Cora’s career in early childhood development and education began at UConn more than 15 years ago and has continued to evolve through a commitment to reflection and growth. She began her college career as a music major at the Hartt School of Music but soon felt called toward a field that would allow her to make a broader impact. With a longstanding curiosity about early childhood development, she transitioned into the UConn HDFS program and completed her bachelor’s degree and the Early Childhood Specializations in 2010. This experience connected her with influential mentors who have continued to shape both her professional identity and her long-term commitment to the field.

Following graduation, Cora spent six years as a classroom teacher and six years as a center director of a high quality, Reggio-inspired program in New Haven County. These experiences grounded her in the belief that children learn best within respectful relationships that honor their curiosity, emotions, and unique developmental pace. While Cora loved working directly with children and families in this setting, she felt drawn to further explore the parent-child relationship. This interest led her back to UConn, where she completed her master’s degree in HDFS in 2018 while working full-time as a center director. During her graduate studies, she became a registered Circle of Security Facilitator, earned her Infant Mental Health Endorsement, and presented at the World Association of Infant Mental Health conference. She also discovered an enthusiasm for teaching undergraduates while serving as a teaching assistant, an experience that sparked her interest in higher education and led to her becoming an adjunct faculty member at UConn Stamford in 2019.

In 2022, Cora became faculty and Student Coordinator of the Early Childhood Specializations at UConn Stamford. In 2024, she transitioned to UConn Waterbury, where she is now actively building and strengthening Early Childhood Specializations. She is invested in preparing future early childhood professionals through hands-on learning and reflective practice. She is also focused on developing meaningful community partnerships with early childhood programs across the Greater Waterbury area, fostering reciprocal relationships that support both students and local programs.

Central to Cora’s work is an ongoing commitment to reflective teaching and professional growth. She continually refines her practice to stay current in the field. In addition to her university teaching, she provides regular professional development for current early childhood educators throughout Connecticut and serves as an early childhood consultant for several high-quality programs. These roles allow her to remain closely connected to classroom practice while supporting educators in strengthening their relationship-based practice. She is also a parent educator with Peace at Home Parenting Solutions and provides regular virtual workshops and private consultations to parents of young children across the country.

Cora sees her role as both an educator and mentor, striving to support students as they develop competence and a strong professional identity in the early childhood discipline, regardless of the career path they choose. She is passionate about uplifting the field, supporting families and educators, and advocating for universal childcare and play-based education.

Cora lives in Guilford, Connecticut, with her husband Brian, their sons Everett (4) and Warren (2), and their dog Ziggy. Outside of work, she enjoys playing flute with the American Chamber Orchestra, participating in group fitness classes, trying new restaurants, and spending time with family and friends.

Kevin Ferreira van Leer (PI), Caitlin Lombardi (Co-PI) and Trinidad Tellez (Co-PI) received funding from the Annie E. Casey Foundation for their grant, “Support for Research on Youth and Parent Experiences in NH.” This grant supports a community-based participatory research project between researchers at UConn and Centro Latino de New Hampshire which aims to better understand the perceptions of well-being in the current sociopolitical climate by immigrant Latine parents and their children, including how they are experiencing the rapidly changing policy context and the resources they are turning to.

Keith Bellizzi published a new book, Falling Forward: The New Science of Resilience and Personal Transformation. Learn more about it here: https://www.keithbellizzi.com/fallingforward

Mary Tabb Foley first joined the UConn community more than 20 years ago as an undergraduate student. UConn was her first choice – a place that felt both exciting and familiar, being close to her hometown in Connecticut. She began her time at UConn planning to become an elementary school teacher, until a chance enrollment in a Human Development and Family Relations course which required a fieldwork placement changed her entire academic plan. Assigned to the infant classroom at the Child Development Labs, Mary felt an immediate and undeniable pull toward early childhood education, working with children under three years old. That single experience redirected her path and opened the door to a career she instantly knew aligned with her heart and life’s purpose.

Mary often shares this story with students as an example of how remaining open to new experiences or opportunities can lead to a deeply fulfilling and unexpected journey – both professionally and personally. After graduating from UConn, Mary worked in community-based early childhood programs in several urban areas of Connecticut, caring for and guiding the learning of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Finding ways to discover her professional role and engaging in statewide organizations and events, she strengthened her commitment to leadership and her desire to positively impact the lives of young children and families.

