Lisa Pescara Kovach, Ph.D.
Professor
Educational Psychology
Gillham Hall 5000B
419.530.2048
Dr. Lisa Pescara-Kovach is a professor of educational psychology and serves as Director of the Center for Education in Mass Violence and Suicide. She is also on the advisory board of the International Association of Care and Threat Teams (InterACTT) where she is a content specialist on domestic terrorism, school and workplace shootings, behavioral threat assessment and suicide and mass violence contagion. In addition, she works with DPREP Safety and has provided for them national-level webinars on the rise of white supremacy and the mental illness and mass shooting myth.
Lisa is co-author of White Supremacist Violence: Understanding the Resurgence and Stopping the Spread, which is available through Routledge Publishers and can also be purchased on Amazon, at Barnes and Noble, and other locations throughout the world.
Her most recent peer-reviewed publications address domestic terrorism recruitment practices, media contagion in connection to suicides and targeted shootings, as well as the mental health and mass shooting myth. Her work on media contagion, female shooters, threat assessment, and post-mass shooting mental health has been featured in Salon, The Hill, the Californian, Diverse Issues in Higher Education, and the Colorado Sun.
Within the regional community, she has served as the region’s Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Fundamentals of Mental Health trainer since 2014 and is co- founder and director of the Northwestern Ohio Critical Incident Stress Management team as well as a Board member on the Lucas County Suicide Prevention Coalition.
Education
- Ph.D. 1994 in Experimental Developmental Psychology, The University of Toledo, Department of Psychology
- M.A. 1993 in Experimental Developmental Psychology, The University of Toledo, Department of Psychology
- B.A. Cum Laude 1990 in Psychology, The University of Toledo, Department of Psychology
Scholarly Interests
- Bullying
- School Shootings
- School Violence
Selected Publications
Pescara-Kovach, L. (2005). School Shootings and Suicides: Why We Must Stop the Bullies. Pearson Publishers.
Pescara-Kovach, L. (accepted for publication). Parenting: The Frontline in Bullying Prevention. eHearsay Journal.
Trainings (2012-2014)
Ohio School Nurse Association, Mercy College of Nursing, Lucas County Health Department, Unison Behavioral Health, the Zepf Center, Oregon City Schools, Washington Local Schools, Perrysburg City Schools, Springfield Local Schools, Toledo Public Schools, Parma School District, Dayton Public Schools, Kateri/Cardinal Stritch, Notre Dame Academy, Lucas County Youth Task Force, ProMedica Hospitals, Mercy Health Partners, Kobacker Center, Sinclair Community College, Dayton University, Northwood Fire Department, Rossford Fire Department, Ohio School Resource Officer Association, Ohio Chiefs of Police, and more.
Courses
Early Child Development: Typical (EDP-3210; EDP-4210/5210), The University of Toledo, College of Education. Credit Hours: 3. Average Enrollment: 30. Forty-four sections.
Child Behavior and Development-Distance Learning Format, (EDP-4210/5210-DL). The University of Toledo, Judith Herb College of Education: Credit Hours: 3. Average Enrollment: 20. Two sections.
Social Development – Distance Learning Format, Master/Doctoral Level (EDP-6250/8250). The University of Toledo, Judith Herb College of Education: Credit Hours: 3. Average Enrollment: 10.
Applied Psychology For Teachers – Distance Learning Format (EDP-3200). The University of Toledo, Judith Herb College of Education: Credit Hours: 3. Average Enrollment: 30.
Seminar in Educational Psychology: Causes, Consequences, and Prevention of Bullying and School Violence (EDP-6190/8190), The University of Toledo, Judith Herb College of Education. Credit Hours: 3. Enrollment: 15
Seminar in Violence Prevention (EDP-6190/8190), The University of Toledo, Judith Herb College of Education. Credit Hours: 3. Enrollment 8 (6 masters, 2 doctoral levels). Two sections.
Social Development (EDP-6250/8250), The University of Toledo, Judith Herb College of Education. Credit Hours: 3. Average Enrollment: 15. Two sections.
The Role of School and Society in Preventing Bullying (TSOC 6190/8190), The University of Toledo, College of Education. Credit Hours: 3. Enrollment: 11 (shared enrollment with Dr. Renee Martin). One section.
Early Child Development: Atypical (SPED-3220), The University of Toledo, College of Education. Credit Hours: 1. Average Enrollment: 30. Two sections.
Adolescent Behavior and Development (EDP-3220; EDP-4220/5220), The University of Toledo, College of Education. Credit Hours: 3. Average Enrollment: 35. Five sections.
Life Span Development (EDP-3290), The University of Toledo, College of Education. Credit Hours: 3. Average enrollment: 35. One section.
Social Development, The University of Toledo, College of Education. Credit Hours: 3. Average enrollment: 10. Two sections
Projects
School Violence Prevention Initiatives:
- Trainer, U.S. Department of Justice, Campus Prevention and Protection Plan
- Community Bullying Prevention Liaison, Healthy Lucas County
- Anti-Bullying Consultant: Dayton Public Schools, Oregon City Schools, Washington Local Schools
- Ohio Director, Bully Police U.S.A.
