Doctoral Research Associates
Amna A. Agha
Doctoral Research Associate
Amna A. Agha is a doctoral candidate in school psychology at Michigan State University under the advisement of Dr. Truckenmiller. She holds a BS degree in brain, behavior, and cognitive science from the University of Michigan and a master's degree in school psychology from Michigan State University. Her research interests include the cognitive processes involved in reading and writing, self-regulation and literacy development, and reading and writing assessment. Amna’s previous experiences as a resource teacher for elementary students with disabilities and as a writing consultant guide her work.
Lauren G. Hennenfent
Doctoral Research Associate
Lauren G. Hennenfent is a National Center for Leadership in Intensive Intervention scholar who is currently a third-year doctoral student in special education at Michigan State University under advisement by Dr. Troia. Lauren earned her MA in communication disorders from Truman University and her MEd in language and literacy from Harvard University. She has worked as a speech-language pathologist in public schools in IL and MA. Lauren's research interests include literacy instruction and interventions for students with disabilities, particularly those with communication disorders and reading difficulties, and how such efforts can improve overall academic success.
Lindy J. Johnson
Doctoral Research Associate
Lindy J. Johnson is a National Center for Leadership in Intensive Intervention scholar who is currently a third-year doctoral student in special education at Michigan State University. After earning her bachelor of arts in elementary education from Calvin University, Lindy worked for nine years as a classroom teacher and reading interventionist in the public schools in Michigan. While teaching, Lindy earned a bachelor of science in psychology from Central Michigan University (CMU), where she graduated magna cum laude in 2020. She has volunteered at the Central Autism Assessment and Treatment Center, as a research assistant for the psychology department at CMU, and as a youth education leader for the Organization for Autism Research. Lindy is a certified teacher in the state of Michigan. Lindy’s research interests center around effective reading instruction and interventions for students, with an emphasis on teaching students with co-morbid reading and developmental disabilities.
Cherish M. Sarmiento
Doctoral Research Associate
Cherish M. Sarmiento is a doctoral candidate in special education under the advisement of Dr. Truckenmiller. Prior to MSU, Cherish received her Master's in STEM education at California State University, San Bernardino. During her time as a high school biology teacher, Cherish incorporated NGSS-aligned curriculum and inquiry to increase her students' access to science content. Her interests in investigating what it means to be "scientifically literate" drew her to MSU, where she currently studies academic language--the language of schooling--and its influences on students' reading and writing of school-based academic texts.
Katherine Valentine
Doctoral Research Associate
Katherine Valentine is a doctoral candidate in the school psychology program at Michigan State University where she works with her research advisor, Dr. Truckenmiller. She received her MA degree in school psychology from Michigan State University. Katie’s research interests include writing and literacy assessment and how school psychologists collaborate on multidisciplinary teams in order to support all students. Prior to coming to MSU, she worked as an educational counselor and AmeriCorps scholar coach for the Schuler Scholar Program in a Chicago, IL public high school.
Heqiao (Ivy) Wang
Doctoral Research Associate
Heqiao (Ivy) Wang is a doctoral candidate in special education under the advisement of Dr. Troia. She earned her master's degree in foreign, second, and multilingual education at The Ohio State University. Ivy's research interests broadly include writing development in young children with disabilities, writing assessment in different disciplines and genres, and literacy instruction to support at-risk learners.
