiative focused on building resilience among children in 12 elementary schools in the SC Pee Dee region. Prior to joining the SBHT, Allison worked on the evaluation team for the New York City Asthma Initiative and Project ACCESS, a multi-city campaign using social marketing to identify and link to care HIV infected youth. From 2010-2016, Allison worked as a Medical Social Work Case Manager in the Emergency Department of a Level 1 Trauma Center serving adults and children from 17 counties in South Carolina. She earned a M.P.H. from New York University in 2000 and a M.S.W. from the College of Social Work at the University of South Carolina in 2010. Allison completed The Interdisciplinary Educational Specialization in End-of-Life Care program, a Duke Endowment Fellowship with Winthrop University in 2010. She is an Accredited Case Manager (ACM) and a Licensed Independent Social Worker - Clinical Practitioner (LISW-CP).
David Riddle, B.A., graduated with a B.A. in Experimental Psychology and a minor in Criminal Justice from the University of South Carolina in May 2014. He became involved with the SMHT in May 2013 as a summer volunteer and later as a student through PSYC 498: Advanced Independent. He then went on to become a full-time Research Assistant in the Summer of 2014. David assisted with lab managerial tasks, data management, and was heavily involved with the CARS and R01 projects as well as other various tasks within the lab. He also served as the team leader for the SMHT’s sections of PSYC 498: Advanced Independent Study and PSYC 598: Individual Research. Prior to becoming a member of the SMHT, David worked at the Early Autism Project where he provided ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy as an Advanced Line Therapist for two years. David continues to work for EAP part-time in a more advanced role as a Lead Therapist; a role in which he provides supervision to entry level therapists. David is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in School Psychology.
Katie Faerber, B.A., graduated with a B.A. in Experimental Psychology and a minor in Education from the University of South Carolina in December 2013. She became involved with the SMH Team in August 2012 through PSYC 498 and progressed to a research assistant in Fall 2013. Katie assisted in lab managerial tasks and was a Team Leader for PSYC 498 for Fall 2013 and for PSYC 589 during the Spring 2014 semester. She was also a team member for the South Carolina School Behavioral Health Community Conference which took place in Columbia in April, 2014. Her current goals are to pursue a Ph.D. in Occupational Therapy and work in Pediatrics for cognitive and motor skills development as well as self-esteem and motivation improvement.
Kirstie Hewson, B.A., received her B.A. in Experimental Psychology with a minor in Sociology with Honors from the Honors College at the University of South Carolina in May 2013. After joing the SMH Team in 2011, she became a research assistant; her primary involvement was with the R01 Strengthening School Mental Health Services project and also worked on the CLIMB program. Her research interests include the impact of physical activity on cognitive, social, and emotional development, as well as the implementation and evaluation of after-school programs and school-based health behavior interventions. She left the USC SMHT in August 2013 to pursue her Ph.D. in Education at the University of California, Irvine with a specialization in Learning, Cognition, and Development.
Rachel Williamson, B.A., received her B.A. in Experimental Psychology with a minor in Counseling at the University for South Carolina in December 2012. She joined the SMH Team in August 2011 as an undergraduate researcher and continued to work with the team until July 2013. Rachel is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at the University of Georgia in Industrial Organizational Psychology. Her research interests include the use of organizational test and survey scores and applying psychometric theory.
Kelly Monahan, B.A., graduated with a B.A. in Experimental Psychology with a minor in Sociology from the University of South Carolina in May 2013. She became involved with the SMH Team through PSYC 498 in August 2011 and transitioned into an undergraduate research assistant position serving as a PSYC 498 Team Leader and USC’s CARS Data Coordinator in August 2012. Kelly worked as a research assistant and was involved with CARS in addition to the R01 and SEED projects and is a PSYC 498 Team Leader in Fall 2013 and for PSYC 589 during the Spring 2014 semester. Her primary research interests include changing school climate and School Mental Health intervention and services related to high school dropout prevention.
Kendra DeLoach-McCutcheon, Ph.D., earned her Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of South Carolina. She is a former postdoctoral fellow at the University of South Carolina with the School Mental Health Team and Team Leader for the CARS project. Dr. DeLoach-McCutcheon is now an assistant professor in the School of Social Work at Syracuse University.
Leslie Taylor, Ph.D., earned her Ph.D. in Applied Developmental Psychology from the University of New Orleans with a minor in Clinical Interventions. She is a former postdoctoral fellow in School Mental Health at the University of South Carolina with the Team and is particularly interested in universal screening in schools to identify trauma in students.
Johnathan Fowler, Ph.D., earned his Ph.D. in School Psychology from the University of Texas - Austin. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of South Carolina with the School Mental Health Team and worked at the Myrtle Beach site.
Melissa R.W. George, Ph.D., served as the Undergraduate Program Director and a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Psychology at the University of South Carolina. She is an adjunct faculty member in the College of Social Work at USC. She received a Ph.D in Developmental Psychology from the University of Notre Dame in January 2011 and a B.S. in Psychology from Stetson University. Melissa’s research and teaching interests include: family systems and child development; evidence-based, mental health interventions and services in schools; and integrated approaches to supporting youth physical and mental health. She is a co-leader of the Carolina Network for School Mental Health, a cross-state collaborative of researchers, practitioners, educators, and local leaders in mental health. With the USC SMH team, she was involved in the CLIMB, CARS, and SEED projects, as well as CARS and R01 sub-studies, and projects associated with understanding youth and family involvement in SMH. Melissa is also certified by the National Council on Family Relations as a Family Life Educator to promote healthy family functioning within a family systems perspective and provide a primarily preventive approach that focuses on education and collaboration with families.
Joni Williams Splett, Ph.D., served as a postdoctoral fellow in the University of South Carolina Department of Psychology and works part-time as a School Psychologist in Richland School District Two. She received her Ph.D. in School Psychology from the University of Missouri in May 2012 and B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Spanish from the University of Arkansas. Joni joined the SMH Team in August 2011 as a pre-doctoral intern. Her research interests include: school mental health prevention and intervention practices related to aggression, mood disorders, and system practices to support effective and sustainable implementation. Joni was a Steering Team member of the South Carolina School Behavioral Health Coalition and was involved in the SEED project, efforts related to School-Wide Positive Behavior Supports, and other related projects. She also teaches an advanced school-based practicum class for school and clinical-community psychology graduate students. Joni is also co-chair of the School Intervention Interest Group (Society for Community Research in Action, APA Division 27) and co-editor of The Community Psychology School Intervention Interest Group Column.
Theresa Oniffrey, MPH, joined the SMHT as program manager in early 2015. She oversaw the financial and administrative aspects for all grants and funded projects for the team, as well as worked to develop the infrastructure of the SMHT. To support the sustainability of the lab, she was involved in writing grant applications, and seeking resources that align with the mission of the SMHT. Theresa earned her Masters of Public Health at the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health. Her undergraduate studies were completed at North Carolina State University, receiving her Zoology B.S. and Animal Science B.S. degrees. She also has a background in pre-hospital emergency medicine, and maintains licensure as a paramedic (EMT-P), and national AHA certification in advanced cardiac life-support (ACLS).