Renee O. Hawkins

Renee O. Hawkins is the Director of the School of Human Services and a Professor in the Ed.S. and Ph.D. School Psychology Programs at the University of Cincinnati. She holds licenses as a Licensed Psychologist and Nationally Certified School Psychologist. Her research focuses on school-based interventions to improve academic and social-emotional outcomes for children, particularly those with disabilities. Dr. Hawkins graduated from the APA-accredited School Psychology Program at the University of Tennessee, with a pre-doctoral internship at Boys and Girls Town, Nebraska.

She has led or collaborated on multiple grants, including the 'Cincinnati Model for HQT and Evidence-Based Intervention Services Preparation' ($470,005 Federal grant) and the 'Dyslexia Pilot Project Evaluation' ($125,000 State grant). Her work emphasizes evidence-based practices, cost-effectiveness of interventions, and the role of peers and technology in behavioral and academic support.

Dr. Hawkins serves on editorial boards, including as Associate Editor for the Journal of School Psychology. Her research spans behavioral interventions (e.g., group contingencies, mindfulness), reading comprehension strategies, and assistive technologies. She has authored/co-authored numerous peer-reviewed articles and books on topics like prosocial behavior development through games and play, functional assessment for challenging behaviors, and peer-mediated interventions.