One of LiFEsports greatest accomplishments is not just what we achieve through our programs, but what our students go on to do post-graduation. Our students are impacting the field of sport-based youth development through their careers in practice and/or academia.
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
PhD, MSW, LSW
University of South Carolina College of Social Work
Aidyn Lachini, PhD, MSW, LSW is an Associate Professor and Interim Dean for Research and Faculty in the College of Social Work at the University of South Carolina. Her research focuses on positive youth development in schools and out-of-school time settings. Aidyn Iachini Ph.D., MSW, LSW - College of Social Work | University of South Carolina (sc.edu)
PhD Student (2021 - 2023)
PhD
SUNY Cortland
Dr. Obi Atkinson is an Assistant Professor in the Physical Education Department at SUNY Cortland. Originally from Ontario, Canada, Obi earned his PhD from The Ohio State University in 2023. His research, grounded in an ecological perspective, explores contextual factors and social agents that influence the design and promotion of healthy environments for youth to engage in sport-based settings. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on effective pedagogy principles and has a range of experiences working across levels of soccer including collegiate, high school, and youth. Beyond his professional commitments, Obi enjoys exploring diverse cultures through travel and hiking at national parks.
Graduate Research Assistant & Youth Leadership Coordinator (2008-2012)
M.S.W. and Ph.D. from the Ohio State University
Anna is currently an associate professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Buffalo.
http://socialwork.buffalo.edu/faculty-research/full-time-faculty/annahita.html
Graduate Research Assistant & Youth Leadership Academy Coordinator (2015-2018)
M.S.W, Louisiana State University and Ph.D. from the Ohio State University
Sam is currently an assistant professor at the Ohio State University where she engages in research and teaching in the areas of sport, education, and community youth development. Sam is also the Director of Research for LiFEsports.
https://csw.osu.edu/faculty/bates-samantha-ph-d/
Sydney is currently a PhD candidate at the Ohio State University. She previously completed her Bachelor of Arts in Hispanic Studies and in Political Science at Davidson College. She brings experience working with college student-athletes, coaches, national and international non-profits in operations management, program development & evaluation and creative design. Sydney is interested in research related to enhancing athlete well-being and performance, using sport as a vehicle for positive development, life skill development, and holistic approaches to health.
Graduate Research Assistant & Behavioral Specialist (2012-2019)
M.S. from the University of Michigan, M.S.W. and Ph.D. from the Ohio State University
Tark is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Social Work at the University of New Hampshire. He is also an affiliated researcher for the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Center.
https://mypages.unh.edu/sportsocialwork/people/tarkington-newman
Graduate Research Assistant (2012-2016)
M.S.W. and M.P.H. from the Ohio State University
Lauren is currently the manager of PK-12 reporting and analytics at the Center for Educational Performance and Information with the State of Michigan. Her team maintains Michigan’s longitudinal student data system and transforms the data into reports for stakeholders at all levels of the education system.
Graduate Research Assistant (2008-2012)
M.S. from the Purdue Univeristy, M.S.W. and Ph.D. from the Ohio State University
Allie is currently the Senior Vice President of Programming & Evaluation at Girls on the Run International.
https://www.girlsontherun.org/
Camp Counselor (2010-2012)
B.A., the Ohio State University
Soul Stories
Danny is the founder of Soul Stories, an organization dedicated to hosting conversations that facilitate personal healing, human connection and social change. In addition to Soul Stories, Danny works at the Denver Children’s Home providing social work services to youth who have been through severe trauma and abuse.
https://www.soulstoriesdenver.com/
Service & Outreach Program Coordinator and Camp Counselor (2012-2017)
B.S.W. from the Ohio State University
Luke is currently the Director of the Los Angeles Football Club Youth Leadership Program at the Besee Foundation. The program empowers high school leaders through soccer.
B.S.S.W. Field Placement (2019-2020)
B.S.S.W. from the Ohio State University
Cara completed her B.S.S.W. degree from the Ohio State University in 2020 and enrolled in the M.S.W. program at Ohio State. She is currently a M.S.W. student intern at Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services and works with immigrants, refugees, New Americans, and low income families in a variety of settings. Cara is expected to graduate with her M.S.W. in 2021.
L.S.W, B.S.S.W, The Ohio State University
Maria is a Master of Social Work Advanced Standing Alternative Program student in the College of Social Work at The Ohio State University, where she also earned her Bachelor of Science in Social Work. During her undergraduate studies, she completed her field placement with LiFEsports and later served as a Youth Leadership Coordinator for the LiFEsports Summer Camp. Currently, Maria is completing her graduate field placement with LiFEsports as a Site Manager. She is passionate about strength-based and resiliency-focused approaches, with a strong commitment to positive youth development. Maria is excited to continue serving youth and families in the Columbus community.
Emily is a second-year master’s student in the College of Social Work. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from Ohio Wesleyan University, where she was a member of the field hockey team. This is her second semester with the LiFEsports team, and she served as a Chalk Talk Leader at the LiFEsports Camp this past summer. This year, she will be working more closely with Coach Beyond and Ohio State’s Sports Psychology and Wellness Services (SPAWS) office. Emily is passionate about promoting mental health in the sports world and is excited to continue serving youth and families in the Columbus community.
