Mikayla received her B.S. in Psychology from William & Mary in 2023. Her passions for accessible mental health support, early intervention strategies, and advocacy for marginalized communities have led her to pursue a career in School Psychology. Mikayla is particularly passionate about finding new ways to support students of the LGBTQ+ community and she hopes to promote greater awareness of the intersections between sexuality, gender, and disability status. Mikayla is a graduate assistant for the Learning Resource Center (LRC). There, she connects students, faculty, and other members of the educational community with materials such as K-12 textbooks, psychoeducational tests, juvenile books, and tactile curriculum materials. After school hours, Mikayla aspires to work in a district where she can serve as the dance team coach for a high school in the area.
Kara is a second year School Psychology student and will have a practicum placement in Richmond this year. She is from northern VA and is hoping to return to that area for her internship and to start her career! Kara received a B.S. In Psychology and a B.A. in Sociology from William & Mary in 2023. She is excited to help our first-year students get to know our community here at W&M and the SOE. This year, Kara is also serving as the President of the Graduate Education Association and has a Graduate Assistantship in the Office of Academic Programs.
Patricia Hofrichter holds a B.S. in Accounting from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, and has accumulated extensive experience in public accounting. Transitioning from her career in accounting, Patricia is now pursuing her passion for School Psychology. As a dedicated mom of two young children, she deeply values the importance of nurturing and supporting young minds. Fluent in Spanish, she is particularly passionate about advocating for English Language Learner (ELL) students and ensuring culturally responsive services within educational settings.
Laura received her B.S.Ed. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Virginia. She has a background of working with elementary students and is passionate about accessible early intervention services. With her experience as a psychometrist, she enjoys utilizing data to inform interventions and supports. Laura is a graduate assistant for the Psychoeducational Assessment course and leads the lab portion of the class. As a future school psychologist, Laura hopes to provide effective and equitable services to students and families.
Claire graduated from William & Mary with a B.S. in Psychology & Kinesiology/Health Sciences. Growing up in the rural community of Prince George, Virginia, she saw issues in the school system like lack of resources and negative treatment of mental health. She knew she wanted to do what she could to help, and school psychology seemed like a perfect fit for that. Outside of class, Claire works for the Office of Academic Programs as a graduate assistant and helps with the setup of/participates in major events such as Day for Prospective Students & Day for Admitted Students.
Lauren graduated from Wilmington University in 2022 with a B.S. in Psychology. Lauren has always had a passion for working with children, specifically with youth in underserved communities. As a future school psychologist Lauren hopes to ensure that diverse perspectives are integrated into the educational system. She strives to raise awareness about the underrepresentation of Black school psychologists and other marginalized professionals in the field. Lauren is currently a second-year school psychology student who also serves as a Graduate Assistant for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
Janise S. Parker, Ph.D., LP, LSP, NCSP: SPSA Faculty Representative
Dr. Parker (Assistant Professor of School Psychology, Practicum Coordinator) earned her Ph.D. in School Psychology from the University of Florida. She is also a Licensed Psychologist and Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP). Dr. Parker's research primarily focuses on student engagement and motivation among adolescents from underrepresented groups and culturally responsive practice in school psychology. Along those lines, she has much experience collaborating with high school educators to support at-risk youth from diverse backgrounds and providing counseling support in public schools for middle and high school students.
Mikayla Munson (she/her): President
Lauren Whitehead (she/her): D&I Representative 
Janise S. Parker, Ph.D., LP, LSP, NCSP: SPSA Faculty Representative
