Faculty & Staff
Lyn Aubrecht, professor of psychology, joined the Meredith faculty in 1974. With a great appreciation of science in general and psychology in specific, Dr. Aubrecht particularly enjoys introducing students to psychology – and to doing research in psychology – for the first time. His special interests include "intelligence," what it is, how it evolved, and how it develops and is manifested in people and in animals. He is also interested in the practical applications of psychology. This has led to involvements as diverse as his long term advocacy for appropriate educational opportunities for gifted children and his long term support of research opportunities for undergraduate students – including being a cofounder of the Carolinas Psychology Conference. While at Meredith, Dr. Aubrecht has received the Outstanding Christian Teacher Award, was selected by the American Psychological Association to be a Congressional Science Fellow, and was a Meredith nominee for U.S. National Professor of the Year.
Between 2005 and 2009, Dr. Aubrecht served as Head of the Department of Psychology.
In 2006, Aubrecht was selected to present Meredith's Faculty Distinguished Lecture. He is presently the advisor to the Psychology Club.
Degrees Held: B.S. and M.S., Illinois State University; Ph.D., The Ohio State University
Courses Taught: Introduction to Psychology; Animal Behavior; Conditioning and Behavior Modification; and Neuropsychology.Contact: 107 Ledford Hall, (919) 760-8401, AubrechtL@meredith.edu
Kathryn Dove, adjunct instructor of psychology. Kathryn has a special interest in working with children with autism in conjunction with their families. Since 1995, Meredith has been very fortunate to sponsor the Meredith Autism Program, or "MAP," a laboratory teaching program that seeks to help very young children with autism. In 1998, Kathryn completed an internship at the Lovaas Institute for Early Intervention in California, a program noted for its success in helping children with autism. For six years afterward, Kathryn served as the Clinical Director of the MAP. In 2004 Kathryn was made Director of the Meredith Autism Program.
Degrees Held: B.A. in Psychology, Meredith College; M.A. in Clinical Psychology, West Chester University.
Courses Taught: Autism Practicum; The Psychology of Exceptional Individuals; and Conditioning and Behavior Modification.
Contact: 004 Ledford Hall, (919) 760-8022, colek@meredith.edu
Asumi Douglass, Consultant for the Meredith Autism Program (MAP). She joined the Meredith Autism Program in 2000. She served as a one-on-one trainer, preschool shadow, team leader, and supervisor. She then worked as a workshop behavioral consultant in several NC public schools. She now serves as a behavioral consultant in our research based program. She is currently in the MAT, Special Education Program here at Meredith College. She enjoys serving families and children with special needs.
Degrees Held: B.A. Psychology, Meredith College
Contact: B4A Ledford Hall, (919) 760-8708, sakaea@meredith.edu
Cynthia Edwards, professor of psychology, joined the Meredith faculty in 1991. Dr. Edwards enjoys diverse research interests including the history of psychology, bilingual education, and the role of peer social networks in the development of girls and women. Dr. Edwards' current project is a longitudinal study of cognitive-social networks and the development of leadership skills among young women. She has co-authored a reader in the history of psychology, published in Developmental Psychology and presented at numerous national and regional conferences. Dr. Edwards is a faculty mentor in the Duke University Preparing Future Faculty program, and a member of the faculty at the Center for Developmental Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Edwards enjoys working collaboratively with Meredith students in the development of research projects, and has mentored numerous students to national conference presentations in both psychology and Honors. Dr. Edwards has served in several administrative roles at Meredith, directing the Honors Program from 2004-2007 and serving as Associate Vice President for Academic Programs from 2007-2010. Currently, she directs the Meredith Undergraduate Research and Service Learning Programs. In addition to these responsibilities, Dr. Edwards continues to teach in the Department of Psychology on a part-time basis.
Degrees Held: B.A., Wake Forest University; M.A. and Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Courses Taught: Life Span Developmental Psychology; Psychology of Children and Adolescents; Social Psychology.
