Dr. Hunt is dean of the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences where she also 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. Bucher is an Assistant Professor of Psychology and the Director of Undergraduate Psychology. Dr. Bucher is a licensed psychologist and maintains a small private practice of psychology and works with individuals and couples. She teaches courses related to human relations skills, personality psychology, and theories of counseling and addiction. She is currently collaborating with students interested in research the counseling process and attachment theory.

Marcia Smith Pasqualini, Ph.D
Associate Professor of Psychology
Director of Faculty-Student Research
B.S., Tulane University
Ph.D., University of Missouri-Columbia
Office: 1018 Foyle, 816.501.3664
Marcia.Pasqualini@Avila.edu

Dr. Pasqualini is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of Faculty-Student Research, as well as 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’s research interests include neurofeedback, Parkinson’s disease, emotions, and facial expressions in people and chimpanzees (see www.chimpfacs.com).

Stephen Sirridge, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
Clinical Director of Counseling Psychology

Dean, School of Graduate Studies
B.A., M.S., Ph.D., University of Kansas
Office: 1024 Foyle, 816.501.3662
Stephen.Sirridge@avila.edu

Dr. Sirridge is a Professor of Psychology and a Licensed Psychologist. He 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 Divison 39 Psychoanalysis of APA. He is finishing a two year advanced training program in psychoanalytic psychotherapy.

Regina Staves, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychology

Acting Chairperson, Department of Psychology

Director, Graduate Psychology
B.A., University of Kansas
M.S., Avila University
Ph.D., Capella University
Office: 1009 Foyle, 816.501.3665
Regina.Staves@avila.edu

Dr. Staves is an Assistant Professor of Psychology and is also the Director of Graduate Psychology.  She active in our community as an advocate to prevent child abuse and neglect and also to support restorative justice. Dr. Staves currently serves as chair on the board of the Missouri Children's Trust Fund, which is Missouri 's foundation for child abuse prevention.  Dr. Staves is also a therapist specializing in psychological trauma and attachment in children and adults.  Her interests include child development, specifically emotional and brain development, and social issues impacting children and society. 

Mary Ellen Culver (2000)
Clinical Psychology. B.A., University of Kansas; M.A., Western Graduate School of Psychology; M.S., Ph.D., Pacific Graduate School of Psychology.

Patricia Decker (2005)
Counseling Psychology. B.S., Central Missouri State University; M.A., Ph.D., University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Margo Fallon (1990)
Counseling Psychology. B.S.E., Theatre/Speech, M.A., Northeast Missouri State University; Ph.D., Indiana State University-Terre Haute.

Ron Frigault (1998)
Counseling and Personnel Services. B.S., Michigan State University; M.Ed.., University of Missouri-Columbia; Ph.D., University of Texas.

Fred Geer
Professor of Education and Psychology, B.S.E. and M.S. Emporia State University, Ph.D. University of Kansas

David Longstreet (2003)
Statistics. B.S., Texas A & M University, M.B.A., Avila University.

Sue Ellen McCalley
Professor of Education and Psychology, B.S. Northwestern University, M.A. University of Missouri-Kansas City,
Ph.D. University of Kansas

Edith Messina (2004)
Counseling Psychology. B.A., Avila University, J.D., University of Missouri-Kansas City, MS., Avila University.

Lawrence Nieters (1998)
Clinical Psychology. B.S., M.S., Ph.D., St. Louis University.

Heather Noble (2004)
Counseling Psychology. B.A., Baker University; M.S., Ph.D., University of North Texas.

Karyn Perry (2005)
Clinical-Community Psychology. B.A., Washington University; M.A., Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville; Ph.D., University of South Carolina-Columbia.

Mary Schuele (1995)
Counseling Psychology. B.A., Benedictine College; M.A., Ph.D., University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Dean Skadeland (2005)
Clinical Psychology. B.A., University of Nebraska-Lincoln; M.A., Abilene Christian University; Psy.D., Florida Institute of Technology

John Wade (2005)
Counseling Psychology. B.A., University of Dallas, M.A., University of North Texas, Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University.