Author: Nathaniel Smith

In a Q&A with Dr. Mel Velar, we learn about the impact of her capstone study and her experience in Spalding’s EdD program.

My capstone study is a journey into the heart of cultural evolution within behavioral health. It’s about moving beyond the static concept of cultural competency towards the dynamic practice of cultural responsiveness, with humility as its cornerstone. We’re exploring how leaders can utilize powerful tools like self-assessment to dismantle preconceived notions and embrace a more nuanced understanding of culture—one that transcends surface-level differences. This research illuminates how dedicated reflection and training can profoundly reshape treatment planning, service delivery, and ultimately, patient outcomes, fostering a more equitable and effective healthcare landscape.

The invitation to present in Portugal is nothing short of a profound honor, a moment of true humility. To stand among the luminaries I’ve long admired, to contribute to the mentorship and inspiration of both emerging and seasoned practitioners in applied behavior analysis and behavioral health—it’s a dream realized. In a time marked by uncertainty surrounding diversity initiatives, to find myself in a community dedicated to upholding human rights and dignity in service delivery, feels like a powerful, full-circle moment. It’s a testament to the enduring power of our collective commitment to positive change.

The Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) has been a beacon for those devoted to the philosophy, science, and application of behavior analysis since 1974. Its international conference, a biennial event, represents the largest global gathering of behavior analysts. This platform is crucible of innovation, featuring a rich tapestry of presentations, panels, and posters that delve into the latest research and techniques. The upcoming 12th International Conference in Lisbon, Portugal, is poised to be a pivotal moment, driving the global advancement of behavior analysis and fostering a community dedicated to excellence.

My doctoral journey has been transformative, unlocking doors to impactful teaching and mentorship opportunities. I’ve had the privilege of serving as an adjunct professor at Baypath University and Vargas University, and I’m deeply involved in revamping positive behavior support programs within school districts. This work includes redesigning systems for the early identification and intervention of neurodivergent children and those experiencing developmental delays. My degree has been the catalyst, empowering me to translate theory into practice and create tangible, positive change within educational and healthcare settings.

Every professor I encountered during my doctoral studies left an indelible mark on my professional trajectory. Dr. Calleroz-White was instrumental in challenging my perspectives and fostering a profound sense of self-reflection. Dr. Malewitz and Dr. Harris exemplified the true essence of mentorship, providing unwavering support as I pursued my goal of creating a lasting change. This journey was far more than earning a degree; it was about building a powerful platform from which to step forward as a catalyst for positive transformation.

Initially, the prospect of conducting research and presenting findings felt daunting. However, I’ve discovered it to be one of the most potent tools for enacting change and raising awareness. My future is dedicated to continuing this vital work. Conducting research, advocating for marginalized and historically underrepresented groups, and ensuring that services are tailored to meet their diverse needs will remain my unwavering focus. Spalding University has provided me with a solid foundation, a springboard from which to launch continuous, meaningful change. I am committed to leveraging this platform to amplify voices, drive progress, and create a more equitable and just world.

Rebecca Carew (Class of ‘25), discusses how her EdD has impacted her current role at Google and discusses her experience at Spalding.

I knew I wanted a terminal degree. I looked at PhD and EdD programs and decided to pursue an EdD because I’m a problem solver and focusing on real-world issues appealed to me. When I saw there were courses in leading innovation, ethical leadership, and leadership in local and transnational contexts, combined with Spalding’s commitment to inclusiveness and compassion, Spalding became my first choice.

I am a Learning and Organizational Effectiveness Program Manager at Google. My team manages leadership development, career development, and organizational effectiveness programs for Google Data Centers. I help my teammates measure the impact and effectiveness of our programs and come up with creative solutions for complex learning and organizational challenges, and mentor peers across the Google learning community in how to successfully integrate technology into their training solutions.

The idea for my board game came from a brainstorming session for a training event. I brainstormed a role-playing activity with a colleague, and the concept of a road trip with coworkers, a scenario full of potential conflicts and collaborative problem-solving, stuck in my mind as an interesting real-life situation. I proposed a road trip board game as a project in Dr. Calleroz White’s Leading Innovation and Creating Change across Communities course. We needed a decision-making activity for a leadership development program, one that would encourage strategic thinking and collaborative problem solving, and the interactive nature of a board game seemed like the perfect fit to appeal to most of the participants. I’ve always been fascinated by decision-making; I designed a course about decision-making in the context of the 20th century for Dr. Jefferson’s class, so the subject matter was fresh in my mind.

