Graduate Psychology Staff

Aaron Coffey, M.B.A.
Director of Graduate Psychology Admissions and Retention
Office: Foyle 1014, 816.501.2969
aaron.coffey@avila.edu

Welcome to the newest member of the Department of Psychology. More information and photo coming soon!

Teresa Loch
Psychology Office Manager
Office: Foyle 1010, 816.501.3661
teresa.loch@avila.edu

Teresa Loch manages the psychology faculty with humor, grace, and infinite patience. Teresa's office hours are weekdays between 9:00 - 6:00.

Graduate Psychology Faculty

	Amy Bucher, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Psychology Office: Foyle 1022, 816.501.2468 amy.bucher@avila.edu B.A., University California Irvine Ph.D. University of Missouri-Kansas City Dr. Bucher is a licensed psychologist who maintains a small private practice working with individuals and couples. She teaches courses related to human relations skills, personality psychology, and theories of counseling and addiction. Dr. Bucher heads the Laboratory for the Study of Language Use and Behavior Change, where she is collaborating with students interested in researching the counseling process and attachment theory.

	Maria Hunt, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology; Director of Avila's Mindfulness Program Office: Foyle 1018, 816.501.2447 maria.hunt@avila.edu B.S., Ph.D., Louisiana State University Dr. Hunt is the Director of Avila's Mindfulness Program, and teaches, advises and mentors both graduate and undergraduate students. Her specialties include positive psychology, intuition, and mindful wellbeing. She consults with selected profit and non-profit organizations in the area and her areas of interest include the "train the brain" research in the neurosciences. Dr. Hunt conducts research in her Laboratory for the Study of Mindfulness, Well-being and Related Phenomena.

	Marcia Smith Pasqualini, Ph.D. Chair, Department of Psychology; Professor of Psychology Office: Foyle 1008, 816.501.3664 marcia.pasqualini@avila.edu B.S., Tulane University Ph.D., University of Missouri-Columbia Dr. Pasqualini is a licensed psychologist with a specialty in Clinical Neuropsychology. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in social psychology, biopsychology, and motivation and emotion. Dr. Pasqualini runs the Social Neuroscience Laboratory and invites interested Avila undergraduate and graduate students to join. Her current research interests include cognitive and psychophysiological aspect of emotion, bio/neurofeedback, and facial expressions. See her Faculty Spotlight here.

	Stephen Sirridge, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology; Clinical Director of Counseling Psychology Office: Foyle 1016, 816.501.3662 stephen.sirridge@avila.edu B.A., M.S., Ph.D., University of Kansas Dr. Sirridge is a Licensed Psychologist, and has been a teacher and psychotherapist for thirty years. He is currently the President of the Kansas City Association of Psychoanalytic Psychology (KCAPP) which is the local chapter of Division 39 Psychoanalysis of APA. He is finishing a two year advanced training program in psychoanalytic psychotherapy.

	Regina Staves, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Psychology Office: Foyle 1020, 816.501.3665 regina.staves@avila.edu B.A., University of Kansas M.S., Avila University Ph.D., Capella University Dr. Staves is active in our community as an advocate to prevent child abuse and neglect and also to support restorative justice throughout our justice system. Dr. Staves currently serves on the board of the Missouri Children's Trust Fund, where she is former chair. She is also a therapist specializing in psychological trauma, attachment in children and adults, family systems and developmental issues. Her interests include child development, specifically emotional and brain development, and social issues impacting children and society. Dr. Staves also mentors adults re-entering society after being incarcerated and facilitates workshops in her areas of expertise and experience.

	Jordan Wagge, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Psychology Office: Foyle 1021, 816.501.2964 jordan.wagge@avila.edu http://blog.jordanwagge.com/ B.S., Northern Kentucky University Ph.D., Miami University (Oxford, OH) Dr. Wagge advises Master's level students in the general psychology program and teaches courses in cognition, research methods, and general psychology in the undergraduate and graduate programs. Her research interests include visual perception, psychophysical methods, and pedagogy. She runs the Cognition Laboratory and is excited about working with students in a research setting. She would like to hear from motivated students who are interested in assisting with research related to cognitive processes, particularly visual perception, language, memory, and culture.

