Learn more about the impact of our Ph.D. students’ work in South Carolina and beyond.
Education
Oluranti earned her Medical Degree and Master of Public Health in Nigeria. She has authored publications in multiple peer-reviewed academic journals and delivered numerous oral and poster presentations at national and regional conferences. Her presentations have been featured at the Society for Social Work and Research, the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, the American Public Health Association, and the Big Data Science Conference. Her research was recognized through publication in the BMC Proceedings of the 6th National Big Data Health Science Conference.
Oluranti has served as a Graduate Research Assistant under the supervision of Drs. Sue Levkoff, Maryah Fram, Yanfeng Xu, and Nelís Soto-Ramírez at the University of South Carolina. She has also gained additional research experience working in Dr. Thomas Nathaniel’s laboratory at the School of Medicine, Greenville/Prisma Health–Upstate (Medical Neuroscience/ Behavioral Health).
Teaching Interests and Experience
Oluranti is passionate about teaching and mentoring students. She has held three teaching assistantships, delivered several guest lectures, and independently taught undergraduate-level Microbiology as well as the graduate-level course Social Policy Analysis under the mentorship of Dr. Ben Roth, where she further developed culturally responsive teaching skills. In Nigeria, she instructed medical students and allied health students in Health and Social Policy at the Department of Health Policy, University College Hospital.
Practice Interests and Experience
Oluranti has over 20 years of experience in medical and clinical fields, including social and community health for vulnerable populations, healthcare management and leadership, rural health, geriatric health, and global health. She is a court-appointed advocate (Guardian ad Litem) for Vulnerable adults in the Department of Aging, South Carolina. She has worked and volunteered on health programs in the United States and Nigeria, focusing on the needs of Dementia Patients and underrepresented communities. She is a Fellow of the Grace Jordan McFadden Professor's Program.
With more than 11 years of experience in the field of health science in the UK and internationally, I have developed myself as a hardworking, inquisitive, and keen learner. 72 successful emergency rescues at an average altitude of 14,000 feet in the Himalayan country of Bhutan made me strong and determined to accept any challenge. As a student of public health, I am trying to develop myself as an academic in this field. I have developed a passion for teaching since my school days by watching my parents, who were actively involved in academia. With little over 7 years of teaching experience in the UK and Bangladesh, I am trying to develop myself as an orator and presenter in the world of academia. While working as a medical officer after completing my bachelor’s in medicine, I realized that without community engagement, social justice cannot be achieved. After completing my first master’s in public health in Bangladesh, I understood the need to learn academic writing and modern methods of health research. To pursue my goal, I have completed my second master’s in public health from Teesside University. To understand research more, I joined and served the Health and Student Research Network of Teesside University and later served as its deputy secretary. My achievements as a student of public health include the Dean’s Award and the Magna Cum Laude Award for academic excellence. As part of my research, I have published seven articles, both home and abroad, in peer-reviewed journals. I will be joining PhD in Social Work from Fall 2024. Last, I believe in the philosophy of gross national happiness.
Shreekrishna Chowdhury received his both BSS and MSS in Social Work from the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Social Work at the College of Social Work, University of South Carolina. He worked with children in Sarkari Shishu Poribar (Boy), a government orphanage in Sylhet as part of his internship, as well as with families of children with disabilities in rural Bangladesh on a project related to disability services for children. His research focuses on child welfare addressing child mental health issues and services in rural communities. His graduate research included how health challenges affect the academic performance of first-year university students. During his doctoral studies, he aims to learn and contribute to the field of child mental health research for making services more inclusive and accessible.
Yarin Cohen earned his BSW and MSW degrees from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In his master’s thesis, he delved into the lives of grandmothers whose intensive caregiving role has ended. This work led him to introduce the term "The Second Empty Nest," shedding light on these grandmothers' emotional journeys.
Yarin is the inaugural recipient of the Connor Fellows Program scholarship, which supports doctoral education to advance research and teaching in the field of aging. His research revolves around exploring social issues and understanding the real-life experiences of older adults. Yarin looks forward to further research on the roles, experiences, priorities and challenges of primary caregivers for older adults, guided by Dr. Sue Levkoff and Dr. Maryah Fram.
