Carrie Clark

Carrie Clark’s current research is focused on the development of executive function and self-regulation, particularly in early childhood. She is interested in the implications of socio-familial and perinatal risk for self-regulation and in the links between executive function and academic achievement. She uses neuropsychological testing, neuroimaging and physiological methods in her research.

Matthew Gormley

Matthew Gormley's research focuses on students at-risk for, or diagnosed with, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). I am specifically interested in interventions that build collaboration between families, schools, and healthcare settings to support these students across their academic careers (e.g., elementary, secondary, and post-secondary).

Soo-Young Hong

Soo-Young Hong focuses on EC professional development in science education and preschool inclusion. She is interested in studying effective ways to engage teachers and children in science learning, and promoting children’s acceptance of peers with disabilities and their teachers’ understanding of children with different levels of abilities.

Susan Loveall

Susan Loveall's interests involve research on learning and cognitive processes of both typically developing children and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the lifespan. Her current research focuses on reading skills, as well as learning and language in these populations.

Amy Napoli

Amy Napoli’s research and extension work focuses on four broad areas:

• Early childhood education
• Numeracy development
• Home learning environments
• Intervention development and evaluation

She is also interested in the ways that we can use technology (e.g., text messaging) as a tool for delivering programs and supporting caregivers and educators. Amy is currently focusing on developing a home numeracy environment intervention for parents of preschool-aged children. The ultimate goal of her research and extension work is to determine ways to best support parents, care providers, and educators of young children in order to improve child outcomes.

Anne Schutte

Anne Schutte's research focuses on cognitive development in early childhood. She is interested in the role of experience in the development of spatial cognition, examining the development of spatial working memory in early childhood and which experiences influence its development. She is also interested in developmental changes in the neural underpinnings of spatial working memory, using the dynamic field theory in her research.

Stephanie Wessels

Stephanie Wessels’ coursework, research, and teaching has focused on literacy development for young second language readers for the past several years.

Danae Dinkel

Danae Dinkel is passionate about developing and evaluating evidence-based physical activity programs, as well as identifying factors that impact children’s ability to live a physically active lifestyle. Her research interests are physical activity promotion in underserved populations, community-based initiatives for improving physical activity and the impact of physical activity on motor and cognitive skills development.

Kate Gallagher

Kate Gallagher’s work focuses on developing applied research and evaluation studies involving children from birth to Grade 3, their families and the early childhood professionals who care for and teach young children. Gallagher has more than 30 years’ experience as an early childhood professional and educational psychologist, including teaching, home visiting and leading early childhood programs in early intervention and inclusive preschools.

Jolene Johnson

Dr. Jolene Johnson is the Director and Assistant Professor for the Department of Education and Child Development. Dr. Johnson has extensive experience in program evaluation and is the current principal investigator for multiple projects including the current State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG) for Nebraska, Nebraska 21st Century Community Learning Centers, and the Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties, encompassing 11 school districts including Omaha Public Schools. Additionally, she is the principal investigator for a three-year grant examining executive function, early science practices, and social-emotional practices across 13 national high-quality early childhood sites.

Lisa Kelly-Vance

Lisa Kelly-Vance began her career as a school psychologist in Council Bluffs, Iowa, serving children birth through 21 and leading the early RTI initiatives. She is a Professor of School Psychology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and serves as the program director. Her research and applied interests are assessment and interventions with preschool children in the context of play, mental health in early childhood, school-based academic and social interventions, prevention, and self-care. She is the Past President of the National Association of School Psychologists and her theme was “Unlock Potential: Prevention Is Key.”

Lisa Knoche

Lisa Knoche develops, implements and evaluates early childhood intervention and prevention programming. She works closely with researchers and community partners to develop research proposals and implement investigations. Her role includes research administration, data management and analyses, as well as research dissemination. Knoche also directs CYFS' Nebraska Academy for Early Childhood Research.

Philip Lai

Philip Lai conducts research in the areas of social development, executive function and cognitive development in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other neurodevelopmental disorders. He investigates both verbal as well as nonverbal communication during social interactions.

Dawn Mollenkopf

Dawn Mollenkopf directs the Early Childhood Unified program and also teaches the Early Childhood specialization in the Curriculum and Instruction Master's program. She has been an active participant in committees focused on policies affecting young children and their families.

Amy Napoli

Amy Napoli’s research and extension work focuses on four broad areas:

• Early childhood education
• Numeracy development
• Home learning environments
• Intervention development and evaluation

She is also interested in the ways that we can use technology (e.g., text messaging) as a tool for delivering programs and supporting caregivers and educators. Amy is currently focusing on developing a home numeracy environment intervention for parents of preschool-aged children. The ultimate goal of her research and extension work is to determine ways to best support parents, care providers, and educators of young children in order to improve child outcomes.

Abbie Raikes

Abbie Raikes’ research focuses on early childhood development in high-risk contexts. Her research integrates developmental science with epidemiological methods to measure children’s development across populations. Her work is reflective of many environmental and biological units, and works across various sectors in public health and education.

Anne Schutte

Anne Schutte's research focuses on cognitive development in early childhood. She is interested in the role of experience in the development of spatial cognition, examining the development of spatial working memory in early childhood and which experiences influence its development. She is also interested in developmental changes in the neural underpinnings of spatial working memory, using the dynamic field theory in her research.

Greg Welch

Greg Welch works with Buffett Institute staff to expand and implement the Institute’s research agenda with particular focus on its two signature programs: the Achievement Gap Challenge and Early Childhood Workforce Development.

Lisa Knoche

Lisa Knoche develops, implements and evaluates early childhood intervention and prevention programming. She works closely with researchers and community partners to develop research proposals and implement investigations. Her role includes research administration, data management and analyses, as well as research dissemination. Knoche also directs CYFS' Nebraska Academy for Early Childhood Research.

Sommer Fousek

Sommer Fousek is the project manager for the Coaching in Early Intervention project, which aims to develop and refine an early childhood coaching model to increase the use of evidence-based practices among early intervention personnel and improve outcomes for infants and toddlers with disabilities. She serves as the project manager for the Nebraska Academy for Early Childhood Research (NAECR). NAECR provides resources and supports to early childhood researchers across the University of Nebraska system and encourages interdisciplinary collaboration. Fousek also supports the Early Learning Network Lead project. She earned her master’s degree in public administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.