Specialized and Clinical Psychology Faculty
	Barry Berglund, M.S. barry.berglund@avila.edu B.S. University of Missouri-Columbia M.S. Avila University Mr. Berglund is a detective for the Kansas City Missouri police department, a member of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, and a former Special Agent for US Army Criminal Investigations. His specialties include criminal investigation and international terrorism investigations. Mr. Berglund began teaching at Avila in 2006.
	Margo Fallon, Ph.D. B.S.E., Theatre/Speech M.A., Northeast Missouri State University Ph.D., Indiana State University-Terre Haute Dr. Fallon began teaching at Avila in 1990.
	Nekita Fuller, M.A. B.S., Park University M.A., University of Missouri-Kansas City Ed.D. (ABD), Nova Southeastern University Ms. Fuller began teaching at Avila in 2009.
	Fred Geer, Ph.D. Office: Foyle 1027, 816.501.3669 fred.geer@avila.edu B.S.E., M.S., Emporia State University Ph.D. University of Kansas Dr. Geer is Professor of Education and Psychology at Avila. His specialty area is psycho-educational assessment. See Dr. Geer's Faculty Spotlight here.
	David Longstreet, M.B.A. B.S., Texas A & M University M.B.A., Avila University Mr. Longstreet began teaching at Avila in 2003.
	Sue Ellen McCalley, Ph.D. Office: Foyle 1008, 816.501.2433 sueellen.mccalley@avila.edu B.S. Northwestern University M.A. University of Missouri-Kansas City Ph.D. University of Kansas Dr. McCalley is Professor of Education and Psychology at Avila. See her Faculty Spotlight here.
	Lawrence Nieters, Ph.D. B.S., M.S., Ph.D., St. Louis University Dr. Nieters began teaching at Avila in 1998.
	Heather Noble, Ph.D. B.A., Baker University, M.S., Ph.D. University of North Texas Dr. Noble is a licensed psychologist in the state of Missouri. Since 2002, she has worked full-time at the University of Missouri-Kansas City's Counseling, Health, and Testing Center. There, she provides individual, couples, and group therapy, along with assessment services and supervision to graduate student trainees. Dr. Noble was an adjunct instructor at Avila 2004-2009. She resumed this position in 2011.
	Karyn Perry, Ph.D. B.A., Washington University M.A., Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Ph.D., University of South Carolina-Columbia Dr. Perry began teaching at Avila in 2005.
	Dean Skadeland, Ph.D. dean.skadeland@avila.edu B.A., University of Nebraska-Lincoln M.A., Abilene Christian University Psy.D., Florida Institute of Technology Dr. Skadeland is the Chief Psychologist and Director of a Neuropsychology Clinic at a local medical center. In addition to teaching assessment related courses at Avila University he also holds academic appointments in multiple graduate psychology departments and medical schools. His specialties include neuropsychological and personality assessment, psychodiagnosis, and personality theory. In addition to being a licensed psychologist, he is also an ordained minister and is interested in spiritual factors associated with mental health. Dr. Skadeland began teaching at Avila in 2005.
	Timothy Streitwieser, Psy.D. timothy.streitwieser@avila.edu B.A., Hastings College M.A, Psy.D., Spalding University Dr. Streitwieser is a licensed psychologist and works on an interdisciplinary primary care team at the Kansas City VAMC. His areas of interest have a holistic/behavioral medicine approach, such as intervening with chronic pain, insomnia, lifestyle health behaviors, and acceptance of chronic pain and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Dr. Streitwieser began teaching at Avila in 2009.
	John Wade, Ph.D. B.A., University of Dallas M.A., University of North Texas Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University Dr. Wade began teaching at Avila in 2005.
	Anne Wagner, M.S., R.N. anne.wagner@avila.edu R.N., St. Luke's Hospital School of Nursing B.S., University of Missouri-Kansas City M.S., Avila University While working as an outpatient cardiac rehabilitation nurse, Ms. Wagner was referring many of her patients to therapists for counseling. After 20 years of doing so, she decided to return to school and become a therapist herself. She quit her beloved job and attended UMKC full-time to get her B.S. in Psychology, and then attended Avila University to get her Master's in Counseling Psychology. She is now an Adlerian therapist with a full-time private practice, and began teaching at Avila University in 2004. She says, "I can't imagine a more perfect blend of careers!"
	David Wissmann, Ph.D. Office: O'Rielly A, 816.501.3643 david.wissmann@avila.edu B.A. University of Puget Sound M.A., Ph.D. University of Arizona Dr. Wissmann is Professor of Sociology and Chair of Law and Justice Studies at Avila. See his Faculty Spotlight here.

Graduate Psychology Staff

Graduate Psychology Faculty

Specialized and Clinical Psychology Faculty