Road Trip was designed to allow players to practice empathy, strategic thinking, and decision-making in a familiar environment. Everyone has been on a road trip of some type and struggled with choosing lodgings and places to eat that everyone could agree on. One of the things I love about road trips is novelty destinations. There are so many off the beaten track experiences that show the kitschy side of a community, and there are eighteen possible ‘tourist traps’ to visit during the game. The game takes place on a mid-century diner style map; teams of players move their cars from spot to spot on their way to an event. At every stop, they must make a decision: where to eat, where to sleep, which tourist trap to visit, who changes a flat tire, and so on. Each player is assigned a persona at the beginning of the game, and these personas drive their decision-making. The game has been played in-person and virtually with a facilitator for almost a year, and the feedback has been very positive, with participants reporting an increase in decision-making confidence and a greater understanding of diverse perspectives. The game also increases the participants’ understanding of the importance of empathy when working in teams.

I can’t think of just one! Early in the EdD program, I was struggling to reconcile my understanding of leadership with some of the real-world examples I was witnessing. Coming out of a time of heightened societal division, and having recently experienced organizational restructuring at work, I found it difficult to think of leadership in positive terms. Dr. Harbolt provided invaluable guidance by helping me broaden my perspective.

Dr. Jefferson encouraged me to pursue decision-making as a research topic. I wrote one of my favorite papers in his class; a study of Daniel Ellsberg’s decision to release the Pentagon Papers. Dr. Jefferson understood how important it was for me to write that paper and provided fantastic feedback.

Road Trip would never have come to fruition if it weren’t for Dr. Calleroz White. We’ve stayed in touch, and she’s been a constant source of encouragement, celebrating my successes alongside me. Her course was a pivotal turning point for me, both academically and professionally. Before her class, I don’t think I fully recognized or had confidence in my own potential. Her unwavering support and mentorship have empowered me to achieve goals I never even imagined setting.

I have several exciting speaking engagements coming up, including a workshop on board game design and a research and innovation summit where I’ll discuss how board games can drive workplace performance. I’ve also just completed testing a new card game, and the final artwork has been sent to the publisher.

Looking ahead, I plan to continue collecting Road Trip data, with the goal of conducting a longitudinal study on the game’s impact on decision-making within my organization.

In a Q&A with Dr. Beatriz Pacheco, we learn about her role as Director of Education for the Pueblo of Sandia in New Mexico and her experience in Spalding’s EdD program.

I was working at Saint Xavier High School in Louisville, Kentucky, and Dr. Perry Sangalli, an alumnus of the program himself, sent me a message asking me to consider getting a doctorate through the Spalding program. Dr. Sangalli remained a mentor and a friend throughout the program, and he was even on my dissertation committee. He was a strong advocate of the Spalding Ed.D. program, and he remains one of my most important influences.

I became Director of Education at the Pueblo of Sandia, located just outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 2021. My husband and I are both natives of New Mexico, and his military service is what took us to Kentucky, a place that we will always love and consider a second home. My purpose in getting an Ed.D. was to eventually come back to New Mexico and serve as an educational leader, using my knowledge and skills to help improve outcomes for the children of my home state. I was drawn to the Pueblo of Sandia because of their innovative methods for addressing the needs of the community through education. The education department at the Pueblo oversees scholarships for students in elementary, middle, and high school as well as post-secondary education. The system already in place was created to provide the best possible opportunities for the community. One thing that impacts all Indigenous communities throughout the U.S. is language loss, which is the result of long-term systemic oppression aimed at removing languages and cultures. When I first started my work at the Pueblo, I worked with the language and preservation administrator to write a grant for 2.5 million dollars. We received the grant and were able to establish what is now a flourishing language program within the community, and the program has just started its 3rd year. The goal of the program is to create fluent teachers who will then go into the Early Childhood Center to establish a language immersion program for the children of the Pueblo. The motto of the program is “the hills in front of you are nothing compared to the mountains you have already climbed.”

One of the first things I was able to assist with was the design of a new Early Childhood Development Center for the Pueblo of Sandia. New Mexico is very fortunate to have the leadership of Secretary of Early Childhood Education Elizabeth Groginsky and Assistant Secretary Cotillion Sneddy, both of whom champion early childhood education in the state. It has been my privilege to work with both of them. The new center will include a language lab, a sensory room, and a maker’s space, all on a beautiful campus with a view of the picturesque Sandia Mountains.

