McKenna Halverson

McKenna Halverson is a second year Ph.D. student in the Human Development and Family Sciences program at the University of Delaware. She conducts policy-oriented research focused on the individual-, family-, and community-level factors that influence the well-being of families with young children who are experiencing poverty. Specifically, she is interested in the intersections between U.S. social policies, administrative burden, and maternal and child health outcomes. McKenna received her M.S. in Experimental Psychology from Villanova University, and her B.S. in Psychology from the University of South Dakota.

Recent Publications

• Halverson, M. M., Wallace, L. E., Tebepah, T. C., Riccelli, V., Bajada, A., & Herbers, J. E. (2023). Family homeless shelters as contexts for early childhood development: Shelter resources and staff capacity. Child & Family Social Work. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.13082
• Halverson, M. M., & Lowmaster, S. (2023). Campus-based autism spectrum disorder living and support communities: Students’ attitudes and engagement. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities. 
• Halverson, M. M., & Karpyn, A. (2023). Pandemic-Era WIC Participation in Wilmington, Delaware: Participant Experiences and Challenges. Nutrients, 15, 520. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15030520
• Wolgast, H., Halverson, M. M., Kennedy, N., Gallard, I., & Karpyn, A. (2022). Encouraging healthier food and beverage purchasing and consumption: A review of interventions within grocery retail settings. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19, 16107. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192316107
• Halverson, M. M., & Karpyn, A. (2022). WIC participants’ perceptions of the Cash-Value Benefit increase during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nutrients, 14(17), 3509. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14173509
• Karpyn, A., Pon, J., Grajeda, J. B., Wang, R., Merritt, K. E., Tracy, T., May, H., Sawyer-Morris, G., Halverson, M. M., & Hunt, A. (2022). Understanding impacts of SNAP fruit and vegetable incentive program at farmers’ markets: Findings from a 13 state RCT. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(12), 7443. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127443
• Halverson, M. M., Hatchimonji, D. R., Treglia, D., Flatley, C. A., Herbers, J. E., & Cutuli, J. J. (2021). Risky sexual behavior and STI testing among teens experiencing homelessness. Children and Youth Services Review, 139, 106538. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106538
• Karpyn, A., Morland, K., Lehmann, Y., & Halverson, M. M. (2021). A time for research reckoning: Positioning equity at the center of healthy food research. The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health, 5(11), 771-772. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(21)00275-3
• Halverson, M. M., Hatchimonji, D. R., Treglia, D., Flatley, C. A., Herbers, J. E., & Cutuli, J. J. (2021). Risky sexual behavior and STI testing among teens experiencing homelessness: An intersectional approach. Manuscript submitted for publication.