Previously, Yarin worked with individuals facing mental health challenges. More recently, he worked with older adults, especially Holocaust survivors in Israel. He is dedicated to bettering the lives of older adults and their primary caregivers, and aims to amplify their stories and ensure they're truly heard.
My name is Resia Cooper, MSW. I’m a military spouse, special needs mother, and macro social worker with a passion for addressing disparities that impact student success within marginalized communities. I earned my bachelor’s degree in social work from Salisbury University in Salisbury, Maryland, and my master’s degree in social work from Fordham University. I’m passionate about conference presentations and ensuring that social workers are equipped with the tools, knowledge, and support needed to thrive in the profession. After earning my MSW, I worked for the National Association of Social Workers – New Jersey Chapter and served as the research lab manager for the Reflexive, Innovative Objective Research for Social Justice (RIOS) Lab, where I conducted various research studies supporting inner-city youth in New Jersey. I pride myself on promoting human rights, justice, and access for all. My research interests include the intersection of autism, race, socioeconomic status, and long-term educational outcomes, as well as the higher education success of students in social work programs. I hold certifications in Dare to Lead and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace. As a teacher at heart, I am also a certified Google I Am Remarkable facilitator and offer free empowerment webinars to help nontraditional students thrive in higher education. I look forward to joining the 2025 PhD cohort to expand my research, build meaningful collaborations, and make a lasting impact in the field of social work.
Dianne earned her bachelor’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts and her master’s degree in Social Work from Rhode Island College. Dianne is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and Supervisor (LISW-CP/S) in the state of South Carolina and is certified by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health as an Early Intervention Specialist (CEIS). She earned her Post-Masters Certification in the Treatment of Psychological Trauma from Boston University and Certification in Child and Family Forensics from William James College in Newton, Massachusetts. She is also certified in Alternatives for Families, A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (AF-CBT), a trauma-informed treatment for caregivers and their children.
Prior to beginning her PhD studies, Dianne served as the Executive Director and owner of Merrimack Valley Trauma Services, Inc., managing offices in Massachusetts and South Carolina, from 2010-2024. She and her staff provided trauma-focused therapy for young children, adolescents, adults, and families using the latest evidence-based practice models and innovative parenting support approaches. In both Massachusetts and South Carolina, Dianne provided consultation to schools, Head Start programs, and mental health agencies, trainings, and trauma evaluation services. In 2012, she produced “Helping Until It Hurts: A Documentary About Vicarious Trauma,” which served as the foundation of a professional training she developed to educate social and other human service providers on the impact of trauma, prevention of vicarious trauma, and ways to create more trauma-sensitive learning and work environments.
In the upcoming year, Dianne looks forward to serving as a Graduate Research Assistant at the Institute for Families in Society, under the direction of Dr. Cheri Shapiro. Building on her 24 years of practice experience, Dianne is passionate about studying the vital role of parents and other caregivers in helping vulnerable, at-risk, and minority children and families recover from psychological trauma, and the implementation of attachment-focused, evidence-based parenting interventions. Research interests also include workforce development as it pertains to mitigating the impact of vicarious trauma on social workers, and the ways in which Medicaid policies are interpreted in different states, including the manner in which this impacts mental health treatment and outcomes for children.
Kim DeCelle received a Master of Social Work degree at the University of Georgia and a master’s of divinity degree from the Princeton Theological Seminary. She joined the Ph.D. program after nearly a decade of psychotherapy practice, including working with juvenile sex offenders in a residential treatment setting and serving patients in a community mental health clinic in Athens, Georgia.
DeCelle's research interests include trauma treatments and interventions, non-traditional families, stigma and cults. She is also interested in exploring larger questions of human suffering and collective responses to pain and suffering in the world. DeCelle returned to school to think creatively about the challenges she encountered in clinical practice.
Karen Andrea Flynn, LMSW, received a bachelor's degree in experimental psychology from the University of South Carolina in 2013, and completed her Master of Social Work with a concentration in Hispanic Children and Families from The Worden School of Social Service at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas.
