Dr. Howard’s Team

Dr. Kimberly A. S. Howard received her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology in 2001 from Boston College. She  completed a predoctoral clinical internship at the Outpatient Behavioral Health Center at Sinai Samaritan Medical  Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Prior to joining the faculty at Boston University she ran a prevention program in a  Milwaukee public high school and was an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Howard’s research has appeared in journals such as The Counseling Psychologist, Journal of Vocational Behavior, Journal of  Applied Developmental Psychology, and the Peabody Journal of Education. She has written chapters in books such  as Handbook of School Counseling; Handbook of Psychotherapies with Children and Families; and Transforming  Social Inquiry, Transforming Social Action: New Paradigms for Crossing the Theory/Practice Divide in Universities  and communities.

Jacob William Diestelmann, Ph.D., is a Clinical/Health Psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at the Marshfield Medical Center in Marshfield Wisconsin. Dr. Diestelmann completed his Doctorate degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, Department of Counseling Psychology in 2017. From the fall of 2017 to the fall of 2019, he completed an APA accredited postdoctoral fellowship at the Marshfield Medical Center, gaining specialty training in Outpatient Assessment and Consultation, Outpatient Psychotherapy, Psychological Testing Services, Hematology/Oncology, Sleep Medicine, Bariatric Surgery, and Otolaryngology (ENT) healthy psychology services.

Gary DeYoung is a fifth-year doctoral student in the Applied Human Development Program at Boston University’s Wheelock College. His research focuses on the relationship between school social climate and teacher and student well-being. While at Wheelock, Gary has participated in research projects focused on student supports and services, teacher time use and emotion, and social inclusion in special education classrooms, and is currently assisting Dr. Howard with a study validating the Engineering Teacher Efficacy Scale. Before attending Wheelock, Gary was a middle school English Language Arts teacher, coached teachers, and trained and managed teacher coaches.

Graduate Student, Boston University: Wheelock College of Education and Human Development

Rebecca Markarian is a third year student in the EdM in Counseling with a concentration in School Counseling at Boston University (BU). Rebecca’s work over the last few years has spanned a variety of different areas including early childhood education, international education, and higher education. Most recently, she has led student activities and graduate admissions initiatives at Boston University’s Metropolitan College. Her research interests include social-emotional learning, career development, multicultural counseling, and positive psychology.

Stephanie M. Dinius is a doctoral student in Counseling Psychology at Boston University. Prior to her doctoral studies, Dinius completed a master’s in counseling and sport/performance psychology at Boston University. Her research and professional interests include student athlete career development and retirement from sport, and the role of college counsellors in supporting student vocational development. She is currently leading the Student Athlete Career Development research project.

Efe Shavers is a doctoral student in the Applied Human Development track of the Ph.D. program of the Wheelock College of Education and Human Development, Boston University. She received her B.A in psychology from the University of California, Riverside, and her MSW from the Boston University School of Social Work. Prior to beginning her doctoral studies, Efe worked as an elementary school counselor from 2013-2019 where she served a diverse group of students. This led to her research interest in the career development of elementary school-aged children. Efe currently works with Dr. Kimberly Howard in the Boston University Career Research Lab on the Exemplar Study and Dr. Tina Durand on the differences in the experiences of Black and White students in schools. Additional research interests include culturally Responsive Pedagogy, the experiences of Black and Brown girls in education, equity in policy, and school racial climate, teacher professional development, and equity in school curricula. Previous research experience includes studying resiliency factors for students of color. Efe is also a co-author of a developmentally appropriate anti-racism curriculum for elementary school students. Efe is affiliated with the National Association of Social Workers and the American Educational Research Association. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, baking, and running.

Deyja is currently a Counseling Psychology doctoral student specializing in sport and performance psychology. Prior to BU, Deyja completed her undergraduate career in her hometown of Boulder, CO, at the University of Colorado where she majored in psychology and sociology with a minor in business. She went on to earn her Master’s degree in Sport & Performance Psychology with a specialization in Latinx Psychology from the University of Denver. At both CU and DU, she has worked in labs surrounding microaggressions, race and ethnicity, and stereotyping. Deyja’s research interests include the investigation of racial and ethnic identity in athletes and how it may coexist with athletic identity. Her applied work has been within community juvenile justice services, an inpatient eating disorder center, coaching, and mental performance. Deyja aims to use her bilingualism and biculturalism to increase accessibility to mental health resources. As a member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology,, Deyja also aims to increase accessibility to culturally competent services within collegiate and professional sport. In her free time, Deyja can be found running, catching up with friends, watching a sport documentary, or at a coffee shop drinking matcha.

