We are happy to welcome two new faculty, Ashlee Walker and Kevin Hynes, to the marriage and family therapy program at UW-Stout. Walker (she/her) and Hynes (he/they) have joined the MFT program as tenure-track assistant professors.
Coming with a range of experience, Walker has a background in both marriage and family therapy and public health, the latter from Tulane University. She specializes in sexual health and reproductive justice. Walker is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and birth doula. “I wanted to be a therapist, to help clients and to teach research. I learned about marriage and family therapy from a professor as an undergrad. It sounded like what I wanted to do,” Walker said.
Hynes has three years of experience teaching in an accredited MFT program, with a degree in CFT from the University of Connecticut. They specialize in mental health outcome disparities with minority populations and technology use in MFT. They are a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and an approved AAMFT supervisor. Their passion centers around working with marginalized populations, including ethnic/racial minorities and the LGBTQ community. Hynes shared when asked about what got them interested in the field, “My undergrad professors spoke highly of MFT and were passionate about helping clients. I enjoy teaching because I like watching students grow, feel a sense of accomplishment and gain competency as they near graduation.”
Both Walker and Hynes have been awarded the prestigious AAMFT Minority Fellowship Award, which is dedicated to expanding the delivery of culturally competent mental health and substance abuse services to underserved minority populations.
