Faculty and Staff
Staff
![Letitia D. Usher - "Tish"](https://www.murraystate.edu/_images/contact/letitia-usher.jpg)
Letitia D. Usher - "Tish"
Administrative Assistant I
Psychology
212 Wells Hall
![Zachary McNerthany](https://www.murraystate.edu/_images/contact/zachary-mcnerthney.jpg)
Zachary McNerthany
Administrative Assistant
Psychological Center
Wells Hall 401
Full-time faculty
![Michael Bordieri](https://www.murraystate.edu/_images/contact/michael-bordieri.jpg)
Michael Bordieri
Associate Professor
Psychology
Education: PhD, University of Mississippi; MS, Southern Illinois University - Carbondale; BS, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Licensed Psychologist (KY); LIcensed Behavior Analyst (KY); Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral
Research Interests: psychological flexibility; applied behavior analysis; contextual behavioral science; mindfulness; Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT)
![Patrick Cushen](https://www.murraystate.edu/_images/contact/patrick-cushen.jpg)
Patrick Cushen
Associate Professor
Psychology
Education: PhD, University of Illinois at Chicago; MA, University of Illinois at Chicago; BA, St. Louis University
Research Interests: problem solving; executive control; creativity and insight; working memory capacity
![Jana Hackathorn](https://www.murraystate.edu/_images/contact/jana-hackathorn.jpg)
Jana Hackathorn
Professor and Department Chair
Psychology
Education: PhD, St. Louis University; MA, University of St. Mary; BA, Park University
Research Interests: social relationships, including romantic relationship processes; scholarship of teaching and learning, particularly teaching effectiveness in "dreaded" courses like statistics
![Amanda Joyce](https://www.murraystate.edu/_images/contact/amanda-joyce.jpg)
Amanda Joyce
Associate Professor
Psychology
Education: PhD, Virginia Tech; MS, Virginia Tech; BS and BA, University of North Carolina - Charlotte
Research Interests: childhood brain and cognitive development; temperament; social and academic outcomes of early self-regulation
Laura Liljequist
Professor
Psychology
Education: PhD, University of South Florida; MA, University of South Florida; BA, DePauw University
Licensed Psychologist (KY)
Research Interests: assessment and psychometrics; family dynamics; parenting
![Esther Malm](https://www.murraystate.edu/_images/contact/esther-malm.jpg)
Esther Malm
Associate Professor
Psychology
Wells Hall 401D
Education: PhD, Georgia State University; MPhil, University of Ghana; BSc, University of Ghana
Research Interests: family contexts and dynamics; child and adolescent risk and resilience factors; peer victimization; cross-cultural research
![Becky Nastally](https://www.murraystate.edu/_images/contact/becky-nastally.jpg)
Becky Nastally
Instructor
Psychology
Education: PhD, Southern Illinois University - Carbondale; MS, Southern Illinois University - Carbondale; BS, Western Michigan University
Licensed Behavior Analyst (KY); Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral
Research Interests: behavior analysis as it applies to the treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and choice making in health behavior
![Sean Rife](https://www.murraystate.edu/_images/contact/sean-rife.jpg)
Sean Rife
Associate Professor
Psychology
Wells Hall 209
Education: PhD, Kent State University; MA, East Tennessee State University; BS, North Georgia College and State University; AA, Gainesville State College
Research Interests: social media; social support; interpersonal relationships; technology and society
![Megan St. Peters](https://www.murraystate.edu/_images/contact/megan-stpeters.jpg)
Megan St. Peters
Assistant Professor
Psychology
Education: PhD, Northern Illinois University; MS, Northern Illinois University; BS, University of the Ozarks
Research Interests: biological bases of stress and anxiety; measuring attention and memory; applications of biofeedback; importance of sleep and sleep quality
![Dan Wann](https://www.murraystate.edu/_images/contact/dan-wann.jpg)
Dan Wann
Professor
Psychology
Wells Hall 201
Education: PhD, University of Kansas; MS, Emporia State University; BS, Baker University
Research Interests: psychology of sport fandom; sport psychology; social well-being; coping strategies; aggression
Other Faculty
![Kat Link](https://www.murraystate.edu/_images/contact/kat-link.jpg)
Kat Link
Visiting Instructor
Psychology
Education: MS, Murray State University; BS, Murray State University
![Ashley Wilson](https://www.murraystate.edu/_images/contact/ashley-wilson.jpg)
Ashley Wilson
Visiting Instructor
Psychology
Education: MS, Murray State University; BA, Roosevelt University; AA, Triton College
Licensed Psychological Associate (KY)