Mental Training and Peak Performance Specialist
Emily values helping others and sharing her passion for promoting mental skills training as an important component of athlete development and performance. Emily has a PhD specializing in Sport Psychology from Michigan State University. Prior to Michigan State, Emily attended Miami University (Ohio), where she received her master’s degree in Sport Leadership. Emily also holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Kinesiology from Penn State University.
Currently, Emily is an Assistant Professor at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University (CSB-SJU) in the Department of Exercise Science and Sport Studies located in Saint Joseph, Minnesota. At CSB-SJU, Emily teaches a range of undergraduate courses (Sport and Exercise Psychology, Sport Ethics, Sport in a Diverse Society, Research Methods, Introduction to Exercise Science) and mentors students interested in both applied and research-focused concentrations in Sport Psychology. Emily also provides mental skills training to youth and collegiate athletes participating in a variety of sports in the Minnesota area (St. Cloud/St. Joseph). In addition to mental skills training, Emily delivers educational workshops and applied presentations to sport parents and coaches.
Throughout her academic endeavors, Emily has gained valuable applied experiences working with a diverse range of athletes from the youth to collegiate level. During her time at MSU, Emily was the mental skills consultant for the women’s tennis team, where she delivered group and individual sessions focused on a variety of mental skills. Emily also provided mental skills training to various travel and recreational youth hockey through individual and group sessions, presentations, and collaborative workshops. At Miami University (Ohio), Emily was the program assistant for the Miami CHAMPS/Life Skills program, which focused on enhancing student-athlete’s total growth and personal development in both their academic and athletic practices.
Emily is a member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) and the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (NASPSPA). In 2018, Emily was the recipient of the AASP master’s thesis award, for her applied research that focused on parents’ perfectionism levels, parenting styles and views of sport specialization. Emily has presented her research at national conferences and published manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals as well as book chapters focused on parent influence in youth sport, positive youth development, athletic talent development, and applied sport psychology for youth.
Outside of work, Emily enjoys running, watching hockey, working at coffee shops, and spending time with family and friends.
