Cass Bennett has been with the Psychology Advising Center since October 2022. They have been working as a professional counselor since 2012 and started their own practice specializing in ADHD, religious trauma, and LGBTQ+ folks in 2018. Taking on their role as an advisor has allowed them to step away from their practice part-time, which has been a welcome change. In their free time they enjoy cooking, backpacking, rock climbing, and hiking with their wife, Meghan. 

Kristi Cook has dedicated 12 years to the University of Tennessee, where she has expertly managed travel expense reports and maintained detailed ledgers. Her extensive experience in financial handling has made her an invaluable resource within the institution. Now in her senior year, Cook is pursuing her undergraduate degree in political science, combining her financial acumen with a deep understanding of political systems. Her commitment to excellence and her ability to balance academic and professional responsibilities highlight her dedication and skill. Cook is a financial associate and her comprehensive background positions her well for future challenges in both finance and political fields.

Susan Hawthorne grew up in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, studied media in college, and then moved to Knoxville, where she has lived ever since. Her first job out of college was as a fact checker/researcher at Whittle Communications. Hawthorne then worked at Scripps Networks Interactive doing background research for television series, finding stories to feature, and producing online videos. Research meant talking with people across the country about their lives, which was one of her favorite things about this work. Currently she is an administrative assistant in the department, where she hires new employees, keeps up our accreditations, and helps with office needs. 

Jackson Knight was born in Knoxville but has only just returned home within the last few years. In that time, he has worked around UT in various departments and experienced a multitude of what the university offers and how it functions. He is currently taking classes in media technology and learning what it is like to work in a post-production environment for different forms of media. He is excited to be helping out the department as an administrator and undergraduate assistant, hoping to make life easier for all.

Sharon Sparks has been with UT for 15 years, and most of those years were spent at the agriculture campus in the School of Natural Resources (formerly the Department of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries) as the financial associate. She joined the Department of Psychology in 2023 and is a financial associate with responsibilities for accounts payable, processing travel reimbursements, and other financial duties. 

Cidae’a Woods has been working as an academic advisor in the Department of Psychology since fall 2022. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2018 and a master’s degree in kinesiology with a concentration in sport psychology and motor behavior in May 2022, both from UT. Woods is originally from New Jersey and came to UT as an undergraduate student-athlete for women’s track and field. She is currently enrolled at UT in the Master of Social Work program with a clinical concentration, and she has an interest in working in a clinical setting as a therapist in the future.