Sara Langtry is her Masters of Education in Counseling with a specialization in Child and Adolescent Mental Health at the Wheelock College of Education and Human Development, Boston University. She received her B.A in Psychology from Boston University. During her undergraduate years, Sara worked with BUILD, a nonprofit which uses entrepreneurship as a reintroduction to school and college access. She also spent time with the Italian Home for Children, a children’s residential and CBAT program. She continues to spend summers working for her local Boys and Girls Club teen summer camp as a Youth Development Professional Supervisor. Sara currently works with Dr. Kim Howard in the Boston University Career Research Lab on the Exemplar Study, studying school counseling as it relates to career development at the elementary level. In her spare time, Sara enjoys ballet training, cooking new dishes, and exercising.

Undergraduate Student, Boston University College of Arts and Sciences

Bianca is majoring in psychology and biology at Boston University (BU). She is a Student Ambassador, FYSOP Leader, Psi Chi Vice President, and an Office Assistant at Kilachand Hall Residence Life during the academic year. In her second year at BU, she was fortunate enough to have an internship while studying abroad in Australia at a mental health facility for adolescents, Rivendell. Her passion for working with children continued to grow as she began to volunteer at Yale New Haven Hospital and local daycare during breaks. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family.

Undergraduate Student, Boston University College of Arts and Sciences.

Yutong is a fourth year student at Boston University’s College of Arts and Sciences studying psychology. She is planning to pursue her master degree in educational psychology. She is a UNICEF member and the treasurer at OnPitch music club during the academic year. This summer, she joined Snow Lab at Harvard University. During her time at Snow Lab, she explored an experimental curriculum and a teacher training program which aim to promote young children’s growth and teacher’s professional development in rural China. She also conducted her own research investigating the relationship between picture book use strategies and children’s language skills in Rural China Preschool Setting. Yutong also worked with children at Kinglee International High school as a teacher assistant during the past summer. She is passionate about exploring different fields. In her spare time, she enjoys watching youtube and spending time with friends and family.

Undergraduate Student, Boston University College of Arts and Sciences.

Alex is a third-year student at Boston University’s College of Arts and Sciences studying psychology and Computer Science. He is a member of the BU Red Cross and loves doing volunteer work on weekends. He is also an academic mentor of Boston Partners Education helping students with behavioral and emotional disabilities at Boston Public Schools. Alex has always been passionate about helping people with mental health issues and is interested in pursuing a doctoral degree in clinical psychology after he graduates. In his sparing time, he enjoys working out and watching movies.

Undergraduate Student, Boston University College of Arts and Sciences

Rita is a fourth year student at Boston University (BU) studying Economics and International Relations. During the academic year, she is a mathematics tutor for the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, and a marketing team member of RedStar Theatre. In her third year at BU, she had an internship while studying abroad in London at a foreign currency exchange company, Caxton FX. This year, she is interning at a consulting company in the Great Boston Area as an operations and social media coordinator. Rita is passionate about helping others, and she has been volunteering as a teaching assistant at a local Chinese School since high school. In her spare time, she likes to cook and bake for her family and friends.

Cecilia is currently earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology at Boston University. Cecilia works as a Teacher’s Assistant at a pre-school during her summers. She worked as an Operations and Administration Intern at The Viva Center therapy practice in downtown DC, where she was eventually published for her essay on the benefits of Music when treating Anxiety. Cecilia plans to pursue grad school to expand her knowledge in the field of Psychology, hoping to one day open her own practice or become a professor. She is currently working as a Research Assistant Intern to study career development in Elementary school. In her spare time, she enjoys playing music, watching movies, and running.

