Matthew S. Harrison, PhD currently works at Cox Automotive as Vice President of Talent, Learning & Culture. In this role he focuses on leading the design, development and deployment of innovative ways to enhance and improve team member performance--creating a sustaining culture focused on delivering results through passion, collaboration and performance and inclusion. He leads delivery in the areas of: talent and performance management, succession planning, learning & development, change management, organizational development & design, employee analytics and diversity, equity & inclusion.

Most recently, Dr. Harrison served as Senior Vice President of Talent & Development and DEI at Jackson Healthcare where he provided executive leadership and direction in the establishment and execution of strategies and solutions that drove performance, acquired and retained talent, developed employees and leaders, and shaped the overall culture for various Jackson Healthcare companies.  Previously, Dr. Harrison served in leadership roles at Manheim, McKesson, The Weather Channel, and Comcast focusing on talent management/acquisition, learning & development, organizational effectiveness, diversity & inclusion, and HR business partner work.

Dr. Harrison also currently serves as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology at The University of Georgia, and is CEO of EPIQ Consulting, Inc.—a Black-owned consultancy that specializes in providing workplace diversity, equity and inclusion advisory services to businesses.

A published diversity researcher, Dr. Harrison is renowned for his research on the topic of colorism. His master’s thesis received wide publicity—being featured on websites such as CNN, CNBC, ABC News, and was reported in various newspapers and media outlets across the U.S. (and the United Kingdom).

Focusing in the area of workplace diversity, Dr. Harrison has authored a number of book chapters—including a general psychology textbook. Additionally, he has penned several academic journal articles. He currently serves as a member of the American Psychological Association, Society for I/O Psychologists, Academy of Management, and sits on a few local boards in the Atlanta area.

Most recently, Dr. Harrison was recognized as one of Emory University's Distinguished 40 Under 40 Alumni and was listed as an "Influencer" by The Atlanta Tribune magazine. He has also received Diversity Leadership Awards from the National Diversity Council and the Technology Association of Georgia, and was named a "Man of Influence" by the National Urban League.

Dr. Harrison is a graduate of Emory University (B.A.) and The University of Georgia (M.S. & Ph.D.).

Neil Morelli, Ph.D., is the Chief I-O Psychologist at Codility, a technical hiring platform for companies such as Microsoft, Tesla, and Paypal to evaluate the engineering skills of their job candidates. At Codility, Dr. Morelli specializes in validating and creating effective hiring processes through technology-enabled talent assessment. Before joining Codility, Dr. Morelli was the VP of Product at HighMatch, an Atlanta-based pre-hire assessment software company, and the Head of Product and Selection Science for The Cole Group, a Bay Area executive search firm serving high-growth startups and technology companies. Dr. Morelli has also taught graduate-level Talent Acquisition at the University of Georgia and authored peer-reviewed publications in the International Journal of Selection and Assessment, the Journal of Business and Psychology, The Handbook of Employee Commitment, and The Cambridge Handbook of Technology and Employee Behavior.

Sumona partners with leaders of organizations to unleash their true potential through management assessment, leadership coaching, and talent and organizational development solutions. She works across multiple sectors, advising clients on their most critical organizational and leadership challenges.  Sumona has had extensive experience coaching senior leaders, particularly during key transitions in their careers. She has also worked with high potential and high flight risk talent to drive talent retention efforts for companies. Her background in psychology coupled with her applied experience position her uniquely to coach and develop leaders to perform at their best.  Prior to joining ghSMART, Sumona was the global head of Career Development at Bloomberg LP. There she worked across all levels of the organization, working to attract, develop and retain key talent. With a data- driven approach, she designed and implemented initiatives that addressed the talent and organizational challenges that leaders and employees face as they navigate their careers. She was often turned to as an advisor to senior leaders across the organization, and called upon for her creativity and energy used to solve complex people issues. She has nearly a decade of experience working in the financial sector.  Sumona’s passion lies in aligning people and practices to the broader organizational mission and vision. With line of sight, she believes that people derive more meaning and value from their work – resulting in higher levels of productivity and organizational success.  Sumona has a Ph.D. in Industrial Organizational Psychology from The George Washington University, and a B.S. in Psychology from Lehigh University. 

Dr. Ehrlich will not be accepting applications for a graduate student for Fall 2026.

Health and Development Lab

My main area of research focuses on understanding the intersection of employees’ work and family lives. Specifically, I have conducted research aimed at understanding organizational initiatives to help employees managing competing life demands (i.e., flexible work arrangements); research that explores the relationship between work-family conflict and health outcomes, including eating behaviors and physiological indicators of health; research that addresses the theoretical foundations of work-family interactions; and research targeted at understanding how dual-earner couples balance work and family roles.

My secondary area of interest is in career development, with a specific focus on workplace and academic mentoring, people’s idiosyncratic definitions of career success, and the consequences of career compromise.

I am NOT accepting PhD students for Fall 2023.