Faculty & Staff

As a researcher at Florida State University since 1998, Karen has been the director of the FSU Institute for Trauma & Resilience Studies (formerly the Institute for Family Violence Studies) since 2007. In 2011, she was named an FSU Distinguished University Scholar.

Oehme’s research and development team builds large-scale projects and specializes in interactive, web-based learning to promote research-based knowledge on crucial subjects. The team's research interests all intersect with themes of trauma and resilience. Thousands of professionals in child protection, law enforcement, human services and the court system have been learners in ITRS curricula on FSU Learn. Karen's team has been awarded multiple times by Florida TaxWatch for saving taxpayer funds with innovative projects. Additionally, The FSU Student Resilience Project created by ITRS was awarded the 2019 John L. Blackburn Award for Solutions to Campus Problems by the American Association of University Administrators. Oehme's scholarly work has been published in many journals, including the Harvard Journal of Law and Gender, Stanford Law and Policy Review, Innovative Higher Education, and the Journal of American College Health.

Oehme received her law degree from Florida State University in 1987. She was formerly a staff attorney at Legal Services of North Florida and the Guardian ad Litem Program of the Second Judicial Circuit. She is a member of the Florida Bar and the U.S. Supreme Court Bar.

Lyndi is the Director of Professional Development for the Institute for Trauma & Resilience Studies. She graduated with a Master’s in Social Work and a certificate in Leadership and Executive Administration Development from FSU’s College of Social Work. She recently earned her doctoral degree in Educational Leadership & Policy. Her research interests include child welfare, trauma-informed care, resilience, and domestic violence prevention.

Favorite hobby: Reading

Catia received her B.A. in Business Administration from Columbus State University. She spent 10 years in the private sector in Mexico helping expand a business nationally and internationally. Since then, Catia has been working for Florida State University starting in 2009, first in conferencing and later as the Program Director for Professional Development in the Center for Academic & Professional Development. She currently oversees the development and launching of online courses at the Institute for Trauma & Resilience Studies.

Mae is the Program Manager at the Institute for Trauma & Resilience Studies. She brings over 10 years of contract and grant experience -- in her time at FSU and the Florida Park Service, she has coordinated everything from multi-million dollar NIH research grants to rebuilding coral reefs off the Florida coast and most everything in-between.

Mae holds a B.S. in Biological Sciences from Florida State University. During her coursework at FSU and internship with the Bassell lab at Emory University, her research interests centered on the molecular mechanisms of Autism Spectrum Disorders and how this knowledge can be used to develop novel therapeutic approaches. She is currently pursuing a graduate certificate in Instructional Design.

Favorite thing: Sunflowers

Erica is a Training Specialist for the Institute for Trauma & Resilience Studies. Brown graduated with an A.A. from North Florida Community College in 2012 and from the University of Florida with a B.A. in Criminology in 2015. Brown is continuing her education, seeking a Master's in Social Work and a graduate certificate in Instructional Design. Before joining IFVS, Brown held titles such as Certified Family Assessment Worker, Substance Abuse Counselor, Behavioral Health Facilitator, Program Counselor, Enrichment Program Coordinator, and Client Care Specialist. Brown's professional interests include implementing trauma-informed care, preventing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), re-entry programming, and veterinary social work.

Favorite Podcast: Myths & Legends

Merina Cameron, MSW, serves as Program Manager at the Institute for Trauma and Resilience Studies at Florida State University. In this role, she designs engaging, research-based training programs for multidisciplinary professionals. A graduate of FSU’s Master of Social Work program, Merina has also taught as an adjunct faculty member. Her work spans multiple trauma prevention initiatives, and she brings broad experience in educating students, clients, and communities on trauma-informed care, substance use, and resilience. Her professional passions include preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), supporting survivors of violence, and advancing neurodiversity within social service systems.

Favorite fictional character: Princess Leia

David W. Springer, Ph.D., LCSW is the 10th Dean of the College of Social Work and the Guy and Delores Spearman Professor of Social Work at Florida State University.

Bridging direct practice, community building, and public policy, Springer is a distinguished scholar focused on collaborative leadership to promote mental well-being and resilient communities. His areas of scholarly expertise include nonprofit and community leadership, mental health and well-being, positive youth development, and criminal and juvenile justice.

A first-generation college student from Rockledge, Florida, Springer become a three-time alumnus of Florida State. He began his career as a clinical social worker, and upon completing his Ph.D. in social work from FSU he joined the faculty at The University of Texas at Austin in 1997.

Springer served in numerous leadership roles at UT Austin, including: director of the RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service, interim dean of the LBJ School of Public Affairs, and associate dean for academic affairs and graduate advisor of the Steve Hicks School of Social Work where he was also co-founder and director of the Inter-American Institute for Youth Justice. During his tenure at UT Austin, Springer received a number of university-wide teaching awards, including the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award, Outstanding Graduate Advisor Award, and selection into the Academy of Distinguished Teachers.

Springer has been recognized for his leadership in the field and impact on society. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare and a Fellow of the Society for Social Work and Research. He has been named to the Nonprofit Times Power & Influence Top 50 and selected as Social Worker of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Texas Chapter/Austin. He was listed among the 100 most influential social work journal authors by the British Journal of Social Work, and was previously honored as a distinguished alumni in social policy and administration by the Florida State University, College of Social Work.

Karey is an alumnus of Florida State University, graduating in 2007 with a bachelor’s in information architecture. As a Junior and Senior while attending FSU, Karey worked as a developer in the Information Lab (iLab). He has worked on numerous training applications for the College of Social Work since 2009. Karey is passionate about technology and continues to push the technological limits of our training and information systems.

