Dr. Kristen D. Gingery
Executive Director (MCP) & Adjunct Professor
- Dr. Kristen Gingery brings 25 years of diverse experience as a psychologist, PK-12 educator, higher education professor, and nonprofit executive. Kristen has been serving as the Executive Director of the Morgan County Partnership since 2018. The Partnership is a 501c3 non-profit organization that provides evidence-based, educational programs and mental health supports to children and families in West Virginia.
Kristen has a strong background in grant administration and acquisition and is passionate about expanding access to health and behavioral health services for underserved youth and marginalized populations. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in Psychology, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Child and Adolescent Psychology. Additionally, Kristen earned a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership, specializing in Adult and Professional Learning Facilitation.
- Universities attended -
- Frostburg State University Frostburg State University Doctor of Education - Ed.D.
- The Chicago School The Chicago School Master of Arts - M.A., Psychology
- The Chicago School The Chicago School Graduate Certificate in Child and Adolescent Psychology
- Shepherd University Shepherd University Bachelor of Arts - B.A. Psychology
- Preferred format of mentorship - 1-on-1 mentoring, Small group research (2–3 students), Short-term Pods (4–6 sessions), Flexible / I’m open to different formats
- Time zone - EST
- Your general weekly avability for sessions - flexible
- Any additional information you’d like to share with us? -
- Please see CV!
- Brief Summary of Your Research Interests.
- Student Voice, Critical Pedagogy, Educational Reform
- Please describe your past experience mentoring or teaching students.
- PK-12 world as an English as a Second Language (ESL) instructor, taught psychology course in higher education, run youth serving PK-12 supporting non-profit, Girl Scout Leader (5 years), & hosted Y-PAR Research Club for high school students (2 years)
- List 3–5 example project ideas students could pursue with your guidance.
- Y-PAR Research Club
- PhotoVoice
- Student Voice Research
- What types of final deliverables can your students expect to produce?
- Research paper
- Literature review
- Data analysis report
- Podcast or video
- Infographic or digital design
- Presentation or oral defense
- Any additional project themes, trending ideas, or real-world challenges you’d love to explore with motivated high school students?
- I would love to teach youth about how to conduct youth driven, meaningful change initiatives and power building pedagogies!
- 🗣️ Communication & Presentation
- Academic writing (papers, reports)
- Public speaking / oral presentations
- Creating research posters or infographics
- Storytelling through data
- Making a compelling final product (website, video, podcast, app)
- 🔍 Research & Inquiry Skills
- Formulating research questions
- Conducting literature reviews
- Identifying credible sources
- Understanding academic research structures (papers, abstracts, citations)
- Synthesizing information from multiple sources
- 🧠 Critical Thinking & Analysis
- Analyzing arguments and data
- Identifying biases and limitations
- Drawing logical conclusions
- Evaluating conflicting evidence
- 📊 Quantitative & Qualitative Methods
- Designing experiments or surveys
- Statistical analysis
- Data visualization
- Interview techniques and thematic coding (qualitative)
- 🎨 Creativity & Problem-Solving
- Brainstorming innovative solutions
- Connecting interdisciplinary ideas
- Applying knowledge to real-world challenges
- 📅 Project Management & Organization
- Setting research goals and timelines
- Managing independent work
- Documenting progress
- Revising based on feedback
- 🤝 Collaboration & Mentorship
- Working in small research teams
- Engaging in intellectual discussions
- Receiving and applying constructive feedback
- Building research confidence and autonomy