Faculty and Staff
Faculty
Department Chair

Brigitte Vittrup, PhD
Professor
WH 115-F
bvittrup@twu.edu
940-898-2624
Education: PhD, University of Texas at Austin
Research Interests: Racial socialization; children's racial attitudes; child discipline; media influences on children
Child Development / Child Life

Melissa McInnis Brown, PhD
Associate Professor
WH 102-F
mbrown50@twu.edu
940-898-2675
Education: PhD, University of Alabama; MA, University of Alabama; BA, The University of Texas at Austin
Research Interests: Conceptual/cognitive development; pretend play; imaginary companions; socioemotional development; theory of mind; empathy; executive functions; school readiness

Rhonda Buckley, PhD
Associate Professor
WH 308-B
rbuckley@twu.edu
940-898-3152

Kathryn Cantrell, PhD, Certified Child Life Specialist
Assistant Professor
WH 104E
kcantrell1@twu.edu
940-898-2619
Education: PhD, University of Massachusetts; MA, Tufts University; BA, Austin College
Research Interests: Racial disparities in child life services; chronic illness disclosure and illness narratives; social justice pedagogy in child life and pediatric psychology; and child life research methods

Elizabeth McCarroll, PhD, CCLS
Program Coordinator, MS in Child Life
Professor
WH 110
emccarroll@twu.edu
940-898-2736
Education: PhD, Texas Tech University; MS, Texas Tech University; BS, University of Texas; Certified Child Life Specialist, Association of Child Life Professionals
Research Interests: Social and emotional development of children, including peer relationships and friendships; impact of hospitalization on children and on parents/parenting; infant and toddler development

Katherine Rose, PhD
Professor
WH 111
krose1@twu.edu
940-898-3154
Education: PhD, Purdue University; MS, Purdue University; MS, University of North Texas; BS, Baylor University
Research Interests: Parental decision-making about non-parental child care arrangements; child care quality; professional development of child care providers

Azucena (Suzie) Verdin, PhD
Assistant Professor
WH 015B
averdin@twu.edu
940-898-3153
Education: PhD, University of North Texas; MEd, Harvard Graduate School of Education; BA, Harvard University
Research Interests: Knowledge-making in BIPOC families; epistemic development of Latina mothers; women of color feminisms to challenge dominant constructions of motherhood and childhood; critical qualitative methodologies; home visitor identity development
Counseling and Development

Jessenia García, PhD
Assistant Professor
WH 104A
jgarcia126@twu.edu
940-898-2672
Education: PhD, University of Texas at San Antonio; MS, University of Texas at San Antonio; BA, Texas State University
Research Interests: Latinx concerns in counseling; first-generation college students; bilingual counseling and supervision; and multicultural considerations in body image and eating disorder treatment

Lisa Grubbs, PhD, LPC-S, CSC, CG-C, NCC
School Counselor Advisor, CACREP Liaison
Associate Professor
WH 213-B
lgrubbs@twu.edu
940-898-2653

Bonnie King, PhD
Assistant Professor
WH 213D
bking13@twu.edu
940-898-2688
Education: PhD, University of New Orleans; MA, Texas State University; BA, St. Edwards University
Research Interests: Ecotherapy and counseling in green space; best practices for working with transgender-idenitfying individuals; international counseling, international school counseling

Joel Muro, PhD, LPC, RPT, NCC
Program Coordinator, Dual Music Therapy Advisor
Professor
WH 104-F
jmuro@twu.edu
940-898-2705

Lamar Muro, PhD, LPC
Associate Professor
WH 015-D
lmuro1@twu.edu
940-898-2693
Family Studies/Family and Consumer Sciences

Joyce Armstrong, PhD, CFLE, CFCS
Graduate Program Coordinator
Professor
WH 104-G
jarmstrong@twu.edu
940-898-2690

Catherine Dutton, PhD, CFCS
Assistant Professor
WH 104-D
cdutton@twu.edu
940-898-2681

Nerissa LeBlanc Gillum, PhD
Professor
WH 015-G
ngillum@twu.edu
940-898-2696

Shann Hwa (Abraham) Hwang, PhD, CFLE
Professor
WH 015-H
shwang@twu.edu
940-898-3155

Karen Petty, PhD
Professor Emerita
kpetty@twu.edu
Marriage & Family Therapy

Linda Brock, PhD, LMFT-Supervisor
Associate Professor
WH 308-E
lbrock@twu.edu
940-898-2713
Education: PhD, Texas Woman’s University; MS, Texas Woman’s University; BBA, North Texas State University (now University of North Texas)
Research Interests: Human sexuality; Bowen Family Systems Theory; Grief & bereavement; Aging in families; Diversity in families

Adam Jones, PhD
Assistant Professor
WH 102-B
ajones116@twu.edu
940-898-2682
Education: PhD, Texas Tech University; MS, Utah State University; BS, Weber State University
Research Interests: Sexual Communication; Sexuality; Psychophysiology; Couple Conflict; Dyadic Data Analysis; Structural Equation Modeling; Psychotherapy Training; Therapy Process; Family Therapy; Medical Family Therapy; Illness and Disability

Rebecca Lucero Jones, PhD
Assistant Professor
WH 102-E
rlucerojones@twu.edu
940-898-2687
Education: PhD, Texas Tech University; MS, Texas Tech University; BA, Brigham Young University
Research Interests: Marginalized Populations; Mexican Americans; Bi-cultural Couples; Immigration; Trauma; Substance Use Disorders; Opioid Use Disorders; Sexual Relationships; Medical Family Therapy; Family Therapy; Qualitative Inquiry; Dyadic Analysis

Linda Ladd, PhD, PsyD
Professor
WH 308-D
lladd@twu.edu
940-898-2694
Education: PhD, Pacific University; PhD, Oregon State University; MS, Portland State University; BS, Portland State University; BA, University of Texas at Arlington
Research Interests: Family psychology; clinical psychology; assessments; parenting education; ambiguous loss; families raising children with significant and multiple disabilities

Aaron Norton, PhD, LMFT
Program Coordinator, Marriage & Family Therapy
Associate Professor
WH 104-B
anorton@twu.edu
940-898-2677
Education: PhD, Kansas State University; MS, Kansas State University; BS, University of Utah; BS, University of Utah; Associate Degree, General Studies, Weber State University
Research Interests: Online Therapy; Couples and Technology; Couples Relationships and Parenting; Couples and Military
Staff
Vivian Baxter, PhD
Academic Program Coordinator
WH 102-D
vbaxter@twu.edu
940-898-2692
Naomi Graham
Administrative Assistant
WH 115-D
ngraham2@twu.edu
940-898-2699
Melissa Harper, PhD
Academic Advisor II
WH 102-B
melissaharper@twu.edu
940-898-2731
Whitney Mathison, PhD, LPC, NCC
Counseling & Family Therapy Clinic Director
WH 114-P
wmathison@twu.edu
940-898-2954
Caty Meza
Senior Secretary
WH 115
cmeza4@twu.edu
940-898-2685
Anna Stokes
Senior Secretary, Graduate Programs
WH 115-B
astokes1@twu.edu
940-898-2686
Contact Information
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 425769
Denton, TX 76204
Physical Address
115, Woodcock Hall (WH)
(formerly Human Development Building, HDB)
1202 Old Main Circle
(north of the Bell Avenue and Texas Street intersection)
Phone
940-898-2685
Fax
940-898-2676
Email
HDFSC@twu.edu
Page last updated 4:12 PM, November 8, 2021