My degree from Spalding has opened doors for me that would have remained closed had I not made the difficult journey towards a doctorate. Spalding is a respected institution, and today, I meet with Governor Lujan Grisham of the State of New Mexico and members of her cabinet, and I can influence policy for children who need strong advocates. I am so privileged to work with the leadership at the Pueblo of Sandia, for whom I have the greatest respect and admiration. Most importantly, I am doing what I always wanted to do – I have come home and am making a difference for young children who are just like I was at one point in my life. Compassion and empathy are the most important traits one must have to influence real and positive change. Spalding University remains committed to those values, and I am proud to be a graduate of Spalding’s Ed.D. program.

I am so grateful to my dissertation committee chair Glen Beattie for his belief in my research. He was one of the toughest professors I had during my journey to a doctorate, and that is exactly why I wanted him to be my chair. I knew I would produce quality research under his guidance. I am also eternally grateful to Dr. Susan Jackson-Dowd. She was my Systems Theory professor, and I am now an adjunct in the program at Spalding teaching the same class. She had a profound impact on me, and she is one of the reasons I can do what I am doing today as Director of Education at the Pueblo of Sandia. She taught me how to critically analyze and identify leverage points in systems.

I am so grateful to be doing what I am doing. It truly is a dream come true. My biggest hope is to continue to be an influence for better educational outcomes for students in New Mexico. One thing that I have learned is that when children’s strengths are honored, their outcomes will be greater. The Superintendent of Albuquerque Public Schools, Dr. Gabriella Blakey recently told me that there is AI technology that can identify the strengths of a child and tailor a lesson to those strengths. I plan to meet with her soon to learn how to leverage this for the children of the Pueblo of Sandia and then to share this with all the various systems in which they are educated to maximize outcomes for them.

In 2018, I published a book entitled The Rise of the Human Digital Brain: How Multidirectional Thinking is Changing the Way We Learn. Technology has more of an impact on brain development today than ever before in our history. Just imagine what we could do if we leveraged this in a positive way. My hope is to be a leader in this field and to continue to find ways to help others. I also want to inspire those I work with in Spalding’s Ed.D. program to follow their passions and lead with the same type of empathy and compassion that was so firmly instilled in me during my time at Spalding.

Faculty Focus Friday is a Q&A series that highlights individual faculty members in various academic programs around Spalding University. This week’s featured faculty member is Steve Katsikas, Professor of Psychology & Director, Office of Sponsored Programs & Research with Spalding University’s School of Professional Psychology (SOPP).

I relocated to Louisville in 2006 with my family from Miami, Florida to serve as department chair in the School of Professional Psychology (SOPP). It was a difficult decision — Miami was home — but I was drawn to SOPP’s mission and strong reputation. It turned out to be a fantastic choice. In addition to the mission, I deeply value the people here — faculty, staff, and students alike. Everyone is warm, dedicated, and incredibly talented. Spalding’s small size allows for flexibility and innovation, and I’ve been fortunate to lead positive changes to the PsyD program and, more recently, to help establish the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research (OSPRe).

I’m a child psychologist by training, with clinical experience in residential, inpatient, and outpatient settings. My research interests have evolved over time and currently focus on the use of psychedelics in treating addiction and on virtual reality applications in clinical psychology.

Psychology is a versatile and valuable major. It equips students with essential skills that employers seek — clear communication, data-driven decision-making, ethical reasoning, conflict resolution, and team building across diverse backgrounds. For those pursuing graduate study, psychological science provides the foundation for evidence-based treatments. I’m also especially inspired by the field of positive psychology and its potential to enhance well-being on a broad scale.

I’m excited to present the results of my sabbatical research at an upcoming colloquium. The literature is clear — regular meditation reduces anxiety, stress, and depression. However, establishing a consistent practice can be challenging. Our research team, including a group of doctoral students, wanted to explore whether virtual reality (VR) meditation could offer similar benefits. We designed a study to test the impact of a single VR meditation session. Preliminary findings suggest that VR-based meditation is effective and may help make mindfulness more accessible and sustainable.

I hope our students, both undergraduate and graduate, learn to apply psychological knowledge, skills, and attitudes to help others become the best version of themselves. I also want them to appreciate that every client is unique and that the therapeutic relationship itself holds the power to foster healing.