Morgan graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2018 and is now pursuing her master’s degree in Counseling and Sport Psychology at BU. Her goal in life is to help develop happy, healthy and successful athletes by combining the power of sport with the concept of Balance. Morgan draws from her own experience as a competitive athlete with an identity fixed on her role as a basketball player. It was only after she was forced to give up this role that she realized she had not prepared herself for life beyond basketball. Following a period of identity confusion, Morgan was able to take all that she had gained as an athlete and apply it to other aspects of her life. By doing so, she was able to step outside of her comfort zone and grow in unexpected ways. Participating in research on intrinsic motivation at UW-Madison was part of that growth, and peaked her interest in combining sport and psychology as a career. Ultimately, she grew to appreciate the importance of living a balanced life and is merging personal and professional interests through work as a research assistant on the Athlete Career Development projects at BU.

Master’s student in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Sport Psychology. Olivia received a Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Coaching Education from James Madison University in 2013. At JMU, Olivia completed a senior thesis looking at the relationship between coaching behaviors and athletic injury. Prior to attending BU, Olivia spent a year serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA member with the Patriot Resilient Leader Institute in Gilford, NH. There, Olivia managed volunteers, created assessment metrics, managed social media, and wrote policies and a business plan for the organization which runs retreats for veterans focusing on peer-to-peer counseling, life skills workshops, and outdoor experiential learning activities.

Meghan received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2016 from Connecticut College. During her undergraduate career, Meghan conducted a study examining Sports Anxiety, Confidence, and Goal Orientation in Intercollegiate athletes and was a varsity coxswain on the women’s rowing team. Prior to coming to Boston University to pursue a Masters of Education in Counseling with a concentration in Sports Psychology, Meghan spent two years co-teaching kindergarten and second grade at Greenwich Country Day School in Greenwich, CT. In addition, Meghan is a trained ZGiRLS mentor, working with young female athletes to develop confidence and mental skills that can be applied beyond sports. She is also a consistent blog writer for the Seattle based organization and enjoys being able to share her passion for sports and the life lessons that are taught through sports with young girls, coaches, and parents. Here in Boston, Meghan is also working as a Boston versus Bullies mentor to help combat child and adolescent bullying in area schools. Meghan is a member of the Applied Association of Sports Psychology, Psi Chi, and the NCAA Leadership Class of 2015. In her spare time she is exploring Boston, in a barre class at Xtend barre, skiing, skating, or spending time with friends and family.

Undergraduate Student, Boston University College of Arts and Sciences

Tina is a third year student at Boston University (BU) studying mathematics with a concentration in statistics and has a minor in business. During the academic year, she works as an Office Assistant in the Questrom School of Business. Last summer, she interned at Upright Financial Corporation, a financial advisory firm. This summer, she is interning at the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a nonprofit organization that provides emergency aid and long-term assistance to refugees. Tina enjoys exploring different fields and is passionate about helping others. In her spare time, she likes to go hiking, go to the beach, and spend time with friends and family.

Boston University College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Class of 2019

Mitsu received her B.Sc in Behavior and Health from Boston University’s College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences in 2019. During her time in university, Mitsu spent her summers shadowing a general practitioner, working as a research intern at Early Autism Malaysia and an assistant teacher at Boston University’s Children Center. She is motivated to engage in psychological research as well as provide therapeutic services to individuals. Her research interests include child development in the context of adversity and resource scarcity and mindfulness-based therapy. In her free time, she enjoys watching investigative journalism documentaries and practicing yoga and meditation. After graduating BU, she worked as a substance use disorder counselor at a recovery home in Boston. She is currently a graduate student in Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Undergraduate student, Boston University College of Health and Rehabilitation Science: Sargent College

Shilu is a third-year student at Boston University’s Sargent College studying nutrition/dietetics and public health. She is planning to pursue her master’s degree in clinical dietetics. She was the leader of her high school’s volunteer club. She enjoyed teaching elementary school students from rural areas in China as well as helping children with autism. Encouraged by her experience, she looks forward to exploring the educational field in college. Starting in the sophomore year, she has been cooperating with peers to publish Chinese-language online blogs about life in Boston to encourage cultural engagement from Chinese international students. In her spare time, she enjoys ice skating and playing the piano.

