Clinical Assistant Professor

Biography

Sharon "Sherrie" Bruner grew up in the Midwest, but Knoxville is her home and she is happy to have landed home after a few years away in Syracuse, NY. Sherrie is passionate about training counselors who embody values of care, respect, and advocacy for all people. She is a dog lover, football enthusiast, and a proud aunt. In her spare time, she enjoys home improvement projects, woodworking, and snowboarding.

Research

• Educational Persistence
• Critical Pedagogy and Supervision
• Systems and Counseling

Education

• PhD, Counselor Education, University of Tennessee Knoxville, 2017
• MA, Professional Counseling/Marriage and Family Therapy, Johnson University, 2012
• BA, Counseling, Johnson University, 2010

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Assistant Professor

Biography

Leia Cain is an Assistant Professor in the Evaluation, Statistics, and Methodology program. She primarily utilizes qualitative and mixed methods research. Her areas of expertise include critical methods, narrative methods, interview methods, queer and feminist methods, and integration of qualitative and quantitative data and methods. Leia has presented at conferences in the United States, Japan, and Trinidad and Tobago. She currently serves as the Secretary/Treasurer for the AERA Mixed Methods Special Interest Group and as co-chair of the Mixed Methods International Research Association's MOOC Committee. When not working, Leia enjoys painting, traveling, and spending time with her family and dogs. 

Research

• Researcher Identity and Decision Making
• Ethics in Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research
• LGBTQ+ Student and Faculty Experiences in Higher Education

Education

• PhD, Educational Foundations and Inquiry, University of South Carolina
• Graduate Certificate, Women's and Gender Studies, University of South Carolina
• MEd, Educational Research and Measurement, University of South Carolina
• BA, Sociology, East Carolina University

Clinical Associate Professor

Biography

Rob Richardson is currently on the faculty of the Educational Psychology and Counseling (EPC) Department at University of Tennessee, where he does research on formative assessment, and teaches classes for both the school psychology and special education programs. Rob worked for 10 years a program evaluation coordinator for Canyons School District in Utah, where he facilitated implementation of MTSS district-wide across tiers. During this period, he was also an adjunct professor with both the school psychology and the special education programs at the University of Utah. Prior to joining Canyons School district, he was a school psychologist in Buffalo, New York and Salt Lake City, Utah.

In his free time Rob enjoy outdoors activities such as running, biking, backpacking, and skiing. Rob also enjoys music of all sorts, but especially classical, jazz, and folk.

Awards and Recognitions

• Outstanding Service Award, Utah Association of School Psychologists, Fall 2017

Publications

Richardson, R., Hawken, L. S., & Kircher, J. (2012). Bias using maze to predict high-stakes test performance among Hispanic and Spanish-speaking students. Assessment for Effective Intervention, 37, 159-170.

Presentations

Richardson, R., (2017). Using Early Warning Systems for data-based decision making in the context of PBIS. Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports Conference, Provo, UT.

Richardson, R. D., Tuesday Heathfield, L., & Uncapher, J. (2016). Effects of performance feedback on instruction. Utah MTSS Conference, Davis, UT.

Richardson, R., Tuesday Heathfield, L., Roper, A., Uncapher, J., & Riley, R. (2015). A collaborative approach to improving classroom instruction through structured observations. National Association of School Psychologists annual convention, Orlando, FL.

Professor & Ombudsperson

Education

• PhD, Educational Psychology and Instructional Systems Technology, Indiana University, 2001
• MS, Instructional Systems Technology, Indiana University, 1996
• BA, Psychology, University of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo, Japan, 1994
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Publications

Yamagata-Lynch, L. C., Garty, E, Hostetter, S. T., Lunga, M. (in press). Grappling with professional ethics in instructional technology by participating an online service-learning course. Journal of Computing in Higher Education. 

