International experts in the areas of violence prevention and treatment of victims.
Etiony Aldarondo, Ph.D.
Executive Director of The Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment and President of the Behavioral Sciences & Wellness Networks
He is a clinical psychologist with over 30 years of experience in domestic violence research and advocacy, mental health services, community partnerships, and higher education administration... Read More
His academic trajectory includes appointments in the Family Violence Research Program at the University of New Hampshire, Harvard Medical School’s Cambridge Hospital, The Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic, Boston College, the University of Miami (UM), and Albizu University. The recipient of various recognitions for educational excellence and community involvement, Dr. Aldarondo’s scholarship focuses on positive development of ethnic minority and immigrant youth, domestic violence, and social justice-oriented clinical practices. His publications include the books Advancing Social Justice through Clinical Practice (Routledge), Programs for men who batter: Intervention and prevention strategies in a diverse society (Civic Research Institute with Fernando Mederos, Ed.D.), and Neurosciences, Health and Community Well-Being (San Luís, Nueva Editorial Universitaria with Dr. Enrique Saforcada and Mauro Muñoz). Dr. Aldarondo has a long history of involvement with grassroots advocacy organizations. He was Founding Executive Director of the National Latino Alliance for the Elimination of Domestic Violence as well as Founding Director of the Community and Educational Well-Being Research Center at UM. He is Past Executive Director of The Council on Contemporary Families and is on the board of directors for The National Resource Center on Domestic Violence.
Leena K. Augimeri, Ph.D.
Director, SNAP Scientific and Program Development, & Centre for Children Committing Offences, Child Development Institute & Adjunct Professor, University of Toronto
For the past 35 years, this scientist-practitioner has developed a comprehensive mental health and crime prevention model being adopted around the world for young children engaged in antisocial and disruptive behaviour that includes community referral mechanisms, risk/need assessments and evidence-based gender sensitive programs... Read More
A key focus of her work has been development, research, dissemination and implementation of one of the longest and most fully developed evidence-based intervention for children under 12 years of age in conflict with the law and/or disruptive behaviour problems – the SNAP (Stop Now And Plan) Model. She has authored numerous publications, has conducted hundreds of presentations and participated in U.S. national demonstration projects. Dr. Augimeri has also received several prestigious awards including being a National Recipient of the CAMH Difference Makers of 150 Leading Canadians for Mental Health, Child Welfare League of Canada’s inaugural Outstanding Achievement Research and Evaluation Award, Prime Minister’s Regional Social Innovation Award and Elizabeth Manson Award for exemplary contributions to the promotion of children’s mental health. She is currently leading a multi-million dollar 5-year national implementation strategy to bring SNAP to 100 communities across Canada using an innovative venture philanthropy model to help create massive social change and help change the landscape of children’s mental health in Canada.
Victoria Banyard, Ph.D.
Professor at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; Associate Director of the Center on Violence Against Women and Children
Dr. Banyard has dedicated her academic career to finding better ways to help communities prevent and respond to interpersonal violence... Read More
Banyard – who received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology (and a Certificate in Women's Studies) from the University of Michigan – has worked with colleagues across the U.S. and abroad to help shape policy at the national, state, and local level through a rigorous examination of violence-prevention programs centered on a critical question: Do they work? Banyard uses multiple methods, both quantitative and qualitative, to understand how, where, and why prevention strategies and programs succeed or not. Her research, begun more than 25 years ago, underscores the importance of listening well to the strengths of survivors and empowering those in a position to help them – be they policy makers, practitioners, or bystanders – with the best practices available. Dr. Banyard regularly collaborates with practitioners and community agencies, centering community engaged approaches to research. She has authored nearly 200 articles and book chapters and regularly teaches courses on the causes, consequences, and prevention of interpersonal violence.
John Briere, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology Keck School of Medicine University of Southern California Director USC Adolescent Trauma Training Center (USC-ATTC) National Child Traumatic Stress Network
Through his appointments, he consults and teaches in the ER, inpatient psychiatry unit and the Burn Center... Read More
A past president of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, he is recipient of the Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Science of Trauma Psychology from the American Psychological Association (Div. 56), and designation as Highly Cited Researcher by the Institute for Scientific Information. He is author or co-author of over 100 articles and chapters, 10 books, and eight trauma-related psychological tests. Dr. Briere’s research interests include psychological trauma, PTSD, interpersonal violence, child abuse, trauma-related affect dysregulation, psychological assessment of posttraumatic states, gender issues, and applied multivariate methodology.
Colleen Cicchetti, Ph.D., M.Ed.
Executive Director of the Childhood Resilience Center at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago and Assistant Professor at the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University
She is the Executive Director of the Center for Childhood Resilience (CCR) for which she founded in 2004... Read More
In addition to her roll with CCR, she has worked as a clinical psychologist at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago for more than 25 years and is an Assistant Professor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. Dr. Cicchetti has been the recipient of awards from multiple agencies and philanthropic organizations throughout her tenure with Lurie Children’s, most recently being named “Public Educator of the Year,” by the National Alliance on Mental Illness. She represents the Lurie Children’s Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry on the hospital Advocacy Board and the Injury Prevention and Research Center, as well as in several local and state interagency initiatives that address children’s mental health and trauma treatment: The Illinois Children’s Mental Health Partnership, for which she serves as Co-Chair of the School-Age Practices and Policies Committee; and The Illinois Childhood Trauma Coalition, for which she is the Clinical Director.
Lisa A. Goodman, Ph.D.
Clinical-community Psychologist and Professor in the Department of Counseling and Applied Developmental Psychology at Boston College
Dr. Goodman uses a community-based participatory research approach to explore intimate partner violence, aiming to illuminate how to improve systemic responses and how survivors use their social networks for healing and safety... Read More
Her research highlights the strengths and needs of marginalized survivors, including communities of color and people who are unhoused. She has written over 120 articles and chapters on these topics and has received grants from the National Institute of Justice and National Institute of Mental Health. Dr. Goodman consults with national and local domestic violence organizations, and she is co-coordinator of the Domestic Violence Program Evaluation and Research Collaborative. In addition to her research and clinical accomplishments she has received national awards for teaching and mentoring excellence, including the Elizabeth Hurlock Beckman Award.
Annette M. La Greca, Ph.D., ABPP
Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Pediatrics, University of Miami, and Director of Clinical Training for the University of Miami’s APA-Accredited Clinical Psychology Program.
She is a nationally and internationally recognized expert on the impact of trauma on youth and families and the impact of peer relations on youths’ physical and mental health... Read More
Her work has focused on youth “risk and resilience” and strategies for promoting resilience in youth. She studied youth and families’ risk and resilience following Hurricanes Andrew (1992), Charley (2004), Ike (2008), and Irma (2017), and is the author of After the Storm: A Guide to Help Children Cope in the Aftermath of Hurricanes, as well as the recent book on Helping Children and Families Cope with the COVID-19 Pandemic. Annette has published over 300 peer-reviewed articles and chapters and written or edited 16 books. Her work has been recognized by multiple awards, including the Distinguished Research Award from the Society of Pediatric Psychology, the International Scholar Award from the Australian Rotary Health Research Fund, the Distinguished Women Scholars Award from Purdue University, and the Distinguished Career Award from the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. She also received a Presidential Citation from the American Psychological Association for her Outstanding Contributions to Science, Practice, and Education Within the Fields of Clinical-Child and Pediatric Psychology.
UM Profile | ResearchGate | Google Scholar | Youth Risk and Resilience Lab Facebook and Twitter
UM Profile | ResearchGate | Google Scholar | Youth Risk and Resilience Lab Facebook and Twitter
Sherry Hamby, Ph.D.