Prior to beginning the doctoral program in 2019, Flynn worked as a school-based therapist at Centerstone, a not-for-profit health system providing mental health and substance use disorder treatments in Montgomery County, Tennessee. During her time, she provided individual and family therapy and acted as a liaison between families and schools to help ensure families received additional supports through the school system.
Flynn’s research interests include migration trends in the Southern Cone, immigration policies, and how they impact immigrant outcomes. Flynn’s academic advisor is Associate Professor Breanne Grace and upervised in research by Associate Professor Benjamin Roth.
Tamara Grimm received her bachelor’s degree from Miami University of Ohio, where she double majored in psychology and comparative religion, and minored in women's studies. She earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Cincinnati.
Grimm is a licensed independent social worker and worked for approximately three years at a community mental health agency in Cincinnati that served adults with severe and persistent mental illness. She supervised a traditional case management team and an interdisciplinary assertive community treatment team that served severely mentally ill adults on probation. Next, Grimm worked for the Veterans Health Administration as lead women veterans program manager for the VA Healthcare System serving Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. In this role, she was responsible for network-wide program development related to the healthcare needs of women veterans. She served in this capacity for approximately eight years.
Grimm's research interests include sex and gender related health disparities (particularly within military and veteran communities), women's mental health (especially psychosocial, complementary and alternative medicine prevention and treatment strategies) and the impact of gender socialization on women's mental health. Associate Professor Nikki Wooten serves as her research mentor and Associate Professor Christina Andrews is her academic mentor.
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Sadia Jehan earned bachelor's and master's degrees economics and worked for three years in data analysis and reporting in different settings (corporate, non-profit and academia).
Jehan's primary research interest is opioid use. She is interested in studying access to medication assisted treatment for opioid use disorder, racial and geographic disparities, and performing impact evaluation of policies and programs aimed at improving substance use related outcomes. Jehan intends to specialize in secondary data analysis by using surveys, administrative data, and Geographic Information System to understand the barriers to opioid use disorder and how can it be addressed using policy intervention to reverse the opioid epidemic.
Eric King earned his bachelor’s degree in behavioral science from Duquesne University and his MSW from the University of Southern California. He received his LISW-CP to practice clinical social work at the independent level within the state of South Carolina.
Prior to Entering the Ph.D. program, Eric was an outpatient mental health therapist for almost three years at the Williams Jennings Bryan Dorn Veteran Affairs Hospital in Columbia. He is interested in analyzing American military recruitment policy and mixed-methods research with a focus on veterans and military recruits.
Karen Leon is from Lima, Peru, where she earned her bachelor's degree in psychology. In 2015, she graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Master of Social Work degree and a graduate certificate in drug and addiction studies.maridfddd
Leon's research focuses on domestic violence and Latino immigrants and is interested in studying the use of power and control within the domestic violence shelter system and its impact on Latino immigrants' journey to remain free from violence. She has worked as a bilingual eligibility screener for the autism division at the UofSC School of Medicine's Center for Disability Resources as a program evaluator in a Latino community-based organization and an early intervention counselor in a local domestic violence organization.
Leon is passionate about gender inequality, immigration and environmental issues. She currently serves as a volunteer for Lutheran Services Carolinas in the division of refugee resettlement.
Originally from Canada, Shawn McNally earned both his BSSW and MSW from the University of North Dakota. In addition to his degrees, McNally also has a certificate in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Prior to his doctoral studies, McNally worked as a mental health professional within three school districts in Central Minnesota where he provided individual, family, and group therapy to middle/high school students and their families. Parallel to these duties, McNally also provided clinical supervision to mental health practitioners and clinical trainees. McNally’s primary research interest focuses on the mental health and well-being of adolescents and emerging adults. More specifically, McNally is interested in messaging around mental health and mental health services, in schools and on college campuses, and, how this messaging impacts mental health/well-being and mental health service use. Ultimately, McNally is interested in examining this – and other related topics - through a Self-Determination Theory (SDT) lens.