Graduate Research Assistant (2015-2019)
M.S.W from the Ohio State University, Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina
University of Missouri
Tasha M. Childs, PhD, MSW, LMSW is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at the University of Missouri and a licensed social worker (OH, SC, AK) formally trained as a school social worker with practice experience as a crisis counselor and group facilitator. Prior to completing her doctoral education at the University of South Carolina College of Social Work she received her MSW from the OSU CSW interning and working with CAYCI and LiFEsports as a research assistant. Her current research focuses on eliminating racial inequities in schools by examining contributions of teacher racial bias, leveraging school social workers in schools and youth-serving organizations, and creating equitable access to mental health services and supports. She has collaborated with schools across the past six years across the U.S. to improve students’ access to mental health services and implement expanded school improvement models. She is also trained in motivational interviewing and has supported the development of two school-based interventions targeting youth at-risk of high school dropout and building school readiness to implement social and emotional learning. She serves the profession as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Child and Family Studies and Co-Chair of the School Social Work SSWR Special Interest Group. Together, she uses her experience in these roles working closely with faculty and staff to prepare social work students and engage practicing social workers in ongoing continuing education and advocacy for social work practice with children and families in schools.
https://healthsciences.missouri.edu/directory/personnel/tasha-childs/
Declan is in his second year of his Masters of Social Work program at The Ohio State University. He earned his BA in Psychology at Otterbein University, where he played football for two years. Declan spent this past summer as a Chalk Talk leader at the LiFEsports camp at Ohio State, and he is now in his second semester with the team at Coach Beyond. He is passionate about serving athletes and their families and is excited to expand the landscape of coach and athlete trainings to communities across the state of Ohio.
Summer Camp Counselor (2018-2020) | Virtual Program Leader (2021)
M.S.W. Field Placement Student (2019-2020)
Taylor is currently working as a School-Based Mental Health Therapist at Preble Shawnee through Gebhart Counseling Solutions and coaching Cross Country and Track and Field at Eaton High School.
Recreation Leader (2013-2014)
B.S. from Tuskegee Univeristy, M.P.H. from the Ohio State University
Jac’quese is a site coordinator for the After-school Centers of Education, YES Prep Public Schools - West Campus. As a site coordinator for ACE, she directs and manages the after-school program for the 6th - 12th grades, providing enrichment programming to young people on topics like STEM, the Arts, and mental and physical wellness.
Chalk Talk Coordinator (2014-2019)
B.S.S.W. and M.S.W from the Ohio State University, PhD student at University of South Carolina
Leigh is currently working as a mental health and substance use therapist for adults and teenagers with the National Youth Advocate Program.
Graduate Research Assistant, Chalk Talk Leader, and Behavior Support Coordinator (2008-2011, 2019)
M.S.W. from the Ohio State University
Megan is currently a school social work with Dublin City Schools.
M.S.W. Field Placement Student (2019-2020)
B.S. and M.S.W. from the Ohio State University
Joe is currently working full-time as a Family Case Manager for the National Youth Advocate Program. In addition to his full-time work, Joe is also the co-Executive Director and Co-Founder of Men of Our H.O.O.D. (Helping Ourselves Obtain Dignity). He also coaches 7th grade girls basketball at Grandview Middle School.
M.S.W. Field Placement Student, Site Coordinator and Program Leader
M.S.W.
Carly Kimiecik is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Department of Public Health at Purdue University. Since starting at Purdue in 2019, her efforts focus on community-engaged research and initiatives that focus on learning about youth experiences, their health and wellbeing, and how to enhance these entities with a particular focus on youth and communities that are underserved. As a PhD student, Carly manages a Public Health Research Lab with research focusing on positive youth development, health disparities, and social determinants of health. Research Lab topics include homeless families and individuals, youth program evaluation, and youth development. Additionally, Carly is a graduate research assistant for the Purdue University Center for Health Equity and Innovation (CHEqI). In this role, her efforts focus on creating, implementing, and evaluating health and wellbeing initiatives in partnership with Purdue Polytechnic High school (PPHS). Before her tenure at Purdue, Carly received her Master of Social Work from The Ohio State University. While in Columbus, Ohio she worked as an after-school site coordinator and program leader, assisted with the implementation and evaluation of sport-based youth programs for at-risk youth as well as engaged with and learned from youth all over the greater Columbus area. In Columbus Carly also worked with at-risk Division one collegiate student-athletes on their academic performance and continues this work with Purdue student-athletes in the Purdue University Center for Academic Vision and Excellence (CAVE) as a mentor.
Summer Camp Counselor and Graduate Assistant (2011-2014)
B.S.S.W and M.S.W. from the Ohio State University
Nora is current currently the Dean of Curriculum and Instruction at Uncommon Schools in Newark, NJ. In this role, she supports teacher development by conducting data analysis meetings, providing weekly observation feedback and creating curriculum for the network.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nora-skotko-792807143/
Camp Staff (2019-2021)
Mental Health Specialist
Dublin City Schools
Claire is currently working as a Mental Health Specialist in Dublin City Schools and continues to work as a Site Coordinator for LiFEsports in Dublin.
M.S.W. Field Placement Student (2011-2014)
B.A. from Ohio Wesleyan, M.P.H. and M.S.W. from the Ohio State University
Casey is currently the Director of Student Support Services at Bishop Watterson High School and also the assistant varsity boys basketball coach.
M.S.W. Field Placement Student and Heath & Fitness Leader (2018-2019)
B.S.S.W. and M.S.W. from the Ohio State University
Kelsey Thelen is a licensed social worker providing school-based counseling to students and their families residing in Franklin County with Directions for Youth and Families, a community-based mental health agency.
https://dfyf.org/
Michael is an MSW student in the College of Social Work. He earned a BA in Psychology from The Ohio State University. Michael is currently completing his graduate field placement with LiFEsports as a Site Manager at Adams Community Center. Prior to his graduate studies, Michael spent two summers working with the LiFEsports+ summer camp at Linden Community Center. He is passionate about providing evidence-based care and breaking down barriers to quality sport programming. Michael is excited to continue serving youth and families in the Columbus community by building and maintaining meaningful relationships.
