Featured Experts

The Academy of Lifelong Learning has gathered some of the top experts in their fields to provide their insights and to answer your questions.

Tiffany Beason
Tiffany Beason, PhD

Dr. Beason is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and a licensed clinical and community psychologist at the National Center for School Mental Health.

Lisa Berlin
Lisa Berlin, PhD, MS

Lisa Berlin is a professor at the University of Maryland School of Social Work. Her research focuses on early child-parent attachment as well as programs and policies to support early parenting, especially among low-income families.

Margo Candelaria
Margo Candelaria, PhD

Margo Candelaria, PhD, is the Co-director of the Parent, Infant, and Early Childhood Program at The Institute for Innovation and Implementation at the University of Maryland School of Social Work overseeing all research and evaluation efforts for the team.

Kay Connors
Kay Connors, LCSW-C

Kay is a clinical social worker specializing in working with families and young children dealing with traumatic stress. She trains providers in infant and early childhood mental health core competencies and evidence-based practices, including Child-Parent Psychotherapy.

Dana L. Cunningham
Dana Cunningham, PhD

Dana L. Cunningham is a licensed clinical psychologist and the Program Director of the Prince George’s School Mental Health Initiative which is affiliated with the National Center for School Mental Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry.

Chris D’Adamo
Chris D’Adamo, PhD

Chris D’Adamo is a medical research scientist with expertise in the synergistic effects of healthy lifestyle, environmental exposures, and genetics on human health and wellness.

Vineet Dhar
Vineet Dhar, BDS., MDS, MFDSRCS (Glasgow), FDSRCS (Eng.), PhD

Prof. Dhar is a board-certified pediatric dentist serving as clinical professor and department chair of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry and graduate program director of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry.

Leigh Goodmark
Leigh Goodmark, JD

Leigh Goodmark is the Marjorie Cook Professor of Law at the University of Maryland Frances King Carey School of Law.

Sharon Hoover
Sharon A. Hoover, PhD

Sharon A. Hoover is a licensed clinical psychologist and a professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and co-director of the National Center for School Mental Health.

Lauren Hynicka
Lauren M. Hynicka, PharmD, BCPS, RYT-200

Dr. Hynicka is an associate professor of pharmacotherapy at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy.

Brenda Jones Harden
Brenda Jones Harden, PhD

Brenda Jones Harden is the Alison Richman Professor for Children and Families, at the University of Maryland School of Social Work. She directs the Prevention and Early Adversity Research Laboratory.

Katherine Marconi
Katherine Marconi, PhD, MS

Katherine Marconi, PhD, MS, is a Senior Lecturer in the UMB Graduate School. She serves as Director of the Implementation and Dissemination Science Certificate and teaches in the Global Health Systems program.

Marlene Matarese
Marlene Matarese, PhD, MSW

Marlene Matarese has over 20 years of experience working at the individual, county, state, and national levels.

Mutiat Tolu Onigbanjo
Mutiat Tolu Onigbanjo, MD, FAAP

Dr. Onigbanjo's area of focus includes providing general pediatric care to children from birth through young adulthood, caring for newborns in the newborn nursery, and teaching medical students and pediatric residents.

Ngozi Osuagwu
Ngozi Osuagwu, DNP, CRNP, PNP, FN

Ngozi Osuagwu, DNP, CRNP, PNP, FNP is a dual-certified Family and Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. She cares for individuals across the lifespan, from newborns to geriatric patients.

Cindy Schaeffer
Cindy Schaeffer, PhD

Cindy Schaeffer is a child clinical psychologist and researcher who specializes in issues related to adolescent and young adult development.

Kate Sweeney Wasserman
Kate Sweeney Wasserman, MSW

Kate Sweeney Wasserman, MSW, is the Co-Director of the Parent, Infant and Early Childhood Program at The Institute for Innovation and Implementation at the University of Maryland School of Social Work where she oversees program and policy work for the Institute's early childhood projects.

Angela Weeks
Angela Weeks, DBA

Angela Weeks brings extensive national experience creating, implementing, and evaluating programs and initiatives that improve the lives of LGBTQ+ people and communities.

Michelle Zabel
Michelle Zabel, MSS

Michelle Zabel, an assistant dean and director of The Institute for Innovation & Implementation at the University of Maryland School of Social Work, has over 30 years of experience working in child- and family-serving systems in both public and private sectors across the country.