Enjoy reading about the recent accomplishments of our talented faculty.
Julie Berrett-Abebe, PhD, LICSW, project director of Fairfield University Collaborates for a Healthier Connecticut (FCHC) Scholars Program and assistant professor of family therapy and social work, and J. and Reed, S., had a poster accepted to the Critical Race Scholars in Social Work’s (CRSSW) annual conference for their work “Counter-storytelling: Applications in Social Work Practice, Education, and Research.”
Evelyn Bilias Lolis, PhD, associate professor of psychology and education, in collaboration with other faculty, conducted the outcomes report from the CT College Corps program. Report findings detailed that Corps members (interns) reported that their engagement in this project afforded deep learning and professional development, significant personal growth and skill acquisition, high levels of self-reflection, and increased comfort in working with and advocating for equity and diversity in youth-oriented settings.
Joshua Elliott, EdD, assistant professor of the practice and director of Educational Technology, was invited to serve on the Digital Inclusion Task Force as a representative member of the Digital Learning Advisory Panel, CT State Department of Administrative Services.
Nicole Fletcher, PhD, assistant professor of educational studies and teacher preparation, published a book chapter with Joswick, C., Fletcher, N., and Meador, A., titled, “Transforming K-12 mathematics classroom teacher pedagogy through Virtual Number Talks” in Handbook of research on transforming teachers’ online pedagogical reasoning for engaging K-12 students in virtual learning by authors M. L. Niess and H. Gillow-Wiles. Dr. Fletcher also presented a grant, currently under review, by National Science Foundation Discovery Research PreK-12., with Meador, A., titled “Number Talks for discourse, reasoning, and classroom community in PreK-2nd grade.”
Paula Gill Lopez, PhD, director of the School Psychology Program, was appointed as a search committee member for the Director of the State Center for School Safety and Crisis Preparation. Dr. Gill Lopez also conducted Self-Care Workshops for Westport, Conn. school nurses and will do the same for the CT Association of Schools later this month. Dr. Gill Lopez was also a guest on the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Ask the Experts Webinar to discuss “Evidence-Based Self-Care Practices to Promote Wellness and Combat Burnout.”
Erica Hartwell, PhD, LMFT, associate professor of marriage and family therapy, was elected to the Board of Directors of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT). Dr. Hartwell was also invited to join the University of Maryland's Prevention and Research Center Community Advisory Board after presenting about the Sexual and Gender Minority Mental Health certificate program she developed for Fairfield University.
Maryann LaBella, PhD, instructor of the practice of marriage and family therapy, completed level one of Relational Life Therapy Training with level two in process. Dr. LaBella is also in the process of completing the Telebehavioral Health Certificate offered through Fairfield University Collaborates for a Healthier Connecticut (FCHC) Scholars Program.
Alyson Martin, EdD, co-director of special education, completed a hybrid six week session of the Transition Opportunities for Postsecondary Success (TOPS) program in partnership with The Kennedy Center in Trumbull, Conn. She also established a partnership with Westport Public Schools to create the Fairfield University/Westport Public Schools Transition program that services students age 18 to 22 with disabilities and is housed on the Fairfield University campus.
Stephaney Morrison, PhD, LPC, NBCC, associate dean and associate professor of counselor education, presented "Promoting social change through person-centered teaching and learning" at the Association of Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) national conference. Dr. Morrison also facilitated a North Atlantic Regional Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (NARACES) BIPOC affinity group at the ACES national conference.
Jocelyn Novella, PhD, assistant professor of counselor education, contributed two book chapters for Training Graduate Students and New Educators by Dr. Devona Stalnaker-Hofner (publishing in 2022): “College Counseling and Student Affairs” with Dobson, K., and “Maintaining and Promoting Personal and Student Wellness” with Scott, B. and Lounsbury, C. Dr. Novella also served on the wellness committee for the North Atlantic Regional Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (NARACES).
Dilani Perera, PhD, LPC NCC, MAC, chair and professor of counselor education, is president of Connecticut Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (CACES), a division of the Connecticut Counseling Association (CCA). As president, Dr. Perera focuses on building a sustainable membership with counselor educators, supervisors, and students. During virtual CACES meetings Dr. Perera facilitates breakout sessions for counselor educators, supervisors, and counseling students to discuss topics relevant to the field.
Bryan Ripley Crandall, PhD, associate professor of secondary English education and director of the Connecticut Writing Project (CWP)-Fairfield, had the following two peer-reviewed publications accepted: “Education. Education. Education.” with Bility, A. and Bility, L., in S. Donovan’s Rhyme & Rhythm: Poems for Student Athletes and “Creating and sustaining inclusive writing communities for adolescents” with Olcott, K. C., and Lewis, E. C., in K. Hinchman and H. K. Sheridan-Thomas’ Best Practices in Adolescent Literacy (3rd ed.)
Dr. Ripley Crandall was awarded a grant for a partnership with Weir Farm National Historical Park, Reading Landscapes & Writing Nature. He also continued with episodes of The Write Time Show with authors Felicia Rose Chavez, Varian Johnson, and Carmen Oliver .
Co-directors of special education Emily Shamash, EdD, and Alyson Martin, EdD, will present “Shifting to a virtual environment: A transition program for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Developmental Disabilities” at Council for Exceptional Children, a division of the Autism and Developmental Disabilities (DADD) conference.
