Graduate Student Profiles

Doctoral Students

Jeremy Barnum

Doctoral Candidate
barnuj2@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

Jeremy Barnum is a doctoral student in the Criminal Justice Department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He graduated from Rutgers University Newark in 2014 with his Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. His research interests include police use of force, officer safety, health and wellness, and crime prevention.

Anthony Branchini

Doctoral Student
branchin@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

Anthony Branchini is a third-year doctoral student in the Criminal Justice Department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with his Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. His research interests include officer discretion, dehumanization, and police use of force.

Education

M.A. Criminal Justice, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2010)

B.S. Criminal Justice, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2003)

Chelsea Wheeler-Mayo

Doctoral Student
wheelc2@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

Chelsea Wheeler-Mayo is a doctoral candidate in the Criminal Justice Department of UNLV. She graduated from Western Illinois University in 2019 with her Master of Science in experimental psychology. Her research interests include sexual victimization, especially within the military institution. Her dissertation research explores the effects of cultural and institutional betrayal on sexual victimization experiences of military members.

Education

M.S. Experimental Psychology, Western Illinois State University (2019)

B.S. Criminal Justice and Psychology, Fort Hays State University (2017)

Nicole Cebak

Doctoral Candidate
cebak@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

Nicole Cebak is a third-year doctoral student in the Criminal Justice Department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso in 2021 with her Master of Science degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Her research interests include victimization, focused in stalking, and immigration and crime.

Education

M.S. Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Texas at El Paso (2021)

B.A. Criminal Justice, University of Texas at El Paso (2019)

Deena DeVore

Doctoral Student
devord3@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

Deena DeVore is a fifth-year doctoral student in the Criminal Justice Department at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2019 with her Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. Her research interests include community policing, focused deterrence strategies, and procedural and restorative justice theories.

Education

M.A. Criminal Justice, University of Nevada, Reno (2019)

B.A. Criminal Justice, University of Nevada Reno (2017)

Laurel Dietrich

Doctoral Student
dietrl2@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

Laurel Dietrich is first-year doctoral student in the Criminal Justice Department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2024 with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. Her research interests include victimization, domestic violence, and the role of social factors on criminal behavior.

Education history:

B.A. Criminal Justice
University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2024)

Tanya Dudinskaya

Doctoral Student
dudinska@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

Tanya Dudinskaya is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Criminal Justice Department at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She graduated from University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2020 with her Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. Her research interests include public attitudes of police and police use of body-worn cameras and drone technology and the implications of these devices.

Education

M.A. Criminal Justice, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2020)

B.A. Criminal Justice, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2018)

Kaylee Faria

Doctoral Student
fariak2@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

Kaylee Faria is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She graduated from California State University, Fullerton in 2020 with two Bachelor of Arts degrees in Sociology and Criminal Justice, as well as the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2023 with her Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. Kaylee has worked with community partners to conduct program evaluations on substance dependence programming and dually-involved youth programming. Kaylee has also taught two upper-division undergraduate courses on youth, crime, and society. Her research interests include juvenile justice, dually-involved youth, collateral consequences of justice involvement, and institutional programming.

Education

B.A. Sociology, California State University, Fullerton (2020)

B.A. Criminal Justice, California State University, Fullerton (2020)

M.A. Criminal Justice, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2023)

Christopher Forepaugh

Doctoral Student
forepaug@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

Christopher Forepaugh is a fifth-year doctoral student in the Criminal Justice Department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2020 with his Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. His research interests include hate crimes, police use of force, police-community relations, drug policy, violent crime, and crime pattern analysis.

Education

M.A. Criminal Justice, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2020)

B.A. Criminal Justice and Psychology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2017)

Megan Giovannini

Megan Giovannini

Doctoral Student
silvim1@unlv.nevada.edu

Qinyang Hong

Doctoral Student

Biography

Qingyang HONG is a first-year doctoral student in the Criminal Justice Department at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He graduated from University of Macau in 2023 with his Master of Social Science degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice. His research interests include policing, the death penalty and social control in China, sociology of law and crime.

Education

M.S. Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Macau (2023)

B.A. Journalism, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (2020)

Rachel Housden

Rachel Housden

Doctoral Student
housden@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

Rachel Housden is a second-year doctoral student in the Criminal Justice Department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She graduated from the University of California, Irvine in 2019 with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology, Law, and Society. Her research interests include police-community relations, corrections, and wrongful convictions.

Education

B.A. Criminology, Law, and Society, University of California, Irvine (2019)

Bo Ra Jung

Doctoral Student
jungb3@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

Bo Ra (Bora) Jung is a doctoral student in the Criminal Justice Department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She graduated from Boston University in 2023 with a Master of Science in Criminal Justice and Pennsylvania State University in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Criminology. Her research interests include cybercrime, darknet investigations, financial crimes, and cryptocurrency.

Alyssa Leavitt

Doctoral Student
leavia5@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

I am a first-year post-Bach PhD student in the Criminal Justice Department at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. I graduated from University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2024 with my Bachelors of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. My research interests include, but are not limited to, victimization among youth and offenders, re-entry programs from correctional institutions, and sex crime prevention.

Ashley Longhurst

Doctoral Student
longha1@unlv.nevada.edu

Elisha Longoria

Doctoral Student
elisha.longoria@unlv.edu

Biography

Elisha Longoria a first year Ph.D student in the Criminal Justice Department at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She graduated from Sam Houston State University, Huntsville in 2023 with her Masters of Science in Criminal Justice. Her research interests include gender based differences in individuals under community supervision and community supervision needs in rural areas.

