Margo Candelaria 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. Her work includes two early childhood system of care grants and two large contracts with the Maryland State Department of Education as well as other projects. In this role, she focuses on program evaluation and implementation science aimed at improving programs for young children by using data and engaging in continuous quality improvement processes. She has a long history of conducting research with young children and families at risk including premature infants, drug-exposed infants, families in poverty, attachment and parenting concerns, and those struggling with early childhood mental health challenges.

Dr. Candelaria also is a licensed developmental psychologist with extensive experience with parenting, early childhood mental health, evidence-based interventions, and medically complex children. In addition to her research efforts, she currently works as the embedded psychologist in the University of Maryland NICU Follow-Up Program.