Dr. Nadine Finigan-Carr:
Nadine M Finigan-Carr, Ph.D., is a prevention research scientist focused on the application of behavioral and social science perspectives to research on contemporary health problems, especially those which disproportionately affect people of color. Her scholarship is grounded in theories and methods found primarily in the field of health behavior change among individuals and the environments. More specifically, she has focused on adolescent risk behaviors and their determinants.
Dr. Finigan-Carr began her career as a classroom teacher where she quickly realized that teaching was more than being aware of the educational needs of her students but also involved considering the physical and mental health needs. Currently, Dr. Finigan-Carr is the Director of Prevention of Adolescent Risks Initiative (PARI), and the Assistant Director for the Ruth Young Center for Families and Children. In this position she has research projects at both the state and federal levels designed to intervene with system involved youth – those in foster care or the juvenile justice system, for example. These youth have a double vulnerability – adolescence, a critical stage marked by increased risk for negative social and behavioral outcomes including aggression and sexual risk behaviors; and, being removed from their families of origin.
Caroline Harmon-Darrow, PhD, MSW
Caroline Harmon-Darrow, PhD, MSW, is Senior Community Program Specialist in the Prevention of Adolescent Risks Initiative and Adjunct Instructor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Social Work. Her scholarship has focused on reducing violence and victimization, including an Assistantship with the National Institute of Justice. A community mediator in Baltimore for 23 years, she trains, mentors, and evaluates other mediators, and has held leadership positions in local, state and national conflict resolution organizations. Caroline is committed to violence prevention, criminal justice diversion, conflict resolution and restorative justice interventions, and the prevention of human trafficking. She previously worked with survivors of intimate partner violence in three cities. Caroline completed her MSW at the University of Maryland Baltimore, with a BA in Social Welfare from UC Berkeley. She is also a licensed LMSW macro social worker and certified mediator in Maryland.
Neil Mallon, LCSW-C is a clinical social worker with University of Maryland, School of Social Work and a clinical field instructor and advisor to the University of Maryland SAFE Center. Mr. Mallon has over ten years of clinical and macro social work practice experience within a variety of service settings, including child welfare, mental health, immigration, staff training/development, research and evaluation. In his current role with PARI, Mr. Mallon works extensively with Maryland’s Regional Navigators and Survivor Leadership Advisory Council. He has been instrumental in the development of the labor trafficking multidisciplinary teams to support victims and survivors. Mr. Mallon has assisted in the development of the the SAFE Center’s trauma-informed and survivor-centered approach to practice and serves as a liaison to the State’s public and private child serving systems to support cross system collaboration in service delivery for domestic minor victims of trafficking. Mr. Mallon earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Towson University and a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore.