Faculty & Staff
Sean Brotherson, Ph.D.

Sean Brotherson, Extension Family Science Specialist, Professor
(Ph.D., Oregon State University)
Office Phone: (701) 231-6143Email: sean.brotherson@ndsu.edu
Core Area: Family Science
Research Interests: Parenting and fatherhood; Health marriages; Family stress; Rural families; Grief and bereavement; Family life education; Family policy
Kim Bushaw, M.S.

Kim Bushaw, Extension Family Science Specialist
(M.S., North Dakota State University)
Office Phone: (701) 231-7450
Email:kim.bushaw@ndsu.edu
Core Area: Family Science
Jim Deal, Ph.D.

James E. Deal, Professor
(Ph.D., University of Georgia)
Office Phone: (701) 231-7568
Email: jim.deal@ndsu.edu
Core Area: Child Development
Research Interests: My current research focuses on identity development in emerging adults, particularly in the areas of religion and the transition to college. I am particularly interested in first generation and/or low income students and issues related to financial support.
Heather Fuller, Ph.D.

Heather Fuller , Associate Professor
(Ph.D., University of Michigan)
Office Phone: (701) 231-5621
Email:Heather.Fuller@ndsu.edu
Core Area: Adult Development and Aging
Research Interests: Social relationships and well-being across the lifespan (e.g. intergenerational relationships); Successful aging and health promotion; Aging in rural and cross-cultural contexts; Aging families and caregiving; Survey research and program evaluation
Research Lab:Linked Lives Lab
Joel Hektner, Ph.D., Department Chair

Joel Hektner, Professor and Head
(Ph.D., University of Chicago)
Office Phone: (701) 231-8269
Email: joel.hektner@ndsu.edu
Core Area: Child, Adolescent Development
Research Interests:
Design and effectiveness of programs to prevent adjustment problems and promote well-being in children and adolescents; Peer affiliation patterns and peer influences on children's behaviors; Family and school conditions that facilitate optimal experiences (flow) and optimal development; The Experience Sampling Method
Carrie Johnson, Ph.D.

Carrie Johnson, Extension Personal and Family Finance Specialist, Associate Professor
(Ph.D., Iowa State University)
Office phone: (701) 231-8593
Email:carrie.johnson.1@ndsu.edu
Core Area: Personal and Family Finance Extension
Research Interests: Personal finance for low-income and underserved populations; Financial education impact; Student loan debt: Program delivery methods and evaluation; Behavioral finance across the lifespan.
Christi McGeorge, Ph.D.

Christi McGeorge, Professor
(Ph.D., University of Minnesota)
Office Phone: (701) 231-7335
Email: Christine.McGeorge@ndsu.edu
Core Area: Couple and Family Therapy and Family Science
Research Interests Include: The influence of heterosexism, cissexism, and sexual and gender minority prejudice on clinical practice and training, gender equity in therapy, promoting LGBTQ ally behavior in collegiate athletics, gender equity in higher education, and societal perceptions of single parents.
Melissa Lunsman Connor, Ph.D.

Melissa Lunsman O'Connor, Associate Professor
(Ph.D., University of South Florida)
Office Phone: (701) 231-8268
Email:melissa.oconnor@ndsu.edu
Core Area: Adult Development and Aging
Research Interests: Examining age-related differences and changes in cognitive and functional abilities, such as driving, among healthy adults and clinical populations; quantitative methods and psychometrics; interventions for improving cognition, health, and everyday functioning; and attitudes toward dementia.
Research Lab: Healthy Aging Lab
Candace Philbrick, Ph.D.

Candace Philbrick, Senior Lecturer
(Ph.D., North Dakota State University)
Office Phone: (701) 231-8268
Email: Candace.philbrick@ndsu.edu
Core Area: Gerontology
Meagan Scott Hoffman, Ph.D.

Meagan Scott Hoffman, 4-H Youth Development Specialist/Assistant Professor
(Ph.D., Oklahoma State University)
Office Phone: (701) 231-7964
Email:meagan.scott@ndsu.edu
Core Area: 4-H Youth Development
Area of Responsibility: Family and Consumer Science, Communication Arts, Afterschool Training, Adolescent Development, Children, Youth, and Families at Risk
Jane Strommen, Ph.D.

Jane Strommen, Extension Gerontology Specialist and Assistant Professor of Practice
(Ph.D. North Dakota State University)
Office Phone: (701) 231-5948
Email:jane.strommen@ndsu.edu
Core Area: Gerontology Website: Aging & Wellness
Research Interests: Family caregiving, rural elders, aging in place, healthy aging
Wen Wang, Ph.D.

Wen Wang, Assistant Professor
(Ph.D. Michigan State University)
Office Phone: (701) 231-1875
Email:wen.wang@ndsu.edu
Core Area: Child Development
Research Interests: The development of young children’s mastery motivation and persistence; Cultural variances in parenting and early parent-infant communication; Prosocial behaviors and emotions towards racial ingroup and outgroup members
Ann Werlinger, M.S.

Ann Werlinger, Senior Lecturer
(M.S., North Dakota State University)
Office Phone: (701) 231-9790
Email: Ann.Werlinger@ndsu.edu
Core Area: Child Development
Dena Wyum, M.S.

Dena Wyum, Senior Lecturer: Human Development and Family Science and Women and Gender Studies
(M.S., North Dakota State University)
Office Phone: (701) 231-7755
Email: Dena.Wyum@ndsu.edu
Andrea Abrahamson, Academic Advisor

Andrea (Richard) Abrahamson, M.Ed.
Academic Advisor | College of Human Sciences and Education
Office Phone: 701-231-9846
Email: andrea.a.abrahamson@ndus.edu
HDFS Staff
Krista Olson

Krista Olson, Administrative Secretary, HDFS Extension
Office Phone: 231-8652
Email: Krista.L.Olson@ndsu.edu
Maggie Skrogstad

Maggie Skrogstad, Office Manager, HDFS
Office Phone: 231-8268
Email: Maggie.Skrogstad@ndsu.edu