Research Professor of Psychology at the University of the South and Director of the Life Paths Research Center.
Sherry Hamby, Ph.D. is Research Professor of Psychology at the University of the South and Director of the Life Paths Research Center... Read More
She is also Founder and Co-chair of ResilienceCon. Dr. Hamby is an internationally recognized authority on victimization and trauma who is best known for her work in violence measurement, poly-victimization, and resilience. A licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Hamby has worked for more than 25 years on the problem of violence, including front-line crisis intervention and treatment, involvement in grassroots organizations, and research leading to the publication of more than 200 articles and books. An influential researcher, she has been ranked in the top 1% among more than 6 million researchers in 22 disciplines based on citations to her work. Her awards include Outstanding Contribution to the Science of Trauma Psychology from the American Psychological Association. Dr. Hamby’s work has appeared in the New York Times, Huffington Post, CBS News, Psychology Today, and hundreds of other media outlets.
Jim Larson, Ph.D., NCSP
Professor Emeritus of Psychology and former Director of the School Psychology Training Program at the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater
He has more than 35 years’ experience with the study and treatment of anger-related behaviors in children and youth... Read More
Dr. Larson was a school psychologist with the Milwaukee Public Schools for 14 years and directed their violence prevention program. He also has extensive experience in the area of parent management training and is the co-author of Parent to Parent: A Video-augmented Training Program for the Prevention of Aggressive Behavior in Young Children and co-author of Helping School Children Cope with Anger: A Cognitive-behavioral Intervention, 2nd. Ed. His most recent book is Think First: Addressing Aggressive Behavior in Secondary Schools.
Donald Meichenbaum, Ph.D.
Research Director of The Melissa Institute and Distinguished Professor Emeritus, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
He has served as Distinguished Visiting Professor at the School of Education at the University of Miami... Read More
He is one of the founders of cognitive behavior therapy. North American clinicians voted Dr. Meichenbaum “one of the 10 most influential psychotherapists of the 20th century.” He has presented in all 50 United States and internationally. He has published extensively and his most recent book is Roadmap to Resilience: A Guide for Military, Trauma Victims and Their Families. Other books include Treatment of Individuals with Anger-control Problems and Aggressive Behavior, Treating Adults with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Nurturing Independent Learners and Stress Inoculation Training.
Guerda Nicolas, Ph.D.
Associate Professor in the Department of Educational and Psychological Studies at University of Miami, School of Education and Human Development and affiliated faculty with Institute for the Study and Promotion of Race and Culture (ISPRC) at Boston College
As a multicultural (Haitian American) and multilingual psychologist (Spanish, French, and Haitian Creole), her current research highlights the integration of race, culture and well-being for ethnically diverse and immigrant communities... Read More
Current projects include: spirituality across the life span among minorities and culturally effective mental health intervention for minority adolescents, with a specific focus on immigrant children, adolescents and families. Dr. Nicolas has published several articles and book chapters. She is an invited presenter at national and international conferences on women’s issues, depression and intervention among Haitians including social support networks of ethnic minorities and spirituality. Her most recent book is Social Networks and the Mental Health of Haitian Immigrants.
Debra J. Pepler, Ph.D., C. Psych.
Distinguished Research Professor of Psychology at York University, Toronto, Ontario, and co-director of the Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network (PREVNet), Canada’s national initiative for bullying prevention
She is an internationally recognized expert on bullying and childhood aggression and interventions to prevent and address violence... Read More
She speaks widely to professional and community audiences and publishes extensively. Her current research is embedded in clinical and settings to examine the mechanisms of change, particularly through relationships. She is an author and co-editor of Understanding and Addressing Bullying: An International Perspective. She was recently honored with the Hebb Award for Significant Contribution to Psychology as a Science from the Canadian Psychological Association.
Alex R. Piquero, Ph.D. (On Leave)
Professor and Chair of the Department of Sociology and Arts & Sciences Distinguished Scholar the University of Miami and Professor of Criminology at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia
He was Co-Editor of the Journal of Quantitative Criminology from 2008 to 2013 and currently serves as Editor of Justice Evaluation Journal... Read More
Prior to joining the University of Miami in August 2020, he was Ashbel Smith Professor of Criminology at The University of Texas at Dallas, where he also served as Associate Dean for Graduate Programs in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences and Director of Social Impact in the Office of Research. He has also served on the faculties of Florida State University, University of Maryland, John Jay College of Criminal Justice/City University of New York, University of Florida, Northeastern University, and Temple University. He has published over 475 peer-reviewed articles in the areas of criminal careers, race/immigration and crime, crime prevention, criminological theory, and quantitative research methods, and has authored several books including Key Issues in Criminal Careers Research: New Analyses from the Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development (Cambridge University Press, with David P. Farrington and Alfred Blumstein), Handbook of Quantitative Criminology (Springer, with David Weisburd), and Developmental Criminology and the Crime-drop: A Comparative Analysis of Criminal Careers in Two Birth Cohorts (Cambridge University Press, with Jason Payne). His work has been cited over 47,000 times (h-index=115). A 2019 article in Plos Biology identified him as being included among the top 100,000 most-cited scientists in the world. In November 2019 and November 2020, he was recognized by the Web of Science Group as one of the world’s most influential researchers (i.e., a Highly Cited Researcher). He has served as Executive Counselor with the American Society of Criminology, Member of the National Academy of Sciences Panel Evaluating the National Institute of Justice, Member of the National Academy of Sciences Panel on A Prioritized Plan to Implement a Developmental Approach in Juvenile Justice Reform, Member of the National Academy of Sciences Panel on Modernizing the Nation’s Crime Statistics, Member of the Racial Democracy, Crime and Justice Network at Ohio State University, and Member of the MacArthur Foundation's Research Network on Adolescent Development & Juvenile Justice. He has given congressional testimony on evidence-based crime prevention practices in the area of early-family/parent training programs, and has provided counsel and support to several local, state, national, and international criminal justice agencies, including various police and correctional agencies. In 2015, US Attorney General Eric Holder appointed him to the Office of Justice Programs Science Advisory Board. In September 2019, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson appointed him to the Mayor’s Task Force on Safe Communities and Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot appointed him as a member of the DA’s Urban Crime Initiative. In December 2020, Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine F. Rundle appointed him to the Executive Committee of the Continuing Justice Reform Commission. In March 2021, he was elected to the Council on Criminal Justice. Professor Piquero is past recipient of the American Society of Criminology's Young Scholar (2002) and E-Mail Mentor of the Year (2005) Awards, Fellow of both the American Society of Criminology (2011) and the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (2011), recipient of the Western Society of Criminology President’s Award (2017), recipient of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Bruce Smith, Sr. Award (2019), recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Division of Developmental & Life-Course Criminology of the American Society of Criminology (2020) and has also received numerous teaching awards including the University of Florida's College of Arts & Sciences Teacher of the Year Award (2004), the University of Maryland's Top Terp Teaching Award (2008), the University of Texas Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award (2014), as well as the University of Texas at Dallas Diversity Award. In 2018, he was named to The University of Texas System’s Academy of Distinguished Teachers. His research has been featured in The New York Times, Reuters, CNN, The Los Angeles Times, The New Yorker, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Miami Herald, The Huffington Post, The Atlantic, and the Dallas Morning News. NBC News Latino profiled him via an exclusive interview with Washington Post syndicated columnist Esther J. Cepeda (https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/what-i-ve-learned-our-talk-top-ranked-criminologist-alex-n522046).
Isaac Prilleltensky, Ph.D.
