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Dr. Bill Steffen has been educating for 27 years in both academic and applied settings. Through his work as a Senior National Staff Coach for United Soccer Coaches (USC), Chair of the USC Ethics Committee, and past work as Sport Psychology Division Chair, Dr. Steffen has contributed to the development of thousands of coaches via coaching courses, workshops, and presentations. Dr. Steffen’s work synthesizes applied work coaching for athletic programs at the University of North Carolina, Duke University, and the University of Oregon alongside his academic experiences coordinating the online Master’s degree in Coaching Education for Ohio University as well as teaching at Ohio University and currently serving as an Assistant Professor of Exercise Science at Wingate University. Dr. Steffen received his Ed.D. from UNC-Greensboro working with Dr. Dan Gould and Dr. Diane Gill after earning a Master’s Degree from Furman University. Dr. Steffen continues to work researching exercise science and the ability of programs to enhance coaching and athletic experiences and performances. Dr. Steffen’s research has been published in several prestigious journals including the Journal of Advances in Sport and Physical Education, The Sports Journal, and Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise. Presentations have been warmly received at the United States Center for Coaching Excellence (USCCE), American Psychological Association (APA), the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP), the Ohio University Master’s in Coaching Education Conference, and United Soccer Coaches (USC) national conventions. In 2017, Dr. Steffen received the Bertocelli Award from USC for his contributions to education. A strong believer in physical fitness, Dr. Steffen has run the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim-to-rim as well as stairs at numerous stadiums and the Empire State Building.
Dr. Byron L. Zamboanga is a Professor in the Department of Psychological Science at the University of Arkansas. He earned his B.A. in Psychology from the University of California at Berkeley and his Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. His research examines the cognitive and sociocultural determinants of high-risk drinking behaviors among adolescents and young adults.
Dr. Olthuis is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of New Brunswick (Canada). She earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Dalhousie University and is a licensed Clinical Psychologist. Though born and raised in Canada, Janine is a past NCAA student-athlete in soccer (Smith College) and received a Postgraduate Scholarship from the NCAA for her graduate studies. Janine has been involved in alcohol use research among university students, with a particular focus on student-athletes, since her own undergraduate years. Now back in Canada, she is particularly interested in better understanding the differences in the university athlete culture between Canada and the US and how these differences impact student-athlete drinking. In her other research, she works to increase access to mental health treatments, in part by better understanding how physical activity can serve as an effective intervention for anxiety.
Dr. Meca is an Assistant Professor at Old Dominion University in the Applied Psychological Science Program. His research is focused on focuses on identity development and acculturation in ethnic/racial minority adolescence and emerging adulthood, as well as their respective impacts on psychosocial functioning (e.g., well-being, internalizing and externalizing symptoms, etc.) and health risk behaviors (e.g., alcohol use, risk-sex taking behavior, etc.).
Dr. Martin is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Counseling Psychology at the University at Albany- SUNY. She earned her B.S. in psychology from Lafayette College and her MS and PhD in counseling psychology from the University at Albany-SUNY. Her research focuses on individual, social, contextual, and cultural risk and protective factors associated with substance use and other health-related behaviors among emerging adults. Dr. Martin’s work has a particular emphasis on investigating alcohol and substance use among college students and student-athletes as well as the design and delivery of prevention and intervention efforts to reduce heavy and problematic college student drinking. She has received federal, state, and internal grants to pursue research projects in these areas. Her work is published in journals such as the Journal of Counseling Psychology, The Counseling Psychologist, Addictive Behaviors, Drug and Alcohol Dependence, Addiction Research and Theory, and Emerging Adulthood. Dr. Martin is a member of the American Psychological Association, Divisions 50 and 17 of the APA, the Research Society on Alcoholism, the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, and state and local psychological associations.
