Dr. Qingfang Song is a Co-Director of the Institute for Rural Health and an Associate Professor of Child and Family Services at Western Kentucky University. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Rural Regional Development from China Agricultural University, her Master’s degree in Human Development & Family Studies from Texas Tech University, and her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Cornell University. Dr. Song has broad research interests in stress and health. She is an advocate of serving local ethnic communities through research studies and prevention programs for ethnic minority youth. Her teaching also surrounds the collaboration of family, school, and community. In addition, she has been involved in a large longitudinal study on rural health.

Dr. Kim Link is a Co-Director of the Institute for Rural Health and an Associate Professor in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program in the School of Nursing and Allied Health at Western Kentucky University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Western Kentucky University, her Master’s of Nursing from Vanderbilt University, and her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Western Kentucky University. Dr. Link is currently involved in a variety of research projects involving the health and wellness of populations across the state of Kentucky, including several projects focused on rural health. In addition to teaching and research, Dr. Link practices as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in the local community where she works with a variety of individuals to treat mental illness and promote mental well-being.