The Prasad Lab includes Kelsie Colley, Hannah Finch, Annika Benson, Brittany Lynner, and we welcomed Kesea Nutter as our newest graduate student member. Brittany Lynner defended her thesis examining the experience of burnout among academic affairs professionals and how their relationship with their supervisor may help. Annika Benson also recently attained doctoral candidate status by passing the comprehensive exam process. It has been a productive year for the lab with accomplishments including Hannah winning a College of Natural Sciences Teaching and Mentoring Award, Brittany and Annika participating in the P&G IO Business Challenge, and Kelsie presenting at Zoomtopia. Our research continues to focus on promoting neurodiversity through evaluating online asynchronous video interviews, authenticity at work, and applications of machine learning in talent management. We also continue to support the NSF Funded Rocky Mountain Alliance for Minority Participation in STEM, where Josh serves as a co-Principal Investigator.
Interested in working with us?
Reach out to Dr. Josh Prasad (joshua.prasad@colostate.edu) to inquire about opportunities!
Lab Members
Josh Prasad, Ph.D., (he/him) is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Colorado State University and affiliated with the Industrial-Organizational Psychology program. His research interests include evaluating assessments across diverse groups, authenticity at work, implications of machine learning for personnel decisions, and promoting STEM careers among historically underrepresented populations. Josh routinely teaches statistics courses on topics including fundamentals of regression in psychology and meta-analysis. He also regularly teaches Industrial Psychology for IO graduates students.
As an adviser, Josh attempts to balance shared and individual interests. Hopefully this is evidenced by clear themes across multiple lab members, with each member showcasing their unique identity as a scientist-practitioner. We also spend a considerable amount of time discussing career goals and using them to inform our priorities. Dr. Prasad believes that one’s best work is in pursuit of career aspirations as well as inspired by personal values and experiences.
As a father of two young children, most of Josh’s free time is spent chasing them around. He also enjoys the Fort Collins brewery scene, enjoying the outdoors of northern Colorado, and working out in his pandemic-motivated basement gym. He is also the family chef.
Kelsie Colley (she/her) is an Industrial Organizational Psychologist, ABD. As a People Research Consultant at Zoom and the global lead of Neurodiversity at Zoom Affinity Group, she’s on a relentless quest to bring the scientist-practitioner model to life. Kelsie leverages her passion for research, advising, and inclusive practices to empower organizations through data-driven decision making, DEI, Employee Listening, People Analytics, and Leadership Consulting.
She’s authored peer-reviewed papers, book chapters, and white papers in various fields, from selection and game-based cognitive ability testing to autism, DEI, and data analysis. As an autistic professional with ADHD, Kelsie knows that representation and employee voice are catalysts for success. Her research delves into the intricate connections between technology, strategy, culture, and diversity equity and inclusion, all with the aim of translating research into actionable practices that support employee flourishing.
Kelsie holds a Master’s degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, is near the final stages of her PhD journey, and proudly contributes her insights to the Society for Industrial/Organizational Psychology (SIOP).
Hannah Finch, M.S. (she/her) is a fifth year in the Industrial/Organizational Ph.D. program. Hannah completed her undergraduate degree at Arizona State University in 2018, majoring in Psychology and Marketing and received her master’s degree in I/O Psychology from Colorado State University in 2022. Hannah’s research has focused on diversity in the workplace and mitigating occupational stressors. One of Hannah’s passions is to teach psychology to students and has been a Teaching Fellow from Fall 2022 to Spring 2024. She has received the College of Natural Sciences’ Graduate Student Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and/or Mentoring Award in 2023. In her free time, she enjoys soaking up the sun while reading a book or trying new crafts that she saw on Instagram!
Annika Benson, M.S. (she/her) is a fourth year in the Industrial/Organizational Ph.D. program. Annika completed her undergraduate degree at Concordia College in 2020, majoring in Psychology and Neuroscience and received her master’s degree in I/O Psychology from Colorado State University in 2022. Annika’s research uses machine learning to investigate questions about workplace equity and the talent management lifecycle.
She has previously interned for Blue Beyond Consulting, Merck, and participated in the IO Business Challenge with Proctor & Gamble. Annika is also the co-director for Mentoring Undergraduates to Graduate School Success (MUGSS) at CSU and in her free time enjoys volunteering for the Larimer County DNR, fostering dogs, and doing yoga.
Brittany Lynner, MA, MS (she/her) is a fourth-year PhD student with a concentration in Occupational Health Psychology. Prior to her doctoral studies, Brittany received her BA in Psychology and MA in Higher Education & Student Affairs from The Ohio State University and has experience working professionally in campus student affairs. Brittany’s research focuses on the intersection between organizational wellness and equity, and includes topics such as burnout, gig work, workplace substance misuse and recovery, and work experiences of previously incarcerated individuals.
Brittany is also a contractor for Experience Management Institute (EXMI) where her work focuses on supporting K-12 school districts’ human capital management, and is a psychometrics contractor at Data Driven Enterprises (DDE) where she is developing a survey about paraeducator perceptions. Brittany loves spending time with her spouse and doggos. She also enjoys reality TV, stand-up comedy, Ohio State football, and the many Fort Collins coffee shops!
Kesea Nutter, M.S. (she/her) is a first-year Ph.D. student in the Industrial-Organizational Psychology program. Kesea is from Cincinnati, OH. She received her B.S. in Psychology from Xavier University and her M.S. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Northern Kentucky University. Kesea’s current research interest are diversity, equity, and inclusion in talent management, reducing bias in machine learning, and advanced statistical techniques. In her free time, Kesea enjoys exploring Fort Collins many kid friendly activities with her toddler, Khloe, as well as reading, traveling, and going to concerts.
Lab Alumni
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