Wow! To say that 2018 was exciting is an understatement! Not only did VIP grow in many ways, but so many great things happened for our team members!
We are so proud of our team here at VIP, and over the past year several of our team members have had incredible opportunities in their careers and education, building on their time here.
Two of our phenomenal researchers, Drs. Adriana Weisleder and Carolyn Cates, who both originally joined our team as postdoctoral fellows, have both recently accepted and started faculty positions! Dr. Weisleder is now an Assistant Professor at Northwestern University in the School of Communication, where she has recently opened and is directing the Child Language Lab within the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Dr. Cates is now an Assistant Professor at SUNY Purchase in the Department of Psychology. We continue to work closely with Drs. Weisleder and Cates, and are excited to collaborate in the upcoming year!
In addition, many people on our team have been furthering their education. Jenny Arevalo started on our team in 2008 as a Research Assistant, and over the past 10 years has worked as a VIP Coach, Senior VIP Coach and VIP Trainer/Supervisor. Over the past several years, she has been pursuing a doctoral degree in School Psychology with a focus on Psychology of Bilingual Students, and is now focusing full time on her Ph.D. as she moves into the final years of her program in order to dedicate time to her dissertation and clinical training. Maritza Morales-Gracia, who started with our team as a Research Assistant for the Smart Beginnings project in 2016, began a doctoral program in education this fall at the University of California, Irvine with a focus on Human Development & Education Policy. We are thrilled for Jenny and Maritza and can’t wait to see their next steps!
Adriana Chung, LCSW, has been working with us for the past several years as our outstanding Family Check-Up interventionist for the Smart Beginnings project. She recently has been given the incredible opportunity to work with our collaborators at the University of Pittsburgh to deliver Family Check-Up to families in Pittsburgh as well as serve as a trainer and supervisor for new Family Check-Up interventionists. We miss having her in New York City, but we continue to collaborate with her in her role as a trainer and supervisor!
Finally, it would be remiss to not also mention some of the educational achievements that our team members have accomplished in their ‘spare’ time. Maya Matalon recently completed a Masters of Public Health at NYU, and Caroline Raak recently completed a Masters of Arts in Child Development from Sarah Lawrence University. Not only that, but Maya and Caroline were both able to build on the work that they are doing here for their masters theses! In addition, Jennifer Ledesma has been over the past several years working towards a doctoral degree in School-Clinical Child Psychology from Pace University, while continuing to work part time with our team, which has allowed her transition to a Family Check-Up interventionist. Maya, Caroline, and Jennifer each continue to utilize their education as they grow in their roles within our team.
We are so incredibly proud of these accomplishments, and while we are sad to no longer get to see Adriana W., Carolyn, Jenny, Maritza, and Adriana C. every day in person, we are also incredibly proud and beyond thrilled for each of them as they move forward with their careers and educations. We continue to collaborate and work closely with them, and we know that huge things are in store for each of them in the future. Their accomplishments are a testament to the incredible work that they have done during their time on our team.
Needless to say, this has been a busy year full of celebrations and send-off parties!
We are so proud of our team here at VIP, and over the past year several of our team members have had incredible opportunities in their careers and education, building on their time here.
Two of our phenomenal researchers, Drs. Adriana Weisleder and Carolyn Cates, who both originally joined our team as postdoctoral fellows, have both recently accepted and started faculty positions! Dr. Weisleder is now an Assistant Professor at Northwestern University in the School of Communication, where she has recently opened and is directing the Child Language Lab within the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Dr. Cates is now an Assistant Professor at SUNY Purchase in the Department of Psychology. We continue to work closely with Drs. Weisleder and Cates, and are excited to collaborate in the upcoming year!
In addition, many people on our team have been furthering their education. Jenny Arevalo started on our team in 2008 as a Research Assistant, and over the past 10 years has worked as a VIP Coach, Senior VIP Coach and VIP Trainer/Supervisor. Over the past several years, she has been pursuing a doctoral degree in School Psychology with a focus on Psychology of Bilingual Students, and is now focusing full time on her Ph.D. as she moves into the final years of her program in order to dedicate time to her dissertation and clinical training. Maritza Morales-Gracia, who started with our team as a Research Assistant for the Smart Beginnings project in 2016, began a doctoral program in education this fall at the University of California, Irvine with a focus on Human Development & Education Policy. We are thrilled for Jenny and Maritza and can’t wait to see their next steps!
Adriana Chung, LCSW, has been working with us for the past several years as our outstanding Family Check-Up interventionist for the Smart Beginnings project. She recently has been given the incredible opportunity to work with our collaborators at the University of Pittsburgh to deliver Family Check-Up to families in Pittsburgh as well as serve as a trainer and supervisor for new Family Check-Up interventionists. We miss having her in New York City, but we continue to collaborate with her in her role as a trainer and supervisor!
Finally, it would be remiss to not also mention some of the educational achievements that our team members have accomplished in their ‘spare’ time. Maya Matalon recently completed a Masters of Public Health at NYU, and Caroline Raak recently completed a Masters of Arts in Child Development from Sarah Lawrence University. Not only that, but Maya and Caroline were both able to build on the work that they are doing here for their masters theses! In addition, Jennifer Ledesma has been over the past several years working towards a doctoral degree in School-Clinical Child Psychology from Pace University, while continuing to work part time with our team, which has allowed her transition to a Family Check-Up interventionist. Maya, Caroline, and Jennifer each continue to utilize their education as they grow in their roles within our team.
We are so incredibly proud of these accomplishments, and while we are sad to no longer get to see Adriana W., Carolyn, Jenny, Maritza, and Adriana C. every day in person, we are also incredibly proud and beyond thrilled for each of them as they move forward with their careers and educations. We continue to collaborate and work closely with them, and we know that huge things are in store for each of them in the future. Their accomplishments are a testament to the incredible work that they have done during their time on our team.
Needless to say, this has been a busy year full of celebrations and send-off parties!