BALL@UT Team Members
*We are currently accepting RA applications for Spring 2022 and Summer 2022. Please contact ball@utk.edu for additional information.
Jennifer (Bolden) Bush, Ph.D.
Director / Principal Investigator
Associate Professor of Psychology

I joined the Department of Psychology at the University of Tennessee in Fall 2012. I received my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida and completed my clinical internship at the University of Mississippi Psychology Residency Training Program, a consortium between the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMC) and G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center. I received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and African American Studies at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida and completed an internship in the Department of Psychology at the University of Oregon.
Research: My translational research program seeks to understand the complex interplay among memory, behavior, and learning to inform the development of impairment-specific interventions for individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Specifically, we use objective physiological and behavioral measures to understand the underlying processes and mechanisms associated with cognitive failures (and successes!) to assist individuals with attention and learning problems. Having a strong background in providing empirically-supported assessment/treatments in outpatient, inpatient, residential, and academic settings, I am excited about assisting children and adults diagnosed with ADHD living in Rocky Top Tennessee! When I am not working with my dynamic team of graduate and undergraduate research assistants, I enjoy family time, food tours, running, and March Madness.
Undergraduate Courses: Graduate Courses:
Childhood Psychopathologies (PSYC 432) Clinical Supervision (PSYC 673)
Supervised Research (PSYC 489) Developmental Psychology (PSYC 511)
Psychological Assessment I (PSYC 594)
Previous Teaching Experience: Clinical Psychology, Women's Mental Health, Psychology of Women, Child Psychopathology
Research: My translational research program seeks to understand the complex interplay among memory, behavior, and learning to inform the development of impairment-specific interventions for individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Specifically, we use objective physiological and behavioral measures to understand the underlying processes and mechanisms associated with cognitive failures (and successes!) to assist individuals with attention and learning problems. Having a strong background in providing empirically-supported assessment/treatments in outpatient, inpatient, residential, and academic settings, I am excited about assisting children and adults diagnosed with ADHD living in Rocky Top Tennessee! When I am not working with my dynamic team of graduate and undergraduate research assistants, I enjoy family time, food tours, running, and March Madness.
Undergraduate Courses: Graduate Courses:
Childhood Psychopathologies (PSYC 432) Clinical Supervision (PSYC 673)
Supervised Research (PSYC 489) Developmental Psychology (PSYC 511)
Psychological Assessment I (PSYC 594)
Previous Teaching Experience: Clinical Psychology, Women's Mental Health, Psychology of Women, Child Psychopathology
Jonathan "Parks" Fillauer, Ph.D.
Clinical Neuropsychology Post-Doctoral Resident at Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Clinical Neuropsychology Post-Doctoral Resident at Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

I am a graduate of the clinical psychology program. I am currently completing my APA accredited Clinical Neuropsychology Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the Michael E. Debakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center. I recently defended my doctoral dissertation, which focused on the interaction between process-related variables of working memory and working memory capacity. My master's thesis examined the effects of frustration and delay intolerance on working memory. My primary research and clinical interests include psychological assessment as well as studying the associations between attention problems, mood disorders, and working memory processes across the lifespan to inform evidence-based treatments and psychological science. I am particularly interested in refining my psychological assessment skills and learning about transdiagnostic interventions such as the Unified Protocol. I graduated with my B.A. in psychology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 2015. In my free time I am an avid fiction reader, dog parent, Law & Order: SVU aficionado, ultimate frisbee novice, and coffee connoisseur.
Emily Mariotti, M.S.
Clinical Psychology Post-graduate Fellow at the Yale Child Study Center
Clinical Psychology Post-graduate Fellow at the Yale Child Study Center

I am a graduate student in the Clinical Psychology program. I graduated with a B.S. from Penn State University, and afterwards spent two years working as a psychometrist and research assistant at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. My experiences at Nationwide Children’s led me to pursue a master’s degree in psychology at Loyola University Maryland. At Loyola, I completed my master’s thesis that examined potential links between executive functions and social skills proficiency in young children to illustrate some of the less explored factors that may lead to kindergarten retention. Currently, my research focuses on temperamental and cognitive foundations of behavior related to attention and learning. I am also interested in psychological assessment, and the relation between executive functioning and socio-emotional development as both relate to ADHD, disruptive behaviors, learning, and academic achievement. I love live music, Pittsburgh sports, Penn State football, dystopian/sci-fi novels, travel, yoga, and cycling.
McKenzie Martin, M.A.
3rd Year Graduate Student
3rd Year Graduate Student

