Faculty and Professional Staff

The Institute for Families in Society consists of researchers and practitioners from many fields. A department or college in which faculty members also hold an academic appointment is shown in parentheses. All Institute personnel can be reached through the main number, (803) 777-9124. The fax is (803) 777-1120.

Andrew BillingsleyPhD 
Professor (Sociology/African-American Studies)

803-777-8760, abilling@gwm.sc.edu

Errol Bolden, PhD
Assistant Professor (Social Work)
803-777-1804,
ebolden@gwm.sc.edu

Elsbeth Brown, PhD 
Research Assistant Professor
803-777-1805,
elsbethb@hotmail.com

William Brown, PhD 
Associate Professor (Educational Psychology)
803-777-6582,
bbrown@gwm.sc.edu

Stephanie Cooper-Lewter, MSW
Research Associate
803-576-6124,
lewter@gwm.sc.edu  

Razieh Shayesteh Fard, MS
Research Assistant
803-777-1922,
rfard@gwm.sc.edu

Vicki Flerx, PhD
Research Assistant Professor
803-777-2982,
vflerx@gwm.sc.edu

Anita Floyd, MA 
Research Associate
803-777-1849,
agfloyd@gwm.sc.edu

Renée A. Gibson, MA 
Public Information Coordinator
803-777-1121,
gibsonr@gwm.sc.edu

Muriel Harris, PhD
Research Assistant Professor
803-777-1824,
murielh@gwm.sc.edu

Ana López-De Fede, MEd, MA 
Research Associate Professor (Pediatrics)
803-777-9124,
adefede@sc.edu

Irene Luckey, DSW
Research Associate Professor
803-777-2919,
irenel@gwm.sc.edu

Emma McGraw Myers, MSW 
Director of Marketing
803-777-8270,
myerse@gwm.sc.edu

Teresa Payne, MSPH 
Research Associate
803-777-5908,
tapayne@gwm.sc.edu

Mary Payson, MSW, MPA 
Research Associate
803-576-6120,
payson@gwm.sc.edu

Jeannine Salone, MSW 
Research Associate
803-777-7906,
jsalone@gwm.sc.edu

Jeffrey Sheldon, EdM 
Research Associate
803-576-6113,
sheldonj@gwm.sc.edu

John Stewart, MS, MPH 
Research Associate
803-777-5516,
jstewart@gwm.sc.edu

Ding SuMBA
Budget Manager

803-777-8620, sud@gwm.sc.edu

Nagavalli Sudarshan, MEd, MSPH
Biostatistician
803-777-0870,
nagavall@gwm.sc.edu

Myriam Elsa Torres, PhD 
Research Assistant Professor
803-777-0930,
torresme@gwm.sc.edu

Abraham Wandersman, PhD
Professor (Psychology)
803-777-7671,
wandersman@sc.edu

Jian Zhang, PhD, MD, MSC
Biostatistician / Epidemiologist
803-777-7142,
jzhang@gwm.sc.edu