Psychology Department Welcomes Three New Faculty Members
We are thrilled to introduce three exceptional additions to our faculty at Utah State University! Each of them brings a wealth of experience and passion to our community, and we’re excited to see the impact they’ll make in the psychology department.
David Longhurst
David Longhurst returns to USU with a deep connection to our campus and community. “I completed my PhD at Utah State University. Having spent five years here in Logan, it truly became home for me, and I really missed being here!!! I fell in love with the campus and how close it is to such beautiful mountains… All throughout my graduate experience, I dreamed of joining this department and its amazing faculty.” Longhurst’s clinical and research interests are centered on the assessment and identification of autism and related neurodevelopmental disabilities. Dr. Longhurst provides valuable practicum experience for graduate students through the Behavioral Health Clinic, specializing in autism spectrum disorder evaluations. His mentorship philosophy emphasizes collaboration and continual assessment, aiming to help students gain independence in evaluations and interdisciplinary teamwork.Dr. Longhurst encourages PhD students to embrace curiosity and seek answers by engaging with advisors and peers, “You do not need to know everything right now (or ever), but rather, learn how to find the answers independently.” Longhurst cherishes both their clinical work and their role in teaching and supervising students, “I feel my job has the best of both worlds!”
Dr. Erik Reinbergs
Dr. Reinbergs is the newest faculty member in the School Psychology specialization. With a focus on youth mental health, his research zeroes in on suicide prevention and intervention strategies, “Although I’m interested in many aspects of youth mental health, my research focuses on suicide and what we might do about it—as individuals, institutions, and societies. There are so many different avenues for intervention that now have scientific evidence behind them, which gives me hope that more people can build lives worth living.” Dr. Reinbergs takes a dialectical approach to mentorship, balancing validation with problem-solving, and providing clear guidance on academic expectations and resources. They advise PhD students to find personal systems for organization and thrive on the variety in their role, from research and clinical work to teaching and mentoring. A book enthusiast, Dr. Reinbergs loves that his position lets him stay up to date with the latest research being published and gives him the chance to read. “Beyond that, I love that my role lets me do so many different things: research, statistical analyses, clinical work, teaching, mentoring, presenting, reviewing, writing. If I’m feeling uninspired or stuck in one area, I can dive a bit deeper into a different aspect of my role until things shift again. My job has also connected me to so many truly wonderful colleagues and students, for which I’m deeply grateful.”
Dr. Anjanette Todd
Dr. Todd joins us as the newest faculty member in the School Counseling M.Ed. program with a strong commitment to preparing school counselors to be leaders and advocates. Dr. Todd’s experience as a school counselor inspired her research to focus on counselor wellness, mindfulness, and self-compassion, “I served as a school counselor for 13 years at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. I observed many counselors and teachers struggling with chronic stress and burnout, and I wanted to find ways to support their mental health and encourage self-care practices.” Dr. Todd is dedicated to mentoring graduate students through all stages of research, helping them become future leaders in the school counseling profession, “highlighting the voices of individuals from my community is essential to me. Therefore, I collaborate with graduate students, mentoring them through the entire research process, from literature reviews to data analysis.” Dr. Todd finds great joy in supporting and nurturing the next generation of school counselors, “watching them grow into compassionate and effective professionals who positively impact students' lives is incredibly rewarding.”
Please join us in welcoming Dr. David Longhurst, Dr. Erik Reinbergs, and Dr. Anjanette Todd to our USU family! We look forward to their contributions and the new perspectives they bring to the psychology department.