Dr. Lenka H. Shriver is an Associate Professor in the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). She competed in women’s tennis at the NCAA Division I level between 1997 and 2001. She earned a doctoral degree in Nutritional Sciences and served as a faculty member in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Oklahoma State University between 2006 and 2013 before moving to North Carolina in 2013. Her work in the area of sports nutrition is primarily focused on examining dietary intake, eating habits/attitudes, and body composition changes among high school and college athletes. Over the last 10 years, she has coordinated and delivered nutrition education presentations and workshops to a variety of collegiate, high school, and amateur athletic teams. Dr. Shriver’s goal in research and practice is to help individuals optimize diet quality and promote positive body image while reducing unhealthy eating behaviors among former and current athletes. Her goals and passion for healthy eating and exercise are reflected in the content of the Moving On! program, which she helped develop as part of the NCAA Innovations in Research and Practice (2016) grant-funded project.
Dr. DeAnne Davis Brooks is an Assistant Professor of Exercise Science at Salem College in North Carolina. She holds degrees in Kinesiology, Clinical Exercise Physiology, and Exercise and Sport Science, a post-baccalaureate certificate in Women’s and Gender Studies, and is a certified exercise physiologist, strength and conditioning specialist, track coach and yoga instructor. She draws upon that experience in her work with the Moving On! intervention program which she co-developed to help athletes make healthy transitions to life after sports. Brooks’ current research and professional interests also include teaching and mentoring students from underrepresented groups and working to increase opportunities for girls and women to participate in sports and physical activity.
Latasha is currently working toward a PhD in Counseling and Counselor Education here at UNCG. She earned her undergraduate degree in psychology at UNCG (’04), a Master of Arts in Counseling from Wake Forest University (’10), and a Certificate in Substance Abuse Counseling from East Carolina University (’15).
Latasha is interested in the intersection of policy and practice in various substance use and mental health treatment populations in the United States and beyond, with a goal of reducing health disparities between and among groups. She is particularly interested in the intersection of university/athletics policy, implementation, and academic/personal outcomes for collegiate students/athletes who seek assistance for substance-use related concerns in the university setting.
Latasha continues to provide direct counseling services at a local hospital for the treatment of substance use disorders and is an active member of the American Counseling Association. She enjoys listening to the sound of the ocean, being in nature, and having a grand time with her family and friends.
Lindsey is currently working on her PhD in Public Health Education at UNC Greensboro. Her research interests include mental illness and maladaptive behaviors in college & professional athletes, as well as barriers to treatment. Lindsey earned her Master of Social Work through a joint program at NC A&T State University and UNC Greensboro. Upon completion, she became clinically licensed while providing outpatient trauma-focused therapy to children and adults. Her undergraduate degree is in Recreation Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Lindsey’s professional experience includes game day administration at The Georgia Dome, and business management for professional athletes at a private, boutique firm in Atlanta, Georgia. Sports have been an integral part of Lindsey’s life, and she feels strongly about the stigma associated with high-level athletes seeking treatment for mental illness; she is devoted to developing training and education for sports administrators and coaches so that their players are identified and treated early. Lindsey loves all sports, but has a special affinity for tailgating during football season as she cheers along her beloved UNC Tar Heels and the Atlanta Falcons. She also enjoys traveling with her Pit Bull puppy, Kenan.
Wade is currently completing his Masters of Kinesiology with a concentration in Sport and Exercise Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He earned his undergraduate degree in Psychology from High Point University. Throughout his time in college, Wade was a competitive swimmer and volleyball player. He currently competes in sand volleyball tournaments around the Southeast. Wade is interested in helping athletes achieve their optimal performance through various mental strategies that can help athletes overcome obstacles and reach their full potential. He believes that improving the mental game of athletes can contribute to the enhancement of their overall health and wellness. Being raised in North Carolina, Wade is an avid Carolina Panthers Football fan.
