Forensic Psychology Fellowship Faculty

Each psychology faculty associated with the training has completed a formal postdoctoral fellowship in forensic psychology or received advanced legal education.

Fellowship Director:

Holly E. Tabernik, PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Health Behavior
Psychologist. East Central Regional Hospital
Education: MS in Clinical Psychology from Cleveland State University Cleveland, OH. PhD in Clinical Psychology with a forensic emphasis from Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX.
Internship: Fulton State Hospital in Fulton, MO.
Postdoctoral Fellowship: Forensic Psychology at Augusta University/East Central Regional Hospital, Augusta, GA.
Research and Clinical Interests: Malingering, forensic issues associated with borderline personality disorder, dialectical behavioral therapy, violence risk assessment, and assessment of competency to proceed to trial.

Primary Supervisors: 

Jessica Fritts, Psy.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Health Behavior
Psychologist, East Central Regional Hospital
Education: MEd in Human Development Counseling, Vanderbilt University and Psy.D in Clinical Psychology, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
Internship: Central Regional Hospital, Butner, North Carolina
Postdoctoral Fellowship: Serious and Persistent Mental Illness and Forensic Psychology, Augusta University and East Central Regional Hospital, Augusta, GA.
Research and Clinical Interests: Women-specific issues in forensic populations, malingering testing, and violence risk evaluations

Jason Henle, PsyD
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Health Behavior
Psychologist, Forensic Director, East Central Regional Hospital
Licensed Psychologist
Education: MS and PsyD Clinical Psychology, with Forensic Concentration, from Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Internship: Outpatient Clinic in South Florida.
Postdoctoral Fellowship: Forensic Psychology at Central State Hospital, Milledgeville, GA. 
Research and Clinical Interests: Clinical supervision, forensic evaluations, and administrative issues.

Valerie J. Ross, PhD
Outpatient Psychologist, East Central Regional Hospital
Education: MS and PhD in Clinical Psychology from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL.
Internship: Missouri Health Sciences Consortium Columbia, MO.
Postdoctoral Fellowship: Clinical and Forensic Psychology, Emory University in Atlanta, GA. 
Clinical Interests: Criminal forensic evaluations

Megan Porter Staats, Psy.D
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Health Behavior
Clinical Psychologist/Inpatient Unit Psychologist, East Central Regional Hospital
Education: Psy.D from the University of Indianapolis
Internship: Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University/Charlie Norwood VAMC, Augusta, GA
Postdoctoral Fellowship: Clinical and Forensic Psychology Evaluations, East Central Regional Hospital through Augusta University
Clinical Interests: predictors of competency restoration, domestic homicide risk factors, and limitations of neuroimaging as it relates to psychopathy