Katie Howell

Katie Howell is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She leads the Resilience Emerging Amidst Childhood Hardships (REACH) Lab, focusing on health and well-being of children and families exposed to trauma. Her research emphasizes longitudinal methods to understand risk and resilience in families affected by violence, loss, and adversity.

Dr. Howell’s work integrates developmental psychopathology with strengths-based interventions, particularly for populations such as pregnant women exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV). She co-created the Pregnant Moms’ Empowerment Program (PMEP), a prenatal intervention addressing mental health and resilience. Key areas include trauma consequences, protective factors across social ecologies, and mechanisms of change in therapeutic interventions.

Her recent publications (2021–2024) highlight studies on resilience pathways, IPV revictimization reduction, and post-traumatic stress in marginalized youth. Collaborations with local organizations ensure community-driven research. Advising includes mentoring students like Napier, Campbell, and Hasselle in trauma studies and intervention design.