Danielle Hatchimonji, EdM, PhD

Danielle Hatchimonji, EdM, PhD (she/her) is the Research Director for Actions Against Racism.  She is committed to research and evaluation that supports systems and individuals in taking actions against racism so that all children can experience mattering, belonging, and thriving in their daily lives. She is currently an Assistant Research Scientist at Nemours Children’s Health in the Center for Healthcare Delivery Science and Research Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. Hatchimonji trained as a clinical psychologist at Rutgers University and Nemours Children’s Health and was selected as one of the inaugural cohort members of the CASEL Weissberg Scholars Program. She also serves as a Senior Lab Policy and Practice Advisor for the Social-Emotional and Character Development Lab (www.secdlab.org). When not working on these projects, Dr. Hatchimonji can be found chasing around her two young boys or enjoying a peaceful jog outside.

Danika S. Perry, PsyD

Danika Perry, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist at Nemours Children’s Health where she fulfills her calling by offering culturally responsive, evidenced based integrated behavioral health treatment and training. As the Director of Community Partnerships for the Actions Against Racism team she has help to facilitate the development of strategic community-based relationships at primary, secondary and post-secondary levels of education throughout the state of Delaware.  Dr. Perry has over nine years of experience in pediatric primary care including rural, school, and urban settings. She earned her doctorate degree in clinical psychology from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in PA, and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Genesys Regional Medical Center in Flint, MI. Dr. Perry holds an appointment of Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, and has taught as an adjunct professor at local universities.

Dr. Perry is a Delaware native and is committed to health equity, centering in and empowerment of Brown and Black communities, advocacy, and community engagement. This is embodied in her clinical care, training and mentorship, speaking engagements and presentations at national conferences. Dr. Perry serves on the Board for Delaware Guidance Services, Inc., a long-standing community-based behavioral treatment center where her graduate training began. She values servant-leadership, and is alumni of Leadership Delaware Inc., c/o 2021! Dr. Perry enjoys quality time with her family, friends, and beloved dog Zeus. She is faith driven, likes cooking and enjoys eating good food even more. She ascribes to radical self-care and cultivates her wellness through rest, kayaking, yoga, relaxing near tropical waters, cycling, and serving on several ministries at her church.

Tia Barnes, PhD

Tia Barnes, PhD, is an associate professor in Human Development and Family Sciences at the University of Delaware.  In her current role, she teaches early childhood preservice teachers and conducts research on the social emotional well-being of minoritized populations. Dr. Barnes received her doctorate in August 2013 from the University of Florida where she majored in special education with an emphasis on emotional and/or behavioral disorders (EBD) and minored in research and evaluation methodology. She then worked at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence where her work focused on classroom environments for students with EBD and examining social emotional learning through a culturally responsive lens. She is the 2021 recipient of the Joseph E. Zins Award for SEL Research from the Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning and has published work in several journals including Infant and Child Development, the Journal of School Violence, Aggression and Violent Behavior, and Beyond Behavior. She is the creator of the Scholarly Self-Care podcast which focuses on supporting the social and emotional well-being of teachers, parents, and other caregivers. 

In her free time she loves to read, listen to podcasts, and play with her little ones. Find out more about her at www.drtiabarnes.com.

Zumana Noor

Zumana Noor is a Clinical Research Coordinator at the Center for Healthcare Delivery Science. She currently serves on multiple community-based participatory research projects around topics of grief, resilience, homelessness, and anti-racism education.

Michelle Goodreau

Michelle Goodreau is a Clinical Research Coordinator at the Center for Healthcare Delivery Science with 7 years of research experience. She specializes in qualitative research methods with an emphasis on improving the lives of children.

