Amber Kelly, PhD

LAM 106 Basic Statistics
MTH 110 Application of Mathematical Ideas
HSM 100 Introduction to Human Services
HSM 400 Research Methods for the Behavioral Science
HSM 415 Strategies of Community Interventions
Areas of Expertise: 

• Community Psychology
• Program Evaluation and Design
• Community Outreach, Engagement and Collaboration
• Nonprofit Management
• Community-Engaged Research

Biography:

Amber Kelly is a Community Psychologist and nonprofit professional with ten years of experience, including five years in leadership in the nonprofit sector.  Some of her nonprofit sector positions have ranged from community outreach coordinator to chief executive officer, which has given her a holistic understanding of the nonprofit organizational structure.  Her work has focused on enhancing community-based nonprofit organizations' effectiveness through evaluation, research, program development, health advocacy, and community engagement. In the area of research, she has focused on the inclusion of individuals with various abilities and stress and coping among African American women who are living in poverty.  She utilizes her education, training, and experience to advocate for underserved populations.

Education:

PhD in Community Psychology, National Louis University, Chicago, IL (2015)

Master of Science Degree in Public Service Management, DePaul University, Chicago, IL (2013)

Master of Health Science Degree in Mental Health and Certificate in Health Disparities and Health Inequality,

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD (2009)

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Minor in Spanish, Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, GA (2006)

Research and Interests:

Research and Interests

• Health disparities and inequities
• Education reform
• Community engagement
• Inclusion of individuals with various abilities

Teaching Philosophy

Amber's goal is to create a learning environment that empowers students to advocate for their educational needs, understand concepts, and ultimately apply learnings to real-life situations. As an educator, her teaching approach is not to expect students to memorize theories and ideas but to promote understanding through application. She encourages students to connect the material to their passions, interests, and career aspirations. When students find the content relevant, they are more likely to grasp the material and ultimately learn new concepts. Amber encourages students to challenge themselves to allow them to discover new interests that they may not have previously uncovered.

Publications:

Kelly, A.E. andViola, J.(2019)Sense of School Community among High School Students with a Disability. Journal of Prevention and Intervention in the Community, DOI: 10.1080/10852352.2019.1617385

Kelly, A.E. and Viola, J. (2019). Who We Are. In Jason, L.A., Glantsman, O., O’Brien, J., & Ramian, K. (Ed.) Introduction to Community Psychology: Becoming an Agent of Change. https://press.rebus.community/introductiontocommunitypsychology/chapter/who-we-are/

Viola, J., Glantsman, O. Williams, A & Stevenson, C.  (2017). Chapter 1-Answers to All Your Questions about Careers in Community Psychology. In Viola J.J. and Glantsman O. Eds. Diverse Careers in Community Psychology. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

McAuliff, K.E., Viola, J.J., Keys, C., Back, L.T., Williams, A.E. and Stettenphl, C. (2014).  Empowered and Disempowered Voices of low income People with Disabilities on the Initiation of Government-funded, Managed Health Care. Psychosocial Intervention’s Special Issue Community Psychology Contributions to the Study of Social Inequalities, Well-being and Social Justice. 23(2), 115-23.DOI: 10.1016/j.psi.2014.07.003

Bar-Haim, Y., Fox, N.A., Benson, B., Guyer, A.E., Williams, A., Nelson, E.E., Perez-Edgar, K., Pine, D.S. and Ernst, M. (2009). Neural Correlates of Reward Processing in Adolescents with a History of Shyness and Inhibited Temperament. Psychological Science, 3(1), 1-10. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2009.02401.x

Mueller, S.C., Temple , V., Oh, E., VanRyzin, C., Williams, A., Cornwell, B., Grillon, C., Pine, D.S., Ernst, M., Merke, DP. (2008). Early androgen exposure modulates spatial cognition in congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). Psychoneuroendocrinology, 3, 973-980. DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2008.04.005   

Contact Information:

NLU Email: akelly9@nl.edu