CPS Alumna Appointed as Assistant Training Director in Texas

Center for Psychological Studies alumna Allyson Baker, Psy.D. (2008), has received an appointment as assistant training director for internship/postdoctoral training for the South Texas Veterans Health Care System in San Antonio, Texas.

CPS Alumna Appointment

Center for Psychological Studies Alumna Tanya White-Davis (Psy.D. 2007) has accepted a faculty appointment in the Department of Family and Social Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center, Westchester, NY. The Department of Family and Social Medicine is nationally recognized for its training in urban family medicine.

CPS Alum Makes Presentation at ABPsi International Convention

B. Williams; Yvonne Jesus, CPS/SHSS Enrollment Manager/Recruiting; CPS Mental Health Counseling student Bizen Tesfazghi, CPS alum LaRae Williams, Psy.D.; Chrissyle Shaw, M.S., currently a CPS doctoral student in clinical psychology program and CPS alumna Marva M. Robinson, Psy.D.

The 41st Association of Black Psychologist (ABPsi) held their annual International Convention at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta, GA. The convention’s theme was “Building on Yesterday, Building for Tomorrow: The Mission of Black/African Psychologist Working Together”.

The ABPsi convention included events such as the Student Circle Awards Luncheon where CPS alum Marva Robinson, Psy.D, presented an award. CPS was also acknowledged as a sponsor of the luncheon.

CPS 1998 Alumna Receives National Recognition

Sherri Skibinski (Psy.D. 1998) is currently the clinical director at the Miami Federal Correctional Institution where she spearheaded the effort to bring establish a practicum site for NSU clinical psychology doctoral students. Dr. Skibinski recently received National recognition for her work in Reentry programming during the 2009 Defender/Offender Workforce Development (DOWD) Conference, a premier crime reduction and employment event highlighting best-practices in Re-entry programming from around the country, which was held in Pittsburgh, PA.

Dr. Skibinski has received many awards since joining the Bureau of Prisons. She was an Honor Graduate of the Federal Bureau of Prisons Training Academy and an Honor Graduate of Hostage Negotiation Training. She also received a Certificate of Exceptional Performance for Firearms. In 2004 and 2005, she was nominated for the Federal Employee of the Year Award by the South Florida Federal Executive Board. Her most notable achievements, though, have been through her innovative techniques and programming which have achieved national recognition.

Dr. Skibinski developed, implemented, and single-handedly runs a values-based, residential reentry program entitled Inmate Change and Alternative Network (I CAN). Beginning in 2004 with 60 offenders, the I CAN Program was developed to evaluate and address offenders’ life skill deficiencies by assigning them to institution sponsored programs that addressed their specific limitations. Currently, the program houses 152 offenders who are required to develop and implement short and long-term goals targeting their psychological and physical health, spiritual growth, vocational and educational needs, as well as their civic responsibilities. By utilizing this multifaceted approach Dr. Skibinski has assured that offenders receive assistance in areas that will enhance their “life skills” as well as challenge their perceptions and encourage change.

In 2005, Dr. Skibinski was awarded the prestigious Myrl E. Alexander Award, by the Director of the Bureau of Prisons for her contributions to the development of new techniques in correctional programs and in the implementation of innovative procedures. In February, 2008 U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta presented Dr. Skibinski with a Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Award for her work in developing the I CAN Program and for her continued efforts with Offender Reentry programming in South Florida. Dr. Skibinski is currently the Coordinator of both the I CAN Program and the Non-Residential Drug Abuse Program at the Miami Federal Correctional Institution.

CPS 2009 Distinguished Alumna Receives NIH Grant

NSU Center for Psychological Studies (CPS) alumna Joan M. Cook, Ph.D., (1999) of Yale University is the recent recipient of a National Institute of Health (NIH) grant.

The grant addresses a proposed topic for NIH “Strategies to Support Uptake of Interventions within Clinical Community and Setting.” Cook submitted her grant as part of President Obama’s America Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The grant will implement two evidence-based psychotherapies for treating post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among veterans. The research team will characterize and assess the implementation of Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PET) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Residential PTSD Treatment Programs. PET involves using mental imagery, writing, and other tasks to safely confront fears and feelings associated with trauma. CPT asks veterans to describe their trauma and then the therapist helps to redirect pervasive and destructive thoughts associated with the trauma.

Cook and her colleagues will collaborate with the Northeast Program Evaluation Center, monitoring all Veteran’s Affairs mental health programming and patient outcomes, and the National Center for PTSD, overseeing the dissemination of PET and CPT nationally among Veteran’s Affairs providers.

CPS Alum Makes Presentation at ABPsi International Convention

B. Williams; Yvonne Jesus, CPS/SHSS Enrollment Manager/Recruiting; CPS Mental Health Counseling student Bizen Tesfazghi, CPS alumna LaRae Williams, Psy.D.; Chrissyl Shaw, M.S., CPS doctoral student; CPS alumna Marva M. Robinson, Psy.D.


The Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi) recently held its annual International Convention at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta, GA. The convention’s theme was, “Building on Yesterday, Building for Tomorrow: The Mission of Black/African Psychologists Working Together.”

The ABPsi convention included events such as the Student Circle Awards Luncheon where Center for Psychological Studies alumna Marva Robinson, Psy.D, presented an award. CPS was also acknowledged as a sponsor of the luncheon.

CPS Alumna Begins Faculty Appointment at Harvard and Boston Healthcare System

Jessica Foley, Ph.D. (2007), a Center for Psychological Studies alumna, has received a joint faculty appointment in neuropsychology at Harvard Medical School and the Boston VA Healthcare System. Her work will include conducting research in neuroimaging of neurodegenerative conditions of aging. She will also supervise neuropsychology interns and doctoral students in clinical psychology at the Boston Consortium, providing training on white matter degeneration and subcortical dementia.