Driven by her passion for lifelong learning, Mary pursued a Master of Arts dual-degree in Early Childhood Education/Early Childhood Special Education from the University of Saint Joseph, along with CT Teacher Certification focused on birth through kindergarten. She subsequently worked with Connecticut’s youngest children in the CT Birth to Three system and later spent nearly five years with the Early Childhood Consultation Partnership. This statewide mental health consultation program allowed Mary to integrate her deep knowledge of child development, family engagement, and caregiver support to enhance the social and emotional well-being of children birth to five. Her professional roles have spanned the many facets of early childhood work—high-quality education, developmental guidance, early intervention, and community collaboration.

In 2012, Mary returned to UConn in a new capacity, joining UConn Stamford as a lecturer and program coordinator for the new Early Childhood Specializations (ECS) on that campus. Historically offered only in Storrs, Mary launched the specialization in Stamford to expand access and respond to the need for highly prepared early childhood professionals in Fairfield County. After a decade of supporting, shaping, and growing the Stamford program, Mary transitioned back to Storrs in Fall 2022, where she continues to serve as faculty in HDFS.

Since rejoining the Storrs campus, Mary has devoted much of her work to strengthening the ECS program and reaching as many students as possible who might want careers working with young children and families. Through these efforts she has brought recognition to the program and to the department’s broader initiatives. She plays a key role in coordinating program activities, advising and mentoring students, and supporting the structures that help ECS thrive. Mary has also contributed deeply to the ECS national accreditation efforts, helping to align curricula, gather data, and document program quality. She approaches this work as part of her commitment to supporting colleagues, improving student experiences, and ensuring that future early childhood professionals receive the intentional, high-quality preparation they deserve.

With a consistent passion for continued growth and learning, Mary regularly seeks opportunities at UConn and on a broader national level to strengthen her teaching, deepen her understanding of early childhood policy and advocacy, and remain responsive to the evolving needs of the field. She believes that early childhood professionals must be open to continuous learning to best support young children and families, a belief that fuels her dedication to preparing emerging early childhood professionals year after year.

Mary lives with her husband, two young sons, and their dog, Nico, just over the state line in Longmeadow, MA. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys time with family, creating a comfortable home, and diving into her many interests, including reading, running, DIY projects, cooking and baking, organizing, and dreaming up future travel adventures to see as many parts of the country/world as possible.

Congratulations to Alaina Brenick, winner of the UConn MLK Legacy Award!

Vida was promoted to Associate Professor-in-Residence effective August, 2025!

In recent years, Professor Vida Samuel has been on a whirlwind of career triumphs, community impact, and culinary adventures. In addition to her recent promotion, Vida is a Faculty Affiliate at the Center for Applied Research in Human Development (CARHD) and the Department of Social and Critical Inquiry. Vida also received a certificate in campaign management from The Campaign School at Yale Law School.

Vida is a scholar in women’s studies and intercultural communication with a focus on the sexual lives of women at midlife. Beyond that, she is dedicated to breaking down barriers in education, championing post-secondary access and success for first-generation students and returning adults. She is the recipient of the 2025 UConn HDFS Excellence in Teaching award and the 2024 UConn Undergraduate Faculty Academic Advising award. She also helps keep the University ethical by serving on the IRB Committee.

When Vida is not teaching, she is making a measurable difference in the lives of women and girls. She is an ardent advocate, seamlessly blending education, advocacy, and community service to create a lasting impact. Her efforts have not gone unnoticed; she received LiveGirl’s 2024 Community Impact award. Vida also works closely with the Fairfield County Community Foundation as an expert in the unintended consequences of legislation on post-secondary education.

You know you’ve made it when you are talking about Barbie! In January, Vida was a featured speaker at the opening of New York City’s Museum of Arts and Design Presents Barbie®: A Cultural Icon. Her UConn Foundation sponsored talk, From Dreamhouse to Boardroom: Branding Empowerment and Leadership, addressed the iconic doll’s lasting social influence, the evolving understanding of female identity, and the growing demand for representation.

Vida was the proud keynote speaker at the St. Lucian American Association of Connecticut’s 46th Independence Gala in March proving that life is a beautiful full-circle moment. Connecticut was the first state she lived in after arriving from St. Lucia and she describes the moment as a profound homecoming.