I am a graduate student in the Clinical Psychology PhD Program. I graduated with a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Tennessee in 2019. My honors thesis examined the association between reading abilities and ADHD symptoms, specifically inhibition, impulsivity, and inattention, in school-aged children. More broadly, my research interests include utilizing assessment techniques to study the neuropsychological correlates between behavioral disorders, neurocognitive dysfunction, and learning problems to inform psychological research and to help develop targeted intervention programs. In my spare time I enjoy hiking the beautiful trails in the Knoxville area, reading, watching Vol football, and spending time with friends.
Faye Domokos, B.S.
2nd Year Graduate Student

I am a graduate student in the Clinical Psychology PhD program. I graduated with a B.S. in Biology and Psychology from Loyola University Chicago in 2017. Shortly after, I started as a psychometrist at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago in order to broaden my understanding of how thinking and learning are impacted by differences in development and, more generally, of brain-behavior relations. This experience at Lurie Children’s directly impacted both my research and clinical interests, which center around neuropsychological assessment and the creation of empirically-based interventions that support individuals with ADHD across the lifespan. In my spare time, I enjoy hiking, kayaking, discovering breweries, playing card/board games, and raising two very spoiled cats.
Interested in joining our research team?
If you are interested in becoming a Research Assistant (RA) in our lab, please complete the application and
send it to ball@utk.edu. You may also share the application with Mrs. Alecia Davis in Austin Peay 303A. Applications are reviewed on Fridays during our weekly lab meeting. Sophomores and juniors are encouraged to apply. Course credit may be available!
*Please Note: Research Assistants must be able to commit 8-10 hours per week, and will be required to undergo a background check.
If you are interested in becoming a Research Assistant (RA) in our lab, please complete the application and
send it to ball@utk.edu. You may also share the application with Mrs. Alecia Davis in Austin Peay 303A. Applications are reviewed on Fridays during our weekly lab meeting. Sophomores and juniors are encouraged to apply. Course credit may be available!
*Please Note: Research Assistants must be able to commit 8-10 hours per week, and will be required to undergo a background check.
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Former BALL@UT Research Assistants

Doug Gaittens, Undergraduate Research Assistant
I am a senior at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with a major in Neuroscience and a minor in Business Administration. While volunteering to acquire my CNA, exposure to the medical field intrigued my pursuit of involvement in health research. My interests in Clinical Psychology include examining factors associated with social skill development, ADHD, and behavioral disorders. I would like to use my B.A. in Neuroscience to research the physiological effects of screen-time and the correlation it may have with social skill development. My objective is to advance my degree at the Vanderbilt Brain Institute’s graduate program to receive a Ph.D. in Neuroscience. Some of my favorite things include frisbee-golf, scenic backpacking, exercise, dogs, and cuisine.
I am a senior at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with a major in Neuroscience and a minor in Business Administration. While volunteering to acquire my CNA, exposure to the medical field intrigued my pursuit of involvement in health research. My interests in Clinical Psychology include examining factors associated with social skill development, ADHD, and behavioral disorders. I would like to use my B.A. in Neuroscience to research the physiological effects of screen-time and the correlation it may have with social skill development. My objective is to advance my degree at the Vanderbilt Brain Institute’s graduate program to receive a Ph.D. in Neuroscience. Some of my favorite things include frisbee-golf, scenic backpacking, exercise, dogs, and cuisine.

Hallie Coleman, Undergraduate Research Assistant
I am a sophomore with a major in Psychology and minor in Child Family Studies. After obtaining my undergraduate degree, I hope to get my PhD in Clinical or Developmental Psychology. My past research experience includes working in a Social Psychology lab focusing on racial prejudice and implicit behaviors. After my past research experience, I wanted to narrow my research more specifically on working directly with children and families. In the future I plan to either work with children in a hospital setting or work with children with learning disabilities. In my free time I enjoy volunteer work, exercising, spending time with friends/family and watching Ellen DeGeneres.
I am a sophomore with a major in Psychology and minor in Child Family Studies. After obtaining my undergraduate degree, I hope to get my PhD in Clinical or Developmental Psychology. My past research experience includes working in a Social Psychology lab focusing on racial prejudice and implicit behaviors. After my past research experience, I wanted to narrow my research more specifically on working directly with children and families. In the future I plan to either work with children in a hospital setting or work with children with learning disabilities. In my free time I enjoy volunteer work, exercising, spending time with friends/family and watching Ellen DeGeneres.