Todd F. Lewis is an Associate Professor of Counseling and Counselor Education at North Dakota State University. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a National Certified Counselor. Dr. Lewis is past Treasurer and President of the International Association of Addictions and Offender Counselors (IAAOC), a subdivision of the American Counseling Association and previously served as the IAAOC representative on the Governing Council of the American Counseling Association. Throughout his career, he has taught graduate level students in motivational interviewing (MI), behavior change, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning. Dr. Lewis has presented on these topics at numerous local, state, national, and international venues. He has published numerous research articles related to behavior change, substance abuse, collegiate drinking, and theoretical approaches to addictions treatment and MI. He has twice received the Exemplary Research Award from IAAOC for his research. In 2014, he published his first textbook entitled, Substance Abuse and Addiction Treatment: Practical Application of Counseling Theory, published by Pearson Education. He has been a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) since 2012 and regularly teaches and conducts courses and workshops teaching and modeling beginning and advanced MI. Dr. Lewis has been active on research teams that have secured both internal and external funding for his work. In addition to his full time faculty work, Dr. Lewis has garnered significant clinical experience where he has coordinated substance abuse clinical research and treatment services with clients struggling with a range of substance use problems.
Edward Wahesh, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Education and Counseling at Villanova University. As a counselor educator, Dr. Wahesh teaches courses on clinical appraisal, prevention theory and practice, substance abuse counseling, and supervises student interns studying clinical mental health counseling. In addition, he has served as a professional counselor in college, psychiatric inpatient, and secondary school settings. Prior to earning his Ph.D. in Counseling and Counselor Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Dr. Wahesh served as the Director of Alcohol and Other Drug Education at Fordham University. As director, Dr. Wahesh managed a substance abuse screening and brief intervention program, advised the peer education student group, coordinated University-wide alcohol and other drug use assessment, and collaborated with campus and community partners to enact environmental initiatives to promote risk reduction. These experiences have shaped his research interests, which include motivational interviewing, cognitive-behavioral therapy, clinical supervision, and substance abuse prevention program development and evaluation. Dr. Wahesh is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) and has written and presented on the cognitive mediators of collegiate high-risk drinking, motivational interviewing in clinical supervision, enhancing screening and brief intervention practices, and cognitive-behavioral therapy of addictive disorders.
Abby is a program coordinator with the Institute to Promote Athlete Health and Wellness and has been working with IPAHW since 2015. She received her Master of Public Health degree at the University of North Carolina Greensboro and completed her undergraduate degree in psychology at UNC Chapel Hill.
Dr. Wyrick is the Director of the Institute to Promote Athlete Health & Wellness, Associate Professor of Public Health Education and Faculty Athletics Representative at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. As a prevention scientist, Dr. Wyrick has extensive experience in innovative research methods, program evaluation, and intervention development. He has served as a Principal Investigator/Co-Investigator for more than 20 National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded projects and has published extensively in academic peer reviewed journals. He is currently Co-Investigator on a 5-year project funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) that is developing and optimizing an online behavioral intervention targeting the intersection of alcohol and sexual risk behaviors among college students.
Dr. Milroy is the Associate Director of the Institute to Promote Athlete Health & Wellness and Teaching Faculty in the Department of Public Health Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Over the past several years Jeff has directed the implementation of myPlaybook across more than 150 Read more …
Samantha is the Assistant Director for the Institute to Promote Athlete Health & Wellness in the Department of Public Health Education at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. Samantha earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies and Masters in Public Health from the University of North Carolina Greensboro. Read more …
Melodie is an adjunct faculty member at the Institute to Promote Athlete Health & Wellness at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. She has been conducting alcohol and other drug prevention research and evaluation for the past 17 years. She completed post-doc training in statistical methods at the Prevention Research Center at Arizona State University. Read more …
Dr. Orsini is an adjunct faculty member at the Institute to Promote Athlete Health & Wellness at UNC Greensboro and Director of Evaluation at Prevention Strategies, LLC. He has extensive experience teaching in a variety of contexts involving diverse subjects, settings, and populations. His research interests are focused on program evaluation, curriculum, instruction, and teacher education. Read more …
Dr. Mike Perko is an Associate Professor in the Dept. of Public Health Education at UNC Greensboro and Faculty Affiliate for the Institute to Promote Athlete Health & Wellness. A former Division 2 college athlete, Dr. Perko takes a health behavior approach when looking at young athletes and their use of dietary supplement products. In 1994 he developed the Survey to Predict Adolescent Athlete Dietary Supplement Use which has been used by researchers around the world including the World Anti-doping Agency.
