Biography-Alison Thomas-Cottingham, Ph.D.
Alison Thomas-Cottingham is a member of Church of the Epiphany and Christ Church where she serves as a board member for the Jubilee Outreach Community Center, Inc. Alison is married to Bob Cottingham, Jr. and is the mother of two young adults, Robert, III and Alison Josephine.
Alison Thomas-Cottingham, is a clinical psychologist with a specialty in community/health psychology. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Rider University and a Principal Investigator at Sabre88. At Rider University she serves as the Co-Chair of the President’s Council on Diversity and Inclusion.
Dr. Thomas-Cottingham earned a B.S. in psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park and an M.A and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Binghamton University (formerly known as the State University of New York at Binghamton). She completed her predoctoral internship at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)-Newark Campus in the Child and Adolescent Outpatient Services Unit.
Her research and clinical interests focus on primary prevention. She is currently conducting research to understand STI prevention efforts that target older adults. She is specifically interested in the importance of including sexual health for older adults into the graduate school nursing curriculum and exploring factors that facilitate effective communication about sexual health between client and health care provider.
Dr. Thomas-Cottingham is the author of the book, Psychology Made Simple. She serves as a consulting editor for the Journal of American College Health and is a regular contributor to Renaissance Magazine. She is a member of various professional Associations which include the American Psychological Association and The Association of Black Psychologists. Dr. Thomas-Cottingham is a proud member of the Rho Gamma Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc where she serves as Vice President.