Associate Professor
Ph.D., Human Development and Family Studies, University of Delaware
M.S., Human Development and Family Studies, University of Delaware
B.A., History and Political Science, University of Delaware
The global circulation of children and transnational family formation and structure,
including kinship care, foster care, domestic and international adoption, migration,
immigration, human trafficking, and the intersectionality of social identities
Collaborative planning for human services
Life course and strengths-based models for family and community development
Diversity in research, teaching, curriculum, and community development
Dr. Willis is engaged in a number of teaching, service, and scholarship activities that contribute to her professional expertise. She has been teaching undergraduate courses since 2008. At Towson, she teaches FMST 101, FMST 201, FMST 301, FMST 302, FMST 303, FMST 415, FMST 485, and FMST 490, several in both face-to-face and online formats.
Dr. Willis' experience instructing is not limited to the classroom environment. She has worked with students and colleagues in international service-learning fieldwork in Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Central Asia and has coordinated applied human service field-work experiences for graduate and undergraduate students. A number of different human service experiences have diversified her skill set. For example, she worked for three years as a leadership trainer for human service professionals in the field of disabilities and four years as a parent educator, conducting in-home, one-on-one and group counseling and educational programs for families at risk. Collecting and analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data have furthered her understanding of research methodology and application, including needs assessments and program evaluation. She has parlayed several of these research activities into publications for community and academic use.
Hrapczynski, K.M., & Willis, B. (2025). Who’s around (and who’s not)? Racial mirroring and transracial adoptee racial-ethnic identity. Adoption Quarterly, 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1080/10926755.2025.2533290
Willis, B., & DiGregorio, N. (2025). Contexts and concepts: Thoughts on the paradigmatic framework. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 17(2), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12600
Willis, B., DiGregorio, N., Greiving, J. E., Dutton, C., & Payne, P. B. (2025). What are students reading? An exploratory study of bookstore acquisitions for introductory Family Science courses. Marriage and Family Review, 61(1), 6-29. https://doi.org/10.1080/01494929.2024.2326996
Willis, B., Hrapczynski, K., & Fortner, C. (2024). Understanding decision-making processes of prospective adoptive parents: A mixed-methods study. Family Relations, 73(5), 2961-2980. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/fare.13076
Willis Hepp, B., & Ashcraft, R. (2021). Trauma across the lifespan and Family Systems Theory. In
A. Lynch, R. Ashcraft, & L. Tekell (Eds.), Trauma, occupation, and participation:
Foundations and population considerations in occupational therapy. American Occupational
Therapy Association Press.
Willis Hepp, B., Hrapczynski, K., & Fortner-Wood, C. (2019). Using Symbolic Interactionism to model
transitions to adoptive parenthood. Journal of Family Theory and Review, 11, 243-261. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12326
Willis Hepp, B., and Moinolmolki, N. (2019). Perspectives of foreign-born undergraduates on campus community life. Family Science Review, 23(2), 20-39.
Doneker, K.L., Willis Hepp, B., Berke, D, and Settles, B. (2016). Massive open online courses: Potential implications for human service, family scholarship, and family life education. Family Science Review, 21(3), 57-76.
Willis Hepp, B., Sturm, M.R., & Doneker, K. (2015) Using music to teach theories in an introductory family studies course. Family Science Review, 20(3), 3-20.
Quach, A., Todd, M., Willis Hepp, B., and Mancini, K.D. (2013). Conceptualizing sexual identity development: Implications for Chinese international students. Journal of LGBT Family Studies, 9(3), 254-272.
Willis Hepp, B. (2014). Grandparent adoption. In L. Ganong, M. Coleman, & G. Golson (Eds.), The social history of the American family: An Encyclopedia (pp. 23-25). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Willis Hepp, B. (2014). Greencard marriages. In L. Ganong, M. Coleman, & G. Golson (Eds.), The social history of the American family: An Encyclopedia (pp. 651 – 653). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Willis Hepp, B. (2014). Paternity testing. In L. Ganong, M. Coleman, & G. Golson (Eds.), The social history of the American family: An Encyclopedia (pp.1023 – 1024). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Ohannessian, C.M., Bradley, J., Waninger, K., Ruddy, K., Willis Hepp, B., & Hesselbrock, V. (2010). An examination of adolescent coping typologies and young adult alcohol use in a high risk sample. Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies, 5(1), 52-65.
Trask, B., Willis Hepp, B.., Settles, B., & Shabo, L. (2009). Culturally diverse elders and their families: Examining the need for culturally competent services. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 40(2), 180-192.
The Family Science Association
The National Council on Family Relations