Meet our Alumni

Joshua Matyi

Josh Matyi studied in the Combined Clinical/Counseling program at USU. His research interests broadly include neuropsychology, neurodegenerative disorders, aging, and caregiving. He has had many teaching opportunities at USU and has held several supervised clinical positions, including the USU Psychology Community Clinic, the Center for Persons with Disabilities, and the Neuropsychology Center of Utah. Joshua accepted an internship for the 2020-21 year at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center/Veterans Affairs Medical Center Consortium. He enjoys spending time with his family, being in the outdoors, and playing guitar.

Thesis: Lifetime Estrogen Exposure and Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor: Implications for Cognitive Decline in Late Life

Dissertation: Neurotrophin Polymorphisms in Progression of Alzheimer's disease and Related Disorders: Cognitive Decline and Neuropsychiatric Symptoms

Stephanie Behrens

Steph completed her predoctoral internship at the VA Black Hills Internship in South Dakota. After completing her Ph.D. from the Combined Clinical/Counseling/School Psychology
Program, she obtained a post-doc in North Dakota. While at USU, her research interests were in neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia, antidementia medications, caregiver factors, and neuropsychological outcomes. She has also gained clinical experience with individuals who have dementia related diseases at multiple clinical sites.

Thesis: Impact of Antidementia Medications on Neuropsychiatric symptoms and Informal Costs of Caregiving in Dementia

Dissertation: Dementia Caregiver Coping Strategies and Caregiver-Care Recipient Relationship Closeness: Associations with Care-Recipient Outcomes

Jordan Kugler

Jordan studied in the Combined Clinical/Counseling Psychology PhD program at Utah State University (USU). Prior to attending USU, he received his BA in Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His primary research interests include outcomes related to depression and Alzheimer’s disease, with secondary interests in posttraumatic stress disorder and suicidality among military Veterans. In his clinical work, he has received extensive training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and trauma-related interventions (e.g., Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure). He has experience working with both civilian and military populations and enjoy working with those who have experienced traumatic events and are seeking recovery from post-trauma reactions, as well as those who struggle with chronic suicidality and behaviors/skills deficits that are characteristic of personality disorders. Jordan was a teaching assistant for several courses at USU and taught a summer course in Abnormal Psychology, which he greatly enjoyed. Outside the classroom, he enjoys rock climbing, snowboarding, hiking with his dog Leo, and watching college football (Go Nebraska Cornhuskers!). He accepted an internship position at the George E. Wahlen VA in Salt Lake City.

Elizabeth (Kat) Vernon

Kat studied in the Combined Clinical/Counseling/School Psychology Ph.D. program at USU. Her research interests include risk factors associated with dementia, neuropsychological outcomes, sleep, circadian rhythms, severe dementia, and BDNF. She enjoys backpacking, hiking, being on or near the water, learning about the brain, traveling, hanging out with friends and family, cooking, and reading. Kat went to The Missouri Health Sciences Psychology Consortium in Columbia, Missouri, for her internship year.

Christine Snyder

Christine completed her predoctoral internship in primary care and health psychology and postdoctoral residency in behavioral sleep medicine and health psychology at the South Texas VA. She is currently licensed in Colorado and completing training to become certified in biofeedback. Christine's current job is a licensed Clinical Psychologist with the Department of Defense (Army). She works in a Brain Injury Rehabilitation Service with Service Members and family who have experienced brain injuries from blasts, impacts, stroke, MS, cancer, or other causes.

Mac Gilbert

Mac completed his pre-doctoral internship and post-doctoral fellowship at the Utah State Hospital where he worked with individuals experiencing severe and persistent mental illness. He then moved to Seattle, Washington and worked in an outpatient clinic that specialized in Dialectical Behavior Therapy as well as other research driven interventions. After being in Seattle for two years, he moved to Salt Lake City, Utah and returned to the Utah State Hospital as a staff psychologist. Mac also works with individuals in a private practice setting. In addition, he is currently pursuing certification as a DBT therapist.

Joseph Wanzek

Joe completed his predoctoral internship in clinical psychology at the George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salt Lake City (VASLCHCS). He was then accepted into a postdoctoral fellowship in Health and Geropsychology at VASLCHCS. Prior to completion, he was offered a position with The VISN 19 Clinical Resource Hub (CRH) in Salt Lake City. As the program manager for the TelePCMHI team within CRH, Joe serves rural-based Veterans via telehealth in VA clinics across the Rocky Mountain Region. He is also a VA-certified consultant in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain (CBT-CP) and continues to be a part of a research group promoting wellness interventions for medical residents.

Chelsea Sanders

Dr. Chelsea Sanders completed her predoctoral internship during the 2017-18 academic year at VA Salt Lake City Health Care System. She then returned to beloved San Diego and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in geropsychology at the San Diego VA. She and her partner have returned to Utah, living in Salt Lake City. Chelsea has accepted a position at the VA. Her research interests include cognitive decline, psychological distress, and health behaviors in late-life. She enjoys hiking, running, singing, yoga, and spending time with loved ones (including her adorable pup!).

Thesis: Relationship of Nutritional Factors to Cognitive Decline in the Progression of Dementia: The Cache County Dementia Progression Study. (2015).

Dissertation: Gene-Environment Interaction: BDNF as Moderating Factor For the Effects of Exercise and Diet on Cognitive and Mental Health: The Cache County Study on Memory in Aging.

Robert Lisota

Dr. Lisota completed his predoctoral internship at the Dakota Counseling Institute in Mitchell, SD (2004-2005) and postdoctoral residency at the South Central Human Service Center in Jamestown, ND (2005-2007) where his clinical duties included therapy, parental capacity evaluations, and court testimony.

In addition to his private practice in Chubbuck, ID (2014-present), he serves as a Forensic Psychologist for the North Dakota State Hospital in Jamestown, ND (2007-Current) where he conducts sex offender civil commitment initial & annual evaluations, competency/criminal responsibility evaluations, and frequent expert witness testimony in both State and Federal court. In fact, he estimates that he has served as an expert witness for the State or Defendant on 500+ occasions to date. He flies back to North Dakota once per month in order to work as the on-call (on-site) doctor responsible for admissions/behavioral incidents at all hours, completing six competency/criminal responsibility evaluations per month. In his private practice, he specializes in sex offender treatment (primarily low-risk) and court-ordered sex offender risk assessments for the State of Idaho and the Federal Public Defenders offices in Boise, ID and Spokane, WA.

Dr. Lisota is Idaho SOMB certified, Senior Level Certified Adult Psychosexual Evaluator, and Senior Level Certified Adult Sexual Offender Treatment Provider. He is currently licensed in North Dakota, Idaho and Washington. His post-doctoral training and CEU's are primarily accrued through ATSA and AAFP. Further, he recently had to opportunity to complete a 2-day AR-15 Armorer's Course through Semper Paratus Arms.