Stephanie Whitten
College of Family and Consumer Sciences
Clinical Assistant Professor and Child Life Clinical Coordinator
Professor Whitten is a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS).
108 Family Science Center II (House D)
405 Sanford Dr.
Athens, GA 30602
Education
| Degree | Field of Study | Institution | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|
| M.S. | Human Development and Family Studies | The University of Alabama | 2015 |
| B.S. | Human Development and Family Studies with a concentration in Child Life | The University of Alabama | 2013 |
Prior Professional Positions
| Organization | Title | Years of Service |
|---|---|---|
| Children's Healthcare of Atlanta | Child Life Specialist II | 8 |
| The University of Alabama | Adjunct Instructor | 7 |
| Children's of Mississippi | Child Life Specialist | 1 |
Awards
| Award Name | Awarded By | Year Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| SEC Faculty Travel Grant Program | UGA Office of Research | 2024 |
| Student Career Success Influencer Award 2024 | UGA Career Center | 2024 |
| Teaching Academy Early Career Fellow | UGA Teaching Academy | 2023 |
Service
| Organization | Title | Year(s) | Service Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Association of Child Life Professionals | Facilitator for Child Life Clinical Intern Supervisor Course | 2024-present | Professional |
| Child Life Academic Society | Academic Best Practice Commitee | 2024-present | Professional |
| Association of Child Life Professionals | Abstract Reviewer for the 2025 Child Life Conference | 2024 | Professional |
| Association of Child Life Professionals | Bulletin Committee - Editor | 2023-present | Professional |
| Association of Child Life Professionals | Education and Training Committee | 2023-present | Professional |
| UGA Human Development and Family Science | Undergraduate Curriculum Committee | 2022-present | Departmental |
| Association of Child Life Professionals | Bulletin Committee - Reviewer | 2022-2023 | Professional |
| Child Life Academic Society | Founders Council | 2022-2023 | Professional |
| Child Life Academic Society | Membership Criteria Committee | 2022-2023 | Professional |
| Association of Child Life Professionals | Mentorship Program - Professional Mentor | 2020-2023 | Professional |
| Association of Child Life Professionals | Child Life Certification Commission - Exam Item Writer | 2018-2020 | Professional |
Scholarly Activities
Whitten, S., Bales, D. & Thompson, C. (May 2024) It Takes Two: Academic and Clinical Approaches to Building Students’ Self-Reflective Practice. Presentation at the 2024 Association of Child Life Professionals Conference, San Antonio, TX.
Davies, K. & Whitten, S. (May 2024) Paws for Reflection: Exploring Education and Training Pathways of Certified Child Life Specialist Facility Dog Handlers in Pediatric Healthcare. Poster Presentation at the 2024 Association of Child Life Professionals Conference, San Antonio, TX.
Grace, C. & Wolff, K. (Hosts). (2023, September 26). Diane Bales and Stephanie Whitten (Episode 56) [Audio podcast episode] EdsUP! https://soundcloud.com/edsup_podcast/edsup-episode-56-diane-bales-and-stephannie-whitten
Whitten, S. & Goldstein, E. (July 2023) Designing and Implementing an Animal-Assisted Interventions Course with a Service-Learning Requirement. Presentation at the 2023 Southeastern Association of Child Life Professionals Conference, Auburn, AL.
Simpson, H. & Whitten, S. (May 2022) This Couldn’t Have Been an Email: The Benefits of a Daily Team Huddle. Poster Presentation at the 40th Annual Child Life Conference, Association of Child Life Professionals, National Harbor, MD.
Current Classes
Summer 2024:
- HDFS 4830E/6830E: Grief, Loss, and Bereavement
- HDFS 4140E/6140E: Medical Terminology for the Child Life Profession
- HDFS 7210: Child Life Practicum
Fall 2024:
- HDFS 3900: Prenatal and Infant Development
- HDFS 4810/6810: Hospitalized Child and Family
- HDFS 4830S/6830S: Grief, Loss, and Bereavement
- HDFS 7210: Child Life Practicum
- HDFS 8910: Current Research and Issues in Human Development and Family Science (Co-instructor)
Spring 2025:
- HDFS 4890S/6890S: More than a Four-Legged Friend: The Benefits of Animal-Assisted Interventions
- HDFS 4910/6910: Early and Middle Childhood Development
- HDFS 6820: Child Life Interventions
- HDFS 8910: Current Research and Issues in Human Development and Family Science (Co-instructor)
Current Research
Whitten, S. & Burns-Nader, S. (Recruitment). A Mixed-Methods Convergent Investigation of the Inclusive Teaching Experiences of Child Life Instructors and Students.
Davies, K. & Whitten, S. (Write up). Paws for Reflection: Exploring Education and Training Pathways of Certified Child Life Specialist Facility Dog Handlers in Pediatric Healthcare.
Journal Articles
Burns-Nader, S., Whitten, S., Davis, F., Lacour, W., Chavez, M., Bodden, T, & Hudson, C. (2017). Then and now: Examining memories of pediatric experiences and their influence on opinions about healthcare as an adult. Journal of Human Sciences and Extension, 5(1), 20-34.
Burns-Nader, S., Atencio, S., & Chavez, M. (2016). Computer tablet distraction in children receiving an injection. Pain Medicine, 17(3), 590-596.