For many students, choosing a major feels like deciding what they want to do for the rest of their lives. For Troy University alumna Katie Byrd, it was about finding a way to combine two subjects she loved.

“I just knew I loved math and psychology,” she said, “but that combination ended up influencing everything I’ve done since.”

Those passions would eventually lead her across the country, earn her a Ph.D. from the University of Southern California (USC), launch a successful destination wedding photography business, inspire a health literacy podcast and position her to help shape research surrounding one of the most important milestones in a physician’s career.

Byrd graduated from TROY in April 2018 as a mathematics major with a psychology minor. A member of the Honors College with a perfect 4.0 GPA, it was a conversation with a faculty member that ultimately changed the trajectory of her life.

During her senior year, Byrd was enrolled in a psychology statistics course taught by Dr. Gina Mariano who recognized and encouraged her strengths. 

“She asked if I had ever considered quantitative psychology,” she said. “I hadn’t even heard of it before, but she recognized how well it fit with my strengths in math and psychology.”

After applying to several programs across the country, Byrd found the perfect fit at USC.

“When I connected with my future advisor, Dr. Richard John, our research interests aligned immediately,” she said. “The program focused on applying statistics to real-world questions, which was exactly what I was looking for.”

Just months after graduating from TROY, Byrd and her husband, Will Byrd, packed their belongings and moved to Los Angeles to begin a new chapter.

“We always joke that we went from being Trojans at TROY to Trojans all over again in California,” she said.

After finishing her Ph.D., Byrd said she wanted to use her statistical training in a way that had practical impact. Around that time, her husband had just completed the medical residency Match process, and she discovered a position with the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). NRMP is the organization responsible for matching medical students to residency positions across the United States.

Today, Byrd serves as a Quantitative Research Analyst with NRMP. The role combines her expertise in statistical modeling with her desire to create meaningful impact.

“I work with ranking and Match data to examine trends and answer research questions related to the residency selection process,” she said. “I conduct statistical analyses and contribute to reports, presentations and peer-reviewed publications. Our goal is to provide clear, data-informed insights that can help medical students and residency programs in the transition to residency process.

“My background in statistical modeling helps ensure the analyses are accurate and reliable. Equally important, I focus on presenting findings clearly so they can be easily understood and used by others.”

While earning her doctorate, Byrd also became increasingly interested in another challenge: helping people understand health information. As a researcher, she noticed a growing disconnect between how scientists interpret research studies and how those studies are often understood by the public.

Recognizing that many people want to make informed decisions about their health but lack the tools to evaluate research claims, Byrd turned her dissertation project into a broader educational effort. She launched a podcast focused on health research literacy, “Fact Check Your Health,” that breaks down complex concepts into practical, understandable conversations.

“There is a huge gap between how researchers understand scientific studies and how the general public interprets health information,” she said. “I wanted to explain complicated research concepts in a way that anyone could understand. If we can improve health research literacy even a little bit, we empower people to ask better questions and make more informed decisions.”

Over the years, her communication and storytelling efforts have extended far beyond academic research and into creative storytelling. While building her academic career, she established herself as a successful destination photographer and has photographed couples around the world.

Byrd bought her first camera and launched her business at the start of her Ph.D. program, but discovered her love of experiencing new cultures while studying abroad in Germany through TROY’s VDAC program.

“It was definitely a busy season of life—including over 450 flights—but building something creative alongside my academic work was incredibly fulfilling,” she said. “It allowed me to see the world, serve amazing couples and help support my husband through medical school.”

Photography also became a personal passion after some of her own wedding photos were lost. 

“That experience really showed me just how meaningful those memories are and how important it is to preserve them well,” she said. “I wanted to create a business that truly centered the couple—their personalities, their story, and what would make the day feel authentic to them.”

Byrd and her husband met when he was a freshman Sigma Chi and she was a sophomore Phi Mu. The organizations were paired together during Greek Games, and they began dating not long after. While Byrd was studying abroad in Germany, Will traveled overseas to visit and proposed in the same church where her grandparents were married while serving in the Army during World War II.

The couple married on Dec. 9 of their senior year and graduated together the following spring. After USC, they returned to Alabama so he could attend medical school at UAB. Today, they live in Morgantown, West Virginia, where he is a second-year orthopedic surgery resident at West Virginia University.

“It’s been really special to walk through every season of life side by side,” she said.

Looking back, Byrd credits Troy University’s faculty and mentors for helping shape every stage of her journey.

“TROY really set the stage for everything in my life that came after. One of the biggest turning points was that conversation with Dr. Mariano,” she said. “I also had so much support from Dr. Belyi, who was always there to give guidance, and from Dr. Roblee, who encouraged me to do a Research Experience for Undergraduates in mathematics.

“That experience not only strengthened my research skills but also helped with my grad school applications. Honestly, the whole math department was amazing—they challenged me, supported me and created an environment where I could really grow as a student and a researcher.”

She also remains grateful for Dr. Ken LeBrant, former Honors College director and her Spanish professor, who encouraged her intellectual growth and wrote the recommendation letter that helped make her study abroad experience possible.

“Living in Germany was completely life-changing,” she said. “Looking back, it’s incredible how all of those moments, big and small, from faculty across different departments, came together to shape where I am today. I’m grateful to all of them for their mentorship and encouragement.”

To cap her college experience, Byrd served for a year as T-ROY, the University’s much loved and energetic mascot.

“It was such a unique and memorable experience and gave me a whole new appreciation for school spirit and community,” she said. “It’s definitely one of my favorite TROY memories.”

When she reflects on the path that led her from TROY to Los Angeles, from research to photography, and from classrooms to national healthcare initiatives, one theme remains constant: the power of people who believe in you.

“I truly wouldn’t be who I am or where I am today without everything TROY gave me,” she said. “The academics, the mentorship, the adventures and the community shaped me in more ways than I probably even realized at the time.”