Kayla Reed Fitzke

Kayla Reed Fitzke, PhD, LMFT is an Associate Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science at East Carolina University's College of Health and Human Performance. She serves as program director of the Medical Family Therapy program and as a subcontract Principal Investigator for OneOp's military spouse employment concentration area, a DoD/USDA/NIFA-funded initiative supporting military family readiness.

Dr. Fitzke's educational background includes a B.S. in Human Development from Virginia Tech, M.S. in Family Science from the University of Kentucky, and Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Florida State University. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and AAMFT Approved Supervisor.

Her research program focuses on promoting health and well-being in emerging adulthood (ages 18-29), examining factors that contribute to healthy functioning and resiliency with emphasis on interpersonal relationships. Her work centers on two primary subgroups: college students at risk for adverse behavioral health and military service members. She investigates the intersection of risk and resilience to identify prevention and intervention mechanisms, particularly regarding adverse childhood experiences.

Her extensive publication record shows consistent output across high-impact journals in family therapy, psychology, and military health. Her most recent work (2023-2025) demonstrates continued focus on military populations, resilience measurement, relationship dynamics, and adverse childhood experiences among emerging adults.

• Collaborative Family Healthcare Association (CFHA) member since 2023
• Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood (SSEA) member since 2015
• National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) member since 2013
• American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) member since 2011

Dr. Fitzke maintains an active research agenda with multiple current grants, including ECU Site: OneOp Military Spouse Employment (2023-2026) and Research Startup funding from East Carolina University. Her work bridges clinical practice, academic research, and practical application to improve outcomes for vulnerable emerging adult populations.

Her laboratory work, while not formally named in available materials, centers on person-centered analysis approaches to understanding resilience, military family dynamics, and emerging adult development. She frequently employs advanced statistical methods including latent class/profile analysis to identify meaningful subgroups within her research populations.