Regan Carell, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Post-baccalaureate research assistant at Vanderbilt University
Post-baccalaureate research assistant at Vanderbilt University

Jenna Gilmore, M.A.
Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student
Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student

Megan Carl, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral fellow in clinical psychology.
Postdoctoral fellow in clinical psychology.

Kerry Cannity, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow in Clinical Psychology, New York Presbyterian Hospital-Westchester Division
Postdoctoral Fellow in Clinical Psychology, New York Presbyterian Hospital-Westchester Division

Melanie Jacobson, B.A. Research Assistant
Frustration & CE Study Project Manager
Current Position: Helen Ross McNabb Mental Health Case Manager
Frustration & CE Study Project Manager
Current Position: Helen Ross McNabb Mental Health Case Manager

Holly Flatt, Undergraduate Research Assistant
M.S. psychology student at Lipscomb University
M.S. psychology student at Lipscomb University

Brock Partlow, B.A.
Clinical Psychology Graduate Student at Xavier University
Clinical Psychology Graduate Student at Xavier University

Kriston Ramsey, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Danielle Bernhoft, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Current Position: Internship (UTK College of Education)
Current Position: Internship (UTK College of Education)

Jessie Anderson, B.A. Undergraduate Research Assistant
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Jama Bettis, Undergraduate Research Assistant
ERcognitive Study Project Manager
B.A in Psychology
ERcognitive Study Project Manager
B.A in Psychology

Jordan Wines, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Ph.D. Student in Audiology at East TN State University
Ph.D. Student in Audiology at East TN State University

Brianna Pollock, Ph.D. Graduate Research Assistant
Current Position: Post-Doctoral Fellow
Current Position: Post-Doctoral Fellow

Jessica Shultz, General Lab Manager
Current Position: Law student at University of South Carolina School of Law
Current Position: Law student at University of South Carolina School of Law

Rose Conner, B.A Big Orange Research Manager
B.A. in Psychology
B.A. in Psychology

Rad Dieter, B.A., Senior Research Assistant
Current Position: Medical student at UTK Medical Center.
Current Position: Medical student at UTK Medical Center.

Spencer Mccurdy, Undergraduate Research Assistant
B.A. in Psychology
B.A. in Psychology

Edward Chung, Little Orange Research Manager
Eddie is currently a Chief Medical Scribe and applying to Medical School.
Eddie is currently a Chief Medical Scribe and applying to Medical School.

Ashleigh Mcginnis, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Current Position: Assistant Teacher, UTK Early Learning Center
Current Position: Assistant Teacher, UTK Early Learning Center

Kellen Huet-Cox, Lab Manager
Current Position: Clinical Psychology - Psy.D. student
Current Position: Clinical Psychology - Psy.D. student

Ashley Brown, Research Assistant
Clinical Psychology - Psy.D. student
Clinical Psychology - Psy.D. student

Christie Thiessan, B.A., Research Assistant
Current Position: Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student at Ohio University
Current Position: Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student at Ohio University

Rachel Mottern, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Current Position: Special Education M.A. student at the Peabody College of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN.
Current Position: Special Education M.A. student at the Peabody College of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN.

Tiffany Brooks, Graduate Research Assistant
Graduate: UTK Counselor Education Doctoral Program
Current Position: Assistant Professor in the Department of School of Professional Counseling at Lindsey Wilson College
Graduate: UTK Counselor Education Doctoral Program
Current Position: Assistant Professor in the Department of School of Professional Counseling at Lindsey Wilson College

Jenny Chang, Undergraduate Research Assistant
B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Biological Science.
B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Biological Science.

Ashleigh Barker, Undergraduate Research Assistant
MPA Graduate Program at Western Kentucky University
MPA Graduate Program at Western Kentucky University