Dr. Kelly Rulison is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Health Education at UNC Greensboro and a Faculty Affiliate for the Institute to Promote Athlete Health & Wellness. Dr. Rulison’s interdisciplinary training includes an Undergraduate Degree in Psychology from the University of Rochester, a Master’s and Doctoral Degree in Human Development and Family Studies, a Master’s degree in Applied Statistics from The Pennsylvania State University, and a two-year pre-doctoral research fellowship as part of Penn State University’s Prevention and Methodology Training program. Broadly, her research focuses on the dynamic social processes and contexts that shape the development of health-risk behaviors during adolescence. At the same time, adolescents spend increasingly more time with their peers in unsupervised settings and the nature of these peer relationships changes.
Dr. Erin Reifsteck is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). Prior to joining the faculty at UNCG, she completed a post-doctoral research fellowship with IPAHW. She received her Ph.D. and M.S. in Kinesiology (Sport and Exercise Psychology concentration) with a doctoral minor in Educational Research Methodology from UNCG. She also holds a graduate certificate in Women’s and Gender Studies from UNCG. She earned her B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience from Saint Francis University (Pennsylvania) where she played field hockey and was a two-time Academic All-American and Northeast Conference Scholar Athlete of the Year.
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Tim is currently a PhD student at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Tim completed his Masters of Health Promotion at Mississippi State University, and a Bachelors of Science in Health Education from McKendree University before moving to North Carolina. Tim is a former collegiate athlete playing Soccer and Hockey for his undergraduate institution. Read more …
Ashley earned her PhD from the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department at UNCG. She earned her M.S. at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, where she worked with a team to develop an evidence-based communication skills training program for student-athletes. Ashley has worked as a speech-language pathologist in clinical, corporate, and Read more …
Stephen, a research associate at Prevention Strategies, earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of North Carolina Greensboro in 2015 and worked as an assistant professor of Counselor Education at The University of Alabama at Birmingham before joining the Prevention Strategies team. He is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) whose clinical background in substance abuse and mental health intervention bring a unique perspective to prevention research. Stephen has provided Motivational Interviewing training and consultation for professionals in the fields of general medicine, oncology, psychiatry, nursing, pharmacy, education, and school, mental health, and addictions counseling. He is interested in creating innovative conceptual models and applying methodological frameworks in prevention. Stephen’s research foci include Motivational Interviewing, mental health literacy in sport, application of the Multiphasic Optimization Strategy (MOST), and the development of prevention and intervention models related to mental health, wellness, and risky behaviors. Stephen participated in high school and collegiate athletics and continues to enjoy sport through personal fitness, attending minor league baseball games, and watching the Philadelphia sports teams. He resides in Greensboro, NC with his wife, Holly, and three children, Sadie, Davin, and Reece.
Kate is an Assistant Professor at University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the Department of Counseling, with a specialization in Addictions. Kate received her Master’s of Rehabilitation Counseling and worked for several years with youth and families suffering from substance use disorders. Through her clinical work, Kate developed a passion for better understanding the needs of individuals and families diagnosed with substance use disorders, which led her to UNCG where she earned her PhD in Counselor Education in 2015. While at UNCG, Kate taught an undergraduate course in Career and Life Planning as well as a graduate course in Substance Abuse Counseling. Her research followed her passion and focused on a better understanding of family dynamics and substance abuse using an Adlerian theoretical lens. Much of Kate’s clinical work during her doctoral studies occurred through the Institute to Promote Athlete Health and Wellness at UNCG, where she worked with student-athletes, both individually and as a team, on mental health and substance abuse concerns. Through this work, Kate has developed an interest in the unique needs of student-athletes and is interested in promoting and incorporating these unique needs into the counseling profession. While at UNCC, Kate plans to enhance the field of addictions by addressing the distinct needs of families and student-athletes. She hopes to achieve this through training future counselors, research, and consultation.
Jennifer is currently completing her Masters of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Jennifer also earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from UNCG. She has a strong interest in an athlete’s health both physically and emotionally. Jennifer believes that enhancing the well-being and health of an athlete plays an important role in the performance of an athlete not only during competition but in their everyday activities and interactions outside of competing.