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Who We Are

Meet our dynamic team of passionate researchers and practitioners

Lab Director

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Dr. Steph(anie) Tavarez

Dr. Stephanie Tavarez is an I/O psychologist with seven years of applied industry/experimental research and higher education experience. Her applied and collaborative work addresses the following topics: diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), training program development and evaluation, personnel assessments, and higher education and employability. Dr. Tavarez is proactive and professionally committed to developing individuals in diverse populations and building workplace capacity to achieve business outcomes. In her daily work, she leads organizational development initiatives that contribute to facing organizational challenges for private and federal clients. She received her Ph.D. in I/O Psychology at Capella University in June of 2020. Ms. Tavarez earned both her Master’s of Science in Organizational Psychology and a Bachelor's in Psychology from the University of Hartford. She is passionate about teaching at her alma mater and building students’ learning profile through critical thinking and creativity.

Lab Manager

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Laura Chacon

Laura is a graduate student at the University of Hartford pursuing a dual Masters’ degree program in Business Administration and Organizational Psychology. Coming from a multicultural background she is passionate about DEI, change management research, and creating a culture where employees can thrive. Laura has experience working with startup organizations providing expertise in planning, operations, project coordination, and people management.

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Alumni Research Associates

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Matt Huston

Matthew Huston (He/him/his) has a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from University of Wisconsin- Madison in Marketing and Psychology and a Master’s of Science in Organizational Psychology from University of Hartford. He is passionate about empowerment, communication, and equity in the workplace as well as in life. Some areas that he is most passionate about applying these include DEI, leadership, and change management. He has an eclectic background through which he has built skills like facilitation (virtual and in-person), coaching, training program construction, event management, data interpretation/presentation, and others.

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Amna Jasim

Amna is an I/O practitioner and an HR professional with over eight years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Alongside that she is a member of the SHINE lab and a learning and development consultant. Amna is passionate about helping others and found her calling in emotional intelligence as she thrives through designing and developing emotional intelligence training programs for individuals and businesses and aim for better and healthier workplace. Amna earned her Master's in Organizational Psychology at the University of Hartford and a member of SIOP. She focused on how Emotional Intelligence can help individuals in their lives and help in areas such as job satisfaction. In her free time, she likes to paint, write, enjoy a good tv show, or watch sports.

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Katie Linehan

Katie recently graduated with her Master's of Science in Organizational Psychology at the University of Hartford. She is based in the Pacific Northwest and has roughly 15 years of experience, mainly working in counseling centers in positions ranging from receptionist to office manager, with HR responsibilities sprinkled in. Katie hopes to grow her career in training program development, people and culture, and facilitation.

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Hannah Morris

Hannah Morris has a B.A. in Classical Studies from Dartmouth College, an M.A. in French from Middlebury College, and, most recently, an M.S. in Organizational Psychology from the University of Hartford. Following the work from her Capstone, Hannah's research focuses on feedback mindsets and behaviors at the individual and team levels and feedback culture at the organizational level. She is also very interested in related concepts, such as employee voice behavior and psychology safety. With 20 years of experience in education and corporate training, Hannah's core skills revolve around designing, developing, and delivering learning content, materials, and experiences.

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Josh Shoden

Josh graduated from the Dual Masters' Program (MSOP & MBA) at the University of Hartford. He currently is working as an adjunct professor and graduate student tutoring supervisor at Hope International University. His main research interests include burnout and its effect on employees, psychological safety, and motivation in the workplace.

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Anita Spence

Anita has a Bachelor's in Economics from the University of Connecticut and will have her Master's in Organizational Psychology from the University of Hartford in Fall 2023. Anita is interested in diversity and inclusion as well as learning and development. She has gained skills in the areas of DEI, data collection, and SPSS.

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Graduate Research Associates

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Meagan Boissonneault

Meagan Boissonneault has a Bachelor of Science in Fashion Merchandising from Framingham State University and a Master’s of Science in Organizational Psychology from University of Hartford. She has over ten years of experience in global sourcing within a variety of industries ranging from apparel and footwear to utilities. She is passionate about DEI, burnout prevention, employee motivation, job design, emotional intelligence, and cross-cultural communication. In her free time, she enjoys reading, knitting, and trying out new recipes.