Recent Presentations

• Halverson, M. M. & Karpyn, A. (2023). Pandemic-era WIC participation in Wilmington, Delaware: Participants’ experiences and challenges. Poster session presented at the American Public Health Association conference, Atlanta, GA.
• Gupta, P., Waxman, E., Schenck-Fontaine, A., Sappenfield, O., Barnes, C., Gassman-Pines, A., Ananat, E., & Halverson, M. M. (2023). Nutrition Assistance Programs During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Quantitative and Qualitative Methods to Understand Impacts and Experiences. Panel presentation at the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management conference, Atlanta, GA.
•  Halverson, M. M., Duffy, E., Au, L., Whaley, S., & Zhang, Qi. (2023). WIC Program Changes During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Panel presentation at the Healthy Eating Research Annual Grantee Meeting, Durham, NC. 
• Halverson, M. M. (2022). WIC participants’ perceptions of the Cash-Value Benefit increase during the COVID-19 pandemic. HER NOPREN WIC Learning Collaborative Workgroup Meeting. Virtual Presentation.
• Halverson, M. M., Duffy, E., Tsai, M., & Anderson, C. (2022). Understanding Perceptions and Utilizations of the WIC Cash Value Benefit. Panel presentation at the American Public Health Association conference, Boston, MA.
• Halverson, M. M., Duffy, E., Tsai, M., & Gago, C. (2022). WIC participant perceptions of the Cash-Value Benefit increase: Perspectives from four states. Panel presentation at the National WIC Association Nutrition Education and Breastfeeding Promotion conference. Virtual conference.
• Halverson, M. M. & Duffy, E. (2022). WIC participants’ perceptions of the Cash-Value Benefit increase during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives from Delaware and North Carolina. Nutrition & Obesity Policy Research and Evaluation Student Speaker Series. Virtual Presentation.
• Halverson, M. M. & Karpyn, A. (2022). WIC participants’ perceptions of the Cash-Value Benefit increase during the COVID-19 pandemic. Poster featured on the NOPREN website.
• Halverson, M. M. (2022). WIC participants’ perceptions of the Cash-Value Benefit increase during the COVID-19 pandemic. HER NOPREN COVID-19 Food and Nutrition Workgroup Meeting. Virtual Presentation.
• Halverson, M. M., Rich, C., Wallace, J., & Karpyn, A. (2022). Evaluating the outcomes of the Village Tree food desert community. Poster session presented at DE-CTR Community Research Exchange Conference. Virtual conference.
• Bajada, A., Halverson, M. M., Wallace, L. E., & Herbers, J. E. (2021). Bearing the brunt of burnout: The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on homeless shelter staff. Poster session presented at the Villanova Research Symposium, Villanova, PA.
• Riccelli, V., Tebepah, T. C., Halverson, M. M., Wallance, L. E., & Herbers, J. E. (2021).  Emergent themes in training needs reported by staff who work at emergency shelters. Poster session presented at the Villanova Research Symposium, Villanova, PA.
• Halverson, M. M., Wallace, L. E., & Herbers, J. E. (2021). Homeless shelter staff: Who they are and what they know about early childhood development. Poster session presented at the SRCD Biennial Meeting. Virtual conference. 
• Halverson, M. M., Hayes, K., Jacobs, E. L., & Herbers, J. E. (2020). Person-centered analysis of parent-child relationships and well-being of families experiencing homelessness. Poster session presented at the SRCD Special Topics Meeting: Addressing and Reducing Inequality Through Developmental Science. Virtual conference.
• Halverson, M. M., Wallace, L. E., & Herbers, J. E. (2021). Homeless Shelter Staff: Who They Are and What They Know About Early Childhood Development. Poster session presented at the SRCD Biennial Meeting. Virtual Conference.
• Halverson, M. M., Hayes, K., Jacobs, E. L., & Herbers, J. E. (2020). Person-Centered Analysis of Parent-Child Relationships and Well-Being of Families Experiencing Homelessness. Poster session presented at the SRCD Special Topics Meeting: Addressing and Reducing Inequality Through Developmental Science. Virtual conference.
• Davis J., Halverson, M. M., & Struckman-Johnson, C. (2018). Racial acceptance and prejudice on the USD campus and in the Vermillion community. Poster session presented at Ideafest, Vermillion, SD.
• Halverson, M. M., & Bragg-Brock, T. (2018). Participant Interaction/Sensory Sensitivity. Training presented to Avera research team, Sioux Falls, SD 

Professional Experiences

• Graduate Research Assistant, Center for Education and Social Policy, 2021-present
• Graduate Research Assistant, Adversity and Resilience in Development Laboratory, 2019-2021
• Undergraduate Research Assistant, Personality Laboratory, 2018-2019
• Research Intern, Avera Center for Pediatric and Community Research, 2018
• Undergraduate Research Assistant, Social Personality Laboratory, 2017-2018 

Honors and Awards

• Early Career Scholar Grant, Healthy Eating Research, 2022
• Erasmus+ Awardee, University of Delaware and University of Patras, 2022
• Dean’s Scholar Award, University of Delaware, 2021
• Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award, Runner up, Villanova University, 2021
• Promise Award Speech Competition Winner, Society for Research in Child Development, 2021
• Strategic Plan Poster Award, Society for Research in Child Development, 2021
• Promise Award, Society for Research in Child Development/William T. Grant Foundation, 2020
• Psychology Department Outstanding Senior Award, University of South Dakota, 2019
• Psychology Department Outstanding Researcher Award, University of South Dakota, 2018-2019
• Psychology Department Outstanding Junior Award, University of South Dakota, 2018

Professional Memberships

• American Public Health Association 
• Society for Research in Child Development
• Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management

Past Education

• M.S. Psychology, Villanova University, 2021
• B.S. Psychology with Honors, University of South Dakota, 2019