Oluwatobi (Tobi) Mogbojuri is a doctoral student in the HDFS program and a Graduate Dean Fellow. Tobi earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from the University of Ibadan Nigeria and was a Master of Public Health (MPH) student at Western Illinois University. He has played some key roles and made substantial contributions in donor-funded research by the World Health Organization (WHO), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Department for International Development (DFID), among others. Tobi has led multiple health and education activities and his research has been used to inform national policies that have direct implications on the well-being outcomes of disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. Tobi is working under the auspices of Dr. Bridget Walsh to strategically refine his research agenda, given their shared interests in family life education, at-risk populations, and well-being as an outcome.
Maria Reyes-Vargas
Maria Reyes-Vargas is a doctoral student in HDFS working with Dr. Walsh. Maria completed her M.S. degree in HDFS from UNR in 2021 and her undergraduate degree from UNR in 2015 with a BS in HDFS and a minor in Psychology. Maria shares: "Ever since my first job in high school, I have oriented my work to be with students and families. In my 10-plus years of experience, I have worked with pregnant women, children ages 0-17, and parents. My true passion lies in working with families of young children. A few months after graduation, I became a home visitor for UNR-Early Head Start. Being a home visitor has helped me grow as a professional and person. As a home visitor, I bring parenting education and support to families expecting or having children younger than age 3. Through this home visiting work, I have had the privilege to be part of the first home visiting program in Nevada to offer home visiting services to incarcerated pregnant women. Working with women at the Washoe County Jail has been a tremendous learning experience. I discovered that there is much more to learn than simply providing home visits. With that curiosity and support from colleagues and professors, I have turned my jail home visiting experience into the research focus for my thesis. I believe research will provide insight into how we can continue strengthening families in our community. I am excited to see what path home visiting within the jail takes me and how my research will impact that experience."
Emmanuel Addai
Emmanuel K. Addai is a doctoral student in the HDFS program. He grew up in Ghana and attended Valley View University, where he obtained his MBA and BBA in Human Resource Management. He served as Principal Administrative Assistant and Adjunct Lecturer at Valley View University, Ghana. He is an extensively experienced administrator and lecturer noted for authored and co-authored innovative research works. Currently, Emmanuel works under the guidance of Professor Bridget A. Walsh, who is interested in research related to first-generation and historically marginalized doctoral students and their families. Emmanuel says: "Being a first-generation student has driven my interest in gaining more knowledge in this area of research." Emmanuel's skill set includes a diverse publication record and considerable teaching experience.