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Wendy Iglehart

Wendy Iglehart is a Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor/Consultant with a private practice working with adults, couples, and families. She has her BA from Seattle University, MA from Towson University, and completed her post-graduate licensure requirements at Towson University and Johns Hopkins University. She is currently pursuing her MS in Organizational Psychology at the University of Hartford. She worked at the USMC Career Center San Clemente, CA helping active-duty Marines transition into the civilian workforce with job search assistance, resume writing, skill development, and interview techniques. She worked as a Collaborative Coach to assist families who are separating and divorcing to resolve conflict and navigate the process effectively. Wendy is passionate about organizational development, learning, motivation, team dynamics, skills and abilities, and interrelationships within the work environment.

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Samuel Lewis

Samuel Lewis (he/him) has bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Health Policy & Management from Providence College. Samuel is in the midst of working towards the completion of the MSOP degree at the University of Hartford and is a new member of the SHINE Lab. Professionally, Samuel works in the health insurance sector as a Behavioral Health Program Specialist and is responsible for creating a more accessible, affordable, and equitable behavioral healthcare system for the surrounding community. Samuel's past research focused mostly on health equity and diversity training within the academic setting.

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Tyauna Potenza

Tyauna Potenza has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychological Science from Central Connecticut State University and will have her Master of Science Degree in Organizational Psychology from University of Hartford in Fall 2024. She is a member of SIOP and SCRA. As a life-long learner herself, she is passionate about supporting learning and development in others as well. Tyauna’s research interests include emotional intelligence, stress management, and diversity of thought in organizations. She has gained skills in training program design, experimental design, and SPSS.

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M'Kenzy Walters

M'Kenzy (she/her/hers) is a current master's student in the University of Hartford's Organizational Psychology program. In her current role as a Senior Talent Acquisition Leader, she spearheads strategic initiatives in talent acquisition at a boutique management consulting firm. Her interests are centered around fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the workforce, advocating for equitable hiring practices, and exploring gender's dynamic roles in organizations. In addition to her professional and academic pursuits, M'Kenzy also works part-time as a Teaching Assistant for the University of Hartford in the Organizational Psychology department's Experimental Design and Advance Research Methods courses.

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Collaborators

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InclusionBridge

InclusionBridge's visionary approach transcends traditional workforce development paradigms. It is reshaping the narrative around talent acquisition and corporate social responsibility. By empowering diverse leaders, this initiative contributes to the creation of a more equitable and inclusive society. InclusionBridge acts as a bridge connecting major employers with these ambitious students by sponsoring one of three programs that give students the education and opportunity to participate in data science. This transformative experience not only imparts valuable skills but also nurtures mentorship relationships that pave the way for success. It allows companies to authentically diversify their workforce while championing the cause of social good.

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Dr. Malik Boykin, RISE Lab

Dr. C. Malik Boykin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences (CLPS) at Brown University. Malik received his doctorate in Social and Personality Psychology from UC Berkeley, his M.A. in Social-Organizational Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University, and his B.S. in Psychology from the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) – after first attending Howard University. He was a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow for two years at Brown in the Department of CLPS before his current faculty appointment. His research focuses on intergroup relations, hierarchy, prejudice, mentorship, and racial identity. Several of these themes inform his research on attitudes toward HBCUs and bias in decision-making algorithms.

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Temma Schaechter

Temma Schaechter is a clinical research coordinator at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Mental Health. Temma graduated from Brown University with a B.A. in Psychology and Music, where she researched mental health interventions for youth in the justice system. For her honors thesis, she designed a study measuring racial/ethnic discrimination in hiring decisions and factors that may attenuate discrimination. She is currently writing a manuscript for this project in collaboration with Dr. Stephanie Tavarez and Dr. Malik Boykin. Temma plans to pursue graduate studies to continue investigating mental health disparities and how to adapt services for marginalized communities. Outside of research, she writes and sings folk music and loves food.

Past Contributors

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