Meet The Staff

Dr. Francesca Adler-Baeder

Dr. Francesca Adler-Baeder

Principal Investigator

 

Francesca Adler-Baeder, Ph.D. is Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Auburn University. Her research interests focus on relational dynamics in marriages, stepfamilies, and families under stress. She is also the Director of the Center for Children, Youth, and Families and the executive director of the National Stepfamily Resource Center. As a Cooperative Extension Specialist, she is responsibile for bridging research and practice through applied research projects and resource development. Dr. Adler-Baeder regularly provides family life and parenting information to national media representatives including Parents Magazine and People Magazine, and she has recently appeared on the Today Show. Dr. Adler-Baeder is a frequent speaker on the state and national levels for both academic and lay audiences on topics related to prevention programming, couples and marriage education, stepfamily dynamics, grant-writing, and the applied research process.

She lives with her husband Patrick, and their 4 children in Auburn, Alabama.

Marian Loftin

Marian Loftin

Former Co-Project Director

 

Marian Loftin is the former Director of the State of Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention, which oversees the Children’s Trust Fund of Alabama (CTF) funding 200 community-based prevention programs. After 17 years as an elementary classroom teacher, Mrs. Loftin worked in government relations for the University of Alabama for 13 years. Prior to her appointment to the current position with CTF, she was Executive Director for the Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce.

Dr. Scott Ketring

Dr. Scott Ketring

Co-Principal Invesigator

 

Scott A. Ketring, Ph. D. is an associate professor of marriage and family therapy at Auburn University. He is a licensed MFT, a Clinical Member and Approved Supervisor of the AAMFT. He has presented at the state, national, and international levels. He maintains a private practice working with couples and families.

Dr. Tom Smith

Dr. Tom Smith

Co-Principal Investigator

 

Tom Smith, Ph. D. is the Director of the Marriage and Family Therapy Program and an Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Auburn University. Dr. Smith joined the Auburn faculty in 1985. He is currently serving as the President of the Alabama Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. He is a Co-Principal Investigator and the Assistant Director for the Alabama Community Healthy Marriage Initiative. He has extensive experience with several research initiatives, has published a variety of book chapters and peer-reviewed articles and presented numerous peer- reviewed and invited workshops and papers at international, national, state, and local conferences.

Roberta Jackel

Roberta Jackel

Project Manager

 

Roberta Jackel is the Project Manager for the Alabama Community Healthy Marriage Initiative. She has a background in social services and grants management and has a J.D. from the University of Georgia. She has been an active advocate for people with disabilities and a leader in her community for numerous environmental and civic issues.

Ami Landers

Ami Landers

FRC Coordinator

 

Ami Landers serves as the Family Resource Center Site Coordinator for the ACHMI project. Ami has worked with children and families for over ten years serving as a preschool instructor, home visitor and a parent educator, as well as a Field Director for the State of Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention, also known as the Children’s Trust Fund. Ami and her husband Stan live in Prattville and have five wonderful children: Abbi, Ashli, Chad, Lauren and Alivia.
   

Teresa Wagoner

Teresa Wagoner

Office Administrator

 

Teresa Wagoner is currently the Office Administrator for the Alabama Community Healthy Marriage Initiative (ACHMI). She graduated from Auburn University in 2003 with a Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Criminology. Prior to this position she served as the Assistant Director at University Daycare LLC. She currently resides in Auburn, Alabama with her husband Burke and their dog Bobo.
Angela Bradford
Angela Bradford
Graduate Assistant

Kim Gregson

Kim Gregson
Graduate Assistant

Kate Taylor Harcourt

Kate Taylor Harcourt

Graduate Assistant

Mallory Lucier-Greer

Mallory Lucier-Greer
Graduate Assistant

Jacqueline Melton

Jacqueline Melton
Graduate Assistant

Julianne McLane
Julianne McLane
Graduate Assistant

Rachel Parham

Rachel Parham

Intern

 

Shauna Staranko
Shauna Staranko
Graduate Assistant

Emily Skuban, Ph.D.

Dr. Emily Skuban

Post-Doctoral Fellow