Leadership
Katie M. Edwards
Director, IVR LaboratoryAssociate Professor, CYFS
katie.edwards@unl.edu
CURRICULUM VITAE
Mary Couture
Lab Manager, IVR Laboratory mary.couture@unl.eduMary Couture
Mary Couture is a Lab Manager at the CYFS, providing leadership and administrative support to the Interpersonal Violence Research Laboratory. She supports internal lab operations through a wide variety of administrative functions. Mary is passionate about professional development. She is a member of University of Nebraska Office Professionals Association (UNOPA), UNL's University Association for Administrative Development (UAAD), Nebraska Educational Office Professional Association (NEOPA) and the National Association of Educational Office Professionals (NAEOP). Mary is currently studying at Grand Canyon University with plans to complete her Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Leadership in the fall of 2022.
Joseph Gardella
Postdoctoral Associate, IVR Laboratoryjoseph.gardella@unl.edu
CURRICULUM VITAE
Joseph Gardella
Joseph Gardella is a mixed-methods community and applied social psychologist whose research focuses on better understanding individual and systemic causes of positive youth development in school settings, particularly with historically marginalized populations. His work focuses on developing, implementing and evaluating prevention and intervention programming and informing policy efforts, especially building structural interventions that increase opportunities to grow relationships and coach targeted skills. Gardella earned his Ph.D. in Community Research and Action from Vanderbilt University.
Victoria Mauer
Faculty Affiliate, IVR Laboratoryvictoria.mauer@unl.edu
CURRICULUM VITAE
Victoria Mauer
Victoria's work broadly focuses on prevention and intervention programming that seeks to prevent sexual and partner violence and promote positive youth development. Mauer uses both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to examine a various research topics, including support for survivors of sexual and partner violence, campus communities’ attitudes toward sexual and partner violence prevention programming, and the role significant figures in youths’ lives (e.g., non-parental adults, peers) play in fostering prevention efforts. Mauer earned her doctorate in community psychology and prevention science from the University of Virginia.
Staff & Students
Madi Ahrlin
Research Staff, Rapid City Family Project
Llyod BigCrow Sr.
Programming & Research Staff, Rapid City Family Project
Alexa Callahan
Research Associate
Nia Clark
Consultant, PRYSHM Project
Marcey Edwards
Programming & Research Staff, Rapid City Family Project
Karissa Ellis
Research Staff, Rapid City Family Project
Naomi Even-Aberle
Assistant to the Project Coordinator, Youth VIP Project & Rapid City Family Projectneven-aberle2@unl.edu
Ramona Herrington
Cultural Outreach Manager, Rapid City Family Project & Youth VIP Projectrherrington2@unl.edu
Leon Leader Charge
Consultant (Prevention Specialist, Research Associate), Rapid City Family Project
Wamblee Looking Horse
Programming & Research Staff, Rapid City Family Project
Tifanie Petro
Programming Staff, Rapid City Family Project
Emma Spies
Research Staff, Rapid City Family Project
Brandi Tonkel
Research Staff, Rapid City Family Project
Alex Van Voorhis
Research Staff, Journey to Thrive Project
Kristi Vander Waal
Project Coordinator, Journey to Thrive ProjectLab Application
We are now recruiting graduate and undergraduate students to join the lab.
To be considered, students must complete the application (below), and send it along with a resume/CV and cover letter, to our lab manager, Mary Couture at mary.couture@unl.edu.
Download Application