Robin Hernandez-Mekonnen, PhD, MSW

Education

Ph.D.: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2012

Major: Social Welfare

MSW: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2002

Major: Social Work

B.A.: University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, 1995

Major: Cultural Anthropology

Academic Appointments

Assistant Professor, Stockton University, Galloway, New Jersey September 2013- present

Graduate Program Academic Coordinator & Learning Community Assistant for the

Master’s in Child Welfare Education Program (MCWEP)

The Child Welfare Education Institute (CWEI)

Adjunct Instructor, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, New Jersey

June 2015- present

Adjunct Instructor, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California

December 2010 – June 2013

Adjunct Instructor, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

September 2006- May 2011

Adjunct Instructor, Rutgers University, Camden, New Jersey

2007

Adjunct Instructor, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

September 2005- May 2006

Practice Experience

Mobile Therapist, Assessment and Treatment Alternatives, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

May 2002-January 2011

Memberships

Center on Immigration and Child Welfare (CICW)

The Council on Social Work Education

The Society for Social Work and Research

Child Welfare League of America

American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children

National Association of Social Workers

National Alliance for Success after Foster Care

Community/Volunteer Service

Stockton University, Faculty Senator, 2015

Stockton University, Galloway

September 2013-present

MSW Marketing and Admissions Committee, Member

MSW Assessment Committee, Member

MSW Curriculum Committee, Member

Graduate Studies Distinguished Research Fellowship Committee, Member

Faculty Advisor, Distinguished Graduate Research Fellowships, The Richard Stockton College of NJ. 2014-present

A Needs Assessment and Feasibility Study of a Community Food Pantry Farm Coop Collaborative. Student grantee, Alyssa Allotta MSW’15

Parents Bereaved by Unintentional Overdose: a Qualitative Research Project. Student grantee, Barbara Edelhauser, MSW ‘15

Parenting Wisely: An implementation of an Evidence Based Parenting Curriculum at a Local Provider Agency, Carleen Bauman, MSW ‘15

Board Member, Secretary, Board of Trustees, Allies in Caring, Inc., Hammonton, NJ

February 2014-present

Center on Immigration and Child Welfare (CICW), University of Illinois, Chicago, IL

October 2013-present

Practice Committee, Co-Chair

Research Committee, Member

Fostering Futures, the Field Center for Policy Practice and Research

University of Pennsylvania

April 2014-Present

Practice and Data Committee

Child Maltreatment, Journal of theAmerican Professional Society on the Abuse of Children

Peer Reviewer, 2015

Council on Social Work Education, 61st Annual Program Meeting Peer Reviewer: Child Welfare, Immigration, Policy, 2015

City of Philadelphia, Department of Human Services

Qualitative Service Reviewer (QSR), 2010-1012

Education Work Group: CHOP Consultant, Fostering Connections Mandate, 2009

Utah Department of Human Services, Division of Children and Family Services, Ogden, Utah

State Qualitative Case Reviewer, 2009

Founder/Director, Capitolo Youth Soccer League, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2008-2013

Consultant, 2014- present

Awards, Fellowships, Grants, and Recognition

Stockton University, Research and Professional Development Grant, Scholarship of Engagement, A Needs Assessment of Former Foster Youth at Stockton. $5,573

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholars Pilot Funds 2012, $14,800

Professional Presentations

Hernandez-Mekonnen, R. (2015, February) Immigration and Immigrants: The U.S.’ Paradoxical Response. Panelist and Workshop Facilitator, the Paul Shane Annual Policy Symposium, Georgian Court University, NJ

Crea, T., Hernandez-Mekonnen, R., Rome Harris, S. & Dettlaff, A. (2014, October). Migration and Child Well-Being: At the Border of Immigration and Child Welfare, panel presentation in the Immigrants, Refugees, and Displaced Populations Track, 60th Annual Program Meeting (APM) of The Council on Social Work Education, Tampa FL.

Falk, D., Hernandez-Mekonnen, R & Lewis, M. (2014, October). The Child Welfare Education Institute at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, invited electronic poster presentation, Title IVE Child Welfare Track, 60th Annual Program Meeting (APM) of The Council on Social Work Education, Tampa FL.

Azar, S., Hernandez-Mekonnen, R., Miller, E., & Johnson, D. (2014, July) Predicting Child Neglect: Additive Contributions of Social Information Processing and Contextual Factors International Family Violence and Child Victimization Research Conference Portsmouth, NH.

Hernandez-Mekonnen, R. & Gelles, R. (2014, June) Our Own Worst Enemies: The Impact of System Factors on Placement Stability. American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC) 22nd Annual Colloquium, New Orleans, LA.

Hernandez-Mekonnen, R. (2103, November) Invited Panelist, Child Abuse Panel Discussion Stockton University, Social Work Program & Child Welfare Education Institute

Hernandez-Mekonnen, R. & Bennett, I. (2013, November) Maternal Health Literacy in Mexican Immigrant Mothers and Risk of Developmental Delay in their Children. 2013 North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG), Annual Meeting, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Hernandez-Mekonnen, R. (2013, February) Creating Federal Policy Based on Kid's Stories: The Coalescence of Practice, Policy, and Research. The 2013 Symposium on Influencing Government Policy in Child Welfare. The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.

Duggan, E, Hernandez-Mekonnen, R., Oliveros-Rosen, L., Wortham, S. Ludmir, J. & Bennett, I. (2012, December) Developmental Screening Among Mexican Immigrant Families in New Latino Diaspora Communities. Poster Presentation. 2012 North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG), Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA.