Stephanie Storms, EdD, associate dean and associate professor of multicultural education has been selected as a fellow by the American Conference of Academic Deans (ACAD) for the 2021-2022 year. Additionally, Dr. Storms will present Practicing hope: A professional Learning Community on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at a PWI at the National Association for Multicultural Education annual conference next March.
Evelyn Bilias Lolis, PhD, associate professor of psychology and education, in collaboration with other faculty, conducted the outcomes report from the CT College Corps program. Report findings detailed that Corps members (interns) reported that their engagement in this project afforded deep learning and professional development, significant personal growth and skill acquisition, high levels of self-reflection, and increased comfort in working with and advocating for equity and diversity in youth-oriented settings.
Joshua Elliott, EdD, assistant professor of the practice and director of Educational Technology, was invited to serve on the Digital Inclusion Task Force as a representative member of the Digital Learning Advisory Panel, CT State Department of Administrative Services.
Nicole Fletcher, PhD, assistant professor of educational studies and teacher preparation, published a book chapter with Joswick, C., Fletcher, N., and Meador, A., titled, “Transforming K-12 mathematics classroom teacher pedagogy through Virtual Number Talks” in Handbook of research on transforming teachers’ online pedagogical reasoning for engaging K-12 students in virtual learning by authors M. L. Niess and H. Gillow-Wiles. Dr. Fletcher also presented a grant, currently under review, by National Science Foundation Discovery Research PreK-12., with Meador, A., titled “Number Talks for discourse, reasoning, and classroom community in PreK-2nd grade.”
Paula Gill Lopez, PhD, director of the School Psychology Program, was appointed as a search committee member for the Director of the State Center for School Safety and Crisis Preparation. Dr. Gill Lopez also conducted Self-Care Workshops for Westport, Conn. school nurses and will do the same for the CT Association of Schools later this month. Dr. Gill Lopez was also a guest on the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Ask the Experts Webinar to discuss “Evidence-Based Self-Care Practices to Promote Wellness and Combat Burnout.”
Erica Hartwell, PhD, LMFT, associate professor of marriage and family therapy, was elected to the Board of Directors of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT). Dr. Hartwell was also invited to join the University of Maryland's Prevention and Research Center Community Advisory Board after presenting about the Sexual and Gender Minority Mental Health certificate program she developed for Fairfield University.
Maryann LaBella, PhD, instructor of the practice of marriage and family therapy, completed level one of Relational Life Therapy Training with level two in process. Dr. LaBella is also in the process of completing the Telebehavioral Health Certificate offered through Fairfield University Collaborates for a Healthier Connecticut (FCHC) Scholars Program.
Alyson Martin, EdD, co-director of special education, completed a hybrid six week session of the Transition Opportunities for Postsecondary Success (TOPS) program in partnership with The Kennedy Center in Trumbull, Conn. She also established a partnership with Westport Public Schools to create the Fairfield University/Westport Public Schools Transition program that services students age 18 to 22 with disabilities and is housed on the Fairfield University campus.
Stephaney Morrison, PhD, LPC, NBCC, associate dean and associate professor of counselor education, presented "Promoting social change through person-centered teaching and learning" at the Association of Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) national conference. Dr. Morrison also facilitated a North Atlantic Regional Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (NARACES) BIPOC affinity group at the ACES national conference.
Jocelyn Novella, PhD, assistant professor of counselor education, contributed two book chapters for Training Graduate Students and New Educators by Dr. Devona Stalnaker-Hofner (publishing in 2022): “College Counseling and Student Affairs” with Dobson, K., and “Maintaining and Promoting Personal and Student Wellness” with Scott, B. and Lounsbury, C. Dr. Novella also served on the wellness committee for the North Atlantic Regional Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (NARACES).
Dilani Perera, PhD, LPC NCC, MAC, chair and professor of counselor education, is president of Connecticut Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (CACES), a division of the Connecticut Counseling Association (CCA). As president, Dr. Perera focuses on building a sustainable membership with counselor educators, supervisors, and students. During virtual CACES meetings Dr. Perera facilitates breakout sessions for counselor educators, supervisors, and counseling students to discuss topics relevant to the field.
Bryan Ripley Crandall, PhD, associate professor of secondary English education and director of the Connecticut Writing Project (CWP)-Fairfield, had the following two peer-reviewed publications accepted: “Education. Education. Education.” with Bility, A. and Bility, L., in S. Donovan’s Rhyme & Rhythm: Poems for Student Athletes and “Creating and sustaining inclusive writing communities for adolescents” with Olcott, K. C., and Lewis, E. C., in K. Hinchman and H. K. Sheridan-Thomas’ Best Practices in Adolescent Literacy (3rd ed.)
Dr. Ripley Crandall was awarded a grant for a partnership with Weir Farm National Historical Park, Reading Landscapes & Writing Nature. He also continued with episodes of The Write Time Show with authors Felicia Rose Chavez, Varian Johnson, and Carmen Oliver .
Co-directors of special education Emily Shamash, EdD, and Alyson Martin, EdD, will present “Shifting to a virtual environment: A transition program for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Developmental Disabilities” at Council for Exceptional Children, a division of the Autism and Developmental Disabilities (DADD) conference.
Stephanie Storms, EdD, associate dean and associate professor of multicultural education has been selected as a fellow by the American Conference of Academic Deans (ACAD) for the 2021-2022 year. Additionally, Dr. Storms will present Practicing hope: A professional Learning Community on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at a PWI at the National Association for Multicultural Education annual conference next March.