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Amanda Stafford McRell received a Bachelor of Social Work and a bachelor’s degree in political science, public policy from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. She also earned a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in international nonprofit management from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Prior to pursuing her doctoral education, McRell worked as the executive director of Reach Out Orphanage Ministries (ROOM), an international agency providing abandonment prevention, orphanage support and family placement programs for children in non-parental care in Central America and Southeast Asia. Her research interests include child well-being, international social work and human service organizational management.
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Mercy Somhayin Namateng holds a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) from the University of Ghana and a Master of Social Work (MSW) from East Tennessee State University. Mercy has extensive experience working with vulnerable populations, including children with disabilities and their families, as well people living with HIV/AIDS. Her research focuses on social injustices affecting immigrant families, with an emphasis on women and children, exploring the intersection of migration, trauma, and the risk of substance and alcohol use disorders among children.
She has served as a communications coordinator and liaison for youth organizations focused on HIV/AIDS research and prevention in Africa. Mercy has mentored and spear headed the formation of civic clubs in junior and senior high schools within Accra Metropolitan as she served as a civic educator in Ghana, West Africa. She has served as a communications coordinator and liaison for youth organizations focused on HIV/AIDS research and prevention in Africa.
Mercy’s experience as a research assistant at the Archives of Appalachia at East Tennessee State University, where she explored cultural and social justice issues in the Appalachian region, has shaped her understanding of poverty and vulnerability in the American context. This experience, coupled with her perspective as an international student, has deepened her commitment to addressing the systemic challenges faced by underprivileged communities and informed her research focus.
Before pursuing her PhD, Mercy interned at a pediatric clinic, where she advocated for comprehensive healthcare for patients and their families. She also holds a graduate certificate in clinical addiction and counseling studies and has worked as a clinical social worker and addiction specialist in residential treatment facilities.
Courtney Jessica Ober, MSW, LMSW, RYT-200, is a third-year doctoral student in the College of Social Work, a school-based mental health therapist within Richland County School District One, and a practicing yoga and mindfulness instructor. She serves as the PhD student representative on the College’s Wellness Committee and as president of the PhD Student Organization.
Ober earned her BSW from Ramapo College of New Jersey (2022) and her MSW from New York University (2023). She is the author of The KrazyGirl (& Guy) Parent Survival Guide: Helping Your Child of Any Age Thrive with Mental Health Challenges and cofounder of the KrazyGirl Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to reducing mental health stigma and advancing wellness education.
Her research centers on school mental health, with a particular emphasis on the adoption and implementation of mindfulness programs in K-12 public schools. She is especially interested in understanding barriers to their successful implementation and is committed to developing mindfulness interventions that are accessible and culturally responsive to the diverse needs of students and communities.
Sarah Pace received her undergraduate degree in sociology from Claflin University, with minors in Spanish and gerontology. She earned a Master of Social Work degree and a graduate certificate in drug and addiction studies from the University of South Carolina.
Pace is bilingual in English and Spanish. Pace has experience working with older adults living in community and institutional settings and has served as guardian ad litem for vulnerable adults taken into emergency protective custody. She has experience as an instructor for Social Work courses at the University of South Carolina and has a passion for teaching. She is a volunteer for a local refugee resettlement agency.
Pace's research interests are focused on technology use among minority older adults. The purpose of her dissertation is to explore the perspectives of African American older adults’ perspectives on how information and communication technology (ICT) impacts loneliness.
She plans to pursue a career in teaching and research as they relate to improving the quality of life of older adults.
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Abigail earned their bachelor’s degree in Criminology with minors in Psychology and Japanese from the University of South Carolina and their master’s degree in Law with an emphasis in Human Rights & Rule of Law from Regent University. In addition to their degrees, Abigail also has a certificate on human trafficking from Arizona State University. Before enrolling in the PhD program they worked as a victim advocate for a prosecutor’s office, specializing in commercial sexual exploitation of children, and as the anti-trafficking program coordinator for the South Carolina Department of Social Services. Abigail’s research interests focus on trauma and identity development in autistic youth and adults. Currently they are involved with faculty research on a clinical intervention to improve wellbeing and service outcomes for families with autistic children.
