People

Anna Ingeborg Petursdottir, PhD

Dr. Petursdottir directs the Human Learning & Language lab.  Dr. P is originally from Akureyri, a town in northern Iceland. She earned her B.A. in psychology from the University of Iceland, and her Masters and PhD degrees in behavior analysis from Western Michigan University.  She has been  on faculty at TCU since 2006.  Besides nerding out in the lab, Dr. P likes to watch her kids play soccer, ride her bike, travel, read literary fiction, and play the piano (badly).

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Students

Natalie Goodson

Natalie is a sophomore Social Work and Psychology Major from Syracuse, New York. After she graduates, she plans to further her studies at TCU. She enjoys cycling, trying different restaurants and activities in Forth Worth, being with friends, and watching sports.

Faith Horne

Faith is a senior on the Pre-Med Track with a major in Psychology and a minor in Cultural Awareness in Health and Healthcare, from Tacoma, Washington. After she graduates, she plans to complete a Post–Baccalaureate Program and from there go to medical school. She aspires to become a Neurosurgeon or Orthopedic Surgeon. Faith loves getting involved on my campus anywhere she can, like being a part of the Black Student Association, Minority Association for Pre–Medical Students, and a Frog’s First & Frog Camp Facilitator. She loves trying new things and is very adventurous! Things like ziplining, hot air ballooning, and soon to be skydiving! She also also enjoys spending time with friends and family, laughing, listening to music, cooking and trying new foods, and advocating for various causes (e.g., mental health awareness).

Ally Jacobs

Ally is a junior psychology major from Joplin, Missouri. After she finishes her time at TCU, Ally hopes to attend graduate school to earn her Ph.D. in neuroscience and behavior. After graduate school, she aspires to become a neuropsychologist. Outside of the lab, Ally loves reading, cooking, watching reality TV, and spending time with friends and family.  

Gracie Reinhardt


Grace is a senior Psychology major from Asheville, North Carolina who is conducting her Honors project in our lab on equivalence-based instruction. In her free time, she enjoys exploring Fort Worth, coffee shop searching, and being with friends.  


Anna Renner

Anna is a junior Psychology and Philosophy major from Great Falls, Virginia. She plans to attend graduate school after TCU. Anna is a member of TCU's Academic Speech and Debate Team. She is in the process of becoming a yoga teacher and loves meditation and fitness. In her free time, she enjoys reading, spending time with loved ones, being outdoors, and watching New Girl. 

Kingsley Tucker

Kingsley is a sophomore Psychology major from Atlanta, GA who plans to attend graduate school after TCU. Some of her hobbies include hanging with friends, working out, and playing tennis. Kingsley is also involved in Greek life as a member of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority.

Affiliates

Aarti Thakore, PhD, BCBA-D, LBA, Central Texas Autism Center

Dr. Thakore is Director of Clinical Research at the Central Texas Autism Center (CTAC).  She has been working in the field for almost 20 years, empowering individuals with special needs and their families from different cultures and sections of the society, globally. She has extensive experience in clinical practice across various hospitals, non-profit organizations, and public schools. She is very passionate about research and applications of Behavior Science to overall learning experiences of individuals with and without disabilities. Her areas of interest in behavioral research are: Replication and extension of verbal behavior research to examine efficient procedures for teaching language to children diagnosed with Autism, Functional assessment to prevent the problem behaviors in young individuals with disabilities, and extension of Skinner’s analysis of behavior in understanding of machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Our lab has had ongoing research collaboration with Dr.  Thakore since 2017.

PhD Alumni

Dr. Juliana Oliveira, Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Nebraska Medical School

Dr. Reagan Cox, Chief Clinical Officer, Foxhole Therapies

Dr. Bailey Devine, President, Behavior Experts of Texas

Dr. Tracy Lepper, Associate Professor of Psychology and Program Director, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University 

Dr. Charlotte Carp, Clinical Assistant Professor and Program Director, University of Houston