Kathryn H. Howell, Ph.D., Director

Dr. Kathryn Howell is a Professor Emerita in the Department of Psychology at the University of Memphis and licensed psychologist in Tennessee. She is now a faculty member in the Department of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

Dr. Howell’s program of research centers on the health and well-being of children and families. Across her projects, she assesses individual, relational, and community factors that enhance resilience or reduce psychopathology following exposure to traumatic events during childhood. A common theme underlying her studies is the promotion of resilience among youth and their families exposed to adversity. Much of her work is devoted to the development of strengths-based interventions for trauma-exposed groups, including youth experiencing adversity and women exposed to intimate partner violence during pregnancy. Thus, she has developed a research specialization in empirically supported interventions to promote well-being for children and families exposed to trauma.

Dr. Howell is author or co-author of more than 130 publications. She has been the recipient of grants from multiple local and national organizations, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Urban Child Institute, and the Memphis Research Consortium. She is also the recipient of numerous awards, including the Early Career Award for Contributions to Practice in Child Maltreatment from the American Psychological Association, the American Psychological Foundation & APA Division 37 Diane J. Willis Early Career Award, and the American Psychological Foundation & APA Division 12 Theodore Blau Early Career Award for Outstanding Contribution to Professional Clinical Psychology. The University of Memphis has acknowledged Dr. Howell’s contributions to the field by awarding her the Early Career Research Award, a University Professorship, and recognizing her status as a PI Millionaire. In 2021, Dr. Howell received the University of Memphis Excellence in Engaged Scholarship Award that recognizes her commitment to partnering with community stakeholders to address the pressing needs of families in Memphis. She recently completed her appointment as chair of the APA Committee on Children, Youth, and Families.