Stacy Smith received a bachelor’s degree in applied psychology from Belmont Abbey College and a master’s of social work degree at Winthrop University.
Before enrolling in the Ph.D. program, Smith worked in direct services and management at a non-profit community health center. As a youth employment and job skills development case manager, she worked with local businesses to secure summer employment for youth in foster care and impoverished backgrounds. In the housing and neighborhood services division of municipal government, Smith worked in policy analysis, program development and evaluation. In the field of child protection, she provided direct services to children and families, in addition to policy analysis, program development and evaluation.
Smith is a Spanish interpreter certified by the university’s Interpreter Qualification Project and translator and has served in various settings as an interpreter. She began her research training at Winthrop University’s Center for Social Welfare Research and Assessment. From there, she moved on to an evaluator role with the South Carolina Department of Social Services.
Smith works with Maryah Fram as a research assistant. Her research interests include social work’s unique position to address the intersections of individual experience with issues of food insecurity, poverty, economic exploitation and environmental degradation.
Julisa Tindall, Ph.D., LISW-CP, is a recent doctoral graduate from the University of South Carolina College of Social Work. She holds a BA in Psychology with minors in Coaching and Spanish from the College of Charleston and an MSW with a Family Practice Certificate from Tulane University. Julisa is a Licensed Independent Social Worker–Clinical Practice (LISW-CP) in South Carolina with clinical experience in behavioral health and substance use treatment. She has served as an Addiction Patient Navigator and Social Worker in the Psychiatry Department at Ochsner Health System in New Orleans, LA, and as a Clinical Counselor at Rock Hill Treatment Center, a methadone clinic in South Carolina.
Julisa’s research centers on racial healthcare equity, with a specific focus on the maternal and mental health experiences of Black women. Her dissertation, Equity in Maternal Journeys: Maternal Health Care Experiences among Black Mothers in South Carolina, explored how systemic inequities shape maternal care experiences and outcomes for Black mothers.
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Hello! My name is Emmanuella Asabea Twum from Ghana, and I am super excited to join the incoming fall 2024 cohort of the University of South Carolina College of Social Work. Over the years, I have been actively involved in research projects spanning fields such as gender dynamics, intellectual disability, and early childhood care, alongside my pursuit of degrees in Social Work and Development Policy and Planning. Professionally, I have worked as a research associate in the non-governmental sector, providing practical recommendations and interventions for social issues. My research interests revolve around child welfare and gender issues. I look forward to exploring new research ideas, collaborating with esteemed faculty and fellow students, and embarking on this new chapter.
Juan Wang received her BSW in 2021 from Northwest A&F University and her MSW in 2023 from Renmin University of China. She has a rich background in Child Welfare Systems within diverse cultural contexts, expertise in Child Maltreatment, Family Policy, and Family Parenting. Her scholarly pursuits revolve around enhancing Child Welfare Systems and providing services for maltreated children and their families. In the forthcoming year, she anticipates engaging in several projects to further her research, including evaluating a dissemination trial of the Teen Triple P parenting program within a local school district and conducting a system review focused on adverse childhood experiences.
Melissa Westlake received her bachelor’s degree in experimental psychology in 2013 from the University of South Carolina, where she also competed as an NCAA Division I student-athlete on the equestrian team. She also earned her Master of Social Work from UofSC in 2016. During her time in the MSW program, she worked with college faculty to develop the university’s first collegiate recovery program, Gamecock Recovery.
Prior to starting her Ph.D. studies, Westlake worked as the project manager on Assistant Professor Christina Andrews National Institute on Drug Abuse-funded award, analyzing the impact of Medicaid expansion on the development and access of substance use disorder treatment in general practice settings. She has also been involved in multiple supplement projects from a National Institutes of Health funded-award. For example, Westlake is currently examining the scope of health care benefits and limitations for substance use disorder treatment and recovery services across all Medicaid managed care organizations in the United States.
Westlake’s research is focused on the impact of health care and social policies on access to and quality of substance use disorder treatment. She is also interested in the availability of social, financial and clinical supports for the relatives and caregivers of individuals struggling with substance use. Her research advisor is Associate Professor Christina Andrews.