About the Lab and My Mentorship Style
Thank you so much for your interest in the lab! With the UMB-SAIL lab there are many opportunities for leadership and supporting others' work. We all work together, exploring projects that pertain to grant-funded studies as well as our own personal interests. Together, we have been able to publish and present a fair amount each year, although we focus on quality over quantity.
A little bit more about me:
I started my career as a special education teacher in the New York City Public Schools. I earned a Ph.D. in educational psychology from the University of Connecticut before holding appointments at the May Institute and Bridgewater State University. I conduct research related to systems of support for youth with and at greater likelihood for disability, specifically youth with minoritized racial identities.
In September 2025, I became Director of the Center of Social Development and Education at UMASS Boston. I am also a Department Chair and a Professor in the Department of Counseling, School Psychology, and Sport. Previously, I served as the Graduate Program Director for the School Psychology Ph.D. Program for five years. I'm currently the Vice President of Education, Training, and Scientific Affairs (VP-ETSA; 2023-2026) and will be President-Elect (2027) for the American Psychological Association's (APA) Division 16. I am an inducted member of the Society for the Study of School Psychology. I contribute to editorial service as an Associate Editor for Division 16’s flagship journal, School Psychology, as well as a Consulting Editor for the National Association of School Psychologists’ flagship journal, School Psychology Review. In addition, I serve on the editorial board for several other peer-reviewed publications. I am a licensed psychologist and board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA-D). I've enjoyed collaborating with the team to co-author nearly 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters and present over 150 regional and national conference presentations.
I have three amazing kids, an awesome husband, and enjoy reading, being active, traveling, and drinking lots of coffee!
View my CV, Google Scholar profile, ResearchGate profile
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