Meet Doctoral Candidate Nori Ryland: An Aspirational Career Devoted to Serving Learners, Families, and Educators

Nori Ryland is a fifth-year doctoral candidate in the School Psychology program within the Department of Educational Psychology. Her research interests include supporting the sustained implementation of evidence-based practices and behavioral evidence-based interventions when working with low-income and economically marginalized populations. Her passion for helping kids and families has been of interest to Nori throughout her schooling, and now she is able to live out her passion through her work in schools. 

Nori completed her undergraduate degree at Pennsylvania State University - University Park, where she double-majored in Theater and Human Development & Family Studies. She later pursued a Master’s of Education in Education Administration and Policy from the University of Georgia. Nori was a Student Fellow at the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities (BCDD) from 2019 to 2023, where she facilitated social skills groups, conducted psychological assessments, served as a special education and behavior consultant on legal cases in Texas, and engaged in applied research. In May 2023, she completed the necessary coursework and field experience to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. 

Her defended dissertation, Selecting, Implementing, and Monitoring Campus Improvements: The State of Evidence-Based Interventions in Title I Elementary Schools, was a mixed-method approach focused on how elementary schools across Texas were identifying needs and selecting interventions to support various subgroups of learners. The study included interviews with a variety of school personnel to discuss how Title I funds are actualized in schools, including barriers and challenges that must be addressed. She identified practice implications within Title I schools in relation to teaming, data-based decision-making, and de-implementation of current practices.

Nori is currently completing a predoctoral internship at the Marcus Autism Center within Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.  As an intern, Nori builds the capacity of rural districts across Georgia to support entire classrooms and individual students through consultation with teachers, paraprofessionals, and administrators. As a part of her internship, she has a minor rotation in Brief Behavior Intervention, where she facilitates behavior assessments, coaches families to implement interventions, and provides direct services. She said, “This work, in particular, has been such a joy as it aligns with my interests in behavioral consultation, training preparation for behavior analysts, and how it informs practice in the school context.” She was very excited to get placed at her top-ranked intern site, which she attributes to the supervision and mentorship of Drs. Kristen Padilla, Kelsey Ragan, and Tamara Hodges. while working within the BCDD.

Dr. Ragan said, “Nori is an outstanding school psychologist. She brings her many gifts to the field, including her passion for working with students and schools, her strong ability to lead, and her research that has informed practice.” Her experiences in the BCDD practicum and coursework for school psychology and ABA have shaped her case conceptualization and approach to providing assessment and intervention services for learners and educators. Dr. Hodges said, “Nori is hard-working, dedicated to the profession, a natural leader, and intelligent. When Nori taught, she worked incredibly hard to make every class applicable and relevant. As Nori supervised other Ph.D. students, she showed good communication skills and a sense of leadership. Overall, I could rely on Nori to take the initiative and stay calm under pressure. She was a shining star in our program.” In 2022, Nori received the Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award, which is awarded to graduate students who work as Teachers of Record and are recognized by students and faculty for their outstanding teaching. 

Nori has been influenced by a team of individual mentors, colleagues, and students who have influenced her professional experiences at Baylor and beyond. One school psychologist she worked with years ago helped her to see what amazing work and impact that can be done in the field of school psychology. Nori’s heart for students, problem-solving, analyzing data, and making concepts accessible to families inspired her to return to school for her doctoral degree. In terms of success, she is most proud of the growth of those she has worked with - undergraduates improving case conceptualization skills, learners’ increased usage of language peer interactions, social scenarios, and educators implementing new behavioral intervention strategies. 

During her time here at Baylor, Nori said she picked up a few tips that will stick with her throughout her career. “One is celebrating progress,” she says. “Even if it feels minuscule at the moment, growth has a way of building momentum. I also learned to consider opposing perspectives and find arguments to support those differing perspectives. It will clarify, and ultimately strengthen, your point of view or change your mind, which is also ok. It is also an invaluable skill regardless of your path.”

Nori views her career as one of service—to learners, their families, and educators. She hopes to continue supporting learners, their families, and educators on the frontline daily, especially those from low-income and economically marginalized backgrounds.