Kira Branch, PsyD

Kira Branch, PsyD (she/her) is the Clinical Director and Lead Intervention Developer for Actions Against Racism. Actions Against Racism was founded by Dr. Branch after the murder of George Floyd in 2020 to give children and families tools to cope and heal from racialized stress and trauma. She is dedicated to supporting individuals and education and health systems in their journey to dismantle systemic oppression and promote racial healing through intentional action. Dr. Branch is a Licensed Pediatric Psychologist and the Training Director of the Psychology Residency Program at Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware Valley and a Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and her doctorate degree in clinical psychology from La Salle University. She completed her doctoral internship at the May Institute and her postdoctoral fellowship at Nemours/A.I. duPont Hospital for Children (now Nemours Children’s Health). Dr. Branch specializes in behavioral health services within gastroenterology, working with children and adolescents diagnosed with chronic medical conditions and those who experience somatic/physical symptoms related to emotional functioning and psychosocial stressors. She is an active member of the Nemours Division of Behavioral Health Diversity Committee, the Delaware Psychological Association Diversity Committee, and the Society of Pediatric Psychology Diversity Special Interest Group. She is passionate about providing equitable, culturally responsive services to children and families of color, diversifying the pipeline into the field of psychology, and uplifting the voices of historically marginalized communities. In 2023, Dr. Branch received the Society of Pediatric Psychology Award for Distinguished Contribution to Diversity in Pediatric Psychology for her dedication to this work.  Dr. Branch is a native of Philadelphia, PA and enjoys reading, dancing, traveling, karaoke, and  spending time with her loved ones.

Kim Graham

Kim Graham serves as the Director of the Delaware State University Trauma Academy.  She is responsible for the development of courses and programs to equip practitioners and students to be responsive to trauma, and the nuanced needs of specific communities.  Two tracks of note are African Centered Healing and Responding to the Trauma of Domestic Violence.  Ms. Graham brings 20 years of experience working with schools to provide a continuum of arts-based education from pre-k through high school employing strategies for youth development based on strength-based, culturally competent, trauma informed tenants.  Serving at-promise youth at varying points on the prevention-intervention continuum through the arts has been a key component of the work.   Ms. Graham holds a Master of Arts in clinical psychology from West Chester University, with a concentration in psychodrama.   In addition to the 20 years spent engaging youth serving adults, educators, children and their families, Kim has over 5 years of experience providing therapeutic support in the drug and alcohol field.  These opportunities have provided tangible knowledge of both the impact of trauma on children and their families, as well as the realities of vicarious trauma, and historical trauma.   Kim serves as co-chair of  Trauma Matters Delaware’s Community Based Healing Subcommittee and a member of the Higher Education Subcommittee.

Ben Bear

Ben Bear is a Clinical Research Coordinator at the Center for Healthcare Delivery Science with 5 years of research experience. His research interest is using qualitative methods to learn about people’s lived experiences and improve healthcare to better serve them.

Monique McKenny, PhD

Dr. Monique McKenny is a Pediatric Psychologist and the Associate Director of Pediatric Primary Care Behavioral Health Integration (Pediatric PCBHI) at Wellstar Health System. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Miami and a Masters of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.) from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a certified Parent Child Interaction Therapist and holds experience in integrated primary care, school-based wellness, and interdisciplinary pediatric pain. 

In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. McKenny’s research centers on racial-ethnic protective factors among youth, families, and communities. She is interested in how these factors, specifically racial socialization practices, can be incorporated into interventions to promote healing and well-being in the face of inequitable systems. She has coauthored publications in academic journals centered on children and families, including Family Process and Journal of Research on Adolescence.  For her research and service efforts, Dr. McKenny has been awarded funding from the Florida Education Fund and The Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment. She has served as a consultant and/or workshop presenter for various youth serving organizations and academic centers including the United Way of Miami-Dade, The Center for Healthy Communities at Salisbury University, and the Worcester County Local Behavioral Health Authority.

Dr. McKenny is a member of the Society of Pediatric Psychology (Division 54 of the American Psychological Association), Georgia Psychological Association, and the Society of Research on Child Development. Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, she enjoys engaging with communities on topics of race, culture, and health equity.