Undergraduate student, Boston University College of Arts and Sciences

Sophia is a junior at BU’s College of Arts and Sciences studying Biology with a specialization in CMG, intending to pursue a BA/MS degree in Biology. She is a member of the professional chemistry fraternity Alpha Chi Sigma at BU. She was a former research assistant at the Precision Brain Health Initiative at BUMS, and during the time she worked to investigate the feasibility of technologies in diagnosing Alzheimer’s Disease and other brain related issues. She is working towards becoming an EMT in the Greater Boston area as well. In her spare time, she loves to read a lot and write poetry, she also has a passion for philosophy.

Post-baccalaureate Student, Tufts University Post-baccalaureate Pre-Medical Program

Lara is a first-year post-baccalaureate pre-medical student at Tufts University. She graduated from Boston University’s College of Arts and Sciences in May 2021 with a dual degree in English and French Studies. Lara also works as a research assistant for the AfriWon Research Collaborative, a program that allows family medicine trainees and family physicians in Sub-Saharan Africa to increase research activity through a comprehensive research curriculum and mentorship program. She is working towards becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant in the Greater Boston area. Her research interests include career development, mental health, and integrative medicine. She enjoys traveling, walking her dogs, and baking and cooking for her healthy food blog in her spare time.

Undergraduate Student, Boston University College of Arts and Sciences

Amira is a third-year student majoring in Neuroscience at Boston University (BU). In high school she served as an event planner for several community service organizations, working to organize activities for children on Halloween and mentoring junior high children in STEM subjects. At Boston University, she has served as the President of the BU West Campus Residence Hall Council and is also a Resident Assistant during the academic year. In her spare time she enjoys running, reading, and spending time with friends and family.

Undergraduate Student, Boston University College of Arts and Sciences

Tahreem is a second-year undergraduate student at Boston University (BU) studying Biology with a specialization in Neurobiology. Over the summer, she is taking classes and training to become an EMT. She is passionate about helping people and organizing resources for those in need. Tahreem is volunteering as a Communications Manager at a nonprofit organization in New York City that helps underserved populations receive the resources they need. In her spare time, she enjoys reading books and watching movies.

Undergraduate Student, Boston University College of Arts and Sciences

Shan is a fourth-year student at Boston University (BU) studying Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with a minor in Chinese. They are an active volunteer for both Massachusetts General Hospital as well as St. Francis House with hopes of also volunteering at an animal shelter in the near future. Throughout their life, Shan has had an interest in the medical field and is currently working towards attending medical school after graduating, with intentions of helping underserved populations in the future. They have a particular interest in research topics involving mental health, race, and gender and sexual identity. In their spare time, they enjoy dabbling in digital illustration and animation.

Undergraduate Student, Boston University College of Health and Rehabilitation Science: Sargent College

Nupur is a second-year undergraduate student at Boston University (BU) majoring in Human Physiology with a minor in Public Health. At BU she is a part of Beta Psi Omega, the pre-professional biology fraternity, Sargent Student Government, SASA (South asian student association), and Sigma Kappa sorority. Over the summer she is shadowing a dentist and physician to both get more involved and understand the different careers that are available in the medical field. Nupur has always had an interest in medicine and hopes to pursue medical school in the near future. She is passionate for advocating for minority groups and is very adaptable with any obstacles that are presented to her. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, surfing, and laying in a hammock with a good book.

Undergraduate Student, Boston University College of Health and Rehabilitation Science: Sargent College

Ritika is a third-year undergraduate student at Boston University (BU) studying Human Physiology. At BU, she is currently the president and co-captain of BU Dheem (an Indian classical dance group), she has participated in Model UN conferences and is a part of the Automotive club as well as the Premed Society. Over the past year, Ritika has been an active volunteer in organizations that tutor underprivileged students and elementary school students across the world. As a passionate dance who has been learning dance since the age of 4, over the summer Ritika is trying to teach younger kids the invaluable skills that dance has taught her. As an aspiring pediatrician, she is always trying to spend more time with children and learn more about the field of medicine. In her free time, Ritika loves to read, bake, binge watch tv shows, explore new places and eat some yummy food.