Brawner, S., Stephens, C. A., Yamagata-Lynch, L., & Donaldson, J., & (2020). Leadership attainment of 14 women in agriculture: A qualitative study. Journal of Leadership, Accountability and Ethics 17(1), 62-86. doi:10.33423/jlae.v17i1.2791 

Medley, R. A., Nolley, C., Labriola, T., Brown, Y., Polowy, M., Lloyd, V., York, C. S., & Yamagata-Lynch, L., C. (2020). Evolutional and technological influences in design: A longitudinal examination of PRIDE design case. In M. J. Bishop et al. (Eds.). Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology. (pp. 799-818). New York, NY: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-36119-8_39 

Yamagata-Lynch, L. C., Chang, H. -H., Hayakawa, T., Mastrogiovanni, J., Shipley, L., Miller, C., & Terrica, D. (2020). Ahah, I’m a designer?!: Becoming empowered designers through course experiences. In Hokanson et al. (Eds). Educational Technology Beyond Content: A New Focus for Learning. (pp. 11-26). New York, NY: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-37254-5 

Do, J., & Yamagata-Lynch, L. C. (2017). Designing and developing cell phone applications for qualitative research. Qualitative Inquiry 23(10), 757-767. doi: 10.1177/1077800417731085 

Presentations

Yamagata-Lynch, L. C. (2021). Making the ombuds office accessible with data visualization: What data to collect, how to analyze, how to visualize, how to create ombuds service data dashboards, and engaging in a data showcase. International Ombuds Association Annual Conference, Virtual. 

Yamagata-Lynch, L. C., Lunga, M. L., Shipley, L., Mastrogiovanni, J. M., Chang, H. (2019). Be inspired in a collaborative research team! Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the Association of Educational Communication and Technology, Las Vegas, NV. 

Yamagata-Lynch, L. C., Garty, E., & Teague, S, J. (2018). Qualitative comparative study of instructional design and technology student perception of ethical responsibilities to AECT Standards and Code of Ethics. Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the Association of Educational Communication and Technology, Kansas City, KS. 

Associate Professor

Biography

I enjoy humor. Perhaps the familiar phrase, laughter is the best medicine is considered cliché, but I experience and utilize the healing power of it daily.

I find camping, hiking, kayak fishing, and motorcycling enjoyable and relaxing.

As a hobby, I like to buy and repair used vehicles (e.g., motorcycles and cars), enjoy them, and trade up, or sell to start a new project.

Research

• Counselor & Student Development
• Supervision
• Group Dynamics

Education

• EdD, Counseling and Counselor Education, The College of William and Mary, 1997
• EdS, Counseling and Counselor Education, The College of William and Mary, 1993
• MEd, School Counseling, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1989
• BA, Psychology, University of Minnesota, 1986
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Awards and Recognitions

• 2017 | Director of Graduate Studies of the Year, University of Tennessee Graduate Student Senate
• 2020-2025 NBCC-Center for Credentialing & Education, Board of Directors - Secretary 

Grants

• 2020 Spurgeon, S. L., Minton, C. B., Gibbons, M. M., & Diambra, J. F. [invited on as Co-PI after grant awarded] (2020). Ensuring quality training on substance use disorders for counselors-in-training. Grant proposal submitted to the Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Funded for $199, 703.

• 2020   One UT Collaboration and Innovation Grant. Discover focused. Using Photovoice to Express and Hear the Experiences and Perspectives of 3 Diverse Student Groups. Emma Burgin, Joel F. Diambra, Caroline Mann, Robert Kronick. $49,140 requested. Not awarded.

Publications

Blueford, J. M., & Diambra, J. F., & Wheat, L. (2021). Counselor preparedness to counsel grieving clients: Insights and implications, Death Studies. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2021.1956644

Stephens, A., Diambra, J. F., Shirley, D., Pollard-Kosidowski, B. (2021). Burnout among new mental health counselors: Applying the Indivisible Self Model of Wellness, The Journal for the Pennsylvania Counseling Association

West, N. B., Diambra, J. F., & Wheat, L. (2021). Developmental networks and interpersonal support of beginning counselors, The Professional Counselor.

Pollard, B. L., Diambra, J. F., Bettge, J. R., & Burd, C. K. (2021). A qualitative exploration of using experiential groups to train future group counselors, Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision.

Diambra, J. F. (2020, May). Navigating the COVID roller coaster. NBCC Visions, https://nbcc.org/resources/nccs/newsletter/navigating-the-covid-roller-coaster?_zs=uSAkD1&_zl=wPll5

Thacker, N., & Diambra, J. F. (2019). Parallel process of professional identity development during clinical supervision: The counselor educator-in-training and counselor-in-training, Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision, 12(3), Retrieved from https://repository.wcsu.edu/jcps/vol12/iss3/6

Banks, B., & Diambra, J. F. (2019). Suicide response preparedness in counseling students: A study of knowledge, attitudes, and simulated behavior. Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision, 12(1). Retrieved from https://repository.wcsu.edu/jcps/vol12/iss1/3

Diambra, J. F., Zakrzewski, R. F., Cole, K. G., Ingram, A. M., & Basma, D. (2019). Body image discrepancies and college students: A contemporary perspective. Tennessee Counseling Association Journal, (8)1, 18-37. Retrieved from https://tca.memberclicks.net/assets/docs/TCA%20Journal%20Volume%208%202019.%20Final%20Draft.pdf

Simpson, L. R., & Diambra, J. F. (2018). Person-Centered and existential approaches to group counseling and psychotherapy: Theory, techniques, and applications. In B. T. Erford (Ed.) Group work: Processes and applications (2nd Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.

