Chanler Hilley

Dr. Chanler Hilley is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Kennesaw State University, where he directs the Resilience in Adolescence and Young Adulthood (RAYA) Collaboratory. His work focuses on mental health, substance use, and developmental outcomes among youth transitioning to adulthood who have experienced adversity such as poverty, violence exposure, and social exclusion.

Dr. Hilley holds a Ph.D. in Family and Human Development (with a specialization in Quantitative Methodology) from Arizona State University, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at ASU's Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center focusing on health equity and community-based evaluation.

His research integrates developmental psychology, prevention science, and risk/resilience frameworks, with current projects including:

• Study of opportunity youth's lived experiences (those not in school/work)
• Nationwide analysis of transition-to-adulthood experiences
• Risk factors in youth violence exposure using Arizona Youth Survey data

Research interests include culturally responsive interventions, trauma-informed care, and quantitative methodologies. He maintains an active lab with opportunities for undergraduate research through programs like KSU's Summer Undergraduate Research Program and Directed Study.