Kevin Askew, assistant professor, received a PhD from the University of South Florida. His research interests include “cyberloafing” and personal computer use at work; and the intersection of psychology and technology. He teaches courses including Quantitative and Statistical Methods, Interventions for Successful Organizations, and Personnel Psychology.
Jennifer Bragger, professor, has a PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Temple University. Her research interests include leadership development, the job interview, faith at work, work-family conflict, and stereotypes at work. She teaches courses including Leadership Theory and Development, Performance Management, Personnel Psychology, Organizational Psychology, and the cooperative learning course in Leadership Development.
Cheryl Gray, Assistant Professor, received a PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from the University of South Florida. She specializes in leadership and employee well-being. Her primary line of research investigates how to be a supportive supervisor and coworker. Dr. Gray teaches courses on a variety of I/O Psychology topics, and she enjoys involving students in her research projects. For an overview of Dr. Gray’s work, check out this podcast episode.
Mele Kramer completed her undergraduate studies at New York University with a B.S. in Studio Art, Psychology, and continued in the Masters level studies in Art Therapy. She has worked in corporate industry for over 20 years and recent consultant work within the cardiovascular specialty area, focusing on Leadership Training and Development with clinicians in hospitals with an emphasis on “transition of care” education and training to expand awareness regarding the issues surrounding healthcare processes, providing services, including alternative options for preventative and post follow up care to optimize costs, healthcare services and wellness. She received her M.S. in I/O Psychology focusing on Diversity Leadership. She is expected to graduate this Fall from Walden University with her Ph.D. in I/O Consultation Psychology. Mele’s Ph.D. research focuses on Asian American women leaders, which include their history, culture, family of origin challenges, stereotype barriers, and breakthroughs that were the turning points of their careers.
Rick Laguerre, Assistant Professor, received a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Connecticut in 2022, with advanced graduate certificates in Quantitative Research Methods and Occupational Health Psychology. He is the director of the Continuous Optimization of Individuals and Organizations (CoIO) Lab. His research program focuses on individual differences (e.g., motivation, subjective age, core self-evaluations) and work environmental features (e.g., human resource practices) important for successful aging and longevity at work. He has published on methodological issues in the organizational sciences, as well as topics that pertain to the intended-implemented gap of human resource management. As part of a larger collaborative effort, he has published on issues surrounding Total Worker Health and work-/non-work factors that impact employee well-being.
Valerie Sessa, professor, received a PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from New York University. Her research interests include leadership development in college students and continuous learning at the individual, group, and organizational levels. She teaches courses including Leadership Theory and Development, Groups in Organizations and Work Attitudes and Motivation. She is the author of three books: Executive selection: Strategies for success, Jossey Bass (with Jodi Taylor, 2000), Continuous learning in Organizations: Individual, group, and organizational perspectives, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. (with Manny London, 2005), Work group learning: Understanding, improving, and assessing how groups learn in organizations, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. (edited with Manny London, 2008), and has one book in progress: College Student Leadership Development: Learning from Experience, Taylor and Francis.
John Paul Wilson, Assistant Professor, received a PhD in Social Psychology from the University of Toronto. His research is broadly focused on the interplay of perceiver and target identities in social perception. It also focuses on first impressions, face memory, and social judgments. He teaches courses in social psychology. You can learn more about his research at the Perceiving People lab.