Contact: 106 Ledford Hall, (919)760-8441, edwardsc@meredith.edu
Doreen W. Fairbank, professor of psychology, joined the Meredith faculty in 1991. In 1995, she founded the Meredith Autism Program which became one of Dr. Ivar Lovaas' (UCLA) world-wide research replication sites. Fairbank co-advises Psi Chi, the National Honor Society in Psychology. She also enjoys supervising student research. Her students have presented at the Carolinas Psychology Conference, the National Conference for Undergraduate Research and at Meredith College's Day of Achievement. Dr. Fairbank reviews for several journals, has published several research papers and has been an active presenter at national and international conferences. Recent paper presentations have been in the areas of autism and childhood traumatic stress.
Degrees Held: B.A. in Psychology/Biology, Rutgers University; M. Ed. in Special Education, Rutgers University; Ed.D. in Special Education Research, University of Alabama.
Courses Taught: Statistics; Research Methods in Psychology; and The Psychology of Exceptional Individuals.Contact: 113 Ledford Hall, (919) 760-2264, FairbankD@meredith.edu
Helen Fallwell, psychology departmental assistant, joined the Meredith staff in 2001. She has kept the department running smoothly for many years and continues to provide assistance to the faculty, staff, and students in the psychology department.
Contact: 108-B Ledford Hall, (919) 760-2854, FallwellH@meredith.edu
Caroline Mann, assistant professor in psychology, came to Meredith in 2011. She is a clinical psychologist with interests in mood disorders, PTSD/trauma, working with GLBT clients (including transgender clients), and clients with interpersonal difficulties.
Degrees Held: B. A. Psychology, University of North Carolina- Asheville; Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, University of Tennessee
Courses Taught: Introduction to Psychology; Abnormal Psychology; Theory & Practice in Counseling
Contact: 104 Ledford Hall, (919) 760-8421, MannC@meredith.edu
Andrea McPherson, adjunct professor of psychology, joined the Meredith faculty in 2011. Her areas of interest include stress and coping. In particular, her research focuses on coping with life and financial stress, as well as the measurement of socioeconomic status. In addition, Mrs. McPherson has presented at conferences and published a paper on parenting stress. Mrs. McPherson holds professional memberships in the American Psychological Association and The Society for the Teaching of Psychology.
Degrees Held: B.A. Psychology, University of North Carolina at Wilmingtin; M.S. Psychology, North Carolina State University.
Courses Taught: Lifespan Psychology
Contact: Lab 5, Ledford Hall, AVMcPher@meredith.edu
Gwynn Morris, assistant professor of psychology, joined the Meredith faculty in 2008. Her areas of interest include development and memory. In particular, her research focuses on the development of autobiographical memory in young children, the neurological correlates of autobiographical memory in young adults, and the changes in autobiographical memory across the lifespan. Dr. Morris is an active presenter at national conferences and holds professional memberships in the Society for Research in Child Development and the Association for Psychological Science. She is also the faculty co-chair of the Carolinas Psychology Conference.
Degrees Held: B.S. Biology, University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill; M.S. and Ph.D. in Psychology, North Carolina State University
Courses Taught: Introduction to Psychology; Lifespan Developmental Psychology; Psychology of Children & Adolescents; and Psychology of Aging.
Contact: 105 Ledford Hall, (919) 760-8442, MorrisSG@meredith.edu
Mark O'Dekirk, associate professor of psychology, joined the Meredith faculty in 2001. His areas of interest include perception, memory, and visual selective attention. In particular, his research interests have focused on differences between persons with and without mental retardation on various cognitive tasks. Recent paper presentations have been in the areas of Selective Attention & Mental Retardation; Flashbulb Memories; and Temperament & Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. He is also the faculty co-chair of the Carolinas Psychology Conference.
Degrees Held: B.A. in Psychology, North Carolina State University;
M.A. in Experimental Psychology, University of Alabama;
Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology, University of Alabama
Courses Taught: Introduction to Psychology; Statistical Methods in Psychology; Research Methods in Psychology; The Psychology of Exceptional Individuals; Perception; Memory, Language & Cognition; and Memory & Memoir.
