Joseph McGahan Ph.D., Executive Director

     Ever since completing my Ph.D in social psychology, I've had interests in social cognition, social perception, and social identity. For years my research interests focused on intuitive covariation/correlational detection and reasoning, with particular interests in how people think about freedom and responsibility. However, aside from a paper my students and I published years attending The Oxford Round Table where we discussed world peace, I never thought about impacting life and death.

     So, our current project, entitled A More Cerebral and Compassionate approach to Getting from Here to There, is an attempt to have a so-called real impact on our social life that, hopefully, will succeed and transcend our immediate community.Moreover, the idea of using driving behavior to study attitudes pertaining to power, freedom, responsibility, and the sanctity of life seems to promise considerable ecological validity to our work.

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Crystal Curry, Program Director

      I am a graduate student of psychology at ULM. In addition, I am a graduate assistant engaged in research. I plan to pursue a Ph.D. in Social/Personality Psychology.   I joined this project because I believe our everyday actions, such as driving from here to there have the power to change the world. It is my hope that we realize the power we have behind the wheel- that we can change the world one drive at a time

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Chris Wade, Assistant Program Director 

     I earned my Associate's Degree in Social Sciences at Delta Community College, and I am on track to earn my Bachelor's Degree in Psychology soon. Currently, I'm employed as a Behavioral Technician at Behavioral Developmental Services in West Monroe, LA. On top of being a father and husband, I have academic interest in morality, evil, and attribution. My clinical interests include anxiety disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and OCD Spectrum disorders. I hope that this project will help the general population to relate and empathize with their fellow man.

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Rebecca Roberts, Director of Marketing and Design

     I am a senior psychology major at ULM, maintaining both a 3.5 GPA and a honor student status. After completing my psychology degree, I am going to start my M.S. in Industrial Organizational Psychology. On top of my interest in psychology, I also have a lot of experience in art and design, which I have used to create most of the media and graphics used by Mindful Motorists (including the website you are on right now). Once this program gets off the ground, I will also be assisting in designing and implementing the service learning courses we hope will teach people all around the Monroe/West Monroe area better and safer driving habits.

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Amber Baron, Director of Finances

I am a 20 year old senior Psychology major at ULM, aiming to graduate here in Monroe and continue to earn my masters, then doctorate. I am a part of this project because I believe that with how much cars, roads, and technology has changed, it only make sense that how we teach teens about these things should change, as well. Right now drivers education is stagnant, encouraging children to memorize a few numbers and figure the rest out on their own. The number of automobile related fatalities for teens in America proves that this method is ineffective. Hopefully, this organization will be able to change that, and improve the lives of future generations in the process.

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Bethany Hamilton, Marketing and Public Relations

     I’m working with this group because I have a pending appointment with the DMV for a teen that wants to drive - my daughter. I want to help her be a safer and more thoughtful driver, and I enjoy being part of something bigger than my immediate concerns. I’m married with two kids and a puppy, and I graduate with a psychology minor this Spring, after which I plan on moving on to get my masters.

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Lillian Woodward, Marketing Assistant

     I am an 8th grade honor student at West Ridge Middle School in West Monroe, LA. I like to play volleyball, study Social Studies, and in a few years I'll be earning my drivers liscense. For obvious reasons, an organization focused on safe driving is something I feel like I should be a part of. Not just for me, but for the safety of my friends and classmates.

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McKinley Marks, Organization and Design

     I am a senior member of the Warhawk softball team. As a student athlete I have earned the Dean’s List (Spring 2015, Fall 2015, Spring 2015), Sunbelt Conference Academic Honor Roll (2014, 2015, 2016), and NFCA All-American Scholar Athlete. I am graduating with my Bachelors in psychology this December.

     In the future, I hope to further my education in a competitive graduate program. I have a wide spectrum of interests in the field of psychology ranging from geriatrics to forensics. I joined this project in order to get experience with working in a group setting with my academic peers. I hope that this project will encourage social responsibility while traveling.

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Madison Foster, Marketing and PR

My name is Madison Foster. I am a senior undergraduate in Psychology at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. I plan to attend graduate school after I graduate from ULM and pursue a degree in School Psychology. I have a special interest in adolescence, and I believe this project could potentially have a major impact on the young drivers of today’s world. I hope this project has a positive effect on society and influences people to value life and drive accordingly.

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Cole Thornton, Organization and Design

     My name is Cole Thornton and I am a senior at the University of Louisiana at Monroe studying psychology and criminal justice. My hopes are to pursue a career in forensic or criminal psychology. I believe that the way that we drive could be a much more enjoyable and cognitive experience.

     Thus, I have decided to participate in this project in hope of bringing people together to collectively take a better approach to driving. This project has the potential to raise awareness of bad driving habits locally and abroad. If taking a more active role in the way people drive saves just one life, it would all be worth it to me personally!

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Selene Cornejo, Media and Design

    My name is Selene Cornejo, and I am a 21 year old transfer student majoring in psychology at ULM. After completing my psychology degree, I aim to move on to Marriage and Family Therapy, where I hope my knowledge can improve people’s lives and relationships. This project has gotten me interested in social contracts and empathy, and I hope to learn enough about both to encourage parents and their children to be more aware of their driving habits, which I believe will be a major step toward saving many lives.

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