More than 15 years of experience in child psychology underpin her work in forensic and clinical settings, with a focus on child protection, juvenile justice, and trauma-related matters. Her expertise includes complex trauma, child maltreatment evaluations, psychopathology, and the assessment and treatment of both juvenile and adult populations involved in legal proceedings. Her work also encompasses parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT), trauma-informed treatment, and psychosocial assessment, with particular experience involving abused and traumatized female youth and issues related to delinquency and adult criminality.

Her forensic clinical practice includes founding and directing a psychology clinic dedicated to providing comprehensive evaluations for legal and court-related matters, including child protection, juvenile justice, and adult criminal cases. Her work involves conducting fitness, Miranda, mitigation, sentencing, and death penalty evaluations, as well as termination of parental rights, consent to adoption, and permanent planning assessments. She has more than 10 years of experience as an expert witness, providing consultation, deposition testimony, and courtroom testimony, and is recognized for her ability to clearly communicate complex psychological findings in a manner accessible to courts and legal decision-makers.

Her professional experience also includes leadership and program development within forensic psychology settings, including serving as director of a forensic center focused on evidence-based services, training, and community partnerships. Her background includes extensive work with juvenile courts conducting psychological evaluations of children, adolescents, and parents, as well as collaboration with multidisciplinary teams. She has participated in national initiatives to advance best practices in trauma and psychosocial assessment and has contributed to the development of trauma-based group treatment programs for youth.

Academic involvement includes faculty experience as an assistant professor in forensic psychology, where she has taught graduate-level courses in evaluation and treatment of juvenile and adult offenders, psychopathology, family therapy, and evidence-based treatment approaches. Her teaching and training experience reinforce her ability to integrate clinical practice, research, and forensic application, while also supporting the development of future forensic mental health professionals.

Her qualifications include a Doctor of Psychology degree with specialization in child and family clinical psychology and a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in statistics. She is licensed as a psychologist in Illinois and California and maintains professional affiliations with organizations such as the American Psychological Association, the Illinois Psychological Association, the American Psychology and Law Society, and the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children. Her professional contributions also include publications and presentations related to trauma, delinquency, and forensic evaluation practices.