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Program and Department Faculty

The School Psychology program at Miami University is located in the Department of Educational Psychology in the College of Education, Health, and Society.

The department currently has 21 full-time faculty members in the following programs of study:

Full-Time School Psychology Faculty

Katy Mezher, Ph.D. | Clinical Professor | School Psychology Program Director

Katy Mezher, Ph.D., received her M.S. and Ph.D in School Psychology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the Kelly O'Leary Center for Autism Spectrum Disorder at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and is a licensed psychologist in the state of Ohio. She also participated in an interdisciplinary training program called LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopment and Related Disabilities). Her interests include early intervention, autism spectrum disorder and developmental disabilities, interdisciplinary work, coordination of care, and individual academic and behavior interventions. She has taught 12 courses at Miami, including but not limited to behavior intervention, education of individuals with exceptionalities, assessment, and educational research. She currently serves as the School Psychology Internship Coordinator and the Departmental Graduate Director.

Contact Information

513-529-2568 (Office), krohnkr@MiamiOH.edu

Sujay Sabnis, Ph.D. | Associate Professor

Sujay Sabnis, Ph.D., received his Ph.D. degree in School Psychology from the University of South Florida. He is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP). His research interests include critical race theory, critical qualitative methodologies, consultation, and policy analysis in K-12 public education. He teaches courses on consultation, multiculturalism, school experiences, and school psychology practicum.

Contact Information

513-529-0172 (Office), sabnissv@MiamiOH.edu

Additional Faculty, Staff, and Research Advisors

Assistant Professor | School Psychology

Hiring for 2027

Amity Noltemeyer, Ph.D. | Professor | Dean of the College of EHS

Amity Noltemeyer, Ph.D., received her M.S./Ed.S. degrees in School Psychology from Miami University and her Ph.D. in School Psychology from Kent State University. She has experience working as a school psychologist and educational consultant. Her interests include Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), equity in school discipline, school climate, and resilience. She has taught courses on consultation, assessment, research, and the role of the school psychologist. She has previously served as President of the Ohio School Psychologists Association, co-manager of several externally funded grants, and Editor-in-Chief of School Psychology International journal. She was formerly the Program Coordinator for School Psychology, Dean of the Department (Educational Psychology), Associate Dean of the Graduate School. She is the current Dean of our College (College of Education, Health, and Society). She regularly advises student research.

Contact Information: 513-529-6632 (Office), anoltemeyer@MiamiOH.edu

Adjunct Faculty

Markie Gahris, Ed.D., School Psychologist and Clinical Manager, College Board

Markie Gahris, Ed.D., holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago, a Master's degree and Educational Specialist degree in School Psychology from Miami University, and a Doctorate in Educational Policy, Organization and Leadership from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She currently works as a Clinical Manager in Services for Students with Disabilities for the College Board. Her main responsibilities in this role include reviewing student requests for accommodations for the SAT and AP exams, determining if the student has a documented disability and if their disability causes a functional limitation that would impact their ability to take these exams.

Prior to this role, she was a school psychologist serving in public schools in Ohio. Her main responsibilities included conducting evaluations, supporting MTSS initiatives, providing behavioral and mental health support to students and providing consultation regarding academic and behavioral needs of students. She has supervised both school psychology practicum students and school psychology interns from multiple universities.

Mona Burts-Beatty, Ph.D., Educational Consultant, Hamilton County Educational Services Center

Mona Burts-Beatty, Ph.D., is an educational consultant through the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce State Support Team Region 13. She is employed through the Hamilton County Educational Service Center (HCESC), where she has spent the first 15 years of her career using her knowledge and skills, acquired as a school psychologist, across various educational environments such as: preschool through high school, private and public school settings, separate education and mental health facilities, and detention centers.

She has spent the last 6 years of her career as a state consultant, where she uses her skill set to improve systemic educational structures to improve the outcomes of students and families at the state, district, and building level. Some of her work includes but is not limited to: strategic improvement support and planning (Ohio Improvement Process), Positive Behavioral Intervention Support (PBIS), Functional Behavioral Assessment and Behavior Intervention Planning (FBA/BIP), compliance (state comprehensive and on-site reviews, state complaints, special education, evaluations, individualized education plans, and transitions), consultation and data analysis, progress monitoring, etc.

She also serves on state work groups (e.g., compliance team, PBIS network, Tier 3 work group, and Regional Literacy Team) and is an adjunct instructor/guest lecturer at both Xavier and Miami University (Oxford and Hamilton Campus), etc.

Contributing Faculty

These individuals teach courses in School Psychology Curriculum:

  • Aimin Wang, Ph.D., Educational Psychology, Dept. of Educational Psychology
  • Briana von Mizener, Ph.D., Inclusive Special Education, Dept. of Educational Psychology
  • Darrel Davis, Ph.D., Chair, Dept. of Educational Psychology
  • Jenna Alvarez, Ph.D., Counseling Program, Dept. of Educational Psychology
  • Kevin Bush, Ph.D., Educational Psychology, Dept. of Educational Psychology
  • Sarah Watt, Ph.D., Graduate Special Education, Dept. of Educational Psychology
  • William Boone, Ph.D., Educational Psychology, Dept. of Educational Psychology

The following individuals in other departments at Miami engaged in collaborative work or research with School Psychology students:

  • Amity Noltemeyer, Ph.D., Dean of the College of EHS, former School Psychology faculty
  • Cricket Meehan, Ph.D., Psychology, Dept. of Psychology
  • Jason Abbitt, Ph.D., Chair, Dept. of Educational Psychology
  • Jennifer Green, Ph.D., Psychology, Dept. of Psychology
  • Sean Newsome, Ph.D., Chair of Family Science and Social Work
  • Sherrill Sellers, Ph.D., Associate Dean of the College of EHS

In Memory

Alex Thomas, Ph.D. | Professor Emeritus

Professor Thomas was a Miami School Psychology Professor and was an editor of the first 6 volumes of Best Practices in School Psychology. Additionally, he was an associate editor of the NASP Communique. He was President of the National Association of School Psychologists (1986/1987, 1998/1999) and the Ohio School Psychologists Association (1989/1980, 1993/1994). This video is a presentation given by Professor Thomas, titled the Art of School Psychology.