Vice Provost for Institutional Culture
He is a renowned community psychologist who has lived and worked in Israel, Canada, Australia, and the United States and has presented addresses in 26 countries... Read More
He is the past Dean of the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Miami. His interests are in the promotion of well-being in individuals, organizations, and communities; and in the integration of wellness and fairness. Isaac is the recipient of the 2014 “Lifetime Achievement Award in Prevention” by the Society for Counseling Psychology, Division 17 of the American Psychological Association. He is also the recipient of the 2011 "Distinguished Contribution to Theory and Research Award" of the Community Psychology Division of APA. In addition, he received the John Kalafat Award for the Practice of Community Psychology from the same division of APA. He is leading an interdisciplinary team developing assessments and online interventions to promote interpersonal, community, occupational, psychological, physical, and economic (I COPPE) well-being. Isaac is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and of the American Educational Research Association. In 2002 he was a visiting fellow of the British Psychological Society. He is the author, co-author or co-editor of several books, including Community Psychology: In Pursuit of Liberation and Well-Being, Doing Psychology Critically, Critical Psychology, Promoting Family Wellness and Preventing Child Maltreatment, and The Morals and Politics of Psychology. The book Promoting Well-Being: Linking Personal, Organizational, and Community Change was co-authored with his wife, Dr. Ora Prilleltensky. His latest book is The Laughing Guide to Well-Being: Using Humor and Science to become Happier and Healthier.
Daniel Santisteban, Ph.D.
Professor Educational and Psychological Studies - School of Education and Human Development at the University of Miami
Dr. Santisteban has published over 35 book chapters and articles on family therapy outcomes, family processes, cultural competence, adolescent co-occurring disorders, and the blending of research and practice. He is the co-editor of the book Family Psychology: Science-Based Interventions... Read More
In addition, he has received numerous awards including the 2004 American Family Therapy Academy award for Distinguished Contribution to Family Systems Research, and the 2012 University of Miami Civic Engagement Award. He has been a contributor to national NIH grant review committees, treatment guidelines panels, journal editorial boards, and consults with State agencies focused on bridging research and practice.
Judy Schaechter, MD, MBA
Chief Medical Officer of MedNetPro
President and CEO of the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP)
Judy Schaechter, MD, MBA, is a values-driven physician-executive, experienced in policy, strategy and program development across academics, health care, government and non-profit environments... Read More
She integrates care, improvement science, communication and academics to build community, support coalitions, advance equity and promote sustainability for people and the planet. Currently Chief Medical Officer of MedNetPro, Dr. Schaechter is expanding international access to health services through telehealth and network enhancement.
As President and CEO of the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP), Dr. Schaechter championed the setting of standards of excellence in professional certification, continuous learning, and practice improvement to advance child health outcomes. She led strategic planning, fostered structural changes for equity, enhanced professional engagement and strengthened administrative operations.
Dr. Schaechter was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/National Academies of Science Health Policy Fellow, staffing the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), where she worked on the COVID response, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) and the American Rescue Plan (ARP).
For the eight years prior, Dr. Schaechter served as Chair of Pediatrics at the University of Miami and Chief of Service for Child Health at Jackson Memorial Health System, overseeing a department of 500 and serving a 244-bed hospital.
Schaechter’s clinical practice focuses upon children, adolescents and young adults with complex medical and mental health conditions. Her advocacy spans preventative health, with a concentration on injury and violence prevention, education, and disparity reduction. She has worked to expand health coverage, improve early education, enhance developmental screening, and she led the creation of HealthConnect in Our Schools, a public–private partnership supporting multidisciplinary health teams in 170 Miami-Dade County public schools.
She was educated at Brown University, Stanford School of Medicine, the University of Miami School of Business and Harvard Kennedy School. As an educator, she is focused on professional leadership, policy, public health, sustainability, maternal/child health, mental well-being, environmental and social determinants.
Judy is dedicated to exploring technologic, programmatic and human solutions to improve outcomes in education, health and our environment.
Ron Slaby, Ph.D.