Matone, M, Mollen, C., Zlotnik, S., Mekonnen, R., O’Reilly, A., & Rubin, D. (2012, January) Children's Stability & Well-Being Study: Assessing Barriers to Educational Success. Poster Presentation. 2012 Society for Social Work Research Conference, Washington DC.

Matone, M, Mollen, C., Zlotnik, S., Mekonnen, R., O’Reilly, A., & Rubin, D. (2011, August) Children's Stability & Well-Being Study: Assessing Barriers to Educational Success. Poster Presentation. 2011 National Child Welfare Evaluation Summit, Children’s Bureau, Washington DC.

Azar, S. & Mekonnen, R. (2011, August). Intellectual Disabilities and Neglectful Parenting: Preliminary Findings on the Role of Cognition in Parenting. Poster Presentation. 2011 National Child Welfare Evaluation Summit, Children’s Bureau, Washington DC.

Mekonnen, R. (2011, July). Dismantling Placement Instability Step by Step: The Philadelphia Case. Research Presentation. APSAC's 19th Annual Colloquium, Philadelphia, PA

Azar, S., Mekonnen, R., & Stevenson, M. (2011, July). Child neglect: A test of social information processing model of etiology. Presentation. APSAC's 19th Annual Colloquium, Philadelphia, PA

Mekonnen, R. (2011, May). Helping Hands: Intergenerational Resource and Information Conference for Caregivers. Invited Panelist by Pennsylvania Senator Anthony H. Williams.

Mekonnen, R. (2009, November). Conceptualizing cross system collaborative research in child welfare. Poster presentation. Council on Social Work Education, Annual Program Meeting. San Antonio, Texas

Mekonnen, R. (2009, February). The Children’s Stability and Well Being Study: Intermediary Findings. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Subcommittee for Child Health: Task Force on Children in Out of Home Care

Mekonnen, R. (2008, May). National Forum on Children Families and the Courts: Planning for the Future: Plenary Session, “The Unhealthy Truth about Children in Foster Care”. Invited Panelist by Pennsylvania Secretary of Health, Calvin B. Johnson.

Mekonnen, R. (2008 February). The Children’s Stability and Well Being Study: Preliminary Findings. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Foster care Provider Agency Network Meeting.

Mekonnen, R. (2007, December).Nutrition Resources for At-risk Youth and their Families. Invited guest lecturer, University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA.

Mekonnen, R. (2007, February). The Case of Child Welfare: Advocacy & Lobbying: Government Intervention into Family Life. Invited guest lecturer, Contemporary Social Policies. University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Policy and Practice Philadelphia, PA.

Professional Publications

Peer Refereed

Hernandez-Mekonnen, R., Duggan, E., Bennett, I., Oliveros-Rosen, L., Gerdes, M., Wortham, S., Ludmir, J. (2015) Health literacy in unauthorized Mexican immigrant mothers and risk of developmental delay in their children. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health. DOI: 10.1007/s10903-015-0284-z

Noonan, K., Matone, M., Zlotnik, S. Hernandez-Mekonnen, R., Rubin, D., & Mollen, C., (2012). Cross-system barriers to educational success for children in foster care: The front line perspective. Children and Youth Services Review. 34:2, 403-408

Mekonnen, R., Noonan, K., & Rubin, D. (2009). Achieving better health care outcomes for children in foster care. Pediatric Clinics of North America. 56(2)

Rubin, D., O’Reilly, A., Downes, K., Mekonnen, R., Localio, Luan, X. (2008). The impact of kinship care on behavioral well-being for children in out-of-home care. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, 162:3.

Under Review

Hernandez-Mekonnen, R., & Gelles, R., Rubin, D. (2015). Our own worst enemies: The impact of system factors on placement stability. Manuscript submitted for review.

Other Publications

Hernandez-Mekonnen, R. (2012). Foster care: An analysis of factors that impact placement stability. University of Pennsylvania. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, 232. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1289085505?accountid=14749. (1289085505).

Noonan, K. Rubin, D., Mekonnen, R. & Zlotnik, S. (2009). Securing child safety, well-being, and permanency through placement stability for children in foster care. PolicyLab at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute. Evidence to Action. Policy Brief (1)

Kinnevy, S. C., Dichter, M., Mekonnen, R., and Tiger, M. (2003, March). Inclusion of Youth with Disabilities in Youth Programs: A Needs Assessment in Philadelphia. Prepared for the U.S. Department of Labor, Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition and The Philadelphia Youth Network. Center for the Study of Youth Policy, School of Social Work, University of Pennsylvania.

Research Experience

Principal Investigator, Stockton University, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Foster Youth Needs Assessment, 2015-2016

Project Director, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine,

Factors Influencing Infant-Child Development among Mexican Immigrant Families in New Latino Diaspora Communities, Funded by RWJ Foundation, Health & Society Scholars Program Research and Education Fund, 2011-2012

Qualitative Methods Consultant, University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Policy & Practice, Housing Opportunities for People With AIDS (HOPWA): Needs Assessment, 2012

Project Coordinator, Pennsylvania State University, School of Psychology, Social Cognition Lab, A Study of Parenting (ASOP), funded by NICHD, 2010-2012

Project Director, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, The Research Institute, PolicyLab, The Children’s Stability and Well Being Study (CSAW), Funded by NICHD, William Penn and Stoneleigh Foundations, 2006-2010

Hernandez-Mekonnen - 2 - Vitae