Rate My Professor Krystal Kennedy

Dr. Krystal Kennedy is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction within the College of Education and Human Sciences at Tennessee Technological University. She specializes in special education and applied behavior analysis, holding credentials as a Ph.D., Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral (BCBA-D), and Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA). Kennedy has worked extensively as an educator, mentor, and board certified behavior analyst. She serves as the BACB Verified Course Sequence coordinator for the applied behavior analysis master’s program and the Exceptional Learning Ph.D. concentration. Additionally, she is the strand leader for the School-Aged Children and Adult Populations (ABAS) strand in the Applied Behavior Analysis concentration of the Exceptional Learning Ph.D. program. Currently, she teaches courses in applied behavior analysis and special education. Kennedy maintains active memberships in the Association for Behavior Analysis International, the Council for Exceptional Children, and the Tennessee Association for Behavior Analysis.

Kennedy's research interests encompass applied behavior analysis, autism, positive behavior supports, school bus interventions, and single-case design methodologies. Her specific areas of focus include school bus behavior management practices, positive behavior supports, and classroom behavior analytic applications. She received the Outstanding Faculty Award for Teaching for 2024-2025, shared with Dr. Chelsea Dowell, from the Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence. Additionally, she was honored with the Service Award in the Faculty category by the College of Education and Human Sciences for 2024-2025. In 2023, Kennedy was awarded the International Development Grant from the Student Association for Behavior Analysis. This grant supported her team's delivery of free behavior-based trainings in Ghana, targeting indigenous behavior analysts, educators, college faculty and students, and families. Topics included positive behavior supports, classroom strategies using behavior analysis principles, disability awareness, and assessment practices. Her scholarly contributions include publications such as "Structured Teaching and the Play of Preschoolers With Developmental Disabilities: An Evaluation" (2020, Topics in Early Childhood Special Education), "Behavior Management Interventions for School Buses: A Systematic Review," and "A Review of Literature on Interventions Aimed at Increasing Play for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder." These works have garnered 34 citations on ResearchGate, influencing practices in special education and behavior analysis.