Welcome new faculty members, (front row, l-r) Rebecca Larson, Michelle Harcrow, (second row) Jamie Gajos, Amanda Wilkerson, Jessica Jaiswal, (third row) Haeme Kim, Jessica Wallace, Heather Love, (top row) Kimberly Watkins, Madelaine L’Esperance, and Holland Banse. Innovative researchers and real-world practitioners highlight faculty growth in the new academic year. Please help us welcome them.
Consumer Sciences
Dr. Madelaine L’Esperance joined CHES in the consumer sciences department. L’Esperance earned a BBA in Economics and Finance from Loyola University and a PhD in Consumer Behavior and Family Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has served as a project assistant at both the UW-Madison’s Retirement and Disability Research Center and its Center for Financial Security. Household finance, financial education, and behavioral economics are her current research interests.
Dr. Kimberly Watkins is teaching in the family financial planning and counseling program. After getting a BS in political science with a minor in education from Florida A&M University and an MS in Business Management from the University of Florida, Watkins spent several years as a human resources specialist with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is Washington DC. Returning to academia, she earned a PhD from the University of Georgia in Financial Planning, Housing, and Consumer Economics. Watkins research interests include financial socialization, financial well-being, and diversity and inclusion in the financial planning profession.
Health Science
Dr. Jessica Wallace has joined the CHES professional athletic training program. Wallace most recently served as director of the master of athletic training program at Youngstown State University. She also practiced her craft serving as an athletic trainer for Seminole County Public Schools, Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports, and the University of Central Florida. Wallace earned a BS from the University of Miami, an MA from the University of Central Florida, and a PhD from Michigan State. She is working on an MPH from Harvard University. Wallace investigates concussion in her research.
Dr. Jessica Jaiswal joined CHES in the department of Health Science as faculty working with HDFS on the new addiction and recovery major. Jaiswal received her BA from the University of Michigan, an MPH from Emory’s Rollings School of Public Health, and her PhD from Columbia University. Her research interests include HIV inequalities, LGBTQ health, and opioid use disorders and treatment. Prior to joining CHES, Jaiswal was an NIH Fellow in the Behavioral Science Training Program in Drug Use at New York University and a Visiting Scholar at Yale University School of Public Health.
Dr. Rebecca Larson joined the CHES Health Science Department after having served as the director of the food and nutrition program at Fort Valley State University in Georgia. Teaching there and at Georgia Southern University, she also acted as the dietetic internship director at Georgia Southern. Her professional experience includes service as the program director of the Georgia Department of Education School Nutrition Program Culinary Institute II and in school systems in Indiana and Utah. Larson received a BS in the nutrition and food sciences coordinated program in dietetics from Utah State University and an MS in Nutrition from Eastern Michigan University. She earned a DPH from Georgia Southern University. Sustainability is a major focus of her research.
Human Development and Family Studies
Dr. Jamie Gajos joins HDFS as an addiction and recovery faculty. She recently completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the prevention and methodology training program at Pennsylvania State’s Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center. Gajos earned her BS, MS, and PhD in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Florida State University. Her research interests include developmental processes, substance abuse, and preventative interventions.
Dr. Holland Banse came to CHES from the University of Denver where she was a postdoctoral research fellow for the Marsico Institute for Early Learning and Literacy in the Morgridge College of Education. Banse earned her AB in Psychology from Georgetown University, her MEd and PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Virginia. Her scholarship focuses on mathematics and English language learners.
Dr. Heather Love earned a BA in Psychology and a BS in Family and Human Development from Arizona State University. She went on to earn an MS from Purdue University and PhD from Kansas State University. She joined the HDFS faculty and specializes in couple and family therapy. Love has taught at Kansas State, Purdue University Calumet, and Kanas State. Her clinical experience includes The Kansas State Family Center, Kansas State College of Veterinary Medicine, the Fort Riley Army Installation in Kansas, and clinics and counseling services in Indiana. Her research interests focus on suicide.
Human Environmental Sciences
Dr. Michelle Harcrow, who has served as adjunct faculty at CHES for 15 years in our health education and promotion program, has accepted a full-time position in our human environmental sciences program. Harcrow received her BS in Psychology and MS in Exercise Science from Mississippi State University. She earned a PhD in Health Education and Promotion though the joint CHES and UAB School of Public Health program. Her recent research interests and scholarly activities include school-based initiatives for the mental, emotional, physical, and social health of adolescents; peer mentoring and leadership; professional preparation; and community-based disease prevention.
Dr. Amanda Wilkerson served CHES as a graduate teaching and research assistant for three years before becoming an assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma. She returned to HES to teach research methods and community and public health classes. Wilkerson received a BS in Exercise Science and an MS in Health Promotion from the University of Mississippi. Her PhD in Health Education and Promotion was earned here at CHES. Her research focuses on sedentary behavior, physical activity, and workplace health promotion.
Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management
Dr. Haemi Kim is teaching in the hospitality management program. Kim earned a BS in Business Administration from Ajou University in Suwon, South Korea, hospitality administration was the focus of an MS from Sejon University in Seoul and a PhD from Oklahoma State University. Kim’s workplace experiences include Century 21 in San Diego, California and W Hotel in Seoul, South Korea. In her research, she examines service employee’s workplace interpersonal relationships and job design.
Consumer Sciences
Dr. Madelaine L’Esperance joined CHES in the consumer sciences department. L’Esperance earned a BBA in Economics and Finance from Loyola University and a PhD in Consumer Behavior and Family Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has served as a project assistant at both the UW-Madison’s Retirement and Disability Research Center and its Center for Financial Security. Household finance, financial education, and behavioral economics are her current research interests.
Dr. Kimberly Watkins is teaching in the family financial planning and counseling program. After getting a BS in political science with a minor in education from Florida A&M University and an MS in Business Management from the University of Florida, Watkins spent several years as a human resources specialist with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is Washington DC. Returning to academia, she earned a PhD from the University of Georgia in Financial Planning, Housing, and Consumer Economics. Watkins research interests include financial socialization, financial well-being, and diversity and inclusion in the financial planning profession.
Health Science
Dr. Jessica Wallace has joined the CHES professional athletic training program. Wallace most recently served as director of the master of athletic training program at Youngstown State University. She also practiced her craft serving as an athletic trainer for Seminole County Public Schools, Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports, and the University of Central Florida. Wallace earned a BS from the University of Miami, an MA from the University of Central Florida, and a PhD from Michigan State. She is working on an MPH from Harvard University. Wallace investigates concussion in her research.
Dr. Jessica Jaiswal joined CHES in the department of Health Science as faculty working with HDFS on the new addiction and recovery major. Jaiswal received her BA from the University of Michigan, an MPH from Emory’s Rollings School of Public Health, and her PhD from Columbia University. Her research interests include HIV inequalities, LGBTQ health, and opioid use disorders and treatment. Prior to joining CHES, Jaiswal was an NIH Fellow in the Behavioral Science Training Program in Drug Use at New York University and a Visiting Scholar at Yale University School of Public Health.
Dr. Rebecca Larson joined the CHES Health Science Department after having served as the director of the food and nutrition program at Fort Valley State University in Georgia. Teaching there and at Georgia Southern University, she also acted as the dietetic internship director at Georgia Southern. Her professional experience includes service as the program director of the Georgia Department of Education School Nutrition Program Culinary Institute II and in school systems in Indiana and Utah. Larson received a BS in the nutrition and food sciences coordinated program in dietetics from Utah State University and an MS in Nutrition from Eastern Michigan University. She earned a DPH from Georgia Southern University. Sustainability is a major focus of her research.
Human Development and Family Studies
Dr. Jamie Gajos joins HDFS as an addiction and recovery faculty. She recently completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the prevention and methodology training program at Pennsylvania State’s Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center. Gajos earned her BS, MS, and PhD in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Florida State University. Her research interests include developmental processes, substance abuse, and preventative interventions.
Dr. Holland Banse came to CHES from the University of Denver where she was a postdoctoral research fellow for the Marsico Institute for Early Learning and Literacy in the Morgridge College of Education. Banse earned her AB in Psychology from Georgetown University, her MEd and PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Virginia. Her scholarship focuses on mathematics and English language learners.
Dr. Heather Love earned a BA in Psychology and a BS in Family and Human Development from Arizona State University. She went on to earn an MS from Purdue University and PhD from Kansas State University. She joined the HDFS faculty and specializes in couple and family therapy. Love has taught at Kansas State, Purdue University Calumet, and Kanas State. Her clinical experience includes The Kansas State Family Center, Kansas State College of Veterinary Medicine, the Fort Riley Army Installation in Kansas, and clinics and counseling services in Indiana. Her research interests focus on suicide.
Human Environmental Sciences
Dr. Michelle Harcrow, who has served as adjunct faculty at CHES for 15 years in our health education and promotion program, has accepted a full-time position in our human environmental sciences program. Harcrow received her BS in Psychology and MS in Exercise Science from Mississippi State University. She earned a PhD in Health Education and Promotion though the joint CHES and UAB School of Public Health program. Her recent research interests and scholarly activities include school-based initiatives for the mental, emotional, physical, and social health of adolescents; peer mentoring and leadership; professional preparation; and community-based disease prevention.
Dr. Amanda Wilkerson served CHES as a graduate teaching and research assistant for three years before becoming an assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma. She returned to HES to teach research methods and community and public health classes. Wilkerson received a BS in Exercise Science and an MS in Health Promotion from the University of Mississippi. Her PhD in Health Education and Promotion was earned here at CHES. Her research focuses on sedentary behavior, physical activity, and workplace health promotion.
Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management
Dr. Haemi Kim is teaching in the hospitality management program. Kim earned a BS in Business Administration from Ajou University in Suwon, South Korea, hospitality administration was the focus of an MS from Sejon University in Seoul and a PhD from Oklahoma State University. Kim’s workplace experiences include Century 21 in San Diego, California and W Hotel in Seoul, South Korea. In her research, she examines service employee’s workplace interpersonal relationships and job design.
RSS Feed