Education

M.S. Criminal Justice
Sam Houston State University, Huntsville (2023)

B.A. Psychology
University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa (2021)

Leobardo Lopez

Doctoral Student
baltal1@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

Leobardo Lopez is a fourth-year PhD student in the Criminal Justice Department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He graduated from UNLV in 2020 with his Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. His research interests include police use of force, police militarization, and public perceptions.

Education

M.A. Criminal Justice, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2020)

B.S. Criminal Justice, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2018)

Khaing Lynn

Doctoral Student
lynnk2@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

Khaing Lynn is a third-year doctoral student in the Criminal Justice Department at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She graduated from Portland State University in 2021 with her Master of Science Degree in Criminal Justice. Her research interests include police use of force, protest policing, and militarization of police forces.

Education

M.S. Criminal Justice, Portland State University (2021)

B.S. Psychology, Linfield University (2018)

Teresa Marie

Doctoral Student
mariet16@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

Teresa Marie is a 3rd year PhD student, she is projected to graduate this upcoming May 2025. Her dissertation is an interdisciplinary qualitative study where she is interviewing stakeholders in the foster care system asking their perceptions of factors that contribute to failed permanency placements. She is currently the UNLV Graduate and Professional Student Association President. Teresa is a licensed attorney in New Mexico and worked as a judicial law clerk for Clark County Family Court - Dependency Division before returning to school for her PhD. Addition to her dissertation topic she focuses on police discretion and mandatory reporting laws, childhood abuse and neglect, child trafficking, and child trafficking.

Education

Juris Doctor, University of Massachusetts School of Law, Dartmouth, MA (2020)

Master of Public Policy - Public Administration University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth, Dartmouth, MA (2021)

B.A. Criminal Justice, University of Nevada - Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV (2016)

Stacy Medina

Doctoral Student
medins4@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

Education

M.A. Criminal Justice, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2020)

B.A. Criminal Justice, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2018)

Anna Nakazawa

Doctoral Student
nakaza1@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

Anna Nakazawa is a first year doctoral student in the Criminal Justice Department. She graduated from UNLV with her Bachelor of Art degree in Criminal Justice in 2024. Her research interests include policing and crime prevention.

Jessica Quan-Williams

Doctoral Student
willi532@unlv.nevada.edu

Jordyn Sanders

Jordyn Sanders

Doctoral Student
sandej5@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

Jordyn Sanders is a second-year doctorate student in the Criminal Justice Department at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2022 with her Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. Her research interests include policing, surveillance, environmental criminology, tribal concerns, and victimization.

Education

A.A. Criminal Justice, College of Southern Nevada (2017)

B.A. Criminal Justice, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2019)

M.A. Criminal Justice, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2022)

Melvin Vargas Melgar

Doctoral Student
vargasme@unlv.nevada.edu

Kamali’ilani Wetherell

Doctoral Student
wetherel@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography K

Kamali'ilani Wetherell is a third-year Doctoral student in the Criminal Justice Department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2021 with her Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. Her research interests include policing, unsolved crime, missing persons, and wrongful convictions.

Education

M.A. Criminal Justice, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2021)

B.A. Psychology, University of California, Irvine (2019)

Masters Students

Tai Beckx

Masters Student

beckx@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

Tai Beckx is a first-year master's student in the Criminal Justice Department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2023 with his Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. His research interests include policing, terminal ballistics, and police use of drone technology.

Education

A.S. Administration of Justice, Irvine Valley College (2019)
B.A. Criminal Justice, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2023)

Alexis Echeverria-Rodriguez

Masters Student
echeva1@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

Alexis Rodriguez is a first-year Master's student in the Criminal Justice Department at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with his Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. His research interests include the local court system, victimization, cyber crimes, and security.

Education

B.A. Criminal Justice and Psychology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2022)

Yiwei Song

Masters Student
songy15@unlv.nevada.edu

Gianni Lopez

Masters Student

lopezg14@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

I am a first year masters student. I have graduated from University of Nevada Las Vegas in Fall 2023 with my bachelors in Philosophy with a concentration in Law and Justice. My research interests include delinquency, wrongful convictions, white collar crime and corrections.

McKenzie Lopez

McKenzie Lopez

Masters Student

lopez54@unlv.nevada.edu

Nicole Lopez

Masters Student
lopezn19@unlv.nevada.edu

Chloe Lovato

Masters Student
lovatc1@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

Chloe Lovato is a first-year Master's student in the Criminal Justice Department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. Her research methods include deterrence, delinquency, and law enforcement.

Kaianali'i Rosa-Grace

Masters Student
rosagrac@unlv.nevada.edu

Alyssa Fuller

Masters Student
fullea11@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

Alyssa is a first-year Masters student at UNLV. She graduated this past May at San Diego State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Criminal Justice. Her research interest are juvenile justice and corruptions.

Previous education:

B.S. in Criminal Justice at San Diego State University

Brandon Sumulong

Masters Student

sumulong@unlv.nevada.edu

Felicia St. Luce

Masters Student

stlucf1@unlv.nevada.edu

Vanessa Pichon

Masters Student

pichov1@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

Vanessa Pichon is a first-year Master's student in the Criminal Justice Department at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She graduated from Park University with her Bachelors of Science degree in Criminal Justice Administration. Her research interests include ethics in the court system, military commissions, and international terrorism.

Education:

B.S. Criminal Justice Administration, Park University (2005)

Cyrus Zarganj

Masters Student
fordc8@unlv.nevada.edu

Biography

Cyrus Ford Zarganj is a second-year masters student in the Criminal Justice Department at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He graduated from Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX in 2003 with his Master of Science degree in Library and Information Science. His research interests include international justice, women and crime, and crimes against humanities.

Education

M.S. Library and Information Science, Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX (2003)

B.A. Spanish Language and Literature, Azad University, Tehran, Iran (1997)

Criminal Justice Department of Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice

Find

Quick Links