Vida remains a force in mentorship. She is currently an advisor to the LiveGirl board (after serving as a board member) and continues to host their popular eight-week leadership programs on the UConn Stamford campus for high school girls. This fall, she is hosting SHE THRIVES, a new pilot high school program designed to help girls thrive, both in school and in life. She is still the go-to mentor for students and young adults looking to navigate their professional journeys.

If you thought she could not fit anything else into her schedule, think again. Vida holds a certificate in culinary arts and generously volunteers with Food Rescue US, a national organization that tackles food waste by collecting fresh, edible food from establishments and delivering it to local service agencies and shelters. She was also the volunteer deputy director of communication for a local legislator in the last election.

When she finally puts the lesson plans and apron down, Vida spends her time doing the things that matter: traveling (spending most summers outside of the US), cooking, and catching up with her mother Gloria and nephew, Nicholas, on FaceTime. She lives her best and bustling life in Fairfield County.

Vida was promoted to Associate Professor-in-Residence effective August, 2025!

In recent years, Professor Vida Samuel has been on a whirlwind of career triumphs, community impact, and culinary adventures. In addition to her recent promotion, Vida is a Faculty Affiliate at the Center for Applied Research in Human Development (CARHD) and the Department of Social and Critical Inquiry. Vida also received a certificate in campaign management from The Campaign School at Yale Law School.

Vida is a scholar in women’s studies and intercultural communication with a focus on the sexual lives of women at midlife. Beyond that, she is dedicated to breaking down barriers in education, championing post-secondary access and success for first-generation students and returning adults. She is the recipient of the 2025 UConn HDFS Excellence in Teaching award and the 2024 UConn Undergraduate Faculty Academic Advising award. She also helps keep the University ethical by serving on the IRB Committee.

When Vida is not teaching, she is making a measurable difference in the lives of women and girls. She is an ardent advocate, seamlessly blending education, advocacy, and community service to create a lasting impact. Her efforts have not gone unnoticed; she received LiveGirl’s 2024 Community Impact award. Vida also works closely with the Fairfield County Community Foundation as an expert in the unintended consequences of legislation on post-secondary education.

You know you’ve made it when you are talking about Barbie! In January, Vida was a featured speaker at the opening of New York City’s Museum of Arts and Design Presents Barbie®: A Cultural Icon. Her UConn Foundation sponsored talk, From Dreamhouse to Boardroom: Branding Empowerment and Leadership, addressed the iconic doll’s lasting social influence, the evolving understanding of female identity, and the growing demand for representation.

Vida was the proud keynote speaker at the St. Lucian American Association of Connecticut’s 46th Independence Gala in March proving that life is a beautiful full-circle moment. Connecticut was the first state she lived in after arriving from St. Lucia and she describes the moment as a profound homecoming.

Vida remains a force in mentorship. She is currently an advisor to the LiveGirl board (after serving as a board member) and continues to host their popular eight-week leadership programs on the UConn Stamford campus for high school girls. This fall, she is hosting SHE THRIVES, a new pilot high school program designed to help girls thrive, both in school and in life. She is still the go-to mentor for students and young adults looking to navigate their professional journeys.

If you thought she could not fit anything else into her schedule, think again. Vida holds a certificate in culinary arts and generously volunteers with Food Rescue US, a national organization that tackles food waste by collecting fresh, edible food from establishments and delivering it to local service agencies and shelters. She was also the volunteer deputy director of communication for a local legislator in the last election.

When she finally puts the lesson plans and apron down, Vida spends her time doing the things that matter: traveling (spending most summers outside of the US), cooking, and catching up with her mother Gloria and nephew, Nicholas, on FaceTime. She lives her best and bustling life in Fairfield County.

A CT Insider investigation into homelessness in Connecticut quoted Preston Britner on the need to support child welfare-involved families. Read the article here https://www.ctinsider.com/projects/news/connecticut-housing-shortage-homelessness/

Sarah Rendón García recently first authored an opinion piece for Think Global Health on the ripple effects of Federal bans to migrant health care on U.S. Citizens in the areas of early childhood education, addiction recovery services, and mental health programs: Read the article here https://www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/how-federal-bans-to-migrant-health-care-could-affect-u-s-citizens

Kim Gans was featured in UConn Today about a program designed to reduce social isolation impacting homebound older adults: Read the article here https://today.uconn.edu/2025/11/training-program-delivers-resources-to-reduce-social-isolation-among-seniors/