Ann is the former Program Director of Research Dissemination at the Institute for Trauma & Resilience Studies, after joining FSU in 2015. Perko creates communications and engages with foundation, corporate, and governmental representatives to seek support for Institute projects. Perko works with the Institute team to develop large scale training and research projects., including the FSU Student Resilience Project, and Successful Co-Parenting after Divorce. Perko advocates for the Institute’s family safety policies, including collaborating on amicus briefs on legal and legislative support on family violence prevention research.

Prior to joining FSU, Perko developed and promoted family violence prevention public policy through service on the Florida Attorney General’s Statewide Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team, Florida Supreme Court Ad Hoc Committee on Parent Coordination and the Florida’s Governor’s Task Force on Domestic Violence.

Perko graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Law, Chapel Hill, with a J.D., with Honors in 1990, and from Duke University, with a B.S., in Biology in 1987. Perko represented the interests of low-income families and domestic violence survivors in legislative public policy advocacy before coming to FSU. Perko served as Executive Director of Florida’s Statewide Legal Domestic Violence Hotline and Senior Family Law Attorney at Florida Legal Services, and Senior Attorney at Legal Services of North Florida. She is a member of the Florida Bar and the Supreme Court Bar of the United States.

Ming is studying for a clinical Master of Social Work at Florida State University. She currently serves as a Graduate Assistant with the Institute for Trauma & Resilience Studies. She holds a Master of Science in History of International Relations from the London School of Economics, alongside three bachelor’s degrees in Chinese, Asian Studies, and International Studies.

Ming brings deep cross-cultural experience to her role—having traveled solo to over 30 countries and visited more than 50 national parks—where she facilitated storytelling-based disability advocacy. She is the founder and host of the Traipsin’ Global on Wheels platform—a podcast and resource hub dedicated to accessible travel, adaptive fitness, and disability justice.

Through her Graduate Assistantship, Ming aims to integrate her background in international advocacy, narrative healing, and trauma-informed coaching to help deepen the Institute’s reach in culturally responsive trauma care and training. She is passionate about developing inclusive, world-centered wellness programming that amplifies marginalized voices and fosters nervous-system-aware resilience.

Favorite thing: Being in nature — whether wheeling through a remote but accessible trail or watching the sunrise/sunset from any high vantage point with a good view.

Rumina is a Graduate Assistant at the Institute of Trauma and Resilience Studies. She is currently pursuing an MSW at FSU and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from FIU. She is currently volunteering with the Crisis Text Line and interning with Quest2Freedom, an anti-trafficking nonprofit. She is passionate about working with children and has done research in spatial abilities in children.

Favorite Marvel Superhero: The Hulk

Lauren is a Graduate Assistant at the Institute of Trauma and Resilience Studies. She is currently pursuing an MSW at FSU, where she previously obtained her BS in Psychology and Human Development & Family Sciences. She is passionate about working with children and has a variety of experiences in clinic, school, and home settings. Post-graduation, she hopes to continue providing mental health services to children and families, with a special interest in trauma-informed care

Eva is a Graduate Assistant at the Institute for Trauma and Resilience Studies. She is currently in FSU’s Clinical Advanced Standing Master of Social Work Program. She earned her Bachelor of Social Work and Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Child Development from Florida State University. Eva also serves as a Graduate Program Associate at the Stoops Center for Communities, Families, and Children. She has experience working in clinical settings with Spanish-speaking families, connecting them to prenatal care and providing support, case management, and counseling. She is passionate about working with women, children, and families through a trauma-informed lens. Upon Graduation, she is interested in becoming licensed as an LCSW and RPT, continuing to make an impact on underserved communities.

Favorite activity: Spending quality time with her cat.

Adrian is a Research Assistant at the Institute for Trauma and Resilience Studies. He is a current MSW student who is interested in incorporating the field of Criminal Justice alongside a career in Clinical Social Work. Graduating from Florida State University with a B.S. in Criminology and Psychology, he aspires to use his background knowledge to aid in pursuing his goals, while also seeking to spark more interests and opportunities within the realm of Social Work.

Favorite TV Show:Twin Peaks

María Gualtieri is a research assistant at the Institute for Trauma & Resilience Studies. She received her Master's in Clinical Social Work from Florida State University in 2025, where she also earned her Dual Bachelor's degree in Sociology and International Relations in 2019. María has clinical experience working with people in recovery from addictive behaviors, as well as adults and children with anxiety, mood disorders, and trauma histories.

In the near future, she hopes to become licensed as a LCSW and work as a therapist in interdisciplinary community health centers. She is also passionate about research, aspiring to continue to grow in the higher education space, collaborating with other disciplines to help improve health outcomes in the U.S and beyond.

Favorite pastime: spending time in nature and making pottery

Kaley Hoppenworth is an Undergraduate Assistant at the Institute for Trauma & Resilience Studies, currently pursuing a BSW and a degree in English-editing, writing, and media. She has volunteered with 211 Big Bend and the 988 National Suicide Hotline and is passionate about helping others and hearing their stories. After graduation, she hopes to make a difference through writing or editing at a journalism publication.

 

Favorite Cheese: Pepper Jack

Gabby Brandon is an undergraduate researcher at the Institute for Trauma and Resilience Studies and is currently working toward her dual degree in Psychology and Social Work at Florida State University. After graduation she plans to pursue a MSW before then working to become an LCSW. Gabby is passionate about advocacy and therapy, with special interests in trauma-informed therapy and working with people who are unhoused.

 

Favorite reality tv show: Ru Paul's Drag Race