I’m passionate about astrophotography and have several of my deep space images displayed in my office. Capturing and processing these images is a therapeutic outlet for me. Sharing the beauty of the night sky not only brings joy but also serves as a reminder to students that self-care is important — even for professors.

Many people lack access to guided meditation, but I hope VR-based practices can help make these tools more widely available. VR is engaging, immersive, and has the potential to meet the pressing mental health needs of today. This project also provided our doctoral students with a hands-on experience in designing, implementing, and analyzing a research study. Their contributions were vital to the success of the project — and to expanding access to wellness tools that promote peace and well-being.

We sat down with Damareus Jackson Martin, 23, a sophomore here at Spalding University and student success coach pursuing a social work degree with a minor in psychology.

I started at JCTC during COVID. It was pretty rough at that time as I had just left foster care and was trying to juggle school and maintain being on my own.

When I turned 21, I became homeless and had to decide between getting a job and maintaining where I lived. I took a break for two years before I took a job at Kentucky Youth Advocates and started expanding my work with Foster America and later joined the Youth Metro Cabinet.

I made the decision to come to Spalding after realizing all the advocacy work we do allowed me to travel to Washington, D.C., and I wanted to have the education behind the words that I was saying.

I started full-time and had a 4.0 my first half of the year. I also got accepted into the Honors Scholars Program.

As a student success coach, I have had a lot of fun. I know in order for a student to be successful, things outside of school have to be in balance. I try to make sure their mental health is okay before anything else.

On top of getting my bachelor’s degree, I want to continue expanding on my education and receive my master’s as well.

I’m really focused on the youth. For example, this week we focused on National Violence Prevention Week. Recently, we had a youth panel discussion on youth violence in the community.

I’ve worked in a lot of places, and Louisville is where I want to stay for now. However, I do have plans to do work outside of Louisville in the future.

It’s a very low-stress environment. I think everybody is very open and welcoming. It helps me stay focused. The staff and faculty being welcoming is very relaxing and less stressful on the mind and heart.

I do want to thank Spalding for believing in me and accepting me. I came here to gain support and give support, and I have felt more supported here than ever before.

Martin is also a Youth Metro Cabinet member for District 2, where he works to elevate youth voices in the community and local government while providing an outlet for civic engagement that fosters social, emotional, and interpersonal growth.

Faculty Focus Friday is a Q&A series that highlights individual faculty members in various academic programs around Spalding University. This week’s featured faculty member is Aaron Lubrick, associate professor of creative arts, School of Liberal Arts.

I really like being at Spalding University because our students are people who strive for their passions. They are folks who really want to make our world a better place through their interests, compassion, and hard work.

I am an artist/painter. Mostly, I paint landscapes.

As I see it, liberal arts is everything! It’s history, it’s literature, it’s human rights. It’s what makes us human beings. The liberal arts is the cross-section that holds all our departments and programs together here at Spalding University. It’s imperative for a well-rounded, meaningful education.

As an art teacher, I would really like our students to understand that having differences and being different is a good thing.

I would like folks to know that their personal expression and the marks they make contribute to our world in profound ways.

I always say when I’m teaching drawing and painting, “The space around the objects you are drawing or painting is just as important as the object you are trying to depict. Realizing this exemplifies how all things are intertwined and connected.”

I am really excited about this exhibition because it is taking place at the Metro Arts Community Center here in Louisville. Much of the work that will be displayed was made during my spring 2024 sabbatical. My sabbatical work was all about painting at parks in Louisville and connecting with everyday folks who often don’t have the chance to be around artists or painters. This exhibit is not only about looking at paintings -it’s about engaging with our community and discussing the roles art plays in our lives.

As you can imagine, I have paintings in my office! Most of the paintings in my office are from very talented artist friends of mine. They welcome me every day I am on campus!

Art is so much about empathy and viewing someone else’s perspective. Every person creates a different drawing or painting, even though sometimes they reference the same subject matter. I love seeing so many possibilities and letting our students understand how important it is to surround themselves with differences. By respecting and being open to everyone’s point of view, we open ourselves up to boundless possibilities.

I am very lucky to teach here at Spalding. I am able to share my love and appreciation for art. Art is so many things! It leads me down so many avenues of conversation with students. We can talk about why a specific color can be meaningful or discuss art that is all about human rights. Really, I feel like my classes are all about empowerment and championing our students. We are faced with so many obstacles in our daily lives – being able to help a student learn how to make a very successful drawing or painting when they had no idea they were capable of it builds so much pride and confidence that translates throughout their lives.