The Kentucky Psychologist

Jennifer Kelly, Ph.D., ABPP, currently serves as the President of the American Psychological Association. A Licensed Psychologist she is Board Certified in Clinical Health Psychology. She is the Director of the Atlanta Center for Behavioral Medicine in Atlanta, GA. Dr. Kelly has expertise in treating disorders that involve the relationship between physical and emotional conditions with a specialty in pain management. In 2018, Dr. Kelly served as Co-Chair of the newly formed Advocacy Coordinating Committee of the American Psychological Association Services, Inc. A past president of the Georgia Psychological Association, she has served as the Federal Advocacy Coordinator for 23 years. She is a recipient of APA's State Leadership Award, Karl F. Heiser Advocacy Award, Legislative Award by the Georgia Psychological Association, and the APA Practice Organization's Federal Advocacy Award.

Hogan Gagle, M.S., is a clinical psychology doctoral student at Eastern Kentucky University. In addition to his graduate work, he is a member of the EKU Trauma and Suicide Prevention Clinic (TSPC). He currently works providing group and individual therapy at the Schwartz Center, an inpatient substance use and cooccurring diagnosis treatment center. His clinical and research focus includes working with trauma and suicide with veterans.

Dr. Botts received her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kentucky in 2001. Her specialty interests include trauma and grief work, gender-related issues, depression and anxiety disorders. Much of her clinical work focuses on working with the juvenile and young adult populations. Her therapy orientation integrates feminist, cognitive-behavioral, and systemic approaches. Dr. botts is currently serving on the KPA Board, as the clinical interest section representative.

The Psy Files is a podcast that explores multiple areas in the field of psychology by interviewing some of Kentucky's leading psychological experts. Our program is meant to inform, educate, and entertain listeners by delving into the inner workings of the field of psychology as well as mental health in our state. We explore topics such as substance abuse, trauma, suicide, forensics, and more. Additionally, we make it our goal to help break some of the stigmas surrounding our field through discourse, education, and fun. Mental health matters, and it is the intention of The Psy Files is to bring relevant topics to light.

The final episode of this series!   Eric Russ, Ph.D., is an experienced Clinical Psychologist with a demonstrated history of working in healthcare management and delivery. He received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Emory University, completed his internship at the San Francisco VA and fellowship at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Dr. Russ moved back to Louisville, where he grew up, in 2012. He spent three years working as an assistant professor at the University of Louisville in the Department of Psychiatry. Following that, Dr. Russ spent two and a half years running the PTSD clinic at the VA in Lexington. Most recently Dr. Russ worked for Passport Health Plan. Dr. Russ is also currently serving on the KPA Board as the Past-President.

Dr. Felicia D. Smith is a clinical psychologist who has practiced in Louisville since 2004 and a is co-owner of StrongMinds. She obtained her BA at the University of Illinois and then went on to earn her Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. Dr. Smith completed her clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship at Boston Children's Hospital /Harvard Medical School, specializing in Pediatric Psychology & Adolescent Medicine. She served as an Assistant Professor and Director of Psychological Testing at the University of Louisville School of Medicine for four years and continues to teach college courses in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. Dr. Smith maintains active involvement with the KY Psychological Association (KPA), where she has served as President and as the Child and Adolescent Representative and Diversity Committee Chair to the Board of Directors. In 2015, Dr. Smith was recognized as KPA Psychologist of the Year! Dr. Smith currently sits on the board of directors for KPA as the APA Council Representative.

Sheila A. Schuster, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist who served for many years as the Federal Advocacy Coordinator and Legislative Liaison for the KY Psychological Association. Dr. Schuster also represents a number of mental health and health care organizations in Frankfort. She currently serves as Executive Director of the Advocacy Action Network, an umbrella organization encompassing the work of the KY Mental Health Coalition, the Medicaid Consortium, and the United 874K Disabilities Coalition. Dr. Schuster also serves as Board Chair of Kentucky Voices for Health, a statewide coalition whose mission is to improve the health of Kentuckians. Additional presenters may include members of the Kentucky General Assembly, staff of the KY Legislative Research Commission (LRC), and others who advocate in Frankfort on health/mental health/disabilities/social justice issues.

Dr. Courtney Keim, an Industrial-Organizational psychologist, is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Bellarmine University and Chair of the Psychology in the Workplace Committee for the Kentucky Psychological Foundation. Dr. Keim is a leader within KPA and APA and is passionate about mentoring undergraduate students interested in psychology.

Dr. Amanda Mitchell is an Assistant Professor of Counseling Psychology and Director of the Social Inequities in Health Lab at the University of Louisville. Dr. Mitchell conducts research at the intersection of counseling psychology, public health, and psychoneuroimmunology through a biopsychosocial lens with an emphasis on social justice.

Dr. Steven Kniffley is the Associate Director for the Center for Behavioral Health and an Assistant Professor in Spalding University's School of Professional Psychology. In addition to these roles, Dr. Kniffley is also the coordinator for the Collective Care Center, which is one of the few racial trauma clinics in the country, and a leader in the field of racial trauma training and education. 

Episode 1 of Leadership Narrative with KPA featuring Dr. David Susman - Dr. David Susman is a licensed clinical psychologist and assistant professor at the University of Kentucky where he is director of both the Psychology Internship Consortium Program and the Harris Psychological Services Center. In addition to his roles at UK, Dr. Susman runs a website that provides mental health resources and inspiration and is involved with both KPA and APA.