Developmental psychologist, research scientist, and educator Senior Scientist, Center on Media & Child Health Boston Children’s Hospital / Harvard Medical School
Through his innovative research, teaching, and program development, Dr. Slaby has helped to shape national and global strategies for preventing violence and bullying... Read More
Known for introducing a “bystander intervention strategy” into the field of violence prevention, Dr. Slaby has coauthored:
- the CDC’s first comprehensive National Agenda for the Prevention of Violence
- the World Health Organization’s global program for Preventing Violence in Schools
- the American Psychological Association Commission’s Reports on Violence and Youth
- the NAEYC book Early Violence Prevention: Tools for Teachers of Young Children
- the evidence-based middle school curriculum Aggressors, Victims, & Bystanders
- the multi-media bullying prevention program Eyes on Bullying: What Can You Do?
- the program to help prevent men’s violence against women and other gender-related violence Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP)
Wendy K. Silverman, Ph.D., ABPP
Alfred A. Messer Professor in the Child Study Center and Professor of Psychology; Director, Yale Child Study Center Program for Anxiety Disorders
Before Yale, Dr. Silverman developed and directed the Child Anxiety and Phobia Program (CAPP) housed within the Department of Psychology at FIU. Dr. Silverman has developed and evaluated evidence-based assessment and treatment procedures for use with children who have anxiety disorders...Read More
She has received numerous research grants including a mid-career development award from the National Institute of Mental Health. She has published extensively in the area of childhood anxiety disorders including five books. She was previously co-editor of the Clinical Psychology Review, editor of the Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, associate editor of Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, President of the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology and past Chair of a NIMH grant review panel.
Dale Willows, Ph.D.
Former Professor of Applied Psychology and Human Development at the University of Toronto
Dale served as a Professor in the Department of Human Development and Applied Psychology and is also a Registered Psychologist specializing in learning disabilities...Read More
Dr. Willows is a renowned Literacy Expert and was invited by President George W. Bush and Mrs. Bush to attend The White House Assembly on Reading in 2001. She has devoted herself to implementing change in early literacy education through in-service professional development for primary teachers and administrators. She received numerous awards within Ontario and the U.S. for her contributions to literacy instruction and research.
Marlene Wong, Ph.D.
Former Senior Vice Dean and Clinical Professor, Suzanne Dworak Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California
Marleen Wong, Ph.D. is served as the Senior Vice Dean and Clinical Professor of Field Education at the USC School of Social Work...Read More
Formerly the Director of Mental Health, Crisis Teams and Suicide Prevention Programs at the Los Angeles Unified School District, she has been in a 20+ year community-based research partnership with colleagues at RAND Health and the UCLA Partnered Health Research Center, as one of the original developers of the evidence-based Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma Program in Schools. As well as being appointed member to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Advisory Council, Dr. Wong is recognized by the White House as one of the "pre-eminent experts in school crisis and recovery". Dr. Wong was also part of the induction class for the California Social Work Hall of Distinction in 2020.
Frank Zenere, Ed.S
School Psychologist and District Coordinator of Student Services/Crisis Program for Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Frank Zenere is a school psychologist and the District Coordinator of the Student Services Crisis Management Program for Miami-Dade County Public Schools...Read More
He has served on numerous state and national committees overseeing the development of school safety policies and procedures, including suicide prevention and postvention, and best practice guidelines for the prevention of, preparedness for, response to, and recovery from critical incidents and disasters impacting school communities. He has also been active as a trainer and crisis responder at the state, national and international levels. Providing crisis response services in the aftermath of earthquakes in Turkey, El Salvador and Haiti; the tsunami in Sri Lanka; Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico; the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack in New York City; numerous school shootings, including the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida; and youth suicide clusters. His article, “I Never Thought This Could Happen Here: A Reflection on Uvalde” featured on the front page of NASP’s Communiqué publication, highlights the important yet gut-wrenching work that went into supporting students, parents and administrators at Robb Elementary.