Diversity Initiatives

Holmes Scholar LaKaren Rickman

Biography

I am a fourth year Ph.D. student in School Psychology at the University of Iowa.  I became a Holmes Scholar in May, 2008 and am mentored by Dr. Kit Gerken and
Dr. David Wacker.

I graduated from Berry College in Rome, Georgia with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology.  Later, I graduated from Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia with a Masters of Science degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. 

My research interests include applied research approaches to assisting student populations with special needs who are often marginalized within the educational system.  These populations include students with learning and/or developmental disabilities, severe problem behaviors, and students with chronic health illnesses. My career goal is to be an advocate for these students and their families by eradicating the barriers the face and enriching their educational experience and overall quality of life. 

I am a member of the Association for Behavior Analysis and American Psychological Association divisions 37, 53, and 54.

In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my daughter and my husband, reading, and attending plays and musicals.

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