My professional service to the scientific community includes grant, manuscript, and textbook reviews. In the last year this has included review of a grant application for the National Science Foundation (Division of Social and Economic Sciences); peer reviews for The Lancet, Journal of Family Psychology, Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, and Social Problems (2-3 manuscripts per year), and a review for the revision of the 9th edition of Adolescence, a major textbook in the field (authored by Lawrence Steinberg). I am an active member of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, American Psychological Association, and Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD). I recently reviewed abstracts for SRCD’s biennial conference (Panel 23 – Parenting & Development: Adolescence); in this role, I contributed to the make-up of the scientific program for the largest international conference on child development.
I am an expert on child and adolescent development in the context of parental incarceration and have been asked to speak to a number of non-academic audiences on this topic. Reflecting the University’s commitment to community engagement, I have translated and disseminated the research in this area to diverse community audiences, including a group of 200 mothers and staff at the Shakopee Women’s Prison; corrections educators and prison administration at the International Corrections Education Association annual conference; lawyers, judges, social workers, Assistant County Commissioners, and service providers at the Hennepin-University Partnership Forum; and as a keynote speaker to 75 librarians at the Minnesota Library Association annual conference.
I am also an engaged member of my community. Since Fall 2009, I have served as a volunteer Guardian ad Litem in Hennepin County. In this role, I am appointed by a judge to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in juvenile court, many of whom also have a parent involved in the corrections system. Since becoming a Guardian, I have volunteered over 500 hours. I continue to maintain an active case load, striving to make sure that every child has a voice in the courtroom. In addition, I serve on the executive board for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Minnesota, a non-profit organization that supports and promotes court-appointed volunteer advocates. In these roles, I am actively involved with the families and professionals in juvenile court in Hennepin County.