Contact: 108-A Ledford Hall, (919) 760-8236, ODekirkM@meredith.edu
Melinda Rosenbaum, adjunct professor of psychology, joined the Meredith faculty in 2009. Her areas of interest include community and developmental psychology and public policy. In particular, her research has examined the development of aggression and other problem behaviors in childhood and adolescence, as well as adolescent judgment and decision-making in the context of juvenile justice policy. She has published research on promoting resilience, preventing aggression, and understanding children’s rights and capacities, and has presented her work at numerous national conferences.
Degrees Held: B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in Psychology, University of Virginia.
Courses Taught: Introduction to Psychology; Psychology of Children and Adolescents, Community Field Experience.
Contact: Lab 5, Ledford Hall, rosenbau@meredith.edu
Hilary Wilkinson, adjunct instructor of psychology and Assistant Director of the Meredith Autism Program. She is also a licensed professional counselor in North Carolina. She joined the Meredith Autism Program in 2003. She has served as a one-on-one trainer, preschool shadow, team leader and team supervisor before being promoted to her current position as behavioral consultant and Assistant Director of the MAP. She enjoys working closely with the parents and clients of the Meredith Autism Program as well as training students to work with children with autism and their families. In addition to her duties with the MAP, she enjoys serving as adjunct instructor in the Psychology Department.
Degrees Held: B.A. in Psychology, Meredith College; M.S. in Counseling Psychology, Radford University.
Courses Taught: Introduction to Psychology; Lifespan Developmental Psychology; The Psychology of Exceptional Individuals; Abnormal Psychology; and Social Psychology.
Contact: B4A Ledford Hall, (919) 760-2337, wilkinso@meredith.edu
Emeritus Faculty
David Heining-Boynton, Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Women’s Studies. He served as a professor at Meredith for 19 years before leaving to work as a professional photographer. At Meredith he taught Counseling, Abnormal, Testing, Health Psych, and the Psychology of Women as well as in the Women’s Studies program. He received awards for teaching and service to the college and headed a number of significant college wide committees. Since leaving Meredith he has had photos in journals, textbooks and on cards for a national card company. He is expanding his skills in photography and with photo design software, woodworking, jewelry making and cooking. He and his wife continue to travel and work around the globe.
Degrees Held: B.A., University of South Florida; M.A. and Ph.D., The Ohio State University.
Rosemary Hornak, professor of psychology, taught at Meredith from 1977-2011. Dr. Hornak presented at numerous conferences including the TeachingInstitute of the American Psychological Society, the Sandhills Regional Psychology Conference and the Association for Psychological Science Convention. Her research interests include memory and thinking processes. She received the Laura Harrill Presidential Award and Pauline Davis Award for Excellence in Teaching. Dr. Hornak holds professional membership in the Association of Psychological Science, American Psychological Association, Society for the Teaching of Psychology, Psychonomic Society and Society for Computers in Psychology.
Degrees Held: B.A., Wheeling Jesuit University; M.A. and Ph.D., The Ohio State University.
R. John "Jack" Huber, professor of psychology, was at Meredith for over 30 years and retired in 2011. Professor Huber served as head of the department from 1974-2005. Dr. Huber co-advised Psi Chi, the National Honor Society in Psychology. He is the co-editor of Cornerstones of Psychology, a book of readings concerning the history of psychology. He also is the author of more than 40 articles concerning Adlerian psychology, most of them co-written with students. Professor Huber is a member of the American Psychological Society, the Eastern Psychological Association, and the North American Society for Adlerian Psychology. He is a consulting editor for The Journal of Individual Psychology. A licensed psychologist, Dr. Huber also works as a pastoral counselor at Triangle Pastoral Counseling. Recently he finished translating a book about encouragement training from German into English. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Adler-Dreikuns Institute in Germany.
Degrees Held: B.A., Kent State University; M.A., University of Vermont, Ph.D., University of New Hampshire; Post-Doctoral Training, School of Pastoral Care, Wake Forest University.
