Ms. Restrepo-Toro was a Senior Training Associate and worked in several research projects and divisions throughout the years.  Maria has six years of clinical experience, and she developed the Latino Initiatives at the Center. She trained people in the field of vocational psychiatric rehabilitation both nationally and internationally, in both English and Spanish. She developed training materials, both in English and Spanish. She was the Principal Investigator for a Field Initiated project funded by NIDRR. She was a Co-Principal investigator for phase I / II of Community Action Grant for System Changes within Massachusetts. She was responsible for coordinating the implementation of an exemplary practice that will be culturally competent and will meet the rehabilitation and recovery needs of the Latino consumers within the state. Maria strongly believes in the need to empower Latinos with psychiatric disabilities to recover and regain hope, and to gain equal access to rehabilitation services.

Dr. Gagne had been with the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation since 1988 when she joined the Supported Employment Research Project Team.  Since then she has worked in numerous research, training, and service projects at the Center. Currently, Dr. Gagne is a senior training associate and spends her time training and consulting with mental health programs in the United States and internationally.  She is the associate director of the Services Division of the Center, which develops, delivers, and evaluates innovative services for people with psychiatric disabilities. She has developed many training programs and courses for mental health professionals and people who use mental health services. Since 1994, Dr. Gagne has taught the course, Rehabilitation of Persons with Psychiatric Disabilities, at Boston University.

Dr. Russinova is the Director of Research at the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation and a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the Boston University Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. She has directed several research projects exploring diverse aspects of recovery from psychiatric disabilities, including examining the patterns and determinants of vocational recovery, the role of spirituality and alternative therapies, and the measurement of mental health practitioners’ recovery-promoting competence. She has also pioneered a novel approach of using Photovoice methodology as part of psychosocial interventions targeting the reduction of personal stigma, community participation and vocational empowerment.

Mr. Bloch is a Senior Research Coordinator at the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Boston University. As an almost 20-year member of the Research Division, he assists Principal Investigators with study management tasks that include a wide range of responsibilities. Mr. Bloch has helped develop curricula that have served as the primary intervention for a number of studies. Specific areas of interest include prejudice and discrimination related to mental illness, vocational recovery, empowerment of marginalized populations, and the photovoice participatory action methodology. Mr. Bloch considers principles of human rights, civil liberties, and social justice to be the foundational basis for his work in the field.

Ms. Woods is a Massachusetts Certified Peer Specialist and has contributed as both a student and an instructor at the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation’s Recovery Education Program since 2007. In her capacity as a peer instructor, Tracy has taught wellness classes related to substance free lifestyle, mindful eating, and recovery as a way of life. Tracy also has developed her knowledge and expertise in the area of stigma and discrimination through teaching Photovoice, an intervention that focuses on combating ignorance, prejudice, and discrimination. Using a newly developed curriculum, Vocational Empowerment Photovoice, Tracy has both taught and supported the delivery of this intervention as a research demonstration project. Tracy also contributes to the Center’s research endeavors via qualitative coding and data analysis. Tracy received her BA from Monmouth College and has attained continuing education in mathematics and electronics from the Lowell Institute School, Northeastern University’s College of Professional Studies.

Ms. Nicolellis, served as Program Manager at the Boston University Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation. She directed the Certificate Program in Psychiatric Vocational Rehabilitation, an award-winning training program for vocational rehabilitation professionals, and the Vocational Peer Support Training Project, a federally-funded curriculum designed to train peer support specialists in supporting vocational recovery. Debbie began her work with the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation as Supported Education and Employment Specialist in 1989. Since 1997, she has focused on enhancing the competencies and conceptual knowledge of mental health, rehabilitation, and peer support personnel in psychiatric rehabilitation and recovery-oriented services throughout the country and abroad. Debbie specializes in the Psychiatric Vocational Rehabilitation process, Social Security Work Incentives, Readiness Assessment and Development, Employment Support, Vocational Peer Support, and enhancing partnerships with people with psychiatric disabilities. Debbie has authored several curricula, book chapters, and articles in Psychiatric Rehabilitation.