Heather Kennedy

Heather Kennedy is an Associate Professor in the Department of Counseling, School Psychology and Family Science at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Her work integrates education, psychology, and healthcare, with a focus on learning environments, mental health, and social justice issues. She has published extensively on topics such as classroom dynamics, healthcare provider well-being during crises, and LGBTQ+ family well-being.

Her research interests span multiple disciplines, including educational psychology, healthcare stress management, and the intersection of identity development with societal structures. Notable themes in her work include mathematics anxiety mitigation, coping strategies among healthcare workers during pandemics, and the impacts of marriage equality policies on same-sex couples.

Dr. Kennedy’s publications highlight interdisciplinary approaches, such as applying neuroscience to emotion regulation in youth and analyzing blended learning environments using social presence theory. Her work often combines quantitative and qualitative methods to address systemic challenges in education and healthcare systems.

Her advising and grants focus on fostering critical thinking through service-learning and improving educational access for marginalized groups. She is affiliated with the university’s academic counseling programs and collaborates on initiatives addressing family studies and minority identity development.