Luke, C., & Diambra, J. F. (2017). Neuro informed group work. In T. A. Field, L. K. Jones,  & L. A. Russell-Chapin (Eds), Neurocounseling: Brain-based clinical Approaches, (Chapter 11, pp. 181-194). Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.

Luke, C., & Diambra, J. F. (2017). Identity integration via career development Issues: Counseling college sophomores from moros to sophos. Education, 138(1), 363-370.

Presentations

Lazarim, P., & Diambra, J. F. (July, 2021). Intercultural encounter in supervision: Building connections and effective cultural learning. Fifteenth International Interdisciplinary Conference on Clinical Supervision. Washington D.C.  Education Session - Paper Presentation.

West, N., & Diambra, J. F. (November, 2019). Developmental Networks and Interpersonal Support of Beginning Counselors. Tennessee Counseling Association Nashville, TN.

Diambra, J. F., Spurgeon, S. S., Gibbons, M. M., Brott, P., & Wheat, L. (October, 2019). Assessment in Counselor Education: Using Program Dispositions as a Gatekeeping Tool. Seattle, WA.

Diambra, J. F., & Gibbons, M. M. (October, 2019). Crossing the Finish Line: Creative Ways to Support Languishing Doctoral Candidates. Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, Seattle, WA.

Adams, C., Blueford, J. M., & Diambra, J. F. (March, 2019). Trauma-Informed Application of the Seven-Stage Crisis Model. America Counseling Association, New Orleans, LA.

Shirley, D., & Diambra, J. F. (February, 2019). Navigating the Nuances of Third-Party Payment and Private Pay: HMO or HM-NO? Smoky Mountain Counseling Association, Jefferson City, TN.

West, N., & Diambra, J. F. (2018). Developmental networks and interpersonal support of beginning counselors. Southern Association of Counseling and Supervision, Myrtle Beach, SC.

Spurgeon, S., & Diambra, J. F. (2018). Using dispositions as a gatekeeping tool. Southern Association of Counseling and Supervision, Myrtle Beach, SC.

Blueford, J., & Diambra, J. F. (2018). Preparedness for counseling grieving clients: A look into experience from the field. Tennessee Counseling Association, Nashville, TN.

West, N., & Diambra, J. F. (2018). Developmental networks and interpersonal support of beginning counselors. Tennessee Counseling Association, Nashville, TN.

Hinds, A., & Diambra, J. F. (February, 2018). Human sexuality: Educating future counselors. Annual Cross-Cultural Counseling and Education Conference for Research, Action, and Change, Savannah, GA.

Diambra, J. F., & Pollard, B. (December, 2017). Human sexuality for counselors-in-training–questions, secrets/fantasies: What should we be teaching? National Sex Education Conference. Atlantic City, NJ.

Pollard, B., & Diambra, J. F. (December, 2017). Transformation: Advocacy in action. National Sex Education Conference. Atlantic City, NJ.

Diambra, J. F., Moralejo, J. Shepard, D., & West, N., (2017). Addressing diversity in clinical supervision. 1st Annual Graduate School of Education (GSE) Open House.

Hinds, A., & Diambra, J. F. (2017). Human sexuality: Educating future counselors. Association of Counselor Education and Supervision, Chicago, IL.

Moralejo, J. Shepard, D., West, N., & Diambra, J. F. (2017). Addressing diversity in clinical supervision. 1^st Annual Graduate Student Senate (GSS) Awards Breakfast.

Stephens, A., & Diambra, J. F. (2017). Keeping burnout at bay: Preparing new professional counselors for wellness.  Association of Counselor Education and Supervision, Chicago, IL.

Banks, B., & Diambra, J. F. (2017). An exploration of suicide response preparedness in pre- practicum counseling students. America Counseling Association, San Francisco, CA.